We are going to throw the football to the tight ends more, they say, and return the position to its glory years when the likes of Dennis Pitta, Jonny Harline, Chad Lewis, Chris Smith, David Mills, Clay Brown and Gordon Hudson shined in Provo.
However, not counting what hybrid receiver/tight end Terenn Houk did in 2015 — 37 catches for 490 yards and two touchdowns — a BYU tight end has not caught more than 30 passes in a season since Kaneakua Friel snagged 30 in 2012, for 308 yards and five touchdowns.
That shouldn’t be too difficult, considering the tight ends — Tanner Balderree, Hunter Marshall and Nate Sampson — combined for just 21 catches and 234 yards in 2016.