Spring Practice No. 13 Breakdown: Tight Ends
Updated Schedule:
Thursday, April 25: 9:15 am – 11:15 am
Friday, April 26: 5:45 pm – 7:30 pm (Final Spring Practice)ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As part of the 2019 spring camp, GoLobos.com will do a position-by-position breakdown of the various positions on offense, defense and special teams. Today’s breakdown is on the tight end position.
Letterwinners returning:
Marcus Williams (Rio Rancho, N.M.; 13 receptions, 138 yards, 3 TDs, long of 33)
Jeffrey Jones, Jr. (St. Louis, Mo.; 1 reception, 3 yards, 0 TDs, long of 3)
Erik Beilman (San Antonio, Texas)
Redshirts/Squad members returning:
None
Letterwinners lost:
Brayden, Dickey (Vancouver, Canada; 6 receptions, 39 yards, 1 TD, long of 13)
2019 Signing Class in camp:
Kyle Jarvis (Antioch, Calif.)
2019 Signing Class not yet enrolled:
None
There was a time when the tight end position for the Lobo football team was not a glamourous, pass-catching position. It was more of a blocker in UNM’s run heavy scheme. However, in the 2018 season, UNM tight ends caught 20 passes, the most in the Bob Davie era. Based on spring camp with new offensive coordinator Joe Dailey, it looks like 2019 can be another fun year to be a Lobo tight end.
UNM has four tight ends on the roster, and all four are in camp in the spring, getting a head start on the 2019 fall campaign. Of the four, Marcus Williams is a junior and has the most career catches. Last year he led all UNM tight ends with 13 receptions, and Lobo quarterbacks were successful with looking for Williams as they had a 147.7 rating when he was targeted.
Williams was also above the national average in positive run block percentage, and he will be looked to as a leader for the Lobo offense in the tight ends room. The Lobos have two other returning tight ends in Erik Beilman and Jeffrey Jones, Jr., both of whom are seniors.
Beilman is a fifth-year player who is a tremendous blocker. After switching to offensive line last year, he moved back to tight end because of his unique skill set, and Jones is ready to step up after the loss of the graduated Brayden Dickey.
The other tight end in camp is newcomer Kyle Jarvis, who like Williams, Jones and Beilman, has shown a great ability in both the passing game and the running game, giving tight ends coach Clay Davie and Dailey plenty of option at the tight end slot.
NEXT UP: Thursday, April 25, linebackers
PRACTICE NOTES: UNM has two Spring practices left, on Thursday at 9:15 am to 11:15 am and then UNM’s final practice will be on Friday at Dreamstyle Stadium starting at 5:45 p.m. Both practices are open to the public.