Joseph Fauria doesn’t carry any regrets or hold any grudges about losing an entire year of eligibility last season for a whopping 21 minutes of playing time.
With sophomore classmate Kyle Rudolph emerging as a future Mackey Award candidate, it would have been understandable if Fauria was ticked that he didn’t get the chance to preserve a potential fifth year, and became the starter after Rudolph left. It would have been a similar situation to John Calson taking over duties when Anthony Fasano departed.
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Fauria showed this spring that he can be a reliable option at tight end as a sophomore in 2009.
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But instead of wondering what could have been, Fauria is concentrating more on what will be, and the lessons he learned in just three appearances and those 21 minutes last season served as the roots to a terrific spring session.
“It wasn’t negative. Some people can see it that way, but I didn’t see it that way,” Fauria said of burning eligibility last season. “I thought it was mostly positive. I want to help the team and at the time, it was to be that second guy, just in case somebody went down. I needed to help the team and it did kind of carry over into this year. I learned some good lessons.”
As he continued to grow into his lanky 6-foot-7 frame, Fauria was among the standout players during the spring season. He was impossible to miss. As a freshman last August, we believed Fauria was at least two years away from significant action because it appeared he needed to live in the weight room for a few months, maybe so much so, he would evolve into an offensive tackle. Based on is play this spring, those projections were off the mark.
Fauria won’t move ahead of Rudolph as the starter, but he did play his way into a healthy battle with Mike Ragone for the No. 2 spot. In one open scrimmage, Fauria made a couple of nice catches, including a 25-yarder, and he more than held his own as a blocker, earning the No. 5 spot on BGI’s list of top spring surprises.
His athletic ability was on display after spring ball as well – in the famed Bookstore Basketball Tournament – where he was named MVP after leading his team to the title (with Dayne Crist and Jonas Gray also on his squad).??
Charlie Weis singled Fauria out several times this spring.
“He plays with a little nasty streak in him,” the Irish coach said. “With what we’re doing offensively, he’s given us a lot of flexibility. I wouldn’t say he’s just a pleasant surprise, but we are very pleased at his progress right now.”
And with that progress comes another weapon for Weis and the Irish offense, a lanky target that will help keep defenses honest over the middle of the field.
“It gives you a lot more flexibility,” Weis said. “There’s a lot more competition at that position than we have been dealing with.”
The biggest difference for Fauria between last season and this spring were the improvements in size and strength. You can see it be just watching him play. Fauria is listed at 245 pounds, but 260 might be a better estimate, given the weights weren’t updated in the spring media guide. Throw in a year of experience, and there is no reason Fauria can’t become a regular in the tight end rotation this fall.
“It gave me a little preview of what’s to come,” Fauria said. “I know what’s out there and what to expect. Come the first game against Nevada, I know what to expect. I know what guys are going to try and do on me. I know that I have to come hard every play.”
What’s A Good Season?
Modest statistical contributions, the reliability to give Rudolph some sideline time, and more improvement for seasons to come.
Fauria didn’t catch a pass in his limited duty last season, but judging by spring drills and his two catches in the Blue Gold (which included an 11-yarder), he’ll get some opportunities in the offense this season.
With Rudolph getting the bulk of the work and Ragone also in line to get some throws, Fauria won’t set the world on fire. But maybe 12 catches this season (one a game), 100 receiving yards and good work in the running game would be fair projections. Just cutting into some of Rudolph’s 370 minutes from last season will help the offense as well.
Of course, given the hard luck and misfortune the Notre Dame tight ends have battled in recent years, Fauria better be ready for anything and everything.
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