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THE EIFERT SALES PITCH Martin: Well, I'm running the offense L ast January, Tyler Eifert had a decision to make. The Irish tight end could take his 90 career catches and seven touch- downs and head to the seven-figure sal- ary awaiting him in the NFL, or he could return to Notre Dame for a final season as the big man on campus. MURPHY'S LAW DAN MURPHY Notre Dame wanted, maybe even needed, him back. His teammates made the drive down Indiana Route 9 to let him know that. Newly ordained offensive coordinator Chuck Martin also spent a day visiting the Eifert residence in Fort Wayne, Ind., to sell their 6-6, 252-pound son on another year of playing for the Irish. The plan was to make Eifert their go-to guy in 2012. He would step to center stage to replace the most prolific pass catcher in Notre Dame history — head coach Brian Kelly said as much after a promising scrimmage in the spring. He was going to be a new kind of tight end in a new kind of offense that would make pro scouts drool. Martin's pitch worked. A few days later, Eifert announced he would be coming back to South Bend for his senior season. We'll never know exactly what the coach told Eifert that day sitting in his family's kitchen with a cup of coffee and a life-changing decision both on the table. But based on the first six weeks of the football season this fall, imagine it went something like this: Martin: Hey Eif, great game down in Orlando. Too bad we couldn't hang on to that one. Sure would be nice to get another shot at them next bowl season right? Eifert: That was a tough one, coach. Your secondary played great. now, and I sure could use a big guy like you. What do you say? Eifert: I'd love to win some more doesn't mean I get the ball less. Martin: No. We'll throw to you three, maybe even four times a game. Eifert: That doesn't sound like a whole lot. I'm taller than all these cornerbacks. Why not just throw me a fade in the end zone? Martin: Fade? Sure, we'll throw one the first chance we get against Navy if you come back. Eifert: Great. What if it doesn't work? Martin: We'll do the exact same thing the next play. Eifert: Awesome. And then what if that Tight end Tyler Eifert entered his senior season with 90 career catches and seven touchdowns, but has just 11 receptions for 189 yards and one score through five games this fall. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA use that play anymore in the first half of the season. We're pretty satisfied scoring touchdowns only 52 percent of the time when we make it to the red zone. Our de- fense is going to be pretty good. Eifert: Huh. Well, I can still dominate one works? Martin: Then that'll be it. We won't toss it your way a few times to keep a defense honest, but the real beauty will be using you as a decoy on third downs. Everyone knows you can move the chains. They'll be expecting it. Eifert: (Searches "Workouts for the NFL combine" on his smartphone.) Martin: You see the thing is, if we head Martin: Don't worry about that. We'll on third downs at least. I was a beast last season using my body near the sticks. I can't wait to work in a few new routes to beat the double coverage I'm going to get. into our sixth game of the year converting 42 percent of third downs, that will be plenty for us. I mean, that defense. Did you hear Manti is coming back? ✦ PAGE 19 Eifert: I have to admit, coach, this isn't really going the way I expected. Martin: Wait a sec. What if I told you hotter. You have to show them you can block. We're going to line you up all over the field and let you block cornerbacks, linebackers, even a few defensive ends. You're going to be a blocking tight end from sideline to sideline. Eifert: That sounds cool, but I hope that games, and I love hanging out with the guys. But Rudolph keeps texting me something about the good life. The scouts keep telling me to strike while the iron is hot. They say I'm a third-rounder. That's like three million bucks, coach. That's hard to pass up. Martin: I want to make that iron even that with your help we'll be undefeated midway through the season and looking at a BCS game? Eifert: Wow. BCS, seriously? Of course, I'd sign up for that. I sure hope we keep winning those games, though. Otherwise this plan seems kind of silly." Martin: Perfect. See you at practice. ✦ E-mail Dan at dmurphy@blueandgold.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @BGI_DanMurphy.