Notre Dame OL coach Harry Hiestand gives update on early enrollee linemen

When Notre Dame opened spring practice on St. Patrick’s Day, 14 new faces joined the program. Twelve of them were true freshmen who had yet to play a single snap of college football.

Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand had two of that crew in his position group — Billy Schruath and Joey Tanona — but neither one could practice. Schrauth was coming off of foot surgery, while Tanona was recovering from lingering concussion issues due to a car accident in South Bend.

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Unfortunately for Tanona and Notre Dame, he will not play for the Irish as a result of the accident; Tanona had to medically retire, per head coach Marcus Freeman. Hiestand commented on the situation on Thursday.

“It’s just unfortunate,” Hiestand said. “I mean, what can you say? He’s just a wonderful young man with a great family. (I told him) go on and try to achieve what you’re capable of achieving and be the best at whatever you end up doing.

“He’s a hell of a kid. It’s sad.”

Technically, Tanona could play college football at another institution if he were to transfer. But the 6-5, 295-pound interior lineman from Zionsville (Ind.) High will not don the gold helmet.

Schrauth is a work in progress

Schrauth, who dealt with a foot injury toward the end of his high school career and had surgery almost immediately upon arriving in South Bend, is now full-go for Hiestand, at least physically.

The intricate details of a Hiestand-led offensive line, however, take a little longer to pick up. That’s quite alright, as Notre Dame has an interior offensive line ready to roll in 2022. The 6-4, 296-pound lineman has the luxury of sitting back and learning.

“His head is spinning,” Hiestand said. “We’re putting plays in, and he’s trying to figure out the snap count. He’ll eventually get there. He just (needs) repetition. They are brand new plays for him (right now). Once we get through that, which is a couple of days from now, we’ll start to repeat things. That’s when the younger guys have a chance to start doing better.”

Schrauth is currently expected to sit in the third or fourth-string left guard spot, although center could be in his future at some point. The lineman out of Fond Du Lac (Wisc.) St. Mary’s Springs was the No. 9 interior offensive lineman and No. 128 player overall in the 2022 class per On3 Consensus.