Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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struggled with as a kid," he said. "My mom was always telling me, 'Be patient, be patient. Patience is a virtue.' I was like, 'Whatever.' I really learned about that in college. "It takes time. Control what I can control. Once I got that through my head, I did everything I could to transform, to enhance my game in all aspects." Hayes also admitted it was he who originally broached the topic about redshirting last season. "I think every player believes he can play," Hayes said. "I knew for certain I could have been out there playing and been a productive player. At the same time, coaches have their plans and you have to control what you can control. "It wasn't really hard accepting it, because now I see it as a time that added to my game, me going back to the gym, going back to the laboratory and getting better." N o w h e i s f i n d i n g h i m s e l f mentoring another Hayes, early enrollee freshman and five‑star recruit Daelin Hayes (no relation), who plays the same position and also has had to learn about patience while playing in only about seven high school football games the past three seasons and dealing with myriad issues, including shoulder surgeries from which he is recovering. "I'm trying to give him the ins and outs of a Notre Dame football player, how you should conduct yourself," the elder Hayes said. "I'm honest with him. I don't want to see him make the mistakes I've made, because he's a real talented guy." The Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep graduate also says homesickness is not an issue, mainly because he doesn't know where he would be in life today without having had the blessing to be a student‑athlete at Notre Dame. "I love my teammates and I know they love me," said Hayes, one of the more gregarious, affable and "big" personalities on the team, comparable to former nose guard Louis Nix III (2010‑13). "Just the resources, the facilities, the atmosphere. I'm from Brooklyn, and it's hard to go to a gym when you really want to go to a gym. It's hard to go run when you sometimes want to run down the street to go to the park. "I can come here to work out any time I want. I can come here to watch film any time I want. I can really enhance my game any time I want "I KNEW FOR CERTAIN I COULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE PLAYING AND BEEN A PRODUCTIVE PLAYER. AT THE SAME TIME, COACHES HAVE THEIR PLANS AND YOU HAVE TO CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. IT WASN'T REALLY HARD ACCEPTING IT, BECAUSE NOW I SEE IT AS A TIME THAT ADDED TO MY GAME, ME GOING BACK TO THE GYM, GOING BACK TO THE LABORATORY AND GETTING BETTER." HAYES ON REDSHIRTING IN 2015