Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 23, 2019 17 room who believed in me," Eichen- berg said. "That was the biggest thing that helped me keep going." Eichenberg settled down and upped his game, saving some of his best work last season for star defense ends Brian Burns of Florida State (the No. 16 overall pick) and Clem- son All-American Clelin Ferrell (the No. 4 overall pick). With the experiences from last year, coupled with his daily prac- tice matchups this season, game day might become the easiest day of Eichenberg's football week. Imagine every practice trying to block a couple of All-America candi- dates in Irish defensive ends Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem. "At times it gets a little difficult," said Eichenberg, pointing out the ob- vious improvement benefits of work- ing against these future NFL players. "It's tough, but I wouldn't have it any other way." And neither would Kareem. "[Eichenberg] definitely challenges me day in and day out," Kareem said. "That gives us a great look in practice so when we go to the game, I feel like we've already gone against the best." GRANDPA KNOWS BEST Eichenberg doesn't have to surf the Internet to find out where he stands among the top college linemen in the country or what his future NFL Draft prospects look like. His grandfather and pseudo agent handles that re- search and correspondence. "He loves telling me about what he's reading about me," Eichenberg joked. "I'm like, 'Grandpa, it doesn't matter.' Nothing against them, but most of those guys that are writing, they honestly don't know." For what it's worth, those guys that are writing about Eichenberg consider him one of the top five of- fensive tackles in the country and an eventual first-round draft pick. And if and when Eichenberg even- tually goes in the first round, he would continue a Notre Dame streak of having a first-round pick starting at left tackle every year since 2010, with Zack Martin, Ronnie Stanley and Mc- Glinchey preceding him at that spot. With a year of eligibility remaining in 2020, Eichenberg will face a deci- sion after this season to return for a fifth year at Notre Dame or declare for the draft. Whether he stays or goes remains another story for a later date. But in the meantime, at least one team- mate believes that Eichenberg's per- formance under fire last season has him well equipped to thrive during this one. "This time around, he's got this," said junior Robert Hainsey, Notre Dame's right offensive tackle and a team captain. "Now he just needs to keep that confidence he gained last year, play freely and keep improving. There is no more self-doubt." ✦ "I knew I didn't put enough time into it. That's how life is. If you don't put the work in, you don't see the reward." Eichenberg