'13 TX TE Durham Smythe (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

[irishff1014]

Some good news:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>TE Durham Smythe RT @<a href="https://twitter.com/d_smythe88">d_smythe88</a>: Accepted to the University of <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23NotreDame">#NotreDame</a>! <a href="http://t.co/gjheeXIkQS" title="http://twitter.com/D_Smythe88/status/316968491750150144/photo/1">twitter.com/D_Smythe88/sta…</a></p>— Jason Sapp (@BGI_JasonSapp) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGI_JasonSapp/status/316968712248913920">March 27, 2013</a></blockquote>
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I got nervous again there for a second.

 

[SoIll]

rockin #80 this year

 

[GreenSox04]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Excited to be able to wear 80 this fall! Definitely some big shoes to fill... <a href="http://t.co/eSvHYjlwPW">pic.twitter.com/eSvHYjlwPW</a></p>— Durham Smythe (@D_Smythe88) <a href="https://twitter.com/D_Smythe88/statuses/346806849808523264">June 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Some big shoes to fill is right. Go get it young man.

 

[dublinirish]

love #80 for him, he should take it as a compliment

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Asked if any young players have emerged in the last couple weeks, Kelly points to Durham Smythe, “really unique ball skills."</p>— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDatRivals/statuses/411940886218424320">December 14, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kelly: "Durham Smythe is going to be a really good player." He has unique ball skills for his position. Must get stronger.</p>— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISDUpdate/statuses/411940932963954688">December 14, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[rtrn2glory]

my gut tells me he'll easily be in the two deep in 2015

 

[Luckylucci]

I think he turns out to be a huge success. He's gonna be a stud.

 

[irishff1014]

I think he turns out to be a huge success. He's gonna be a stud.

I agree. Another big target for our Future QBs.

 

[Buster Bluth]

my gut tells me he'll easily be in the two deep in 2015

I think that's the expectation.

2014: Niklas (SR) | Koyack (SR) | Smythe (Fr) | Heuerman (Fr) | Luatua (RS) | Weishar (RS)
2015: Smythe (So) | Luatua (Fr) | Heuerman (So) | Weishar (Fr)

 

[Ironman8]

I think that's the expectation.

2014: Niklas (SR) | Koyack (SR) | Smythe (Fr) | Heuerman (Fr) | Luatua (RS) | Weishar (RS)
2015: Smythe (So) | Luatua (Fr) | Heuerman (So) | Weishar (Fr)

Don't sleep on Weishar. I think that kid is going to be really good, in an Eifert type role.

He and Trumbetti are my 'slightly underrated stars' in this class.

 

[stlnd01]

I think that's the expectation.

2014: Niklas (SR) | Koyack (SR) | Smythe (Fr) | Heuerman (Fr) | Luatua (RS) | Weishar (RS)
2015: Smythe (So) | Luatua (Fr) | Heuerman (So) | Weishar (Fr)

My word are we loaded at tight end.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Don't sleep on Weishar. I think that kid is going to be really good, in an Eifert type role.



He and Trumbetti are my 'slightly underrated stars' in this class.

Don't count out Heurman either. Kid has Aaron Hernandez type football skills.


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[stlnd01]

Don't count out Heurman either. Kid has Aaron Hernandez type football skills.


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Better-than-Aaron-Hernandez type life skills, I trust?
Saw his brother make some nice plays in that OSU-Michigan State game. Though he also missed a block on a huge 4th Quarter stop for MSU. Won't hold that against Mike, though.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I think that's the expectation.

2014: Niklas (SR) | Koyack (SR) | Smythe (Fr) | Heuerman (Fr) | Luatua (RS) | Weishar (RS)
2015: Smythe (So) | Luatua (Fr) | Heuerman (So) | Weishar (Fr)

wow look at that list.

no way we do not have the best group of TE's as a whole the next two years.

seriously can anyone compete with that list?

imagine if we snagged schultz too

 

[dublinirish]

Reviewing the Redshirts: TE Durham Smythe - One Foot Down

 

[rtrn2glory]

was really high on this kid out of high school as well and will be very surprised based off the comments by Coach Kelly and my gut feeling if he is not our #2 TE behind Koyack this fall baring injury.

 

[ResLife Hero]

Notre Dame Tight End Durham Smythe Ready To Fill Big Shoes

The biggest adjustment sophomore tight end Durham Smythe had to make when he moved from high school football in Texas to playing at Notre Dame was getting used to watching from the sidelines. A year later, Smythe is hoping his redshirt season prepared him to play a role in the Irish offense.

Durham Smythe
Sophomore Durham Smythe played a hybrid tight end role at Belton High School in Texas.

Smythe fits the mold of Notre Dame’s recent success stories at tight end, even if at 225 pounds he didn’t completely fill the mold right away. His height (6-4½) and his experience playing attached and detached from the line of scrimmage leave him poised to become the team’s No. 2 option at tight end behind senior Ben Koyack this season.

“It’s a different experience coming and not immediately being ‘the guy’ like you were in high school,” Smythe said. “From my perspective, I think it was really beneficial for me to come in and have three veterans in front of me that are extremely talented. I kind of learned the ropes.”

Belton High School, Smythe’s alma mater, runs a similar spread offense to what head coach Brian Kelly has installed at Notre Dame. He said upgrading his knowledge in Kelly’s more complex version took time, but the bigger challenge during his first season on campus was bulking up.

Smythe now weighs 245 pounds and thinks continued work in the weight room will add a few more pounds before he takes his first snaps in a college game. He said the fall, when he didn’t have to worry about drowning in new play calls and responsibilities, was a great opportunity to focus on getting bigger and stronger. While playing the hybrid pass catcher isn’t new for Smythe, he said learning to play attached to the line of scrimmage has been a bigger adjustment than splitting wide in the passing game.

“Catching the ball is catching the ball,” he said. “When you’re attached on the line of scrimmage the guys are all 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds now and extremely strong. That kind of takes some time to transition into that and get used to that.”

Smythe’s timeline for getting used to lining up against college players sped up this January when junior Troy Niklas announced he would be leaving a year early for the NFL Draft. Niklas’ departure catapulted Smythe from a reserve option to a vital part of Notre Dame’s offense.

The sophomore said he was said to see Niklas go even though it opens a door for more playing time. He spent time with Niklas on a couple occasions to talk about stepping into a bigger role. Koyack — generally a quiet player — has also helped Smythe prepare. Along with fellow sophomore Mike Heuerman, Koyack and Smythe spent time going over the playbook prior to the start of spring practice.

“He’s kind of like myself,” Smythe said about Koyack. “He’s always been a guy that’s led by example. With Troy leaving it has been a little transition to where he’s being more vocal and not just leading by example, but kind of getting everyone to come along with him. That’s been awesome to see.”

Smythe got his first chance to test out the bigger shoes he will fill this fall during bowl prep practices in December. Notre Dame’s coaching staff took the extra time before the Pinstripe Bowl to give their younger players a chance to start auditioning for future playing time. Kelly regularly mentioned Smythe as a player who stood out during those sessions.

“I don’t want to over-hype Durham, but he has some really unique ball skills for that position,” Kelly said before the bowl game. “As long as he continues to develop and get stronger physically, and he doesn’t get into a hybrid position in terms of not getting strong enough to play as an in-line tight end, he’s going to be an exceptional player.”

Smythe said the game has yet to slow down 100 percent for him yet, but those practices in December helped his confidence. He said making plays while the rest of the team was watching made him believe he has what it takes to step in the next fall.

His mindset changed even more in January after Niklas’ departure made him a clear candidate for the second spot at tight end. He said knowing that door was open changed his approach to winter workouts and this spring’s practice.

“You have to think of it that way. It is kind of a next man in thought process,” Smythe said. “When you go from the third guy or the fourth guy to up right behind the starters then that’s kind of something that you think about that.”

 

[GBdomer]

Per Intel

Staff loves Nic Weishar and thinks he can be a real team leader. Also they believe Smythe can be as good as Tyler Eifert.

 

[Nothingman]

Per Intel

Staff loves Nic Weishar and thinks he can be a real team leader. Also they believe Smythe can be as good as Tyler Eifert.

 

[Luckylucci]

Per Intel

Staff loves Nic Weishar and thinks he can be a real team leader. Also they believe Smythe can be as good as Tyler Eifert.

Completely agree with the Smythe sentiment.

 

[stlnd01]

Godamnit. Every time I see a random bump of a talented-but-little-discussed young player's thread, my first thought is "Oh, no. He's leaving too?"

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Godamnit. Every time I see a random bump of a talented-but-little-discussed young player's thread, my first thought is "Oh, no. He's leaving too?"

Me too. It's a terrible feeling. Hope the kid has a breakout season. Go Irish!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

You know, you can get help for that. I think they even make pills that will help.

 

[dshans]

You know, you can get help for that. I think they even make pills that will help.

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[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Will Durham Smythe be a breakout star for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash">#NotreDame</a> in '14? <a href="http://t.co/6yf5xpoQxM">http://t.co/6yf5xpoQxM</a></p>— UHND.com (@uhnd) <a href="https://twitter.com/uhnd/statuses/491564108073164801">July 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Would love to see him be a solid 2nd TE for us. Really like his frame and skillset on HS tape.

 

[GoldenDomer]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Will Durham Smythe be a breakout star for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash">#NotreDame</a> in '14? <a href="http://t.co/6yf5xpoQxM">http://t.co/6yf5xpoQxM</a></p>— UHND.com (@uhnd) <a href="https://twitter.com/uhnd/statuses/491564108073164801">July 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Would love to see him be a solid 2nd TE for us. Really like his frame and skillset on HS tape.

With Niklas gone he probably will be

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Will Durham Smythe be a breakout star for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash">#NotreDame</a> in '14? <a href="http://t.co/6yf5xpoQxM">http://t.co/6yf5xpoQxM</a></p>— UHND.com (@uhnd) <a href="https://twitter.com/uhnd/statuses/491564108073164801">July 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Would love to see him be a solid 2nd TE for us. Really like his frame and skillset on HS tape.

I was quite impressed with him during the spring game, so I'm hopeful.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Notre Dame looking for big things from Durham Smythe - <a href="http://t.co/fJetfHcSG3">http://t.co/fJetfHcSG3</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IrishTalk?src=hash">#IrishTalk</a></p>— Irish Talk (@CSNIrish) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSNIrish/statuses/503603440002805760">August 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Bogtrotter07]

Irish A-to-Z: Durham Smythe | Inside the Irish