Tight Ends To Factor In More Under Reeder

DENTON – Senior tight end Kelvin Smith is arguably one of the most versatile players on the North Texas roster. Under new offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder, his role, as well those of other tight ends on the roster are expected to expand significantly.

The investment in tight ends coach Adrian Mayes shows a commitment to implementing more for a position group that can easily get lost in the shuffle under air raid principles. Mayes is the first full-time assistant assigned to the group in head coach Seth Littrell's four seasons in Denton. At each of Littrell's previous coaching stops, tight ends were a big component of what he tried to do schematically.

"The tight end group allows you to do so much more formation-wise and force a defense to play out of their base," Littrell said. "You create different matchups, if the defense has little guys on the field then you create great matchups in the run game. If they want to put bigger guys then you spread them out and try to get them matchups in space. It's been a position over the years in this offense that's been critical and so we hope to get it back going with our offense this year."

Reeder enjoys that ability to maximize different sets by having his tight ends either split out wide as a receiver, play out of the back field or in the traditional set on the line of scrimmage with their hand in the ground. Having that flexibility allows the offense to accomplish one of Reeder's primary focal points – going fast.

Reeder's Eastern Washington offense in 2018 saw its' tight ends combine for 37 catches and 11 touchdowns, flexing their collective muscle in the red zone. Smith was the lone Mean Green tight end to find the end zone for UNT last season.

Smith hauled in a career-high 29 catches in 2018 for 269 yards and a touchdown for the Mean Green. Does the appointment of Reeder, Mayes and the call back to some of Littrell's most successful offenses mean that Smith's reception numbers will skyrocket? That may not necessarily the case. However, his impact overall is expected to be much greater heading into 2019.

With the versatility the position group and Smith in particular provides, that impact may be felt in other non-statistical areas. Players like Kyleb Howell (a converted linebacker), Jason Pirtle (a converted wide receiver), redshirt freshman Cole McCrary and true freshman Asher Alberding will have the opportunity to have more of an impact in the run-game, as well as in pass protection should the offensive staff decide to run more two-tight end sets.

Smith is looking forward to what his position group is capable of doing in terms of accelerating the speed of play offensively. The ability to limit personnel changes allows the Mean Green to crank up the pace.

"It causes all types of problems," Smith said. "It causes the defense to have to adjust and do so many different things on defense. But [for us now] it's a win-win because it makes our defense that much better throughout practice."

Graduate assistant Jack Tabb III played tight end under Littrell at North Carolina in 2014 and looked back fondly on what Littrell said to him when he became offensive coordinator and his position coach in Chapel Hill.

"No doubt, I mean, everyone wants the ball," Tabb said. "That's what's flashy that's what gets the pub and that's, let's be real, that's what helps some players get to that next level. But it isn't always easy to stay at that level if you haven't had a coach like I had. Luckily I had coach Littrell and he looked me dead in my face and was like, 'Look, if you want to play in the NFL, you are going to have to know how to block. And that's just how it is too. You're expected to block the best athletes on the other side of the field - those defensive ends. It is what it is. You just can't be not willing to work, you can't. Being a complete tight end, you can't just choose one area."

Reeder is very happy with how Mayes has seamlessly transitioned into his role in Denton. They, along with Littrell are very much in lock-step as it pertains to their vision for the enhanced roles of their tight ends.

"He [Mayes] has something in his back pocket that I think I have as well," Reeder said. "He's coached at different schools and I have as well. We may call it different things but ultimately we can get to the same common ground. For instance, you called it apple and I called it banana, but it's still this common object, we just have to make sure we're now speaking the same language. The second thing is he's learned from great people with the places he's been and he brings a lot of knowledge from that, which allows him to run the different schemes we want to run."

As fall camp continues, this group is certainly one to keep an eye on as they mature into their new roles.

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Players Mentioned

Asher Alberding

Kyleb Howell

Cole McCrary

Jason Pirtle

Kelvin Smith

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