Alize Jones only had 10 receptions as a freshman, but a lot was expected of him in 2016. That was, of course, before we learned that he would be lost for the 2016 season due to ineligibility. Notre Dame was already replacing its top three wide receivers from a year ago before the loss of Jones. Now the Irish will be forced to do so without one of the key playmakers expected to help fill the void.
In the spring Alize Jones spent a lot of time at the W wide receiver position where he could use his size and athleticism to create mis-matches with opposing corners. Where exactly he was going to line up in 2016, however, was a question mark. Would he cross-train at tight end and wide receiver? Would he stay at the W position? Would he move back in-line to tight end full time?
All of those questions are now moot points. Now the question is how will Notre Dame replace the expected production of a receiver who many felt could have a breakout season this fall?
Importance of Tyler Luatua’s Return
When Tyler Luatua decided against transferring over the summer, the news wasn’t met with too much fanfare. In retrospect, his decision ends up being huge for Notre Dame in 2016. With Luatua in the mix, Notre Dame still has four tight ends on scholarship and while Luatua and Jones are completely different players, his presence in the lineup allows Notre Dame to be more flexible with other tight ends on the roster.
Luatua has pretty much been a glorified blocker the last two seasons but he’s been a pretty darn good one. With Luatua still in the mix, Notre Dame can use him as their primary in-line blocking tight end while allowing Durham Smythe to be more of a weapon in the passing game. The only problem with that is Smythe is more of an all around tight end and not the field stretching tight end ala Tyler Eifert or Kyle Rudolph.
Nic Weishar’s Time to Shine?
The one tight end on the roster who can potentially stretch the field is junior Nic Weishar. When Jones committed and played as a true freshman, many felt that Weishar had been recruited over. What people forget, however, is that when Weishar committed he drew many favorable comparisons to Eifert out Marist High School in Midlothian, Illinois.
To date, Weishar has not cracked the Notre Dame lineup for much more than mop up duty – even last year when Smythe was lost for the season. In 2015 Weishar caught just three passes for 19 yards a year after redshirting as a true freshman.
Weishar has the ability to make plays in the Notre Dame passing him. He is not the athletic freak that Alize Jones is – very few collegiate tight ends are. Still, Weishar will now have the opportunity to step in and maybe be the next “next man in” that surprises Notre Dame fans. As a reminder, here are Weishar’s high school highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE9Mj_JYMfQ
What Can Jacob Matuska Provide
Last year Chase Hounshell moved to tight end from the defensive line during his senior season. This year Matuska has done the same. Hounshell didn’t provide much other than blocking. Can Matuska do much more? That remains to be seen. If he is just able to provide in-line blocking depth, however, his move will end up being very beneficial for Notre Dame this fall.
W Wide Receiver Position
On of the big questions in fall camp was going to be what happens at the W wide receiver position where Alize Jones was cross-training this spring. With Jones ineligible, Equanimeous St. Brown’s role in the Notre Dame offense grows even larger than what it was already going to be. It also opens up the door for more playing time for Miles Boykin who will likely back up Brown and will have an easier time working his way onto the field.
The loss of Jones also limits Notre Dame’s wide receiver flexibility. With Jones available, Notre Dame could have split him out wide, moved Torii Hunter into the slot and moved Equanimeos St Brown to the X at times. With Jones unavailable, Notre Dame loses that flexibility.
While Jones may not have had an extensive resume heading into this season, a lot was expected of him. So much so that the Mackey Award placed him on their pre-season watch list. With Jones out of the mix Notre Dame will be looking to Weishar, St Brown, and Boykin specifically to fill the void.
Frank , agree with your take on Weishar. More of a Eifert type style tight end that can run routes—and at 6’5″ has great leaping ability for end zone . Weishar was an all-state basketball player at Marist. Of the 4 Tight Ends left–Weishar is the better athlete of the group that fits in the Irish offense. A go to guy–that help QB keep drives alive. A tight end that can be used for red zone coffin corner catches. He is also from the Southside of Chicago and a White Sox fan.
I don’t think they will miss him that much – they have 4 weeks to build an offense and they have tons of talent. I look for Boykin to shine – 6 3.5, 225 lbs with lots of speed. .
Agree, Frank.
This definitely hurts, especially considering all we lost at receiver too.
The sky isn’t falling but this is a big loss. Notre Dame has some able bodies but Jones is a special, rare talent. He’s the kind of player that could have helped make this offense truly special. I look at this like Notre Dame potentially had a Gronk type talent at TE and will replacing him with an Anthony Fasano type talent. Fasano was great for Notre Dame, but a guy like Gronk is transformative. That’s the type of potential Jones has.
Would have liked to have him but no big loss. He was going to be used as a gimmick player anyway. This way he’ll get his redshirt year in. Bigger, stronger and faster next year. We can’t be sure of how good he would be, we only know what he has done and that production is easily replaced. He was rushed into service not because of how good he was last year but because of injuries. The Sky isn’t falling.