Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2020 Notre Dame Football Preview
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TIGHT ENDS 68 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Starters ★★★½ Notre Dame lost one of the best in the college game when Cole Kmet moved on after his junior year and became a second-round NFL Draft pick of the Chicago Bears. But fear not, Tight End U. has plenty of reinforce- ments on the way, highlighted by junior Tommy Tremble, the presumed opening-day starter. The athletic 6-3, 233-pounder finished fourth on the Irish last season with 16 receptions for 183 yards and four touchdowns. Tremble displayed similar star power last season as Kmet did in 2018 during his sophomore year (15 catches for 162 yards and no scores). And with Kmet out of the way, expect Tremble to have a breakout season — he's poised to more than double-up his production from last year — and become a valuable third-down and goal-line option. Experience ★★★★ Though not dynamic receivers in the way Tremble is, senior Brock Wright and junior George Takacs provide valuable stability, experience and plenty of talent to this position group. Wright, known mainly as a solid run blocker, has appeared in 37 career games while Takacs played in six contests last season, recording two catches, one for a touchdown. Wright and Takacs could start on most Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Depth ★★★★½ Looking at this category based on both veteran tal- ent and freshman potential, first-year Irish tight ends coach Mike McNulty inherits one of the best stable of tight ends in the country. Tremble is on a fast-track to stardom. Wright is a proven commodity. Takacs took 55 snaps last season. And incoming freshman Michael Mayer (6-5, 234) was outstanding during his high school All-American tour and confidently wears an unwillingness to be anything less than a first-year starter. Mayer, ranked by Rivals as the No. 36 overall player in his class, holds the highest rating for an incoming Irish tight end since Kyle Rudolph (No. 20) in 2008. Another incoming freshman, Kevin Bauman, was rated a four-star recruit, the No. 5 tight end in the land and holds a vast skill set with a bright future. Overall Grade ★★★★ Given recruiting rankings, size, athleticism and the school they attend, it's not out of the question that all five tight ends could someday end up in the NFL. And, consider, Kmet had another year of eligibility in 2020. He would have given the unit the fifth star. New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees placed a premium on targeting tight ends when he played quarterback at Notre Dame, so perhaps that mindset will spill into his offensive strategies and play-calling to make this position group even stronger than it already appears to be. BY THE NUMBERS 2 2 Seasons of experience exclusively coaching tight ends by first-year Notre Dame tight ends coach John McNulty — who enters his third decade of coaching. This has included 15 years in the NFL and stints as an offensive coordinator. His two seasons as strictly a tight ends coach was with the San Diego/ Los Angeles Chargers, where he instructed future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry, a bud- ding Pro Bowl candidate. 11 11 Touchdown receptions snared by Notre Dame tight ends last year — six by Cole Kmet, four by Tommy Tremble and one by George Takacs — to break the previous single-season school record of eight set in 2013. Last year also marked the third consecutive year three different tight ends scored for the Fighting Irish, the only three times that has been achieved by the program. 82.8 82.8 Blocking grade last year from Pro Football Focus of Tommy Tremble. Anything above 80 is good, and it was much higher than second-round draft pick Cole Kmet's 55.3, although in fairness Kmet had 707 snaps compared to Tremble's 316. PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★★ National Title; ★★★★ Top 10; ★★★ Top 25; ★★ Too Unproven; ★ Major Concern Senior Brock Wright has made 37 game appearances his first three seasons. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER