By John Brice
Special Contributor
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — There are stretches of life, really, when an event can define a period in someone’s life.
Notre Dame sophomore tight end Eli Raridon is on the cusp of coming out the “ACL Era.” An estimated “15, 16 months” of rehab for a pair of injuries supply that definition.
After first tearing an ACL just prior to his arrival at Notre Dame and then doing so again just five games into his collegiate career, the unflappable Raridon is on the cusp of being “full-go” and already showcasing a sharper mental grasp of the game, as well as toughness, two days into Fighting Irish preseason camp.
“It’s definitely been tough; a lot of rehab,” said the nearly 6-foot-7, 250-pound second-generation Notre Dame player. “It’s been good for my mental strength, I would say. It’s very hard, so it teaches me to toughen up and get through some adversity. There’s been some good to come from that.
“I’m still about 85-90 percent recovered. There’s still some testing I’ve got to do. I’m getting close. I still have some leg strength and mass to gain. I just want to be feeling 100 percent. I don’t want to be out there and be like, ‘Ah, this hurts a little bit.’”
Though he knows Raridon has another top-end level before being fully healthy, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker already sees a more assertive, confident and vocal Raridon quickly carving his niche into the Irish offense.
“He is in a great position, and he has developed confidence already in his health,” said Parker, also Raridon’s position coach. “So, you see a guy that’s already like he is, big, strong, physical; he’s learning the what and why.
“He’s put himself in a position where we needed him to be out there. I’m very excited about him, because he’s just taken a step and put himself in a role in the tight end room where you feel him now.”
Raridon is finding presence in the present because, he explains, he’s leaning into his faith as part of his mental development.
“Before I was injured, I hadn’t really gone through anything crazy,” Raridon, who credited a hamstring-grafting procedure as part of his rapid recovery from the first ACL tear, said. “This was the first really hard thing I’ve had to deal with, because football is very valued in my life. It’s always been something I loved, and to get that taken away from me, it just teaches you to be grateful for other things and that football isn’t everything. There are other things in life. I think it will be great later on in life, just learning how to deal with adversity and overcoming tough things.
“I had great family support, and I grew closer with God. I’m a Christian, and I had more time to sit back and realize that I haven’t been reading too much, spending enough time with God. I learned how to count my blessings, prayed more; that helped with my recovery, and great friends and family support really helps as well.”
Both Raridon and Parker see a greater command of the offense – a byproduct of Raridon’s forced slow-down that’s now lending tangible benefits.
“I definitely know the playbook very well now,” Raridon said. “I remember last year, camp was stressful coming in as a freshman and not knowing the playbook. This year, even though I’m not full-go, I feel so confident in the playbook. It just really helps me play.
“I can just think about going hard and trying to get open, rather than what do I have on this play, who am I blocking, how do I block him. It comes naturally now, and I feel I’ll be able to play a lot better now because of it.”
Added Parker, “He’s present out there in a way he wasn’t before.”
Perhaps, then, Raridon is poised for the next period of his collegiate career: “The Healthy Era.”