Tight Ends: A Transitional Transformation
August 15, 2018 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. – No one competing to get the start at tight end for ECU in the opener against North Carolina A&T on Sept. 1 on Bagwell Field inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium has a single catch at the college level.
That's really not that much of a concern for tight ends coach Shannon Moore, who is entering his third season with the Pirates.
Anthony Watley has seen playing time the last two seasons, mostly on special teams. Ben Norris is making the transition to offense after coming to ECU as a linebacker. The other chief competitor at the position is true freshman Johnny Bogle, who played fullback and tight end in high school and was ranked among the Top 85 tight ends nationally according to several recruiting services.
"They show good ball skills in practice, and when they've had opportunities to make plays they've caught the ball," Moore said. "Now obviously, Sept. 1 in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in front of 50,000 great fans, that could be a little bit different. But they've done a great job out here at practice doing it. I trust them that those things are going to transition over, and when we get opportunities, we just have to make plays."
The Pirates got only 16 total catches from the tight end position the last two years combined. There is an emphasis on getting the tight end more involved in the passing game, though the primary objective is to provide support in the running game.
During the spring, Watley had four catches for 57 yards in the first scrimmage, then had a pair of catches for 57 yards in the Purple-Gold Game.
Thus far in fall camp, Watley said the coaching staff is focused on shoring up the blocking in the run game first, then further down the road will move the tight ends out for more work as receivers.
"It's a big adjustment," he said of getting his shot at a starting position. "I'm just trying to play my role, step up to the plate and do what my coaches ask."
"We're trying to get them a little bit more involved in the run game, but still be involved in the pass game," Moore said. "Our first priority right now is we want to aid in the run game, whether it's blocking on the back side, leading up on backers, getting involved in pass protection, yet still be involved in the pass game. We're trying to get ourselves a little bit more involved in the box, but still have opportunities in the pass game, too."
Norris and Bogle are pushing hard for playing time. Norris was moved to the offensive side of the ball last year, and has been busy overcoming what he called a "huge learning curve." The coaches have said the adjustment has gone well because of Norris' physicality and ability to pick up the schematics.
"Ben Norris has improved tremendously, just in his knowledge of our offense," Moore said. "He started out at linebacker, then played some defensive end and got moved late last season. Then he got hurt, and later got dinged up a little bit in spring ball. Even though he's been at it a little over a year, he's still new to the position. The knowledge he gained in the offseason has been tremendous."
Norris, who added that the rate of learning picked up in the spring and has increased even more in fall camp, said the move to offense was a little less daunting because he still gets to do what he loves most.
"My favorite thing about football is just hitting, and I still get to hit," he said. "The way I look at it, I'm just playing linebacker on offense."
At 6-2, 252 pounds, Bogle is a little heavier than Watley and Norris, and so far he's also been a quick learner.
"Johnny Bogle has come in and knows the offense and plays physical and fast for us," Moore said. "He's still making some freshman mistakes, but once he sees things on film he does a pretty good job of not making that mistake again. He's bringing a physical presence, too, and that's raised the level of Ben and Anthony, which has been good."
Having been a part of the coaching staff since head coach Scottie Montgomery got to ECU, Moore has seen a lot in the last two years. The feel in camp this season is different, and in a good way.
"Our players are competing hard," he said. "Our coaches are competing. We have a great competitive nature on both sides of the ball, whether it's player to player or coach to coach, even our players to coaches across the ball. I think as all those little things have risen up we've become more of a family, and I'm excited about where we can go.
"I think our leadership is getting better. I think our guys being vocal out at practice and in the locker room … all that stuff has been improving. And it's been a long haul to get to this point, but's it good and I'm excited about it."
•The Pirates got exactly what Montgomery said they needed out of Wednesday's workout in the Cliff Moore Practice Facility.
"It was a lot better than yesterday, thank goodness," he said. "We had some very pointed meetings over the last 24 hours, first me and the coaches, and then pointed meetings with our student-athletes. They came out and they delivered today. We needed to have a great day of practice after yesterday. I didn't think the energy was there on offense (on Tuesday). But what we can't have is this being a knee-jerk reaction to me pounding my fist. It has to be who we are everyday without anybody saying anything to them."
ECU got in a little more than two hours worth of work in hot, humid, sunny conditions. The Pirates were in pads for a second consecutive day and had a live period, also for a second day in a row.
"We practiced the way a good football team practices today, we practiced well," Montgomery said.
- Joe Corley
That's really not that much of a concern for tight ends coach Shannon Moore, who is entering his third season with the Pirates.
Anthony Watley has seen playing time the last two seasons, mostly on special teams. Ben Norris is making the transition to offense after coming to ECU as a linebacker. The other chief competitor at the position is true freshman Johnny Bogle, who played fullback and tight end in high school and was ranked among the Top 85 tight ends nationally according to several recruiting services.
"They show good ball skills in practice, and when they've had opportunities to make plays they've caught the ball," Moore said. "Now obviously, Sept. 1 in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in front of 50,000 great fans, that could be a little bit different. But they've done a great job out here at practice doing it. I trust them that those things are going to transition over, and when we get opportunities, we just have to make plays."
The Pirates got only 16 total catches from the tight end position the last two years combined. There is an emphasis on getting the tight end more involved in the passing game, though the primary objective is to provide support in the running game.
During the spring, Watley had four catches for 57 yards in the first scrimmage, then had a pair of catches for 57 yards in the Purple-Gold Game.
Thus far in fall camp, Watley said the coaching staff is focused on shoring up the blocking in the run game first, then further down the road will move the tight ends out for more work as receivers.
"It's a big adjustment," he said of getting his shot at a starting position. "I'm just trying to play my role, step up to the plate and do what my coaches ask."
"We're trying to get them a little bit more involved in the run game, but still be involved in the pass game," Moore said. "Our first priority right now is we want to aid in the run game, whether it's blocking on the back side, leading up on backers, getting involved in pass protection, yet still be involved in the pass game. We're trying to get ourselves a little bit more involved in the box, but still have opportunities in the pass game, too."
Norris and Bogle are pushing hard for playing time. Norris was moved to the offensive side of the ball last year, and has been busy overcoming what he called a "huge learning curve." The coaches have said the adjustment has gone well because of Norris' physicality and ability to pick up the schematics.
"Ben Norris has improved tremendously, just in his knowledge of our offense," Moore said. "He started out at linebacker, then played some defensive end and got moved late last season. Then he got hurt, and later got dinged up a little bit in spring ball. Even though he's been at it a little over a year, he's still new to the position. The knowledge he gained in the offseason has been tremendous."
Norris, who added that the rate of learning picked up in the spring and has increased even more in fall camp, said the move to offense was a little less daunting because he still gets to do what he loves most.
"My favorite thing about football is just hitting, and I still get to hit," he said. "The way I look at it, I'm just playing linebacker on offense."
At 6-2, 252 pounds, Bogle is a little heavier than Watley and Norris, and so far he's also been a quick learner.
"Johnny Bogle has come in and knows the offense and plays physical and fast for us," Moore said. "He's still making some freshman mistakes, but once he sees things on film he does a pretty good job of not making that mistake again. He's bringing a physical presence, too, and that's raised the level of Ben and Anthony, which has been good."
Having been a part of the coaching staff since head coach Scottie Montgomery got to ECU, Moore has seen a lot in the last two years. The feel in camp this season is different, and in a good way.
"Our players are competing hard," he said. "Our coaches are competing. We have a great competitive nature on both sides of the ball, whether it's player to player or coach to coach, even our players to coaches across the ball. I think as all those little things have risen up we've become more of a family, and I'm excited about where we can go.
"I think our leadership is getting better. I think our guys being vocal out at practice and in the locker room … all that stuff has been improving. And it's been a long haul to get to this point, but's it good and I'm excited about it."
•The Pirates got exactly what Montgomery said they needed out of Wednesday's workout in the Cliff Moore Practice Facility.
"It was a lot better than yesterday, thank goodness," he said. "We had some very pointed meetings over the last 24 hours, first me and the coaches, and then pointed meetings with our student-athletes. They came out and they delivered today. We needed to have a great day of practice after yesterday. I didn't think the energy was there on offense (on Tuesday). But what we can't have is this being a knee-jerk reaction to me pounding my fist. It has to be who we are everyday without anybody saying anything to them."
ECU got in a little more than two hours worth of work in hot, humid, sunny conditions. The Pirates were in pads for a second consecutive day and had a live period, also for a second day in a row.
"We practiced the way a good football team practices today, we practiced well," Montgomery said.
- Joe Corley
Players Mentioned
Monday, September 14
Saturday, September 12
Thursday, September 10
Monday, September 07
