Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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SEASON KICKOFF: TIGHT ENDS sique instantly earned him the nickname Hercules last year, started by linebacker Manti Te'o. In the opening practice this August, Niklas twice capsized the blocking sled, which some might consider a herculean feat in itself, while doing a basic drill. "I was ready to get on the field and kind of let loose," your head in the right spot and your hands in the right spot. Sometimes you get one and don't get the other. … you have to be consistent." Aggression is not an issue with Niklas, whose phy- "You've got to do that, but then you also have to have Niklas said with a smile. "I didn't intend to flip it the first time, but then I found out I could and might as well do it again." Offensive coordinator Chuck Martin believes Niklas can almost be a danger to teammates in practice with his appetite for destruction. "He's a physical kid that likes contact, and there's a dif- ference," Martin said. "There are kids that can be physical that really don't enjoy contact, and that's [like] fighting City Hall. He enjoys banging into people all the time — he's one banging into people afterwards. "We've all seen big, athletic tight ends that should be blocking the heck of people that don't really don't block very good at all. If he can get technically the position down and wraps in comfortable for the game, there's no telling how good he can be down the road." Niklas' bull-in-a-china-shop technique is trying to be harnessed more productively, according to Kelly. "It was all technique with him because physically, he can lift a car up," Kelly said. "It was technique and under- standing leverage and all the things that go along with the tight end position …" In addition to flipping blocking sleds, Niklas also has on defense you can just kind of run all over the place and be kind of a wild, crazy man," he said. "I like to think of myself as a physical person, and I choose to do that on a daily basis. I think that's something you have to choose to be. I embrace the position I'm in right now, blocking a lot — and also catching some balls." "Offense is a lot more controlled aggression, whereas practice were winding down, junior tight end Alex Welch was felled during an 11-on-11 scrimmage drill. Shortly thereafter, it was determined he had torn the ACL in his knee and would require surgery. According to head coach Brian Kelly on media • As the final minutes of Notre Dame's Aug. 8 day (Aug. 16), the surgery went well and it appears Welch will be available to participate again next spring. "No collateral damage, just the ligament damage, Sophomore Ben Koyack made four reception for 38 yards, highlighted by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Everett Golson, in the Blue-Gold Game, but he will be counted on to be an in-line blocker this season. experienced a flipping of the mind by moving to tight end. starting Dog linebacker spot, can vouch for Niklas' physi- cal demeanor. Councell isn't sure whether it was better to compete with Niklas for action at Dog last year, or com- pete against the blocking tight end. "He's going to be a beast tight end, especially in the run Classmate Ben Councell, who has been working at the PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND game," Councell said. "He's probably the biggest tight end you'll see out there. … It's a hard time to get around him because he gets his eyes on you and he's locked on. Even after I'm chasing the ball down, halfway down the field, all of a sudden Troy comes up again." When you're in a construction area, you better keep the hard hat on at all times. ✦ bearing on whether or not he wants to apply for a fifth season in 2014. Welch and sophomores Ben Koyack and Troy Nik- News & Notes las all could be in their final season of eligibility in 2014. • During the final week of spring practice, Niklas which generally speeds the recovery process," Kelly said. "He's back in that time frame of four to six months." Welch did not see game action as a 2010 fresh- man, so this season's medical redshirt year has no www.BLUEANDGOLD.com was sidelined by the Notre Dame training staff as a precautionary measure while he dealt with vari- ous physical issues. Rumors over the summer even hinted that the sophomore's football career might be in jeopardy. Niklas not only participated in all the summer testing. "I would say what I was doing was very cool. I was literally playing a new game with my brain." Fortunately, football is still his best game. • A question often posed to senior Tyler Eifert is football workouts, but he also engaged in some biofeedback testing this summer to aid his overall health, including his sleep patterns. "In research, it helps with my sleep," he said of the what if he suffers an injury as a senior that would see his high NFL stock drop. It's easy to forget that Eifert had to sit out his freshman year at Notre Dame in 2009 as a medical redshirt after undergoing back surgery. There were some whispers even back then that he might not be able to play football again, yet last year he absorbed some tremendous hits while going across the middle and making some leaping catches. He remained stout and in one piece. "Modern medicine is pretty good," Eifert said. "I'm not too worried about it." — Lou Somogyi PRESEASON 2012 53