Jerry Tillery Taking Full Advantage Of The Notre Dame Experience

What a difference a year has made for defensive tackle Jerry Tillery.

In the spring of 2015 as a freshman early enrollee, the prized recruit was the buzz of spring drills — even more so than safety Devin Studstill or wide receiver Kevin Stepherson this year.

“Far and away the story is Jerry Tillery,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said of the Shreveport, La., native Tillery, who was replacing an injured Jarron Jones at nose guard. “He’s just a unique player — one that I can’t remember that I’ve coached … I don’t want to put him in the Hall of Fame, I’m so leery to talk about a freshman, but he’s a unique talent.”

One year later, when Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and line coach Keith Gilmore were asked about the 6-6½, 315-pound Tillery, who started in three of the 12 regular-season games he played last year before being suspended in the Fiesta Bowl for a violation of team rules, the words are much less effusive. That’s hardly atypical. Freshmen often are boosted up for the slightest positive signs — before being taken down a peg or two once their college football careers commence.

“Inconsistent,” replied VanGorder during the final week of spring when asked about Tillery’s adjustment from nose guard to the graduated Sheldon Day’s three-technique spot. “Just really inconsistent.

“Nobody’s really established himself as the starter at the defensive tackle position, so we’ll keep it competitive and see if we can grow and develop some young players who have some ability. … There are about six names there you can rattle off who are competing for the job. We just have to find out who the best player is going to be.”

Gilmore noted that Tillery made some strides in the final week of spring drills, but did stop short of declaring him a full-time starter.

“Most of the spring I’ve been battling, and it’s not just the learning part,” Gilmore said of Tillery. “We all forget sometimes that Jerry is a freshman. The expectation becomes really high and everybody wants him to do everything correct right now. I have to remind myself that he’s a freshman, keep coaching him. He’ll be where we need him to be when the time comes.

“I’m still pushing, that hasn’t changed. He’s just starting to become a little more mature, as young men do. From one year to the other they’re going to get better. He’s starting to get it. We forget that Jerry is a freshman. … Most people are not even talking about sophomores. He’s in this position that we’ve got to have him step up like he’s an upperclassman and really become a factor.”

Actually, the lone player along the line who can be declared a “full-time” starter is senior strongside end Isaac Rochell. At weakside end, juniors Andrew Trumbetti and Jay Hayes will rotate, depending on the opponent, with Trumbetti going against more pass-oriented teams and Hayes versus the more physical sets. Nose guard also is expected to be a tandem with Jones and junior Daniel Cage.

At the three-technique, Tillery has held off challenges from classmates Elijah Taylor and Micah Dew-Treadway, but it’s not out of the question that Rochell or Jones could slide over there as well.

“We’d like to find our best four … we’re going to play a lot of players on the D-line at different positions,” VanGorder summarized.

Tillery and Cage rotated in place of the injured Jones last year, with Tillery averaging about 30 snaps per contest (351) with three starts and Cage about 24 (261), starting seven times while missing two games with an injury. Cage still had better overall numbers with 18 tackles (four for loss) to Tillery’s 12 (two for loss).

“There were too many ‘almost’ plays, and plays where we don’t really finish what we’re doing and that costs us,” Tillery said of where he wants to improve the most. “Just being controlled in my movements, knowing exactly what I’m doing — and doing it quickly.

“Quicker, more explosive, more controlled in what I’m doing … I can only dream of being like Sheldon, but that’s something I’m working toward.”

While adjusting to college football, Tillery also became a feature performer on the weekly Showtime series “A Season With Notre Dame Football” with his combination of humor, a cerebral personality, feeling natural in front of a camera and his gift of gab, including regular banter with Day. Many times he literally stole the show — which might be part of why he’s being brought back to earth this spring. That also happened when on the morning of the Fiesta Bowl, the University of Notre Dame announced that Tillery would be only a spectator in the game for an indiscretion.

“I know I have a chip on my shoulder, I know I have a lot of work to do,” Tillery said earlier this spring. “It’s something we’ve moved past and I think we get better for the mistakes that we make, and I think that’s what we’re doing.”

He admitted it was the proverbial wake-up call beyond the field of play that freshmen experience.

“It’s a privilege to play on this team, and when you break rules that’s something that gets taken away,” Tillery said. “I know how lucky we are to be here. I’m not perfect, and I think this proves that if you’re given a lot, it can also be taken away.

“I think I’ve definitely learned from the situation and I’ve gotten better from it. I’ve addressed it with my teammates, my coaches, parents, the Lord, everybody.”

This spring, Tillery’s adjustment to his new position has had a learning curve, but he believes in the long term his skill set will lend itself to better production there than at nose guard.

“This is a different way I can help my team,” he said. “It’s something I’m starting to learn and enjoying for the most part, and I think I will be successful.”

There’s little doubt he will make a splash anywhere in life. In one short year, he has become a Renaissance-man version of senior wide receiver Corey Robinson, who has caught 65 career passes but whose football days are clouded because of concussion issues. Robinson was elected student body president this spring — while Tillery helped on the campaign that was his opposition.

“It was a lot of fun and something I definitely will get into later,” Tillery said. “… That’s a good way to make a difference: help people, start things, that’s definitely something that intrigues me.”

His original plans were to go into the medical field, but this spring Tillery veered his course and opted to go “the Steve Elmer route” by changing his major to economics.

“I think I could have done it if I found chemistry more intriguing,” Tillery said of continuing his pursuit in medicine. “It wasn’t as interesting or fun as I thought it would be, so I decided it wasn’t for me. But if its things I’m interested in, I think I can balance them nicely.”

During spring break this year (March 5-13), just before practice began, Tillery traveled to Germany with his godmother to visit a close family friend who is in the military. The trip also included a visit to Paris and to Auschwitz in Poland, the infamous death camp in World War II.

“A sobering experience,” Tillery said. “I learned a lot. I had a good spring.”

Prior to the start of the summer session last year, Tillery joined Robinson and several other football players who studied abroad in South Africa for three weeks

“It was incredible,” Tillery said last year. “The safari, the beaches in Cape Town. It was a country of contrast, really, huge townships with the poorest people in the world to opulent neighborhoods, super-rich and fancy. It was a country that really gave me a different outlook on life.”

This year prior to the summer session and after the spring term, he will travel to Jerusalem, as will safety Drue Tranquill, among others, to study a theology course for several weeks. Since enrolling at Notre Dame, the globetrotting Tillery also has been to Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Senegal and Turkey — which might make him consider expanding his major to international economics.

“I’m trying to take full advantage of this experience,” said Tillery of his college years. “I know there is a lot to offer and it’s very exciting what we’ve been doing.”

The natural inquiry is whether football is important to him or just another hobby, the same question that has followed Robinson.

“I understand why I’m here,” Tillery said. “I know what comes first and second. I feel like I’ve worked on and gotten better at prioritizing things in my life. It’s not an easy process … When football is going on you can’t think about the math test you have on Tuesday. And when you’re taking that math test, you can’t be thinking about practice in the morning. [I’m] giving my full attention and time to both.

“I knew coming to Notre Dame you could do a lot and you could see a lot and this would be a great experience.”

The show has only just begun.