Spring Football Questions: Will tight ends play a larger role?

From the standpoint of catching passes, Georgia’s tight ends weren’t asked to play a pivotal role for the Bulldogs last fall.

Between Eli Wolf, Charlie Woerner, and John FitzPatrick, tight ends only caught a combined 23 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Wolf accounted for the lion's share of that, with 13 receptions for 194 yards and a score.

Which brings us to the following question, albeit one we probably won’t know the answer to until the season actually begins: What does new offensive coordinator Todd Monken have in mind when it comes to making Georgia’s tight end an integral part of the passing the game?

We shouldn’t draw any conclusion or correlation to Georgia from any of Monken’s previous stops, it is interesting to note that the veteran offensive coordinator has used tight ends extensively in the past—just not in Cleveland where he wasn't calling the plays.

Browns tight ends Demetrius Harris and Ricky-Seals Jones only caught 15 and 14 passes, respectively. On the other hand, Monken’s previous stop as the offensive coordinator at Tampa Bay yielded some impressive numbers.

In Monken’s first season with the Bucs in 2016, Cameron Brate caught 57 passes for 660 yards and eight touchdowns. The next season, Brate and OJ Howard caught a combined 74 passes for 1,012 yards.

Monken's final season in 2018 saw Howard and Brate combine for 64 catches and 854 yards.

If other words, if the talent is there, Monken isn’t afraid to use it. So, we’ll see. FitzPatrick, Brett Seither, and Ryland Goede will be the only scholarship tight ends on hand for the spring. Darnell Washington and Florida State grad transfer Tre’ McKitty arrive in late May.

Assuming Monken likes what he sees, should we begin seeing Georgia’s tight ends start playing a bigger role in the passing game?

With Woerner and Wolf gone, FitzPatrick has the distinction of being the only returning tight end with a reception to his credit.

The former Marist standout qualifies as Georgia's most-season performer at the position, at least until McKitty arrives.

At 6-foot-6, FitzPatrick certainly has great length for the position, although coaches would no doubt like him to add a few more pounds of muscle between now and the start of fall camp.

Like FitzPatrick, Seither can still stand to put on some added bulk and improve his strength. Jim Donnan, on this week's UGASports LIVE podcast, noted he has added muscle in the offseason.

However, the Florida native is considered an adept route runner, with the ability to get up the field, and will get a long look this spring.

Like Seither, Goede saw action against Murray State and Arkansas State as a true freshman before redshirting.

The nation's No. 11 tight end, according to Rivals, Goede has been working out with the Georgia baseball team in addition to his football activities, but will return to the football team once spring practice begins. When that concludes, it's expected he he will return to baseball for the rest of its season.

One has to imagine Monken is already drawing up plays for Washington.

Tight ends this size don't come around all that often, and it's expected the Las Vegas native will receive every opportunity to make an immediate impact.

At 6-7 and 260 pounds, Washington could be one of Georgia's best red zone targets at the position in some time.

McKitty will remind Bulldog fans of former tight end Orson Charles, with his ability to get up and down the field.

During his career with the Seminoles, McKitty has 50 catches for 520 yards and two touchdowns.

He'll bring some welcomed experience to the tight end group.