Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME I've got to go through lanes more so than just thinking [the ball is] go‑ ing to get there." Minutes later a second‑ and‑two situation just past midfield saw the Irish go from run to pass, with a deflected pass then turning into a 59‑yard interception return for a score. The fourth turn‑ over came on the opening possession of the second half when the Irish drove inside the Arizona State 10 before Golson threw his third pick. "Everett got hit from behind on a roll‑out," Kelly said. "He was try‑ ing to get that ball in the back corner to Corey [Robinson] — he got hit from behind." Finally, with the Irish trailing 41‑31, Golson connected with Robin‑ son, who bobbled the ball and while trying to regain control inadvertently bat‑ ted it to a Sun Devils de‑ fender who returned it for a 58‑yard score. "We have a quarter‑ back taking responsibil‑ ity, wanting to get better at it, and 10 other players that have to get better," Kelly said. "It's not just Everett Golson. There are 10 other players that have to play better football for our quarterback to be successful." ✦ Tight End Heir Not Yet Apparent No single position at Notre Dame over the last 10 years has been blessed with more star power and a sea- soned heir apparent than tight end. Second-round picks Anthony Fasano, John Carlson and Kyle Rudolph followed each other in succession from 2004-10. When Rudolph was injured midway through 2010, future first-round selection Tyler Eifert stepped in as a sophomore and finished with 28 catches that season. Grooming behind Eifert in 2012 was converted linebacker Troy Niklas, who then left after his junior season as another second-round NFL pick. Current senior Ben Koyack, projected as potentially one of the top three draft-eligible tight ends next spring, was a contingency option after starting five games in 2013 … but a 2015 heir is less apparent. Sophomore Durham Smythe has appeared in all nine games this season, but mainly on special teams. He didn't catch his first pass until a seven-yard grab at Arizona State Nov. 8. Even at Tempe, Ariz., Smythe was in only three plays. Koyack entered the Arizona State contest with the most snaps (636) taken by any Irish player this year and was in for all 79 plays on offense versus the Sun Devils as well. With 715 snaps through nine games, that's an average of 79.4 per contest. Smythe has been hampered, per Kelly, by hamstring and back problems. "He's got to play a little bit more," Kelly said of Smythe. "We're putting way too many snaps on Ben Koyack." Like Smythe, another sophomore tight end, Mike Heuerman, was redshirted last season. At only 225 pounds, Heuerman has yet to take a snap in game action. Freshman Tyler Luatua (6-2½, 260) had a strong preseason and provides a physical presence, but a concus- sion sidelined him for three games before he took Smythe's role as a blocker on special teams at Arizona State. A fourth tight end, 6-4, 237-pound freshman Nic Weishar is being redshirted this year so that he too can develop more physically. Kelly believes Smythe can become the next player to thrive at 'Tight End U.' "He's starting to catch back up," Kelly said of Smythe overcoming his health setbacks. "He's got a big upside … size, willing to block, soft hands, he can catch the football … I think he's got to play a little bit more."