Brian Kelly With High Praise For Notre Dame Freshman OL Tommy Kraemer
Shortly after watching a spring practice in March 2015, Tommy Kraemer sat in the office of Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand and watched film for over two hours.
The two studied Zack Martin and Ronnie Stanley that day, watching the footwork, pass sets and line calls. It wasn’t difficult for the first commit in the 2016 recruiting class to envision himself doing similar work.
“Nothing was really specific to me, but he was just telling me how those guys are very good, and how if I mimic them then I can be like them one day," Kraemer told Blue & Gold Illustrated at the time.
The 6-foot-4 ½, 315-pound Kraemer is now on campus, participating in his first preseason practice this month. Though it’s unlikely the Cincinnati, Ohio, native takes the field with the first team Sept. 4, Kraemer has already caught the eye of coach Brian Kelly.
“As a true freshman he is light years ahead of any true freshman that we’ve had — by far,” Kelly said after Saturday’s practice.
Kraemer — a four-star prospect and the second-highest-rated offensive lineman in Hiestand’s five years at Notre Dame (No. 41 in the class of 2016) — is still competing for a spot on opening night while having worked at both right guard and right tackle.
Sophomore Tristen Hoge and senior Colin McGovern are battling for the right guard spot, while senior Hunter Bivin is working at left tackle, behind senior Mike McGlinchey. Kraemer was the second-team right tackle Saturday, with junior Alex Bars the projected starter there.
“He’s the only true freshman that I’ve had here at Notre Dame that we would even consider keeping with us, and that includes all these guys that are starting for us right now,” Kelly said of Kraemer.
Notre Dame’s other two freshmen offensive linemen — Parker Boudreaux and Liam Eichenberg — will almost certainly redshirt this fall. The 18-year-old Kraemer is one of two Parade All-Americans on the Irish offensive line. Hoge also won the honor in the class of 2015.
“It’s a long year and we’re going to continue to work with him,” Kelly said of Kraemer. “He’s making progress and we can see him coming along each and every day.”
Bars drew similar praise from Kelly when he emerged as a prospective left tackle in 2014. His combination of footwork, fluidity, technique and power prompted Kelly to refer to him as one of the best offensive line prospects he’s seen in his coaching career.
Bars redshirted that season, joining a long list of Irish offensive linemen to preserve a year of eligibility their first fall on campus. Since 2008, 26 of 28 Notre Dame offensive linemen redshirted as freshmen, including Martin and Stanley, who were eventual first-round NFL picks.
The two who did not were guards Trevor Robinson (2008) and Steve Elmer (2013), and they started three and four games, respectively, their first season.
In 2006, Sam Young (now with the Miami Dolphins) started all 13 games at right tackle for Notre Dame, the first Irish player to start the season opener on the offensive line since freshmen regained their eligibility in 1972.
Kraemer, though, is doing all he can to make a redshirt decision difficult.
“Here’s a guy that is still going to be with us and we’ll still entertain the opportunity to maybe some day this year be on the field for us,” Kelly said.
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