TE Mike Heuerman to miss start of Notre Dame camp

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Mike Heuerman's climb up the depth chart will be delayed to start August.

The sophomore tight end is expected to miss the start of Notre Dame football camp, which opens at Culver Academies on Monday, as he recovers from a sports hernia surgery in early July, a source close to Heuerman confirmed with the South Bend Tribune. The surgery is Heuerman’s second for a sports hernia since enrolling at Notre Dame in January 2013.

Heuerman’s older brother Jeff, a senior tight end at Ohio State, alluded to the injury at the Big Ten Media Days in Chicago on Monday.

“He’s working to get back,” Jeff Heuerman told the Chicago Tribune.

According to the source close to Mike Heuerman, the Irish tight end should be able to return to full health in a couple weeks.

Heading into camp, Mike Heuerman was expected to battle with fellow sophomore Durham Smythe for backup tight end snaps behind expected starter Ben Koyack, a senior. A pair of freshman, Nic Weishar and Tyler Luatua, will also try to push themselves into the competition.