Monday evening, the nomination window closed for our All-Region teams. As I was looking through the ballots and testing the voting software, I found something unusual. Two of the four regions didn’t have even the minimum three tight ends nominated to fill our three teams.
So I started looking through the All-Conference teams to see whom I could plug in to fill the gaps and to my surprise, quite a few conferences don’t even bother to honor tight ends at the end of the year.
What the heck has happened to the tight end?
I do understand that run-blocking tight ends are hard to nominate because the statistics just aren’t there to entice someone to vote. But it seems like there are a lot of schools at which nominating tight ends is simply not on the radar. We saw it all season with the Team of the Week. But one un-nominated tight end was the leading receiver on his team. Another was the No. 2 receiver on his team and came from a school that nominated several other players, so it wasn’t like they forgot to nominate altogether.
I do also understand that teams using a spread or run-and-shoot aren’t always going to feature a tight end in the passing game. And in some cases, the person listed as a tight end lines up in the slot far more than as an actual end. (One of the most prominent “tight ends” in Division III fits that description.) But in the end, how can a region of 55 or so teams not have three tight ends worth nominating?
I assume that the prominent TE that you are referring to is senior All-American Jon Branche from RPI who is most often set in the slot in RPI’s spread offense. Branche is a great receiver and a fine football player, but I raised a similar question after the 2004 season when I noted that while Branche was named to several All-region and All-American teams as a TE he really did not play the traditional TE position and was not even named 1st-team all-league TE. That honor went to Brett Young from St. Lawrence with Branche 2nd team. In 2005 the spots were reversed with Branche 1st team and Young second, but this year once again Young was named 1st team with Branche 2nd.
Having seen them both play, Branche is the much better receiver and puts great pressure on a secondary to match up with him. Young, on the ohter hand, plays the more traditional TE position and is a much stronger blocker.
Having said that, at least Branche and Young stay on the field on 3rd and long. Now-a-days, most teams take the TE off of the field on passing downs and send in a 3rd WR. The same is also true for full backs to a large degree. TE’s and FB’s have become situational players who mostly block and on rare occasions actually get to touch the football.
I went through all the final stats and rosters to see who the top three tight ends (statistically) were. Let me know if I I’m counting someone that isn’t a TE, or if I’ve missed someone.
East:
1. Jon Branche, Rensselaer (6-4, 245) – 10 gms, 46 rec, 659 yds, 6 tds
2. Brett Young, St. Lawrence (6-4, 255) – 9 gms, 42 rec, 535 yds, 5 tds
3. Mike Oertel, Ithaca (6-2, 230) – 10 gms, 40 rec, 435 yds, 4 tds
North:
1. Greg Peltz, Wooster (6-3, 230) – 10 gms, 32 rec, 356 yds, 3 tds
2. Zach Benko, Albion (6-4, 250) – 10 gms, 22 rec, 270 yds, 6 tds
3. Kevin VandenBosch, Hope (6-2, 230) – 11 gms, 35 rec, 392 yds, 1 td
South:
1. Stephen Motalto, Muhlenberg (6-4, 230) – 10 gms, 38 rec, 445 yds, 2 tds
2. Eric McCarty, Millsaps (6-0, 180) – 6 gms, 29 rec, 333 yds, 2 tds
3. Chris Silk, Ferrum (6-2, 225) – 9 gms, 11 rec, 242 yds, 4 tds
West:
1. Michael Allan, Whitworth (6-6, 240) – 12 gms, 53 rec, 1100 yds, 9 tds
2. Nolan Swett, Colorado College (6-5, 215) – 10 gms, 54 rec, 781 yds, 9 tds
3. Pete Schmitt, UW-Whitewater (6-4, 245) – 11 gms, 41 rec, 413 yds, 8 tds
The west and east were very TE-heavy this year. Ben Remington (Grinnell) had 43 receptions for 395 yards and 7 touchdowns in 10 games, while Andrew Neumann (Augsburg) had 74 receptions for 741 yards and 4 touchdowns in 10 games. Kyle Kubasa (UW-Oshkosh) had 38 receptions for 399 yards and 2 touchdowns in 10 games.
From the east, Marc Neff (Utica) had 23 receptions for 314 yards and 5 touchdowns in 10 games. Matt Pizarro (Wilkes) had 22 receptions for 338 yards and 6 touchdowns in 11 games. Jim O’Leary (Williams) had 19 receptions for 255 yards and 5 touchdowns in only 6 games.
There were a handful of others that I found with around 15 receptions for 200 yards and a couple scores.
Kid,,, Don’t you think it’s because many offenses don’t classify a tight end as such anymore. It’s the H back or big back,,, often set in a slot and put in motion to facillite blocking. Heck, Trinity’s Jon Plotnick was listed as a wide receiver all season, and he functioned as a TE or FB all season. In a third (or fourth) and short situation, you are most likely to get extra OL lined up as TE’s.
Kid, do you have a real job or do you just post on here and take care of your website? LOL!
What do you guys think of Dylen Kelly 6’5” 185lbs for capital?
44 receptions for 761 yards, 80yard longest reception.
He also lines up as a slot receiver, but also lines up alot as the tightend and blocks on some run plays. He’s not listed as a TE but he is one.
Only one TE listed on MUC’s roster made the Stat Sheet and he is listed as a TE/WR:
Anthony Antonucci (6’2″, 215) – 11 games, 14 rec., 177 yds, 1 td.
Those stats don’t make the top 3 in the North IMO.
Fisher uses two tight ends very effectively in the passing game. Between them they have something like 45 catches and 8 or 9 TD’s I believe. I assume to your point earlier Pat, that a lot of TE’s are now in just to block.
Same thing for Capital. Kive Kraft was the 1st team all-OAC TE last year, and there was much discussion in post patterns as to wheter he was truly a TE or not, as he lined up in the slot on about 75% of the plays, and even those plays where he lined up in a more typical “tight end” position, he rarely blocked.
This year the first team all-OAC TE is Capital’s Dylan Kelly, who is much the same as Kraft was last year. He is 6-5, 190lbs, but is mostly a receiver with 44 catches for 761 yards, but isn’t even listed on the roster as a TE, he’s listed as a WR.
Kelly has also caught 10 TD passes, including an 80 yarder against North Central last week in the playoffs.
Who needs a tight end when you have Nate Kmic? WON’T SOMEBODY PLEASE STOP THAT GUY!! The kid has got some serious skills. Props to him.
My list above was of guys who were actually listed as TEs on their roster and/or box scores.
As you can see by their height/weight, they seem like legit TEs. I asked the Millsaps SID about McCarty, and he said he was in fact a TE at 6-0, 180.
Alfred began using its tight end quite effectively in 2005 with Chris Reger, who served AU as a grad assistant coach this season. Matt Gibbins, like Reger a converted fullback, has filled Reger’s shoes quite nicely… 10 games 22 catches 373 yards 17.0 yards per catch, 7 TDs longest gain of 58 yards 37.3 yards per game.
Gibbins is a tough 6-2 225 lb. tight end from Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa H.S. who transferred to Alfred after a year wasted in a D-IAA program. He took some hard shots in the Fisher game and, although pretty well banged up, still battled in the Saxons’ 40-34 OT win over Rochester in the ECAC Northwest Championship, making four catches for 75 yards with a long gain of 27 yards…despite the apparent pain. While he was listed in the roster as a senior, AUPepBand believes (and hopes) he has another year of eligibility. A quality young man who gives his all.
If used properly TE’S can be very effective. So many teams are using the spread and use a TE/WR. I’m old school 3 yrds and a cloud of dust, then hit the TE down the seam, baby. It worked at my school as we went deep into the playoffs each year. Everyone knew what we were going to do but could not stop it. Much like UMHB and it’s offense.
I noticed that some teams are using tackles as tight ends especially on short yardage. Not only are they using them as TE’s but also as lead backs in stacked formations…
Interesting comparisons for a Tight End. None of them provide any insight into the most signicant contribution by a TE, namely blocking. It is tough to get a clear picture of this through stat’s but here’s a few SJFC stat’s:
Rushing 240 yds/game
5.7 yds/rush
Top three running backs:
Robinson 6.3 yds/rush
Reile 5.4 yds/rush
Hanson 7.9 yds/rush
Somebody is blocking!
Chris Harmon TE Jr 6’3″ 250
Gp 11 Rec. 21 Yds 306 Avg 14.6 TDs 6 Avg per game 27.8
Ok, anyone want to compare stats?
Sure it helps to be on a very competitive team with a solid offensive line, great running backs, a great quarterback, a defense that is giving great opportunities and a coaching staff that is really beginning to understand the teams capabilities and making great adjustments.
But who cares, these stat’s say a lot about Chris Harmon’s total contribution as a TE.
The TE position must consist of a player who is extremely physical in his approach to blocking and also have the hands and speed to be part of the offensive aerial attack. Some of the better TE’s are just as happy with a pancake block as they are with a TD reception.
The offensive stats for receptions don’t always tell the truth as to how valuable a physical blocking TE can be for a teams offense. A quality blocking TE sometimes gets overshadowed by a TE who mainly lines up as a wideout and only catches passes.
sjfcftbll,
Compare all the stats that you want. The stats were split by two TE’s on SJF there must be a reason for that. As you said the Coach’s now have an understanding of the teams capabilities and they also must know about it’s limitations and they mustn’t have a “STUD” TE to take all of the snaps, therefore there is no comparison between the stats for the TE’s of SJF and let’s say a Branch of Young. As for the Liberty League, Young is the traditional TE that can also spit out and beat up on little DB’s. I do agree with TLM in the opening post about Branch being a better Receiver, however, Young is the best all around TE.
I certainly agree with the fact that too many players are getting credit for being a great tight end when they are in fact much better categorized as wide receivers. I may be a bit old school as well, but 6’0″ 180? Give me a break. I mean seriously, Derek Stanley is often considered to be undersized for a wide receiver, and he’s right with him at 5’11” 183. There should almost be a size requirement to be really considered a tight end.
Also, I think that if the player lines up split off the line for more than 25% of the offensive plays, they should not be classified as a tight end. I’m fine with tight ends that are great receivers from their position on the line because we all know that some guys are simply better receiving that blocking, but you can’t just line up a wide out there and call him a tight end. That’s just my opinion.
Just for another comparison with McCarty, Lance Douglas, another UWW WR, is listed at 6’4″ 206. UW Platteville WR’s Joe Danielson, Brian Gallick, and Derek Hoff, listed at 6’6″ 215, 6’3″ 220, and 6’2″ 205 respectively. UW Eau Claire WR Matt Evensen, listed at 6’3″ 200. All of these players received WIAC awards at WR. I realize that some of them could have played tight end, but their abilities put them at the WR spot. If you have the hands and the speed (which the majority of these men do), then quit taking advantage of those linebackers and play WR. This is not meant to be directed at McCarty specificly, but to all those so called “tight ends” that should really be out at the wide out position.
Again, just my opinion.
LarryCzonka5,
Since you are uninformed/misinformed, I will try once to clarify this. SJFC does not rotate their tight ends. Rather it uses a double tight end on very short yardage situations and a spread offense (with all wide receivers) is used on long yardage situations and as a base offense to change the offensive scheme to confuse the opposing defense.
The “STUD” statement lacks class and it detracts from those LL fans that want to support their fine league without lowering themselves. In the absence of stat’s to back your case you choose to demean the opposition.
As for the E8, they have 2 in the win column in the NCAA this year and their only loss is against another E8. In addition, the two E8 Co-Champions both beat the LL Conference Champion.
Enough said.
Good question. The evolution of college offenses has sure changed in the last few decades. What I find rather interesting is the offenses that rely on the running game, but do so out of the spread formation. Which is exactly what Mount Union does. They play the majority of the game with 4 WR’s and no TE, but are first and foremost a running team. Now technically, they list a TE on the depth chart, but it’s really just another WR that occasionaly lines up beside the tackle.
And speaking of offenses that I find interesting, I would have loved to see Springfield make the national stage just to see their attack this year with their All-World rushing QB.
SeanGOP
I am speechless………(hard to do)
You had a complement for the dreaded Raiders.
Nate is quite a player. Especially when you consider this year he is a known commodity. Last year he was just hitting the scene as a replacement for the starting RB in the first playoff game.
It was kind of funny because last year his best game was against Augustana with 360 yds (his career best). The second game in the playoffs. This year against Wheaton in the second game of the playoffs he has 298 yds. His second best game in his career. No wonder the CCIW does not want to see the Raiders in the playoffs.
Did I mention Kmic is a soph?
Thanks for the complements you must be softening in your old age. Were you at the game? I did make the trip.
Raiderguy,
I am softening with age. Actually, now that the playoffs are on, I need to give credit where credit is due.
It is true Kimc has done well against CCIW opponents. In that game against Augie he really racked up the yards. He almost matched the one game total Augie’s QB had that same year (I think or the year earlier)- it’s a record.
Nate’s performance against the CCIW proves he can step up when faced with quality competition.
That’s all I got. Mount Union is a great team, and I don’t see anyone matching what they have done. One has to respect records.
GO JOHNNIES….they probably wont beat whitewater just because whitewater is more skilled and bigger and st. johns is always small but im lookin forward to go to the game
JK,
It’s clear that you weren’t around to watch much of Capital the past two years. Although a misprint in the program leads some people to believe that neither Kraft nor Kelly are tight ends, I doubt that you will find any more dynamic players at TE in the nation. Last year Kraft was a blocking machine, but because he caught 68 passes, you say he is not a true tight end. I specifically remember seeing Capital’s run game drastically improving, and isn’t it true that Capital’s Colin O’Reilly was named first team all conference?
Much the same is true of Kelly and the Crusaders this year. Even though Kelly is less traditional a TE and spends some time a WR for Cap, it simply comes down to the fact that Capital’s TEs are different. Both of these TEs have stayed on the field at WR when Capital isn’t using a TE formation becuase both have proved to be too valuable and too athletic to take off of the field on O. Ask any coach they have faced!
LarryCzonka5,
Win or Lose, I am going to be watching Fisher and Harmon this weekend. Its great to still be in it.
Kid,
The NWC was blessed this past season to have two of the best TE’s in the country playing in the conference with Whitworth’s Mike Allan and Menlo’s Keith Marin.
Most people know about Allan’s size, stats and abilities but the hidden jem was Marin (jr.) who at 6’3″ 235lbs had 466 yards and 6 TD’s on the season. Marin was a big focal point for defenses around the NWC when they played the Oaks.
Not taking anything away from Marin, but if you’re talking about size and stats, you have to consider Pete Schmidt in there. 6’4″ 247 with 413 yds and 8 TD’s. He’s often a part of the UWW offense that is overlooked when you have Beaver and Stanley on the field. I don’t know that I would say either of them are in the top three in the country, although possibly. I would certainly agree that Allan has to be in there, although I have not seen Whitworth play this year.
HeadHoncho,
Perhaps I was unclear. While it is true that I haven’t been around Capital the last two years as much as I would have liked, I was just pointing out what some of the discussion was concerning Kraft and Kelly. I don’t disagree at all with any of your points, but last year there were several people in the post patterns discussions who questioned whether or not Kraft should have really been considered a true TE. I, and other Cap posters argued that he should. In the couple of games I saw last year, I was really impressed with Kraft’s blocking ability in the run game, which did, indeed, lead to O’Rielly being first team all-OAC. I guess my comment about “even when he lined up in a more traditional TE spot, he rarely blocked” was a bit misleading, but Cap likes to show multiple formations and there were several times I saw that Kraft lined up tight and released on patterns to create mismatches, which was the basis for that comment. (As a side note, when Cap went to a 2-TE alignment last year, Lewis Howes, who was a big WR, lined up tight on the opposite side of Kraft and was also a serviceable blocker). But, you are right, because of the system Cap runs, a lot of people dismissed Kraft as a well rounded TE.
AS for this year, it may be a misprint, but there was some discussion as to other all conference TE’s who might have been overlooked in the debate for all region TE. I was simply trying to point out that Dylan Kelly was listed as a WR, so “kid” might have missed him. However, from what I saw, Kelly is a TE. However, from what I heard on radio broadcasts, a lot of time this year when Cap was in goal line and short yardage formations, Mando Ancona was often in the game as more of a “blocking” TE.
You are correct in saying that both are dynamic athletes who had the ability to be on the field no matter the situation. It takes something to be named all-OAC, and both were. That is enough for me. The coaches who vote on the all conference team certainly know much, much more than I do, and they saw fit to honor both. I never meant it to come off as arguing their credentials.
JK,
Good to know your stance. Thanks for clearing that up. I was around to see Howes line up at tight end some last year, and I give a lot of credit to Coach Collins for really aligning his manpower for a mismatch here and there. You are right though, in saying that Kraft “rarely blocked” is a bit misleading. But it is clear that you were around enough to know how the Crusader offense really worked last year. Unlike the 2005 season, when Cap had two dominant and large targets to throw at in the red zone, this year Kelly is the sole “big man” in the CU offense. You and I both know that Coach Collins has to try and create some type of mismatch. So this year, Kelly is getting a lot of looks down toward the goal line, making you correct in saying that Kelly probably is a little less traditional TE, especially when the OAC still has plenty of more traditional TEs. However, with stats like Kelly has racked up this year, it’s just hard to overlook him for the All-Conference team even if it is at TE. Capital’s last two tight ends slightly resemble Mt. Union’s Randall Knapp from a few years back. Right me if I’m wrong but I believe he was a similar form of TE. Wasn’t he?
I thought Knapp started as a TE and then gravitated to a full-time WRs role.
Definitely had the size and speed to be either.
Knapp’s role was very much similar to Kraft’s and Kelly’s, playing in the slot, but I do believe he was a WR. The Mount guys can help me out.
I think you can trace the evolution of this “hybrid TE-slot reciever” in the OAC back to Rob Atwood, who played at mount in the early 90’s, and was one of Ballard’s top targets. He, like the others we have mentioned, was too athletic and valuable to take off the field and created mismatches everywhere.
I started three years at tight end for Baldwin-Wallace in the late 80’s early 90’s. The role of the tight-end was dying then. The official name was wing back, by the late 90’s B-W had eliminated the tight-end position.
I still believe a winning team must have more than one threat. In our situation it was a long ball threat, nothing else. A one demensional team will only get so far. And thats why a tight end is crucial. We only lost four games in my four years, but the tight-end/wing back was last resort in passing situations. It was a shame, and thats why we would eventually loose that one or two games, a team would take away the long ball and the coach would try to run and we would end our season.
The tight-end will never die, individuals should be shown the proper respect especially for a multi talented position such as the tight-end.
Michael Allen of Whitworth is hands down one of the best tight ends in the country. For those who did not see him play, you missed some incredible things. At 6’7″ and 260 lbs., he out ran DB’s to the endzone. This guy is going to be on an NFL roster next year. He not only caught the ball, but is a fantastic blocker.
sjfcftbll,
You must try and understand (I’m sure it will be tough for you judging from your response to my response to you) I am not trying to bust your balls. Just making the point that in your original statement the coach’s all of the sudden “know what they are doing” by using the proper personnell etc. then you must also give them credit for not playing just one TE or a “STUD” because they understand that positions limitations when compared to other areas on their team. That is the jist of my response. They mustn’t have a “Stud” if that is the case…that’s all….using the word
“Stud” or “workhorse” does not “lack Class”…..just a word…I really am not attacking you, just your logic. Also, you supplied all the stats, for my last statement, I really didn’t have to supply any…look at the other posts and you will see all the TE stats and comparison…has nothing to do with other fans of a LEAGUE…now, with all that said….I would really like to see SJF win as many as they can and represent this area as well as possible….I’m all about getting behind league and area teams…Good luck this weekend…GO CARDINALS
PS….SJFCTBLL…any chance that you are Chirs Harmon or his DAD????LOL….good luck any how.