Former Irish Tight End: Tennessee Football Surpasses Notre Dame in Scale

Holden Staes transferred to Tennessee after spending two years at Notre Dame

Sep 9, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Holden Staes (13) is knocked out of bounds by North Carolina State Wolfpack safety Devan Boykin (12) after a catch during the second half at Carter-Finley Stadium. / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Former Notre Dame tight end Holden Staes looked early last year to be on the path to perhaps being the next great end in the long history of them with the Fighting Irish.

Staes hauled in 123-receiving yards and four touchdowns through Notre Dame's first four games in 2023, including a massive 115-yard, two-touchdown performance at North Carolina State.

After the middle of September however, Staes wasn't the same in Notre Dame's offense. The former four-star tight end caught nine more passes the entire rest of the season for just 53 yards and no scores.

Following the 2023 regular season, Staes entered the transfer portal and ultimately chose to attend Tennessee. Early on in his time at Tennessee, Staes says he sees pretty much a better everything than at Notre Dame.

BREAKING: Former Notre Dame TE Holden Staes has Committed to Tennessee, he tells @on3sports

The 6’4 240 TE chose the Vols over Georgia, Washington, & others

One of the Top TEs in the Portal 👀🍊https://t.co/WkHsl9XNHK pic.twitter.com/d8k4exXp7t

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 15, 2023

Holden Staes Compares Notre Dame and Tennessee

Staes is getting ready for his first season in Knoxville and last week had a short sit-down interview with WVLT TV (see it below). In it he was asked about adjusting to life with the Volunteers and what it has been like practicing against Tennessee's defensive line, which should be one of the better ones in college football this year.

Staes was also asked about what he's noticed so far at Tennessee and how it compares to Notre Dame.

Staes began by saying the experience at Tennessee is essentially just "bigger" than at Notre Dame.

"Notre Dame was a great experience, "Staes said. "They had great fans, they had great facilities but Tennessee is that on a bigger scale, honestly. We've got a whole state behind us. Notre Dame was an independent private school. Here, we got the whole state behind us. You feel the boom and feel the roar a little bit more from Tennessee fans, for sure."

See Entire Holden Staes Interview with WVLT

Nick's Quick Thoughts

Listen, I'm not going to waste my time getting upset about something a former Notre Dame player said regarding his old school.

What do you want him to say? That he misses Notre Dame, where he was having trouble getting targets the more last year went on?

Of course he's going to hype up his new team, its fans, and paint everything as excellent.

Staes is new to Tennessee and what he says about Vols fans is certainly true. Neyland Stadium is bigger than Notre Dame Stadium, the fans are about as wild as they come, but I for one am happy to say I've never seen a Notre Dame fan throw a water bottle at an opposing coach. Now snowballs at the home team is another story...

Mississippi Football Coach Lane Kiffin waves to the crowd after a football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football Bp / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The entire state outside of a small percentage of Vanderbilt graduates is fully supportive of Tennessee, too, while he's right, Notre Dame is private and those in the Hoosier State do have Indiana and Purdue both to choose from in the Power Four conferences.

Notre Dame also opened the 2023 season in Ireland. It'll play in Texas, Atlanta, New York (twice), Los Angeles, Boston, Florida, and Texas the next two seasons and is the biggest draw for almost anyone it shows up on the schedule of.

Tennessee again, is a much bigger deal in Tennessee.

And that's the only place.

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