By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor’s coaching staff is on the road looking for the future. But it also needs to ensure what it presently has on its roster can help it bounce back in 2023.
You want tight ends? Baylor has tight ends. Try nine on the roster. That’s right, nine split between scholarship and walk ons. While schools across the country like to fashion themselves at WRU for their wealth of receivers or DBU because they have a history producing great defensive backs, the Bears could brand themselves as TEU. Maybe it’s not as exciting. But given how this position should play a vital role in the offense, there is some truth in that.
Baylor tight ends accounted for a little more than 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2022. What should be interesting with this group is how they are used. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes can use two or three in any set for any down at any spot on the field. Whether they are chipping a defensive end or blitzing linebacker or being a part of the passing game, this position will contribute mightily.
In a new series, we break down how Baylor’s positions may play out this fall. On May 9, we started with the quarterbacks. We continue with the tight ends.
How it starts: Well, that’s going to be a moving target. While one may be considered No. 1 on the depth chart, this is not going to be just a one type of thing. Maybe the way to look at this is who will be the most used. The candidates are Drake Dabney, Kelsey Johnson and North Texas transfer Jake Roberts.
Each are very solid pass catchers. Dabney (16-173, 10.8) was splitting time with Sims before he broke his leg at Texas Tech last year and missed the remainder of 2022. But he’s probably the most physical blocker of the three. Roberts enjoyed a very solid career at North Texas (28-394, 14.1, 3TD in 2022). He appeared in 37 games for the Mean Green. His size (6-5, 250) offers a little something extra. Johnson gave a glimpse of what he could do last year with his two-touchdown performance against TCU, including the score on the fly sweep. Grimes can be creative with Johnson and use him as a fourth receiver because Johnson offers the speed to do that.
Their productivity may be important early as the wide receiver group finds its identity.
Other options: Touches and game time will be few and far between for the rest of this group. Walk on Gavin Yates appeared in all 13 games in 2022 and was needed when Dabney went down. Cody Mladenka redshirted in 2022 and could be more in the mix. The future is bright for 2023 signees and January arrivals Hawkins Polley and Matthew Klopfenstein. Maybe each sees some time against Texas State and then the game against FCS Long Island. However, these two will be served best by being sponges and working toward becoming P5 ready.
This is probably the most complete part of the offense. There’s nothing wrong with saying that. When tight ends are effective, they change the game. This position will have an impact on the success of 2023.
Publisher
Baylor’s coaching staff is on the road looking for the future. But it also needs to ensure what it presently has on its roster can help it bounce back in 2023.
You want tight ends? Baylor has tight ends. Try nine on the roster. That’s right, nine split between scholarship and walk ons. While schools across the country like to fashion themselves at WRU for their wealth of receivers or DBU because they have a history producing great defensive backs, the Bears could brand themselves as TEU. Maybe it’s not as exciting. But given how this position should play a vital role in the offense, there is some truth in that.
Baylor tight ends accounted for a little more than 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2022. What should be interesting with this group is how they are used. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes can use two or three in any set for any down at any spot on the field. Whether they are chipping a defensive end or blitzing linebacker or being a part of the passing game, this position will contribute mightily.
In a new series, we break down how Baylor’s positions may play out this fall. On May 9, we started with the quarterbacks. We continue with the tight ends.
How it starts: Well, that’s going to be a moving target. While one may be considered No. 1 on the depth chart, this is not going to be just a one type of thing. Maybe the way to look at this is who will be the most used. The candidates are Drake Dabney, Kelsey Johnson and North Texas transfer Jake Roberts.
Each are very solid pass catchers. Dabney (16-173, 10.8) was splitting time with Sims before he broke his leg at Texas Tech last year and missed the remainder of 2022. But he’s probably the most physical blocker of the three. Roberts enjoyed a very solid career at North Texas (28-394, 14.1, 3TD in 2022). He appeared in 37 games for the Mean Green. His size (6-5, 250) offers a little something extra. Johnson gave a glimpse of what he could do last year with his two-touchdown performance against TCU, including the score on the fly sweep. Grimes can be creative with Johnson and use him as a fourth receiver because Johnson offers the speed to do that.
Their productivity may be important early as the wide receiver group finds its identity.
Other options: Touches and game time will be few and far between for the rest of this group. Walk on Gavin Yates appeared in all 13 games in 2022 and was needed when Dabney went down. Cody Mladenka redshirted in 2022 and could be more in the mix. The future is bright for 2023 signees and January arrivals Hawkins Polley and Matthew Klopfenstein. Maybe each sees some time against Texas State and then the game against FCS Long Island. However, these two will be served best by being sponges and working toward becoming P5 ready.
This is probably the most complete part of the offense. There’s nothing wrong with saying that. When tight ends are effective, they change the game. This position will have an impact on the success of 2023.
