Buffs Tight Ends Seeing Increased Roles
October 11, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Given the fact that Colorado's tight ends had caught just one pass in the first five games of the season, it is no surprise CU's tight ends caught Arizona a little flat-footed in last week's game.
Buffs sophomore Chris Bounds caught a pair of touchdown passes in Colorado's 45-42 loss to the Wildcats, a 2-yarder and a 39-yarder from Steven Montez. Bounds was wide open on both plays, waiting in the back of the end zone for the first, then gathering in the second about 20 yards downfield before rumbling the rest of the way in for the score.
Buffs fans everywhere celebrated the plays, with the term "seldom-used tight ends" popping up regularly. But fact is, Buffs tight ends are becoming more and more an integral part of CU's offense — it's just that lots of folks don't notice.
"They did a good job of blocking and they did a good job for us in a lot of ways," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "Coach (Gary) Bernardi has done a good job with them and they're staying after it. You think about them just when they catch passes, but they're in there so many other times you don't notice them."
Indeed, their presence has been a big boost to Colorado's improved rushing game over the last two weeks. Utilizing one and sometimes two tight ends, the Buffs have had two of their best games on the ground in the last two games, rushing for 191 yards against UCLA, then running for 300 against Arizona.
It won't be a surprise if their presence continues to be a regular part of the Buffs' attack Saturday when 3-3 CU (0-3 Pac-12) plays a 2 p.m. game at Oregon State (Pac-12 Networks).
"They were pretty integral parts," Bernardi said. "Everybody's excited about the touchdowns, but they gave us another physical dimension up front and it worked out. You always like to see that."
CU's tight ends must learn how to line up at what amounts to three or four positions — true tight end next to a tackle, fullback and even slot receiver. They go in motion regularly, then must make split-second decisions on blocking assignments as the defense adjusts to their movement.
"The ability to run different plays and have different shifts is important," Bernardi said. "Sometimes they're reading one guy, sometimes they're reading another guy and they have to make decisions pretty fast."
The Buffs' tight ends — sophomore Bounds, senior George Frazier and true freshman Jared Poplawski — have learned to almost revel in their relative anonymity. Still, Bounds admitted, it was nice to get into the end zone.
"It's good when you are called upon and able to execute," Bounds said Wednesday. "That's important. But honestly, the fact we didn't get the 'W' is what's stuck with me the most."
CU has added several wrinkles with the tight ends this year, at times even lining up two of them in the backfield, one on either side of tailback Phillip Lindsay. It adds an element to Colorado's run game and allows the Buffs to overload one side of the line when the big guys go in motion.
"I love hitting," Bounds said of his blocking duties. "Hitting is fun. That's what we're going to do. If that helps us win games, that's what we're going to do. We put in all these packages for us to be able to run the ball down the opponent's throat a little bit more, and if we can help in that way, then we're going to do it any way we can."
In what is a statistical anomaly that almost certainly won't last, Bounds has three catches this year — and is still tied for second on the team in touchdown receptions (two) with wide receiver Shay Fields.
But, the more the tight ends are involved in blocking for the running game, it also means more opportunities for the tight ends to slip into the secondary unnoticed on a pass route.
For Bounds and his tight end buddies, it really doesn't matter.
"Whatever it takes," Bounds said. "Every tight end will tell you we love playing for the team, we love playing for each other. We know what our job is and we want to be the best we can be at doing that job. Everything we do out there is for every person on the sideline, every person on the field. We just don't want to let our brothers down — that's our mindset every time we step foot on the field."
UDOFFIA BACK AT WORK: CU cornerback Trey Udoffia, who missed the Arizona game with a knee injury, has been back at practice this week. MacIntyre said Udoffia looks good and the Buffs expect to have him in the lineup Saturday.
MacIntyre also said the Buffs expect to have the same starting offensive line as last week, barring injury. Last week's lineup included Jeromy Irwin at left tackle, Gerrad Kough at left guard, Jonathan Huckins at center, Tim Lynott Jr. at right guard and Isaac Miller at right tackle.
QUOTEWORTHY: Oregon State players and coaches are trying to get back to normal as much as possible after Monday's stunning announcement that head coach Gary Andersen was walking away from his position.
"We can't feel like a lost dog, a lost puppy without its owner," OSU wide receiver Jordan Villamin said. "Colorado is going to come in here and stomp us if we're a lost puppy. We might as well come into it like nothing happened."
WIDE RECEIVER STREAK: CU receiver Devin Ross saw his streak of 21 straight games with at least one catch come to an end last week after he was blanked against Arizona. The longest streak on the team now belongs to Shay Fields, who has caught a pass in 20 consecutive games (including last year's Alamo Bowl).
CORVALLIS FORECAST: The weather forecast for Saturday in Corvallis calls for partly cloudy skies, a high temperature of 60 degrees and just a 10 percent chance of rain.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
