Summer Outlook: Tight Ends

Blue & Gold Illustrated continues its summer preview of the 2016 Irish with an outlook of the tight ends.

**** National Title Contention

*** Playoff Contention

** Top 25 Potential

* Too Unproven

Starters **

Last year, Notre Dame struggled with consistency at the position once starter Durham Smythe was lost for the regular season due to shoulder and knee injuries. The Irish are better positioned — assuming the personnel stay healthy — in 2016 with Smythe’s return and now that the rest of the players, particularly sophomore Alizé Jones, have an extra year under their belt in the offense. Smythe is more than capable of being an all-around option for head coach Brian Kelly and Co., and Jones will likely be a matchup problem for opponents at both tight end and the boundary receiver position.

Experience **

Notre Dame’s experience at tight end is much better heading into this fall rather than one year ago at this time. The Irish didn’t suffer any significant losses at the position with Chase Hounshell leaving for Ohio State as a graduate transfer. Jones has another year with the playbook, as does Weishar who could become a pass-catching option in his third season in South Bend. Notre Dame had the luxury of not signing a tight end in last year’s recruiting class with the returning talent at the position.

Depth ***

Notre Dame is deeper at tight end than either of the past two seasons and could sustain an injury like what Smythe experienced last fall because of the improved depth. With a pair of capable starters in Smythe and Jones, the coaching staff has the luxury of cross-training the latter at the W boundary position.

The decision by Luatua not to transfer from Notre Dame is also a significant boost to the depth, particularly in the blocking department. The Irish moved Matuska from the defensive line for that reason, but Luatua is more than capable of shouldering the load in that department.

Overall Grade ** 1/2

Jones is the top physical specimen among Notre Dame’s tight ends and could eventually be the next in line of Notre Dame’s excellent ‘Tight End U’ production the past decade. With Jones and Smythe, the Irish are well off at the position as long as both stay healthy.

What hurt the tight ends’ performance last season was a lack of all-around ability and it’s crucial to their success this fall that the players can do more than their specialized roles.

Position Coach: Scott Booker (5th year at Notre Dame)

Returning Starters: Alizé Jones (5), Durham Smythe (3), Tyler Luatua (3) and Nic Weishar (2)

Departing Starters: None

Projected New Starters: None

Top Reserves: Tyler Luatua and Nic Weishar

Waiting Their Turn: None

Newcomers: None

Moved In: Jacob Matuska (formerly a defensive lineman)

Moved Out: None

Other Departures: Chase Houshell (graduate transfer)

FYI: Smythe redshirted in 2013 and caught one pass in 2014 before becoming a starter in 2015 prior to an injury that ended his regular season … Notre Dame was scheduled to carry four tight ends into the 2016 season before Luatua decided not to transfer to BYU … The Irish did not sign a tight end in the 2016 recruiting haul, but have commitments from 2017 tight ends Brock Wright and Cole Kmet … Booker will also coach the Irish special teams units in 2016 … No player started more than five games at the position in 2015 while the Irish juggled the personnel following the injury to Smythe.

5 Players in 2015 that registered at least 147 snaps at tight end, which includes Durham Smythe despite the then-junior participating in only three games.

20 The total number of receptions by those five tight ends in 2015, which is eight catches lower than Notre Dame’s leading receiver at the position in any season since 2005.

5 Irish tight ends selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 2006, with Troy Niklas in 2014 being the most recent.