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The Next Man In
Written by Andrew Baeckstrom Wednesday, 13 October 2010 21:15
Eifert's ready.There can’t be many players who will appreciate their first start more than Tyler Eifert.
With a back injury that ended his freshman season after just one game, Eifert faced the possibility of career-ending surgery. So now just days away from starting for Notre Dame against Western Michigan - a landmark moment in how far he has come in his young career - Eifert reflected on the cost of this opportunity.
“It’s sad,” said Eifert on his first start coming because of Kyle Rudolph’s injury. “In a way, it’s exciting that I’m going to get to play. It’s obviously not that the way I wanted to get there. It’s part of the game.
“It’s obviously tragic for him, an All-American to go down for the rest of the year. It’s not something our team wanted to happen, especially me. It’s an opportunity I need to take advantage of.”
The need is real. The talented young tight end was given the nod by Brian Kelly on Tuesday, but there remains competition. Just as eager to take the job is senior Mike Ragone. Last week, Ragone got some extended action against Pittsburgh for the first time this season, snaps Eifert would have gotten had he not been limited for the last two weeks due to a shoulder issue.
“I couldn’t tell you specifically other than he had a sprain, a ligament sprain,” said Kelly on Eifert’s injury. “It is a sprain that I think is different from what we see as the AC joint sprain.
“This is more of a ligament sprain, which is very painful. It’s a painful injury. More so than, ‘Man, I can’t move my arm or I have no strength.’ He has good strength. He has all of the things. This has been a management of the pain more than anything else.”
“It’s still kind of nagging me,” said Eifert of the shoulder. “It’s just a matter of tolerating the pain and managing it the best we can. I’m full go…With the medicine and the heat of the game, you don’t feel it.”
The new starter on the depth chart won’t carry the same load that the experienced Rudolph had in getting nearly every snap. Instead, Kelly aims to replace Rudolph by getting the most out of both tight ends each game.
“We think we need to play them both, because I don’t think either one of them can sustain 75 to 80 plays,” said Kelly. “Both of those guys are going to have to play and share those reps.
“I really like both of them. Eifert and Ragone, they’re a great tandem and a complement. And I think they’re going to fill in and do a really, really good job. I’m not concerned about that position really.”
Tight ends coach Mike Denbrock expanded after practice on just how the two will complement one another.
“Mike brings a little more physicality to the position,” Denbrock said. “A little more stability from a blocking standpoint. Not that he can’t run down and catch the football, too. Tyler, his qualities lie in his athletic abilities, the ability to get vertical down the football field and stretch the defense. We’ve got to find ways to utilize both their talents best.”
That doesn’t mean there will be an “Eifert package” or a “Ragone package.” Kelly expects the offense to continue while whomever is in.
“Not one player is going to stop what we do,” said Kelly. “It’s a next-man in philosophy for us, Tyler Eifert, Mike Ragone, [Jake] Golic; those guys are going to have to step up and play the position for us at a high level.”
After getting some first-team reps the past couple months as the hamstring held Rudolph out periodically, Eifert said he feels more comfortable stepping in than he would have otherwise. Taking over for the All-American now for real, Eifert has no plans on being a Rudolph clone.
“You don’t really fill his shoes,” said Eifert. “There’s only one Kyle Rudolph. I’ll just do what I do best, take care of my responsibilities, and execute when I’m in there.”
Rudolph’s out. Eifert’s just the next man in.
Written by Andrew Baeckstrom Wednesday, 13 October 2010 21:15
Eifert's ready.There can’t be many players who will appreciate their first start more than Tyler Eifert.
With a back injury that ended his freshman season after just one game, Eifert faced the possibility of career-ending surgery. So now just days away from starting for Notre Dame against Western Michigan - a landmark moment in how far he has come in his young career - Eifert reflected on the cost of this opportunity.
“It’s sad,” said Eifert on his first start coming because of Kyle Rudolph’s injury. “In a way, it’s exciting that I’m going to get to play. It’s obviously not that the way I wanted to get there. It’s part of the game.
“It’s obviously tragic for him, an All-American to go down for the rest of the year. It’s not something our team wanted to happen, especially me. It’s an opportunity I need to take advantage of.”
The need is real. The talented young tight end was given the nod by Brian Kelly on Tuesday, but there remains competition. Just as eager to take the job is senior Mike Ragone. Last week, Ragone got some extended action against Pittsburgh for the first time this season, snaps Eifert would have gotten had he not been limited for the last two weeks due to a shoulder issue.
“I couldn’t tell you specifically other than he had a sprain, a ligament sprain,” said Kelly on Eifert’s injury. “It is a sprain that I think is different from what we see as the AC joint sprain.
“This is more of a ligament sprain, which is very painful. It’s a painful injury. More so than, ‘Man, I can’t move my arm or I have no strength.’ He has good strength. He has all of the things. This has been a management of the pain more than anything else.”
“It’s still kind of nagging me,” said Eifert of the shoulder. “It’s just a matter of tolerating the pain and managing it the best we can. I’m full go…With the medicine and the heat of the game, you don’t feel it.”
The new starter on the depth chart won’t carry the same load that the experienced Rudolph had in getting nearly every snap. Instead, Kelly aims to replace Rudolph by getting the most out of both tight ends each game.
“We think we need to play them both, because I don’t think either one of them can sustain 75 to 80 plays,” said Kelly. “Both of those guys are going to have to play and share those reps.
“I really like both of them. Eifert and Ragone, they’re a great tandem and a complement. And I think they’re going to fill in and do a really, really good job. I’m not concerned about that position really.”
Tight ends coach Mike Denbrock expanded after practice on just how the two will complement one another.
“Mike brings a little more physicality to the position,” Denbrock said. “A little more stability from a blocking standpoint. Not that he can’t run down and catch the football, too. Tyler, his qualities lie in his athletic abilities, the ability to get vertical down the football field and stretch the defense. We’ve got to find ways to utilize both their talents best.”
That doesn’t mean there will be an “Eifert package” or a “Ragone package.” Kelly expects the offense to continue while whomever is in.
“Not one player is going to stop what we do,” said Kelly. “It’s a next-man in philosophy for us, Tyler Eifert, Mike Ragone, [Jake] Golic; those guys are going to have to step up and play the position for us at a high level.”
After getting some first-team reps the past couple months as the hamstring held Rudolph out periodically, Eifert said he feels more comfortable stepping in than he would have otherwise. Taking over for the All-American now for real, Eifert has no plans on being a Rudolph clone.
“You don’t really fill his shoes,” said Eifert. “There’s only one Kyle Rudolph. I’ll just do what I do best, take care of my responsibilities, and execute when I’m in there.”
Rudolph’s out. Eifert’s just the next man in.
