Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/638727
UNDER THE DOME BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO Box 2331 Durham, NC 27702 www.BlueGoldOnline.com 800-421-7751 DELIVERY LIMITED TO CONTINENTAL U.S. Please add sales Tax For ITems shIPPIng To: (nC 7.5%, In 7%, mI 6%) (Item #6622) GRILL MAT $49.95 + FREE SHIPPING CusToM GRILL CoveRs (Item #6621) Recycled, mold-resistant, breathable vinyl with drawstring bottom. Logo printed with UV-resistant ink. AVAILABLE IN 2 SIzES: Small: 60" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $51.95 + $15.00 S&H Large: 72" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $54.95 + $15.00 S&H CHOICE OF 3 LOGO DESIGNS: ND Shamrock • ND Logo • Leprechaun Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery. Covers are made to order and shipped direct from the manufacturer. Tyler Luatua To Transfer To BYU Notre Dame sophomore tight end Tyler Luatua will transfer to Brigham Young University at the end of the 2016 spring semester at Notre Dame. In January, Cougar Access reporter Terrell Williams first tweeted that Luatua had sought a transfer to BYU, noting: "One of the main reasons for Tyler Luatua's transfer is to be closer to friends, family and home. He has both friends, family in Provo." Notre Dame confirmed the report on Feb. 1. Per NCAA transfer rules, Luatua would have to sit out the 2016 season before having two seasons of eligibility remaining in 2017‑18, or later if he decides on a Mormon mission. Signed in February 2014, Luatua earned monograms each of his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish but did not catch a pass after snaring 76 his last two seasons at La Mirada High in Para‑ mount, Calif. As a freshman in 2014, Luatua alternated with then‑sophomore Durham Smythe behind senior starter Ben Koyack. He played in 10 of the 13 games but was sidelined in midseason contests against North Carolina, Florida State and Navy because of a concussion. He started with Koyack in a double‑tight‑end formation in the Music City Bowl win versus LSU and had a strong game while helping the Irish amass 263 rushing yards in the 31‑28 victory. Despite an injury to the starter Smythe in game two this past season, Luatua's playing time diminished while sophomore Nic Weishar (286 snaps) and freshman Alizé Jones (203), both of whom have three years of eligibility remaining, ascended. According to Blue & Gold Illustrated associate editor Andrew Ow‑ ens' count, Luatua totaled only 18 snaps over the final three games — eight versus Boston College, six at Stanford and four versus Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Luatua had a strong blocking game against Georgia Tech in week three (36 snaps) — when he replaced the injured Smythe — but a concussion, which has been a recurring problem in his career, sidelined him for the next two tilts versus UMass and Clemson. He never was quite the same thereafter. Luatua is the fourth Irish tight end out of the last five from Cali‑ fornia to transfer. The others were Konrad Reuland (Stanford), Will Yeatman (Maryland) and Joseph Fauria (UCLA), all of who are or have been in the NFL. The fifth, Troy Niklas, turned pro after his junior year. — Lou Somogyi