Blake Fisher Transforms Body Composition, Ready “to be Dominant”

Media members pore over updated rosters at the start of each spring to pick out the most notable weight changes. 

Often, it's to see which freshmen added the necessary muscle mass to become a contributor. Roster measurements are rarely precise, but they’re still valuable for reporters.

Unfortunately, updated rosters weren’t available at Notre Dame’s first spring practice on March 22.

Still, by employing the eye test from the loft at the Irish Athletic Center, media members concluded that Fighting Irish right tackle Blake Fisher shredded a noticeable amount of body fat.

Fisher is still gargantuan compared to the average college football player at 6-foot-6 and a lean 310 pounds, even though it now seems like his T-shirts are too loose.

In reality, his weight isn’t much different compared to last fall when he played somewhere between 315 and 320 pounds. 

The most significant difference is his body composition. 

Fisher attacked the offseason without a targeted goal weight. Instead, his objective was to drop fat and replace it with muscle, which is significantly dense by comparison. 

“I still had some baby fat on me and, this offseason, I feel I got a lot of that off me,” Fisher said. “I'm getting bigger from here. It's getting bigger, stronger and faster.”

If anything, his transformation increased his strength while also improving his athleticism. 

“My body, it's always going to evolve,” Fisher said. “When I got here, I was like 340-350, so getting down to 310-315 is a lot better for me to move. Strength is still the same, if not stronger. Bending, flexibility and mobility all just play into making sure you're body is right."

It’s also aided his stamina, which is essential since he seldom rotates out of a game. 

“I'm not gassed,” Fisher said. “I can just go and go at 100 mph all the time. I feel that's what I need for my game to be dominant."

Of course, Fisher was no slouch in his first two seasons at Notre Dame. He stepped onto campus as a college-ready freshman offensive lineman in 2021. He won the starting left tackle job in fall camp but tore his ACL in a 41-38 victory over Florida State in the season opener. 

Miraculously, he returned for the Bowl game against No. 7 Oklahoma State, starting at right tackle. 

He likely never would’ve relinquished his foothold at left tackle without the injury and the emergence of classmate Joe Alt as an All-American tackle. Instead, he started 13 games at right tackle in his sophomore season, grading out higher than veterans like All-American offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson and sixth-year player Josh Lugg.

Still, Fisher entered 2023 with a hunger to level up on the gridiron that exceeded his appetite for his favorite foods.

In the past, he swung through Mcdonald's multiple times per week and regularly consumed fried food. 

“I'm a big guy,” Fisher said, “and I love to eat.”

In January, he told himself, “You gotta chill,” and met with the program’s nutritionist to focus on eating foods that would better aid his recovery and build muscle.   

New Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Rudolph arrived at Notre Dame in March, so he never saw a heavier Fisher play in person. 

He, too, isn’t concerned with how much Fisher weighs, just that his right tackle feels good and moves well. 

“I just think he feels really good. I think he feels confident,” Rudolph said. “I think he's added good weight. I think that's kind of what spring is for, you want to kind of get a feel for that. He might feel like, 'Man, I want to be five pounds heavier' or 'This is perfect.' 

“I think that's kind of what it is, but I liked the way he played last year and I liked the way he's worked and progressed all spring. I think it works well for him.”

Of course, there’s always the risk that his body fat returns. Studies suggest that up to 90 percent of dieters eventually regain the weight they lose. 

But Fisher feels his body has adjusted to its current position for the long haul.

"It's been pretty easy to maintain my weight,” Fisher said. “I feel it's harder for me to put weight on now because I've gotten so used to it. If I eat too much fried food, then my stomach will get to acting up.”

Now, in the best shape of his life, Fisher can focus on improving his game on the field and becoming one of the best right tackles in college football. 

"We still have the summer to go, so my biggest thing is being as dominant as I can,” Fisher said. “Run blocking is something we have a standard about here and that's blowing people off the ball. That's something I love doing.”