Mitchell Evans Ready For Gator Bowl Opportunity After Michael Mayer's Departure

When Notre Dame plays South Carolina in the Gator Bowl the Fighting Irish will do something they have only had to do once in the last three seasons – play a game without Michael Mayer. The junior tight end has opted out of the bowl with his eyes on next spring’s NFL Draft, but his departure only means more opportunity for the other tight ends in the room, including Mitchell Evans.

"A lot of us have stepped up,” Evans said after a recent practice. “We've all had to take on a bigger role with some departures from our room. Everybody is stepping up in a good way to fill that void a little bit in different areas. Mike was just an all-around good player. Each little thing that left with him, we've all filled in and done a pretty job of that so far."

Mayer’s absence leaves a sizable hole in the receiving production of the offense. He led the Irish this season with 67 catches for 809 yards and 9 touchdowns. Notre Dame’s next most productive tight end is Kevin Bauman, who hasn’t played since week three against California after tearing an ACL.

While Mayer is gone, the example he set not only as the program’s all-time tight record holder, but also as a day-in, day-out hard worker remains in the current Irish tight ends room

“If you really have great people around you, you kind of elevate yourself to hold that standard,” Evans said of Mayer’s standard. “With him being here for two years, I feel I've forced myself the best I possibly could 24-7 because Mike is doing it, so I have to do it. You can't have a let-off because you're only as strong as your weakest link. Everybody has to play as good as they possibly can. A guy like Mike, you have to hold that standard of how he plays. You’ve got to play it too."

Evans missed Notre Dame’s first five games due to injury. A broken foot required surgery in June and he was not healthy enough to see the field until mid-October against Stanford.

"I think coming off that first game back against Stanford to playing my best game against Syracuse and Clemson - as the season went on, I just got back into - I didn't have camp to work on my craft and that kind of stuff,” Evans remarked. “I kind of had to learn quick again.

"Just coming back and being put into a role, alright, you're back, you're in,” he continued. “You have to learn quick again. I feel like as the season has gone on, I've grown pretty fast and kind of been put in situations you only had camp to work on, so I had to learn quick."

The sophomore tight end played in Notre Dame’s final seven games of the regular season, starting the last six along with Mayer in the tight end-heavy personnel packages. Evans has two career receptions for 21 total yards, but neither was this season. He had no catches as primarily a blocking tight end with Mayer on the field.

"I don't really care, honestly,” Evans said of the lack of targets this season. “I'm just doing what's best for the team. My role is to go in - I just do whatever they tell me to do. If it's to block, I'll go block. I'm just having fun regardless of if I was getting the ball or not. Now, I'm going to get an opportunity in this bowl game to take on whatever they're going to call for me.”

The last time the Irish played without Mayer in the lineup was Oct. 9 of last season when they won 32-29 at Virginia Tech. That game was also the first time then freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner saw extensive action at quarterback when he relieved Jack Coan.

Buchner was 6 for 14 for 113 passing yards. He threw a touchdown but also had a pair of interceptions. The only reception by an Irish tight end in that game went to George Takacs for 15 yards.

"Since he left, nothing has really changed since his departure,” Evans said when asked if the offense will look different without Mayer in the Gator Bowl. “We kind of kept stuff the same. Nothing has been different. There are a lot of plays he would run and like, I was like can't wait and now it's my turn."