Despite concerns when he was hired, there is no doubt that Brian Kelly’s staff really knows how to recruit. With the Irish already receiving nine commitments within the 2012 recruiting class, the early results have been impressive. Notre Dame is targeting some of the top players at each position and the tight end position is no different as one of its top targets in this year's class is San Diego’s Taylor McNamara from Westview High School.
The rise from childhood to where he stands now has been an interesting ride according to his parents, Jim and Peggy McNamara, but one they wouldn't trade for anything.
“Taylor being considered one of the best tight ends in the nation kind of blows me away,” admitted Jim McNamara. “We're just so happy for him and as proud as we can be. He's really worked hard to get to where he's at and he's completely driven. His size is definitely one thing he has going for him, but he also loves playing the game and competing. It's just really fun watching him as parents and we’re really thrilled.”
His mother echoes those sentiments.
“I know he's worked really hard to be one of the top players at his position and it makes his father and I really proud,” said Peggy McNamara. “I mean you don't have a baby and think they're going to grow up to be this fabulous athlete, but it's such a blessing for him and I'm really appreciative at how hard he's worked to put himself in this position.”
The beginning of the tight end’s sports journey was just like any other child’s, except football wasn't an option for him at first.
“Taylor has always wanted to play football ever since he was little kid, but I wouldn't let him,” admitted Mrs. McNamara. “At the time, I was too afraid of him getting hurt. We had him in basketball, soccer and baseball, but he really wanted to play football. I just kept telling him, ‘Just play soccer for another year.’ Then finally, I decided to let him play football and he's been doing it ever since.”
In those early days, Mr. McNamara would find out just how much desire and drive his son possessed.
“I would say I contributed more in baseball than any of the other sports,” he said. “I made him an artificial pitching mound in our backyard and he always wanted to throw and get better. I actually had to end up getting shin guards and a good catching glove to help him. I would sit on a bucket and he would just throw to me constantly. He's the type of kid, that if it's something he really wants to do, he goes all away.
“In Pop Warner, he was one of the bigger kids on the team, but he was a kicker and we would go after football practices to the football field just so he could kick field goals over the goalpost.
“He's the type of kid that just wants to win and if he can practice more to get better and accomplish what he really wants to do, then that's what he does.”
When it came time for the young McNamara’s first action on the gridiron, his mother couldn't help but cover eyes a little bit.
“The first couple games made me a bit nervous,” she said. “I mean he's always been a big, physical kid and whether he was playing basketball or soccer, he was just physical. We always had so many people telling us, ‘You’ve got to let him get on the football field.’ I would say, ‘Yeah, but he’s so young.’
“I remember this one year when he was playing soccer, and he was a really good soccer player, but he was way too physical and the coach kept saying, ‘You have to let him play football.’
That's when she made the decision she had been dreading for so long, but in hindsight, one she's glad she did.
“I've always been a football fan, so I knew at some point we'd let him play football and I'm glad we did,” said Mrs. McNamara. “When we let him play Pop Warner, he played mainly defense. I was kind of okay with it at first because he wasn't the target that everybody was aiming for. He was the one that got to do the hitting.
“That would change once he got to high school and they put him at tight end, that's when I got really nervous. When he would go up in traffic and make the catch it was definitely nerve-racking, but I've gotten over it.”
Football wasn't the only sport he excelled at, but it was the one that McNamara fell in love with.
“He's always been a really good baseball player and was a really phenomenal pitcher,” claimed Mrs. McNamara. “Going into his freshman year of high school he told me, ‘Mom, I just really want to put all my energy into playing football.’
“We did end up talking him into playing baseball his freshman year and told him, ‘Just give it one more year.’ So he played that year and had a really great year, but at the end he told us, ‘I just really want to play football and I want to be the best football player I can possibly be, so I'm not going be playing baseball anymore.’
The decision to give up baseball hit his father pretty hard.
“When he decided to give baseball up to concentrate on football, it kind of hurt me in a way,” admitted Mr. McNamara. “I think out of the whole family, I'm the one that took it the hardest. He played his freshman year of high school and had a phenomenal year, he really did. He was a great pitcher and won the batting title for his team, and I don't think we've seen everything he could’ve offered as a baseball player.
“He was playing on three teams during baseball season and we kind of think he might've gotten burned out. A lot of parents try to push their kids into sports, but I can honestly say that Peggy and I haven't done that with Taylor. He's been driven enough on his own.”
Once the decision was made, their son never looked back and McNamara went at football full bore, and before long college recruiters began to take notice.
“It probably wasn't till the end of his sophomore year that I started to realize he might have a future at this,” said the tight end’s mother. “That year he was so much bigger compared to the other kids and he really does have really good hands, so I started saying, ‘Wow, he's getting pretty good at this.’ As soon as his sophomore year ended, he really started putting all of his time and energy into getting better. He was in the gym weightlifting and working out every day trying to put on weight and working on his footwork.
“That one summer, he went from 185 pounds to 225 pounds by his junior year. Now he's pushing about 235 and it seems every year he tries to take it to the next level. He's always told me, ‘Mom, I'm going to play Division I football.’ I told him, ‘That’s a really good goal to have, but just do your best,’ and he's done that and he's really turned out to be a fabulous player.”
Jim McNamara can remember exactly when the change happened for his son and the benefits it had.
“That summer, when he put on 40 pounds, was just amazing,” he said. “It was after his freshman year when the coach put that ‘bug in his ear’ about putting on weight that he and one of his buddies started weightlifting and eating a lot once the regular season had ended. They were trying to get a head start for the next year and it was just incredible to see it unfold.
“People couldn't believe he put on 40 pounds and wondered how he did it. All I know is he ate lot of eggs that summer.”
With his new and improved body, McNamara started making a round of local visits and during his travels started getting rave reviews.
“He started getting all this feedback when he went on those visits and started getting scholarship offers at such a young age,” said Mrs. McNamara. “We were taken aback by all the attention he was starting to receive.
“He has worked really hard and we are really proud of him. He is a very driven kid, so when he makes up his mind to do something and sets a goal he goes after it and it's really paid off. It's really nice to see that when somebody sets a goal, and works real hard, they can actually get to see it come true.”
According to his father, it was kind of hard to understand exactly what was going on when recruiting started for his son.
“Once he started playing freshman and JV football, he didn't really have a terribly good year and the teams he had played on really just didn't get it done,” admitted the tight end’s father. “When Taylor started getting noticed by some these colleges, it kind of surprised us. I mean these recruiters know what they're looking for, but in the back of my mind I was saying, ‘Wow, is this really happening? Can Taylor really hang with all those talented players?’
“My questions would soon be answered because we went to the Nike camp up at USC earlier this year, and he proved he could really play with those guys and had a really great day against some of the top players in the nation. He stood out and that was all the proof I needed that this wasn't just hype.
“He just recently had his high school combine and he's really been trying to work on his speed. He has definitely gotten faster, and they say if he keeps growing and puts on the right kind of muscle who knows how good he can be.
“The scary thing is he's only 16 and that's the part that blows me away.”
----Part two with the McNamara's tomorrow----
