Spring football practice is here, and the Arizona Wildcats are using the next 15 practices to get themselves ready for a challenging 2022 schedule. So far, football practices have been insightful in showcasing the team especially at the tight end position.

The tight ends in 2021 were not as involved in the offense as the receivers or the running backs, combining for just 16 receptions on the season. One of the reasons for this is the lack of targets that they got. However, the Wildcats will get to see the return of third-year sophomore Alex Lines and freshman Keyan Burnett who will look to propel the tight end position back to relevance for the Wildcats.

Offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll is hoping to see the position group make the jump in his second year leading the offense.

“I’m really happy with the way the tight end position is coming along,” Carroll said. “We’ve got some new bodies in there like Issaiah Johnson has been a fantastic addition for us coming over from the SAM linebacker spot, so he’s got some crossover having to go against tight ends. And then Keyan has done great analysis and has gotten better. This is a great group so excited to have some more bodies…”

Last season the Wildcats only used two tight ends all season but with the additions of Burnett and Johnson to the tight end room and the return of Lines, the Wildcats have confidence going into 2022 that they will be able to spread the ball out more.

Burnett brings versatility to the group as he not only is a very skilled pass catcher, but he is a very aggressive blocker as well.

“He’s very willing,” Carroll said about Burnett as a blocker. “He’s done a great job for a freshman being barely 18 years-old fighting his tail off in there when he’s gotta go with the one-on-one blocks. Pass protection, it’s really hard for young guys and tight ends in general but he’s done a great job. Willing blocker which is all you can ask for in a young guy.”

Burnett has been adjusting to the college level nicely since being an early enrollee this spring. His 6’5”, 225-pound body makes the adjustment to the speed of the college game easier for the young tight end.

“A good amount I would say probably 30% of the time I was blocking,” Burnett said about being asked to block a lot in the scheme. “That [adjusting to blocking more] and you know, just the game is faster. So even with route running and running routes, it’s just everything is faster.”

Tight ends coach Jordan Paopao has seen a very good spring camp out of the tight ends so far and is hoping that it can correlate to a strong showing during the season.

“I think it’s been a very competitive camp,” Paopao said. You know as we start to build the room in the way that all of us as offensive coaches start to see the tight end, what you start to see is the guys that came in that are better at a couple different facets of play, start to push the other guys because it just starts to create a little bit of that internal competition of I don’t want to be shown up, that’s how I can do better…”

The competition at camp has mainly been between Burnett and Lines who is looking to be a leader as he enters his second season with the program after transferring from UNLV following a shortened 2020 season.

“Yeah, after having a year under my belt I think it’s just I can play faster,” Lines said. “You know I know what I’m doing. I don’t have to think as much. So, I think that’s been the biggest step from year one to year two.”

The Wildcats will look to carry over their strong spring practices into the fall camp when it opens up in August. Arizona still has another week of spring practices including a scrimmage on Saturday night and concluding with the spring football game on Saturday, April 9 at Arizona Stadium.

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