Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 OCT. 29, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE BY JIM LEFEBVRE W hen Notre Dame junior tight end and captain Michael Mayer as- cended to the top of the school's all-time receptions list for his position, he did so in less than two and a half seasons, an incredible testament to his productivity. Often called the team's hardest worker, Mayer continues to master his trade, constantly working to improve his blocking in preparation for expected entry into the NFL next season. No program has more tight ends cur- rently on NFL active rosters. There are five former Irish, including Cole Kmet (Chicago), Kyle Rudolph (Tampa Bay), Durham Smythe (Miami), Tommy Trem- ble (Carolina) and Brock Wright (Detroit). They continue a legacy that stretches back more than half a century, to when tight ends first started becoming pass- ing targets as much as blocking line- men. Here is a look at some of the more notable Notre Dame tight ends: MIKE CREANEY 1970-72 49 receptions for 937 yards and 5 touchdowns Creaney followed the transition from blocking tight end Tom Lawson to re- ceiving tight end Dewey Poskon. While still largely a blocker, he had great pro- duction when targeted as a receiver. His average of 19.1 yards per reception puts him among the school's all-time leaders in that category. DAVE CASPER 1973 21 receptions for 335 yards and 4 touchdowns Casper started his Notre Dame career as an offensive tackle and was moved to tight end for his senior season in 1973, when he served as co-captain of the na- tional champions and earned consensus All-America honors. He went on to win a Super Bowl and was a four-time first- team All-Pro. He was inducted into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. KEN MACAFEE 1975-77 128 receptions for 1,759 yards and 15 touchdowns MacAfee was a receiving machine, earning All-America honors all three seasons, leading the Irish in receiving each year. He was a consensus selec- tion in 1976 and 1977. The latter year, he snared 54 catches for 797 yards and 6 touchdowns, won the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. DEAN MASZTAK 1978-81 62 receptions for 924 yards and 3 touchdowns Masztak followed MacAfee and aver- aged nearly 15 yards per reception, con- sistently making timely catches to keep drives going. He played a major role in the 1979 Cotton Bowl comeback vic- tory over Houston. Injuries in his final two years limited him to 11 games and 21 catches. TONY HUNTER 1979-82 70 receptions for 904 yards and 3 touchdowns The versatile Hunter led the Irish in receiving his final three years, playing both tight end and split end. He was an imposing figure at 6-foot-4, 237 pounds, yet had the speed and agility to get open anywhere on the field. His overall totals: 120 receptions for 1,897 yards and 5 touchdowns. MARK BAVARO 1981-84 55 receptions for 771 yards and 4 touchdowns Bavaro earned All-America honors in 1984 when he made 32 receptions for 395 yards. He went on to a 10-year career in the NFL, totaling 351 catches for 4,733 yards and 39 touchdowns. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants. DEREK BROWN 1988-91 62 receptions for 899 yards and 8 touchdowns As a freshman in 1988, Brown reached the end zone on 3 of his 12 receptions for the national champs, on a run-first offense led by Tony Rice. The 6-foot-6 target averaged 14.5 yards per catch in his four years. ANTHONY FASANO 2003-05 92 receptions for 1,112 yards and 8 touchdowns During this "golden age" of Notre Dame passing, with Brady Quinn fre- quently tossing to Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McNight, Fasano was a consis- tent target as well. He nabbed 47 catches for 576 yards in his final season. In a 12- year NFL career, he made 299 grabs for 3,278 yards and 36 touchdowns. JOHN CARLSON 2004-07 100 receptions for 1,093 yards and 8 touchdowns Ken MacAfee is the gold standard by which all Irish tight ends are measured. He was a three- time All-American between 1975-77 (twice con- sensus) and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS A Half Century Of Excellence At 'Tight End U'