UCLA Football: Bringing Back the Tight End

With a shift to a power offense, the UCLA Football team will be utilizing the tight end position more than in previous seasons, which will be overseen by new coach Rip Scherer.

A lot has to go into changing an offensive system, which is what the UCLA Football team is currently doing. With the promotion of Kennedy Polamalu from running backs coach to Offensive Coordinator, the Bruins will be moving from a spread to a power-based offense.

As Head Coach Jim Mora stated shortly after last season when announcing Polamalu’s new role, UCLA will be utilizing the tight end and fullback position a lot more.

In regards to the tight ends, the first step was hiring a coach to manage this position group. Mora hired associate Athletic Director and long-me coach Rip Scherer. This is a position that UCLA has not had on its staff during the time Noel Mazzone was in charge of the offense.

UCLA Bruins

The next step was getting players for the position. UCLA lost the talents of Thomas Duarte who has declared for the NFL Draft. This is unfortuante because Duarte was one of two key receivers last season (the other being Jordan Payton) who had great hands and created mismatch problems due to his size. So right there, depth became an issue.

The Bruins still have Nate Iese (who should land the starting spot) and former OL Colby Cyburt to build off of. Iese will be an important piece because he not only has the experience but is an exceptional blocker, has soft hands and good field vision.

Still, the Bruins needed to stock up. So with only two tight ends on the team, the Bruins brought in reinforcements. On National Signing Day, they landed a true TE in Jordan Wilson who will be coming from Nashville, TN.

The Bruins were also lucky to get transfer Caleb Wilson, who was a walk-on at USC last season. At UCLA, Wilson will join the team with a scholarship.

With the start of Sprng Practice, Mora had stated that there will be several position changes which included moves to tight end.

The TEs get pass catcher WR

who shifts from the receivers. It is also yet to be seen what capacity former OL

Giovani Gentosi

will play as he was added to the TE group, which overall adds depth.

(Video is courtesy of UCLA Athletics)

So now it is just a matter of implementing the schemes for the TEs. As Scherer stated, “it is a work in progress”, specifically seeing how it all shapes up. As for the position itself, he stated that there has to be good blocking but also wants his players to be “an integral part of the passing game.”

So with the Bruins using the traditional tight end, which Scherer says there will be two types (most likely determined by blocking and pass catching), the Bruins need to figure out how to use them.

Will we see a single TE next to the tackles? Could we see two-tight end sets? Who knows, we could also see the famed diamond set made face by Brett Hundley and Myles Jack which used defensive linemen as blockers (just sub in TEs for the DLs).

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Still, it is a long way to the first game on September 3, so they have time to mold the TEs in the new system. Whatever direction UCLA Football goes with the tight ends, the coaches will be sure to break down and teach the new position players on their roles, which should benefit them come next fall.