Collin Klein views Texas A&M's tight end depth, versatility as a blessing
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Everybody has problems. Not everybody celebrates them, though.
Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein is among the rare few who sees his problem as a blessing… well, at least where the tight end position is concerned.
Tight end was an integral part of his offensive system when he was coaching football at Kansas State. In Klein’s last two years there, starting tight end Ben Sinnott caught 80 passes for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In Kansas State’s Big 12 championship season of 2023, Sinnott led the Wildcats with 49 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns. Overall, Kansas State tight ends had 66 catches and 10 scores.
But when Klein arrived at A&M last year, he couldn’t rely as heavily on the tight ends. A&M tight ends had just 34 receptions and three touchdowns.
However, with growth at the position and transfer portal additions, the Aggie tight ends are projected to produce more in Klein’s offense this year.
“I think we are in a better situation,” Klein said to a gaggle of reporters after practice on Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t necessarily even look at it as my offense per se. It’s who are our best players? What do we have depth-wise, year-to-year, to get us there? I think we are deeper at tight end this year. I think we’ll be able to play and use them in a lot of different ways.”
Theo Melin Öhrström is the top returning tight end. He has been joined by transfers Nate Boerkircher (Nebraska), Amari Niblack (Texas) and Micah Riley (Auburn), as well as massive true freshman Kiotti Armstrong.
Finding a way to get them all the ball or even on the field could be a problem. And that’s a blessing.
“That’s a good problem to have,” Klein said. “It’ll be a little week-to-week. It’ll be very competitive amongst them. Whatever gives us the best chance to be successful and exploit the defense and make that strain, that’s what we’re going to do. I think we’re going to be able to be a very balanced unit because we have so many guys who can help us.”
Melin Öhrström caught 10 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. Niblack only had five catches for 33 yards last season at Texas, but he caught 20 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns at Alabama in 2023.
Boerkircher had 19 catches for 219 yards and a touchdown in four seasons at Nebraska, but Klein believes he can be much more productive.
“He’s an all-around player,” Klein said. “His movement skills are extremely good. He’s very football savvy. He’s played a lot of football. He’s got great body control and balance to stay on blocks on the perimeter and in the box.
“And he has really good ball skills. He’s made some big-time plays. Big time catches in the red zone.”
Even with good ball skills, Boerkircher said he won’t be demanding the ball.
“I think I can do it all. Whatever the coach needs,” he said. “I’m here to fulfill whatever role that they want me in. Whatever that is, I’m going to embrace it.”
Boerkircher said Klein’s offense will be problematic for opponents.
“Klein’s offense is insane,” he said. “(It’s a) very good offense. I love what he does with the tight ends, especially. We have a lot of different assignments. I think it’s going to showcase the tight end room a lot.”
Scrimmage update
The Aggies held a team scrimmage on Saturday. Klein apparently was encouraged by the offense’s explosiveness and efficiency.
“I think our penalties and procedures and turnovers were down,” he said. “There were some things situationally we have to improve at, but again, I thought it was really, really good learning and good experience there.
“I thought our guys competed and played really hard. We had more explosive plays in that scrimmage than we’ve had since we’ve been here. I think they were getting excited watching each other make big, explosive plays. That was really cool to see.”
Any indications that A&M will have more explosive plays and fewer penalties must be celebrated.
Last season, the Aggies were ranked 11th in the Southeastern Conference in plays of 20 yards or more. They were ranked 13th in penalty yardage with 66.3 per game.
Bussey busting out?
Former five-star recruit Terry Bussey showed flashes of brilliance as a true freshman receiver last season.
He caught 17 passes for 216 yards. He also ran 16 times for 102 yards and a touchdown.
That’s not bad, especially considering he was originally earmarked to play cornerback but moved to receiver out of necessity because of injuries.
Klein indicated Bussey has made significant progress as a receiver.
“Terry has done a really nice job,” Klein said. “He’s always had great twitch. He’s always had really, really good top-end speed. The strides he’s made is the very definition of routes, in-and-out of cuts and breaks.
“His football IQ is off the charts. He’s able to process a lot of what’s going on around him, but I think all of that has even slowed down and gotten better.”
Marvelous Marcel
Klein indicated sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed is progressing in the passing game just by getting familiar with his receivers.
“I think he’s getting comfortable and building some continuity with some of our wide outs and skill players,” Klein said. “You can tell when you watch him and pause the tape — when he makes the decision to throw — when that trigger is pulled (you’re) to be able to see what the picture is and what he’s seeing.
“The level of anticipation on some of those throws is getting better and improving with that trust and continuity.”
Though he’s expected to improve as a passer, Klein acknowledged Reed’s running ability makes him dangerous.
Last season, Reed rushed for 543 yards and seven touchdowns.
“He makes people play 11-on-11,” Klein said. “If you give him space, he’s going to get an opportunity to create big plays at any time.
“That’s on pass plays that turn into scrambles or read runs or designed runs, whatever. That component really helps out some of the pictures and some of the things you have to deal with defensively.”
NOTES
• Klein praised the hard-running and physical play shown by freshman running back Jamarion Morrow in the scrimmage. He also said running back Amari Daniels had a few explosive runs with the football.
• Receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman also drew praise. “(He) continues to develop and use his long speed and ability to run routes,” Klein said of Bethel-Roman.
• All-SEC offensive tackle Trey Zuhn III has been named to the Lombardi Trophy preseason watch list. The Lombardi Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding lineman.
