Count Holden Staes as a member of the growing Jordan Botelho fan club, like outgoing career Notre Dame sacks leader Isaiah Foskey, extolling the sudden rapid ascent of the chronically raw and mercurial Irish vyper end.
“Ferociousness,” Staes, a sophomore Irish tight end said of the 6-foot-3, 255-pound senior Botelho, purportedly now the hardest defender to block among his ND teammates. “He's just coming to take your gap, full head of steam, putting his head down. And you're gonna take it in the chin, so you better buckle up.
“He's got a high motor, really physical. So, I think he's gonna be really good.”
This is where Staes’ head is at this spring — pushing to be an elite blocker, now that he has the body for it.
Along with juniors Mitchell Evans and Davis Sherwood, Staes is one of three healthy tight ends getting reps this spring — a number that figures to double by August training camp. The now, 6-4, 242-pound Atlanta product played at 226 last season as a freshman while logging 83 snaps over 11 games, including one start, as one of departing All-American Michael Mayer’s many understudies/sidekicks.
And Staes actually spent his first month on campus last June, upon enrolling, at closer to 210.
“I moved in on my birthday, June 10,” he told a gathering of media Saturday after practice at the Irish Athletics Center. “The next day, physicals and all that, I was feeling horrible. And I had mono. So I didn't do summer workouts the first three weeks.
“It was definitely tough. I lost like 15 pounds. So just gaining all that weight back was definitely a challenge. And then just watching all the freshmen that I came with getting to work out with the team and I just have to kind of stand there and watch.
“That was definitely tough for me, especially because I knew the work that I put in before I came. And then it kind of just felt like it was all for nothing for the first three weeks. But by the time I came back I just kind of flipped a switch and just got into the groove. So it was all good.”
At 242, Staes said he feels like he’s still quick enough in the passing game to create mismatches against most opposing linebackers and safeties. His focus in the weight room moving forward then is about building muscle and not heft.
“I can feel my strength there translating to the field,” he said, “so that's one thing I definitely want to show that I can hold up in the run game throughout the whole season.”
Through team meetings and the three practices so far (practice No. 4 of 15 is Wednesday morning), the running game is still going to be a valued staple in the Irish offense moving forward, with tight ends coach Gerad Parker now amending the playbook at calling plays as offensive coordinator.
“I think we're gonna throw the ball a lot deeper this year,” Staes said. “I think we're gonna see that, because our receiver room is pretty good. Then, obviously, he's a tight ends coach. He's still going to get us the ball. What Mike Mayer did to our offense last year, we've got tight ends capable of doing the same thing this year. It's going to be a really balanced offense.”
“You've got a quarterback who can get it down field a little bit better, too?” came a follow-up question from the media.
“Yes sir, no doubt,” Staes said.
Evans notes the biggest difference he sees in Parker since his promotion last month is more a swagger, though Staes points out he still lifts with the tight ends sometimes, does push-ups with them and runs with them.
Can he keep up?
“He thinks he can,” Staes said.
“Yeah, it's a little different. But I mean, he's done a great job. I think we all knew once he was gonna be the OC, he was just going to take it and run with it. This has been his dream. He's earned it. He has the right to it. He's been special.”
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