Getting the tight ends more involved from the pass-catching standpoint has been a topic of conversation Georgia fans have had for the past couple of years.
Last season, Bulldog tight ends combined to catch just 23 of the team’s 255 receptions, after accounting for 42 of 241 the year before.
So, what about this fall?
New offensive coordinator Todd Monken has shown over his career as an offensive coordinator in the NFL that he considers the position a big part of the passing game.
In Monken’s first season with Tampa Bay 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.
Tight end
Returning players
(Projected starter in bold)
John FitzPatrick
Ryland Goede
Brett Seither
Newcomers
Tre' McKitty
Darnell Washington
Job up for grabs
Unlike many positions, tight end obviously isn’t one of those where you simply plug one in and go about your business. No, with all the rotating and two tight end sets, there figures to be plenty of reps to go around for everyone. However, when it comes to determining who’s most likely to get the bulk of the targets, grad transfer Tre’ McKitty seems like the most experienced option. McKitty caught 50 passes for 520 yards during his career at Florida State, so besides experience, would seem to bring a level off athleticism that Monken would want to put to good use.
Mr. Intrigue
We’ll go with Darnell Washington here. At 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, Washington isn’t the plodding, slow-footed tight end that some in the media have tried to paint him as being. Like any freshman, a lot will depend on how quickly Washington picks up the system, but considering his size and ability, you’d think Monken will have a plan for the Las Vegas native. We believe he will.
The spotlight is on:
Junior John FitzPatrick—the true elder statesman of the position. considering he’s entering his third year with the program. Although he played in 11 of Georgia’s 14 games last fall, FitzPatrick hasn’t played much of a role in the passing game. That’s not a knock on him. With FitzPatrick, it’s about opportunity. So far, catching the football is something he hasn’t had much chance to do with only one career catch. He should get more opportunities under Monken, but he’ll need to take advantage of every one to have as consistent a role as he wants to play.
