Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Buffs' TE Corps Mostly Green, But Capable
August 04, 2011 | Football, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - You play the hand you're dealt, but J.D. Brookhart probably can't help thinking, "Let's make a deal."
Of course, that's not possible but let's fantasize here: If deals could be made, the tight end portion of Colorado's 2011 football roster would be stocked with two or three Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates lookalikes/playalikes - incredible hulks who stand about 6-foot-6, weigh 260 pounds or more and zip through a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.
"Problem is, anymore nobody's playing with tight ends; you can't find them," Brookhart said. "High schools now are all spread out (using the spread formation). Even the NFL is struggling to find them."
Or, he added dreamily, "I'd settle for a Stephan Nembot who could run a 4.4."
That's about as likely as Gonzalez or Gates - a pair of established NFL Pro Bowl tight ends - materializing on the CU roster before the Sept. 3 opener at Hawaii. Nembot is the largest member of the Buffs' incoming freshman class, a well-constructed 6-8, 280-pounder who is highly unlikely to shift to offense any time soon.
But, hey, Brookhart can dream, can't he?
The reality of his situation is this: The position as a whole is as green as Kermit's hindquarters. Brookhart has one veteran tight end (senior Ryan Deehan), a couple of youngsters who ooze potential (DaVaughn Thornton, Kyle Slavin), a pair of transplanted offensive linemen (Scott Fernandez, Matt Bahr), and two walk-ons (Alex Wood, Cory Yellen). Plus, Cordary Allen, a freshman tailback last season, was scheduled to change positions when practice begins on Thursday.
Still, although not a seasoned group, Brookhart believes it can be one that meshes nicely in CU's new pro-style offense. New head coach Jon Embree wants the Buffaloes' offensive philosophy rooted in a hard-nosed running game, which usually means utilizing multiple tight ends.
And, says Brookhart, "That's what we'll do - if those are our best 11 . . . yeah, we'd like to utilize our tight ends. This offense is very tight-end friendly, as you saw in the (spring) scrimmages. I think in two straight scrimmages (tight ends) caught 11 touchdowns. That's got to be exciting for those guys."
It is for Deehan, who was CU's fifth-leading receiver in 2010 (25 catches) and is "super excited about this offense . . . I hope to use my experience to get open in the red zone and help us score. That's something we've really been poor at these last couple of years. Our defense would be OK, but we just couldn't put it up on offense - and that's something I really think we're going to be able to do this year."
Brookhart calls the 6-5, 250-pound Deehan "clearly our best two-way - pass/run - guy . . . but I want him to be dominating in the run game, become a physical dominating blocker. I think he understands full well the nuances of the receiving part. He knows what he's doing in the run game; I just want to see him get nasty."
Thornton, said Brookhart, "showed some good flashes as a 'moves' tight end, but he has huge areas to improve in. He's a talented kid, but the pass game piece is not natural to him; he's got to understand schematically better what we're doing and how we're trying to find ways to open him up. In the run game, he has to utilize his quickness because he doesn't have the size. That's what he has to do."
Slavin's talents, noted Brookhart, are "a little bit between" those of Deehan and Thornton. "He has to keep developing and he'll get better at both. He's got a great understanding (of the position) but he's in that process - he looks less baby-faced now. He's in that transition phase of becoming a real man. I think that's the biggest key for him, because he gets it, he likes it. It's just about physical maturity with him, that's how he's going to get to the next level."
Brookhart called Fernandez and Wood "extremely intelligent, they know what they're doing," and termed Bahr "the intriguing one to me. Is he going to come in and be adequate in the pass game and real good in the run game? That's what I'm hoping."
All of Brookhart's players - in fact, every player on CU's roster - should benefit from more individual technique work during preseason camp. The bulk of spring drills were devoted to installation of the offense and defense and instruction in those schemes, with Embree all the while establishing his philosophy and determining who wanted to be a part of it.
"There was so much emphasis put on install and team play (in March/April) that we didn't really have time to hone their skills - and that's to me huge," Brookhart said. "We kind of gave them the whole, now we get to work on the pieces."
Maybe the most relevant piece, according to Deehan, is an overall attitudinal shift from 2010. Asked what he already sees as the biggest difference between the approaching season and the last one, he said, "I think just unity as a whole among the staff and players, and the players with the players."
He cited "a lot of dissension among the players about who should be doing what and among the staff," as well as a "disconnect between players and coaches . . . but that's in the past. We're more focused. We've had players who could do this, that or the other thing, who were good athletes.
"But we never knew what our identity was last year . . . I'm not even sure what to call (the offense). This year I know we're a pro-style offense that's going to run the ball at you and then play-action off of that."
Being the only experienced player at his position isn't a new role for Deehan. Luke Walters was a sixth-year senior last season, but injuries interrupted most of his career until 2010.
"I was the guy with all the experience," Deehan recalled. "Luke had been in college for a long time but hadn't played much. He finally got some experience but I still had to tell guys things that no one else in the group knew. I'll still just try and pass that along to these younger guys."
A restructured off-season conditioning program has Deehan in his best shape ever. "I'm stronger than I've ever been and feel more durable, like my body is ready to go for a longer period of time," he said - and that's a good thing, because once they open the Buffs play for 13 consecutive weeks.
If Brookhart wants Deehan to develop a hard edge in the way he plays, it's nothing Embree isn't asking of his entire offense. Deehan assessed his on-field demeanor like this: "I feel like I play nasty in general, but it just doesn't always show . . . I'm fine with that. It's funny; being nasty is always seen as just kicking a guy's ass. You can still be nasty without that showing, but I am hoping it'll show through sometimes, too.
"You can go crush some dude and get him out of the way for that split second you need - that's a fantastic block. You go maul somebody, throw him to the ground and get a personal foul . . . you might have just lost 15 yards and a touchdown with a personal foul. I'm all for nasty, physical and tough, but I always try to be smart, too."
For a number of reasons - run-blocking and increased red-zone productivity are chief among them - Brookhart knows his position will come under scrutiny this season. But he jokingly adds this to the list: "I think because Jon has been on the offensive side of the ball so much that tight end is going to be a focus here . . . and you never want to coach a position the head coach played.
"But seriously, I encourage him to jump in; he's coached it longer than me. He's been good in everything."
THE INSIDE LOOK AT . . .
Tight ends
Coach: J.D. Brookhart, first season on CU staff.
Returning starters: Ryan Deehan, Sr.
Returnees: DaVaughn Thornton, Soph.; Kyle Slavin, Fr.-RS; Matt Bahr, Sr.; Scott Fernandez, Soph.; Alex Wood, Soph.
Newcomers: Cordary Allen (running back in 2010), Fr.-RS.; Cody Yellen, Fr., walk-on.
Key losses: Luke Walters, Henley Griffon (left program), Harold Mobley (left program).
Stat line: Of CU's 237 pass receptions last season, the tight ends accounted for 38 of the total. Deehan dominated that number, catching 25 balls while Walters had 10 receptions. That means the Buffs' five returning tight ends - discounting Deehan - had three receptions among them in 2010 (two by Bahr, one by Thornton).
Bottom line: Deehan appears primed for a big season in the passing game, and Thornton is athletic enough to make contributions in that area. The new pro style offense is known for utilizing tight ends as receivers, but Brookhart wants dramatic improvement at his position when the Buffs run the ball. As a whole, the group must learn on the fly.
Next: Defensive line
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
