Late-arriving Notre Dame DB Rod Heard II ready to work for starting status
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — As Notre Dame’s safety position group grew up, evolved and persistently pleasantly surprised this past spring largely without Rod Heard II, the Northwestern grad transfer still kept his eye on topping the depth chart.
And is putting in the work now to make it happen and be All-American Xavier Watts’ sidekick come fall.
“Every single year since I've been in college football I've taken a step every single year,” Heard said to a group of reporters recently after finally enrolling at ND three weeks ago. “I've worked on my weaknesses. Gotten better. Gotten bigger, stronger, faster. Gotten more ingrained with the playbook. Battled. Competed.
“I think it was just a culmination of all the work I've been putting in in college football to now. And that's why I came here, to continue on that same process, to maintain on that same trajectory of being the best player I could possibly be. Maximizing that potential.”
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For the first five years of his college football career, that process unfolded at Northwestern. And Heard’s commitment to maintain the same high standard with his academic arc kept him off the field during spring at ND and in an intermittent observer role for the 15 Irish spring practices, and winter workouts before them, as he finished his master’s degree work in Information Design Strategy.
That meant a big time investment on Northwestern’s campus as young safeties like sophomores Adon Shuler and Luke Talich surged at ND and made their case to, minimally, be part of a playing rotation at safety.
Clemson wide receiver transfer Beaux Collins was in a similar — but not entirely parallel — situation this spring as Heard, who will be a sixth-year collegian. Collins, who played three seasons at Clemson, was finishing up undergraduate requirements and was able to do that online, so he was able to live in South Bend and absorb much more of the spring practice/offseason experience.
“It doesn't necessarily align with the semester system,” Heard said of Northwestern’s academic calendar. “So, I couldn't really fully be here until [June 9]. Happy I'm finally able to make the transition. I'm glad to be here."
Heard’s versatile background at Northwestern does include some experience as a safety, but not a lot of it. His skill set and aptitude for it and the opportunity to step into a defense that finished fifth nationally in yards allowed per game and first in pass-efficiency defense made Notre Dame an easy choice among his transfer-portal pursuers.
If all goes according to his plan, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Farmington Hills, Mich., product will replace departed starter DJ Brown, who accrued 47 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception in his final season of college eligibility.
"I don't want to box myself into one thing,” Heard said of his new role with ND after playing primarily nickel for the Wildcats. “I think that's what makes me unique in a sense, being able to do different things and still play at a high level.
“I love playing the slot [nickel]. I have the most experience there. It's a different game than playing high [safety], but I also like playing high, and I actually kind of wanted more experience in that space.
“I felt like sometimes I didn't get the ability to play in that position as much given the need for me to play so much in the slot. I don't think Notre Dame has changed or shifted my trajectory of what I will be in the league.
“I just think being able to maximize and do as much as I can and make plays in all different phases of the game is what makes me a special player. I want to maintain, and I think that will continue as I continue."
Heard amassed 85 tackles last season for one of the nation’s biggest surprise teams, with the Wildcats going 8-5 on the heels of a 1-11 season in 2022 and having head coach Pat Fitzgerald purged for an off-the-field scandal.
Heard also had a sack among his four tackles for loss, as well as four pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Pro Football Focus rated Heard as Northwestern’s second-best defensive player (81.8) in 2023 on a team that ranked 35th nationally in total defense, up for 62nd in 2022.
"It was an interesting experience not being able to fully be here and have that spring ball experience I'm normally used to having,” Heard said. “But being a veteran player, I've played in a lot of defenses and have a lot of experience.
“I've had three different coordinators, so I've run all of the different coverages. It's all the same. But there is definitely some stuff that [Irish defensive coordinator Al] Golden has that's a little bit unique. Of course, he's a former NFL coach. There are definitely some things that are a little more exotic, especially having the type of talent on the team to be able to do a little more things. I think that's why they wanted me here as well.”
Heard’s versatility also gives Notre Dame some position flexibility. For instance, if Arizona State transfer and top nickel Jordan Clark missed extended time and his backups weren’t quite ready for full-time duty. Or if multiple injuries eroded a very talented, but not deep, cornerback group.
Two members of that six-man position group are true freshmen who enrolled in June. Another, junior Benjamin Morrison, is recovering from spring shoulder surgery, though arguably ND’s best player at any position is expected to be fully recovered before the Irish open the 2024 season Aug. 31 at Texas A&M.
“BMo, Benjamin Morrison, I was able to talk to him more,” Heard said. “He was out of the spring, so I was able to have more conversations with him and see what it would be like when I'm fully here and what they're about.
“ All the guys on the team — every single player — has the same mentality and same mindset. It's a collective of everybody that I've had interactions with giving me the rundown of what's to be expected and how committed this place is to winning and excellence and being at the top of college football. That's something that I want to be a part of."
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