Tight Ends Expected To Develop Into All-Around Players In 2016

For years, there was little doubt about which Irish tight end served as the unit’s standout heading into the next season.

From Anthony Fasano through Ben Koyack, Notre Dame earned a ‘Tight End U’ moniker for producing some of the nation’s best at the position.

Once Durham Smythe suffered an injury in game two last fall that would keep him out for the remainder of the season, the Irish relied on a hodgepodge of tight ends with different strengths and weaknesses.

This spring, with the look toward the fall, Notre Dame has its eyes set on developing the tight end personnel into a more well-rounded group.

“I would think you're going to see our guys doing more as an all-around tight end than last year, how we had to bring guys in for specific roles,” tight ends coach Scott Booker said. “I think all those guys are capable of playing. I'd like to see all of them playing. As far as going in and out like we did last year, that hopefully may not be the case.”

With Smythe only healthy for 147 snaps in 2015, Notre Dame called upon Nic Weishar (286 snaps) Alizé Jones (239) Tyler Luatua (200) and Chase Hounshell (168) to fill the void. Smythe’s replacements snagged only a total of 17 passes for 215 yards and zero touchdowns.

Luatua was a blocker with little ability in the passing game while Jones and Weishar at times struggled with blocking in their first seasons on the field. Hounshell, meanwhile, converted from the defensive line to tight end as a fifth-year senior to provide depth.

Booker hopes for a more complete output from each of the team’s four tight ends (Smythe, Jones, Weishar and Jacob Matuska) in 2016.

Smythe is still viewed as the leader despite such little experience heading into his senior season. He said this spring that a lack of continuity at the position might have made it difficult for the Irish quarterbacks to look their way in 2015.

“I think he does understand that as far as the group, he does have the most time here at Notre Dame,” Booker said. “He understands how we do our work. He understands everything about our system. There's a sense of urgency with him in the fact that he doesn't have that bulk of playing time, so this isn't a time where it's a third-year guy or fourth-year guy going through his third spring. He has a big sense of urgency. There's a fire lit underneath him and he understands he needs to work hard every day.

“[The trust between quarterbacks and tight ends is] evolving and it's something that needs to continue to evolve through the spring. That's a summer thing. Those guys go out there in June or July and just continually working on our base routes the tight ends have to catch and run and have those quarterbacks know exactly where we're going to be so they can do it in their sleep. We're going to continue to get to that point.”