Notre Dame TE Holden Staes Ready to “Play as Fast as Possible, Execute"

Most first-year college football players hit the proverbial freshman wall — an onset of overwhelming fatigue — at some point during the season.

Summer enrollees usually encounter that wall at some point in fall camp or later in the season. 

Tight end Holden Staes, however, ran into a wall during his second day on campus when he was diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis — also known as “mono.” 

The illness sidelined him for the first three weeks of workouts while he proceeded to drop from 240 to 225 pounds.

“Gaining all that weight back was definitely a challenge,” Staes said. “Then just watching all the freshmen that I came with getting to work out with the team and I just had to stand there and watch. That was definitely tough for me, especially because I knew the work that I put in before I came. It kind of just felt like it was all for nothing for the first three weeks.”

While frustrating, Staes never expected to be an immediate starter.

“Obviously I knew we had Mike Mayer in the room, obviously the best tight end in the country,” Staes said. “So I kind of just came in expecting to learn from him and doing what I could do, getting in where it was available. And I think I kind of did that. I think I played in almost every game except like two or three. That was definitely a great opportunity for me to just gain experience. 

Despite the setback due to mono, Staes rebounded quickly. 

As a freshman, he played in 11 games. The staff primarily used him as a run-blocker, an area where he progressed rapidly.

“In high school, I was the bigger guy so I would block but I didn't have to be as fundamental with all that whatever,” Staes said. “Now, we got really good D-ends, so I got to pack my lunch when I'm going up to block. My feet got to be right, my hands got to be right, all that.

The young tight end also caught one pass for 11 yards in Notre Dame’s win over BYU. He possesses the speed and agility to be a weapon in the pass game.

Heading into his second season, Staes is back to his peak form and ready to play an even more prominent role within Notre Dame’s temporarily depleted tight end room. 

“I just feel a lot more comfortable with the playbook, with the offense and just go out there and play as fast as possible and execute,” Staes said.

Of course, Mayer left for the NFL, while senior Kevin Bauman and sophomore Eli Raridon are in the process of returning from torn ACLs. So there’s a good chance Staes travels with the team to face Navy in Ireland as Notre Dame’s second-team tight end behind Mitchell Evans.

“Right now, I feel comfortable playing at 240,” Staes said. “I feel like I can hold up in the run game. Then obviously, I think my speed at the tight end position can separate me from backers and safeties. So I feel good there. I'm not going to force any more weight on throughout my career. Just let [coach Matt} Balis put the muscle on me.”

Even as the new offensive coordinator, tight ends coach Gerad Parker is still very hands-on when it comes to developing the tight ends, including Staes.

“He played receiver back in the day, so he still thinks he's got it in him,” Staes said. “He's running the route in the meeting room, showing where your eyes need to be, to be deceptive on the cornerback, safety, whoever it may be. 

“It's really hands-on teaching. He knows what he's talking about, you apply it to your game on the field, and you see it.”