Brooks: TEs/H-Backs Not An Endangered Species In Buffs' Offense

BOULDER – When he arrived at Colorado this winter, Darrin Chiaverini's offensive background might have suggested that the Buffs' tight ends and others of their species – H-Backs, fullbacks – were headed for extinction.

After all, Chiaverini's previous coaching stop was Texas Tech, where the spread offense is run at a blur and too many receivers is never enough. Oh, tight ends aren't obsolete in Lubbock, Texas; in 2013, junior Jace Amaro was a unanimous All-America selection at the position and set seasonal records for yardage and yards per game before turning pro.

However . . .

Under fourth-year coach Kliff Kingsbury, Tech doesn't list a tight ends coach per se, and while the 2016 spring roster notes the presence of a couple of fullbacks, there's not a tight end's name in sight.

But as Chiaverini knows, who's identified as what on a roster is usually a matter of semantics. And as of now, there's no hard evidence that CU's offense under Chiaverini and Brian Lindgren – they are co-coordinators – will evolve and leave the tight end position in the swamp.

"We're recruiting more tight ends than we are fullbacks, let me put it that way," said Gary Bernardi, who this spring moved from coaching CU's offensive line to the tutelage of the tight ends. "We're adding and diversifying our offense. I wouldn't say we're changing it that much; we're trying to find ways to be more explosive."

Added Bernardi about the future of his position: "Finding the right guys to recruit is relatively important. If George (Frazier) wasn't as good an athlete as he is, going out to recruit a 6-3, 260-pound tight end might not be the biggest priority. But a guy who can do a lot of things and has those capabilities, that's what we're looking for. That's how I look at it."

That's how "Chev" views it as well. He insists CU's offensive diversification will tap into the overall talent of players like Frazier, whose versatility and explosiveness this spring hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates, Chiaverini or Bernardi; and that of Sean Irwin, an emergent tight end in 2015 who returns for his final season.

THE TIGHT END/H-BACK/FULLBACK positions, said Chiaverini, are "very valuable in what we do. We're going to run open sets with our H-back and use tight ends in some closed sets. We'll run some two-back stuff. I think you've got to be able to do it all (offensively). You might limit how much you do of it but you have to be able to run it. I mean, there'll be a lot of different situations where use those guys."

That's good news for Irwin and Frazier, both of whom have shown an aptitude for blocking in "heavy sets." Both stand 6-3, with Irwin pushing 250 pounds and Frazier 10 pounds above that.

Chiaverini calls Irwin "one of the best blockers I've ever seen, the way he collapses on and handles defensive ends. He's going to have a role there."

Irwin shrugs off the praise: "I'm just a guy who goes in there and does the dirty work. That's me and George. I just take pride in that. I just love it, love hitting. I enjoy it so I make the best of it."

Frazier, adds Chiaverini, will "have a big-time role in this offense . . . he's a heck of a football player. You want to do what you want to do scheme-wise, but you also want to play to your players' strengths. So we'll do a combination of both."

Now a fifth-year senior, Irwin saw his receiving numbers dramatically climb in 2015 – he made 15 catches for 248 yards as compared to 8 for 74 yards in the previous two seasons combined. He says his improvement as a receiver has improved incrementally, with much of that due to the discovery that stretching and improved flexibility can be beneficial in all areas for a receiver.

"These last seven weeks of the off-season I've really focused on stretching," he said. "I have some really tight hips and a really tight groin. My strides are not long. I couldn't really get out of breaks (on pass routes) but when I finally started to stretch it's been a lot better."

Irwin is at the point of his football career where reaction overrides pondering what to do next on the field. "Once you've been here this long everything just slows down," he said. "Then you watch all these guys out here who look all panicked, and I'm just focused, know what's going on . . . this is the most fun I've ever had playing football."

But if knowing and carrying out his assignments now come at a more manageable pace, the offense has sped up with Chiaverini's arrival. Irwin concedes that he has "had a hard time adjusting, but I mean it's been everyone too. With 'Chev's fast pace he expects a lot and that's what we need to expect from everyone in our group."

Last season Frazier had 6 receptions for 31 yards, compared to 5 catches for 35 yards and three touchdowns in 2014. But he also saw his overall role expand; he played defense in 2014 as well, making 15 tackles (4 unassisted), a couple of third-down stops and hurrying the quarterback three times.

HE APPEARS TO HAVE RESETTLED on offense now and believes being utilized wherever on that side of the ball will be best for him and the Buffs.

"There's definitely a role there for the type of offense we're running," Frazier said. "We run a lot of different personnel, so there's not always '10' personnel. Sometimes it's two running backs, two tight ends . . . it doesn't really matter what it is, it's always going fast. There's definitely a role there."

Chiaverini's tweaking of the offense has impressed Irwin as well as reiterating to him that he, Frazier and the other tight ends aren't going to be diminished.

"'Chev' brings in a lot of good stuff – starting with the spread obviously," Irwin said. "They've done a really good job of including everyone in this offense. I think it's going to be really good next year – really productive, really fast and people are going to have a hard time with us.

"There are some packages for George that I really like. George is a really good fullback. I can definitely see us playing a bigger role. I'm not sure if it's going to be blocking or catching passes, but all I know is it's going to help us win."

Whatever he's tasked to do, Frazier will be "excited for it," he said. "I'm not sure where it's centered or if it will be expanded. I'm playing a lot of different positions, doing a lot of different things, different techniques and playing different parts in the system.

"I've definitely had a pretty good spring but there's always room to improve. I'm happy with what I've done but I'm always working. I want to get better."

Other players working with Bernardi this spring include Dylan Keeney, Chris Bounds, Chris Hill and Brian Boatman. Keeney appeared in 13 games last season (6 catches, 71 yards), with Hill playing in 11 games (1 catch, 7 yards). Keeney frequently lines up in the slot, but also has worked in an "attached" role in the formation and has done well at both, Bernardi said.

Having at least two experienced players – Irwin and Frazier – has helped Bernardi transition to a coaching slot he hasn't occupied in nearly 15 seasons.

Said Bernardi: "It's made it pretty easy to have two veteran guys who have played a lot and done different things. Those two guys are really good."

Good enough to give the Buffs confidence in the position – now and perhaps for a few seasons to come.

NOTABLE: The Buffs made up Monday's canceled practice on Tuesday and were scheduled to work on their lower grass fields. But expected high winds along the Front Range sent them indoors for a nearly three-hour practice . . . . Coach Mike MacIntyre said Monday's work was called off to allow more healing time for a number of minor injuries. He said switching practice days – the NCAA allows 15 total in 35 days – was easier in the spring because the team is not preparing to play a game. "You couldn't have done that during the week of a game," he said . . . . Most of the injuries were in the offensive line, where MacIntyre said "a few were sick, a few were banged up . . . but you're always going to be thin at different places in the spring." . . . . Minor ailments at that position, in addition to a shortage of linebackers, will affect how Saturday's spring game (1 p.m., Folsom Field) is conducted – making it more of a regular practice and controlled scrimmage (last spring's format) . . . . If the squad was divided for a traditional game, MacIntyre said the possibility would exist of one or two linebackers playing every snap. "And we don't want that in a spring game," he added, noting it would increase the chances of another injury at the position . . . . J.T. Bale appears to be in a solid position to replace long snapper Wyatt Tucker Smith. "(Bale) has had an excellent spring, so has Chris Hill," MacIntyre said. "We'll get them out there (Saturday) in front of some fans and put them in some situations and see how they handle that," he said. "I really have been pleased with J.T. Bale's snaps." . . . . MacIntyre said the productivity of the Buffs' kickers has been charted in outdoor practices only because kicking in the elements offers a more accurate assessment. He said Chris Graham and Diego Gonzalez both have performed well and that punter Alex Kinney's year of experience is beginning to show. However, MacIntyre's best-case scenario for Kinney would be for his punts to be limited in 2016. "I'm happy when he just stands there by me and your kicker just kicks extra points – that's a perfect day," MacIntyre said.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU