Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 65 TIGHT ENDS POSITION COACH Chip Long is in his second season as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Notre Dame. He has been given full responsibility to call plays, which is an area he has excelled at in his previous coaching stops. In seven of his 12 seasons as a collegiate coach, he has been as- sociated with an offense that has ranked among the nation's top 20 in scoring. In his first season at Notre Dame, his unit ranked seventh nationally in rushing offense (269.5 yards per game), 14th in red zone offense (.913), 24th in scoring offense (34.2 points per game), 27th in total offense (448.2 yards per game) and 32nd in third-down conversion percentage (.438). In addition, his first group of tight ends combined for 45 receptions, 476 receiving yards and four touch- down catches — a marked improvement from the pre- vious season's 12 grabs for 169 yards and four scores. He served as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Memphis in 2016, and helped the Tigers rank among the top 20 nationally in passing offense (14th, 304.4 yards per game), scoring offense (16th, 38.8 points per game), completion percentage (17th, .635), passing efficiency (19th, 152.53 rating) and first downs gained (20th, 303). Memphis was one of just six Football Bowl Subdivision teams to rank among the top 20 in each of those categories last season. Prior to his lone season at Memphis, Long spent four years at Arizona State (2012-15). He served as the tight ends coach the first three seasons and the running backs coach in his final year, and also was the program's recruiting coordinator. Rivals tabbed Long as one of the top recruiters in the Pac-12 Conference from 2012-14, and both Rivals and 247Sports identified him as one of the nation's top 25 recruiters in 2015. Long also has served as the tight ends/fullbacks coach at Illinois (2010-11), was an offensive graduate assistant in charge of tight ends at Arkansas (2008-09) and was an offensive graduate assistant at Louisville (2006-07). The former wide receiver/tight end at the University of North Alabama (2002-05) earned his bachelor's de- gree in history with dual minors in psychology and busi- ness administration. He was tabbed as a first-team All- American as a senior and was named to the Gulf South Conference All-Decade Team at tight end in 2010. RETURNING PLAYERS COLE KMET • TE So. • Lake Barrington, Ill. Ht.: 6-5½ • Wt.: 255 Career Highlights: Saw action in all 13 games as a true fresh- man, primarily on special teams … Caught two passes for 14 yards. Prep: Rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 3 recruit in Illinois, and the No. 3 tight end and No. 95 overall player nationally by Rivals … As a senior, caught 48 passes for 773 yards and four touchdowns in eight games of action following a bout with mono … Earned first-team all-state accolades from The Champaign- Urbana News-Gazette and the Illinois Football Coaches Association in 2016, and was a second-team selection by USA Today and The Chicago Tribune … Participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born March 10, 1999… His father, Frank Kmet, played six years in the NFL as a defensive end for the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns after playing at Purdue … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. ALIZÉ MACK • TE Sr. • Las Vegas Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 244 Career Highlights: Played in 10 games and made six starts in 2017 … Ranked fourth on the team and led all tight ends with 19 recep- tions, which produced 166 yards and one touchdown … Did not play in 2016 after being suspended due to academics … Played in all 13 games and made five starts as a true freshman in 2015 … Led the way for Irish tight ends with 13 catches and 190 receiving yards. Prep: Scout listed him as a five-star recruit, and the nation's No. 2 tight end and No. 32 overall prospect … Ranked by ESPN as the nation's No. 1 tight end and No. 52 overall player … Posted 41 receptions for 930 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior … Helped Bishop Gorman to a 15-0 record and its sixth straight Division I state title, in addition to topping USA Today's final national team rankings … Named a first-team All-American by MaxPreps and USA Today … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born March 29, 1997 … Played with Irish classmate Nicco Fertitta at Bishop Gorman … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, majoring in film, television and theatre. Year G-GS Rec. Yards Avg. TD 2015 13-5 13 190 14.6 0 2016 Did not play 2017 10-6 19 166 8.7 1 Totals 23-11 32 356 11.1 1 NIC WEISHAR • TE 5th-Sr. • Midlothian, Ill. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 245 Career Highlights: Played in all 13 games and made one start last year … Reeled in nine receptions for 52 yards and scored the first two touchdowns of his Irish career … Saw action in 12 contests and made one start in 2016 … Notched three receptions for 47 yards … Played in 12 games and started twice in 2015 … Caught three passes for 19 yards … Did not see any game action in 2014. Prep: Listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 9 player in Illinois, and the No. 5 tight end and No. 213 overall player nationally by 247Sports … First-team All-America selection according to Parade and Max- Preps … Finished his prep career as the all-time lead- ing receiver in Illinois high school history with 252 catches … His 3,238 career receiving yards ranked fifth in state annals … Was a two-time Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 8A first- team all-state pick … Was also a two-time East Sub- urban Catholic Conference Offensive Player of the Year … As a senior, he hauled in 86 passes for 1,044 yards and 10 touchdowns … Also eclipsed 1,000 re- ceiving yards in both his sophomore and junior cam- paigns … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born Sept. 19, 1995 … His late brother Andrew played at Illinois Wesleyan … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in finance. Year G-GS Rec. Yards Avg. TD 2015 12-2 3 19 6.3 0 2016 12-1 3 47 15.7 0 2017 13-1 9 52 5.8 2 Totals 37-4 15 118 7.9 2 BROCK WRIGHT • TE So. • Cypress, Texas Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 250 Career Highlights: Played in 11 games as a true freshman … Did not record any receptions while serving primarily as a blocker … Enrolled at Notre Dame in Janu- ary 2017. Prep: Rivals ranked him as a four-star talent, the No. 5 player in Texas, and the No. 1 tight end and No. 44 overall prospect in the country … As a se- nior, hauled in 30 receptions for 491 yards and four touchdowns … Named first-team All-USA Texas by USA Today … Tabbed as a 2016 Texas High School Coaches Association Academic All-State selection … Participated in the 2016 Under Armour All-America Game and led Team Highlight in receiving yards with 45 on two catches. Personal: Born Nov. 27, 1998 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. NEWCOMERS GEORGE TAKACS • TE Fr. • Naples, Fla. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 245 Career Highlights: Enrolled at Notre Dame in Janu- ary 2018, but did not participate in spring practice due to an injury. Prep: Rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 40 prospect in Florida, and the No. 5 tight end and No. 182 overall player nationally by ESPN … Com- piled 48 catches for 472 yards and two scores over his final two seasons at Gulf Coast High School … Tabbed as a first-team 6A all-district performer by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association in 2016 … Participated in the U.S. Army All American Bowl. Personal: Born March 30, 1999 … His family is originally from Fort Wayne, Ind., and he lived on campus at Notre Dame while his mother pursued a master's degree. TOMMY TREMBLE • TE Fr. • Johns Creek, Ga. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 224 Prep: Rivals ranked him as a three-star talent, the No. 50 player in Georgia and the No. 20 tight end in the country … Missed most of his senior season due to an ankle injury, notching only four receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown in two games … Caught 15 passes for 298 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and two touchdowns as a junior. Personal: Born June 2, 2000 … His father, Greg Tremble, played defensive back at Georgia and in the NFL. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 65