Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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68 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW first a 35-yard grab to set up the go-ahead touchdown against USC, and then a 45-yard catch and run the next week at Temple to set up the winning TD in a 24-20 victory. His 13 catches were among the five most by a Notre Dame freshman tight end since 1972 (first year of freshman eligibility), and it even prompted the staff to work him as a boundary receiver the following spring. Alas, academic ineligibility sidelined Mack from game action in 2016, but the expectations did not waver. When eligibility was restored in 2017, he even made the John Mackey Award watch list despite sitting out the preseason. Meanwhile, Kelly referred to Mack as a matchup "nightmare" for defenses because of his combination of speed, power and height that could lead to mismatches the way it did with 2012 Mackey Award winner Eifert. However, in a run-oriented offense, Mack's stat line featured only 19 catches that averaged a pedestrian 8.7 yards per grab. Plus, he had four drops, ranking him near the bottom among the Irish regulars in pass- game efficiency. And alas, the off-field issues continued when he was suspended for the Citrus Bowl because of not meeting off-the-field "traits" and standards (non-academic related this time). Thus, while Mack enjoyed a quality, con- sistent spring in 2018, the coaching staff this time took a much more measured, tempered approach regarding his future. "Haven't seen him on many lists," began Kelly cautiously, referring to academic or disciplinary "lists" as opposed to the Mackey watch list. "The jury is still out there. He's still got a ways to go." Long likewise had elements of circum- spection when discussing the senior. "He hasn't had a bad day yet, which is good," Long said during the closing week of spring. "As long as he concentrates on daily devotion to his craft, all the things he wants will come his way. "You don't get another senior year. It's time to decide what kind of player you want to be, and legacy, and what is important to him." So while Mack's pro potential often is discussed — he was rated as the No. 5 un- derclassman tight end (he has two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out 2016 due to academics) for the 2019 NFL Draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. this spring — he acknowledges that for the first time he's been trying to be professional the right way first as a college student-athlete. "I approach my days a lot different," Mack said. "The biggest thing this spring is walk- ing into The Gug [Guglielmino Athletics Complex] an hour early." That meant showing up an hour earlier as opposed to waking up right before he's scheduled to arrive. Those were not the "traits" of someone committed. "Now, I wake up an hour and a half or two hours early, eat and make sure I get myself going, every day — being the same guy ev- ery single day," Mack said. "If I can be the same guy every single day, my teammates feed off of it and it allows me to play better. "It's work, man. Putting extra time in watching film, working on your game and having confidence. Focus on the play, not the environment. That has helped me … I knew coming into spring I had to make sure I was in shape. That was the biggest emphasis I had." Being "in shape" involved not merely the physical but the mental approach to remove other distractions, especially social media and the like. "I was focused on other things instead of myself," Mack said after this year's Blue- Gold Game when asked what has held him back from fulfilling his immense potential. "I got into the media, I got into the noise, I Since the turn of the century, it's virtually been automatic for Notre Dame to have a future NFL tight end — usually one drafted in the top rounds — on its roster. Even in 2001, when senior John Owens caught only six passes on a 5-6 team, he was drafted in the fifth round and played eight seasons (2002-09) in the NFL. Thus, in recent years Notre Dame has been given the label "Tight End U." However, that moniker was in play far before the calendar flipped to 2000 and producing five first- or second-round picks at the position since then. From 1973-99, the Irish suited up 11 tight ends who were drafted, five of them in the first two rounds, plus future All-Pro Mark Bavaro (fourth round), and another who played in the NFL as a free agent (Oscar McBride). The consistency through the decades has been especially notable: The 1970s Mike Creaney (1970-72), Dave Casper (1973), Ken MacAfee (1974-77) and Dean Masztak (1978-79) Creaney — whose 45 career catches averaged a remarkable 19.4 yards — was good enough to have the Irish staff keep Casper at offensive tackle to improve the blocking there. After Creaney's graduation, Casper moved to tight end, where he was an All- American and captain for the 1973 national champs. He went on to be inducted into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. On the 1977 national champs, College Football Hall of Fame inductee MacAfee won the Walter Camp Award, was third in the Heisman Trophy balloting and was the highest Notre Dame selection ever in the draft at tight end (No. 7 overall). As a freshman, Masztak averaged 17.8 yards on his 16 catches (including the Cotton Bowl) and he was the team's top receiver as a sophomore (28 receptions) before injuries derailed his career. The 1980s Tony Hunter (1981-82), Mark Bavaro (1983-84) and Derek Brown (1988-89) Originally a wideout, Hunter became a first-round pick and Bavaro a first-team Associated Press All-American prior to becoming a two-time All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion. Brown also was a first-round pick and started as a freshman for the 1988 national champs. Also notable is starters or co-starters at tight end with Joel Williams in 1985 (Tom Rehder) and 1986-87 (Andy Heck) were switched to left tackle — and they became third- and first-round picks, respectively. The 1990s Derek Brown (1990-91), Irv Smith (1992), Oscar McBride (1993-94), Pete Chryplewicz (1995-96), Jabari Holloway (1997-99) and Dan O'Leary (1997-99) Smith joined Brown as a first-round selection, Chryplewicz led the team in receiv - ing in 1996, and everyone else during the decade also played in the NFL. Yet another tight end recruit, Luke Petitgout, became a first-round draft pick at left tackle in 1999, just like Heck 10 years earlier. — Lou Somogyi Consistent Excellence Dave Casper (86) was a captain and earned All-America accolades for the 1973 national champs. Eventually, he was inducted into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS