2010 Brigham Young University Preview: Tight Ends

To say that there are big shoes to fill at the tight end position for Brigham Young University in 2010 is an understatement.

With the departure of Dennis Pitta and Andrew George, the team loses a combined 286 career catches, 3,683 yards, and 32 touchdowns.

Virtually, all of the candidates that will be trying to measure up to the task are freshmen.

They are a talented group for sure, but September 4 against the Washington Huskies will be the first time any of them has stepped onto the field in a Football Bowl Subdivision game.

BYU’s recent history of great tight end combos include Pitta and George, Harline and Coats, Jolley and Reid, and Lewis and Mili, to name a few. This season, the Cougars will be searching for that next great group of tight ends.

However, with the inexperience at the position and the wealth of experience at wide receiver, there is a chance that the tight end position may take more of a backseat this season in the BYU offense.

Here’s a look at the candidates who are anxious to fill the big shoes left behind.

Mike Muehlmann (6'4", 230-pound freshman) came to the program as a relatively unheralded player, but has more than held his own against his more highly recruited teammates.

Mike was an all-around athlete at American Fork High playing quarterback and defensive lineman as well as tight end. He also wrestled and competed in track and field for the Cavemen. On the field, he definitely looks like your prototypical BYU tight end.

Muehlmann demonstrated this past spring that he has nice hands and runs strong routes.

If the season were to start tomorrow, he would likely be the starter based the results of spring ball. He redshirted last season at BYU after originally committing to Utah.

One of those highly recruited athletes in the mix is Devin Mahina (6'6", 230-pounds freshman).

Devin competed this spring after returning home from his mission. He is very tall, long, athletic and will present a huge target for Cougar quarterbacks in the redzone.

Mahina’s potential is through the roof but based on his spring performance, his route running needs some sharpening up.

The true freshman from Upland, California also needs to add some weight as well. Assuming the Cougars employ multiple tight ends this season, Devin should be part of the rotation.

Will Richard Wilson (6'2", 238-pound freshman) be a tight end or a linebacker?

There has been some consideration by coaches to play him at linebacker, and he has switched back and forth.

He was injured early on during spring drills but was running with the tight ends and doing well at the beginning of spring practice.

He enters fall listed as a tight end on the depth chart, and I still believe he has a chance to be a star there for the Cougars, if that’s where he ends up.

Wilson was one of the top tight ends recruits in the nation when he came out of Spanish Fork High School in 2009 and had offers from Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Stanford, and UCLA.

He is a smooth athlete with very good speed that can create some real matchup problems for linebackers and safeties trying to cover him. The only thing is that he lacks in prototypical height, standing just 6′2″ tall.

Cougar fans have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Austin Holt (6'6", 240-pound freshman) for over two years now.

When Holt signed with BYU in 2008 out of Bingham High School, he was considered by some to be the top tight end prospect in the country.

Austin returns home from his mission just in time for fall and it will be interesting to see what kind of shape he's in when arrives at camp and if coaches decide to play or redshirt him this season.

BYU may want to create some eligibility space between Austin and the some of the other freshmen.

Jordan Lower (6'5", 240-pound junior) is a transfer from Snow Junior College. The Ogden, Utah native showed that he can play some during spring ball. He’s a nice sized target as well.

Marcus Mathews (6'4", 200-pound freshman) is a returned missionary out of Southridge High in Beaverton, Oregon that made the switch from receiver to tight end during the spring.

Marcus has some weight to put on before he will be able to compete. I’m thinking he will redshirt this season.

Arriving from high school: Bryan Sampson from Pleasant Grove High School.