Last year the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team had a pass-catching tight end who was hauling in passes as well as All-America honors.
That hasn’t been the case in 2015.
The Mocs’ tight ends have yet to make a catch through six games this season. This comes a year after Faysal Shafaat capped off a career at the position in which he was a two-time All-American, made 125 career catches and scored 18 touchdowns, which ranks him fourth all-time in receiving scores at UTC.
Junior Steve Pickren and sophomore Malcolm Colvin have split time at the position this season. Neither has been targeted in a game yet, as the coaching staff feels they serve better as blockers than pass receivers.
“It’s been very difficult to replace Faysal,” offensive coordinator Jeff Durden said. “We have a tight-end-oriented offense. The benefit is that our wideouts are getting more touches and our quarterback is carrying the ball more than he has in the past, but it’s been hard to justify throwing the ball to the tight end.
“It takes us out of some of our schemes and how we use them to attack the middle of the field. It’s certainly a different approach.”
It’s not as though they’re completely incapable. Colvin caught a touchdown pass in the team’s first scrimmage in the spring. Pickren, a transfer from Alabama-Birmingham, is more of a blocker, having spent time on the line while at UAB, but has shown glimpses of being able to catch a pass.
The team’s best pass-catcher at the position, Bailey Lenoir, is a redshirt freshman.
“We’re kind of developing plays to go with what we have as an offense,” tight ends coach Chris Harr said. “We don’t have a dynamic guy like Faysal in there, and that changes the way we do things. As far as the pass game, we keep them in pass protection and make sure the ball is thrown. We do get them out on some routes, but we haven’t been in a spot to get them the ball so far.
“We’re making sure the quarterback doesn’t get sacked, because 100 percent of the balls not thrown aren’t complete. It’s definitely not as exciting as a coach to not have a guy go up and make an incredible play like Faysal, but I know what my guys can do, and given the chance they could make a play. We just have to wait and see for that.”
The fact that the tight ends have yet to make a statistical impact is what eventually could make them dangerous, but it’s definitely been a change for the Mocs’ coaching staff, who have to figure out new ways to attack the middle of the field without the presence of a 6-foot-5, 250-pounder like Shafaat.
“Sometimes they had to double-team him, so now they’re able to rotate their defense a little more and look at the receivers,” Harr said. “At some point, hopefully, in the season they’ll forget about those guys and one will go down and make a play.
“We’ve got to evolve, continue to develop those guys and develop our offense.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.