This season, Nebraska’s receivers have been inconsistent. The I-backs have been injured. The linemen haven’t found their identity. The quarterbacks are a question mark each week.
So what about NU’s tight ends?
The group is five-deep and was considered by most to be an area of impressive talent and depth entering the season, yet they haven’t become a focal point offensively. Their leader, Mike McNeill, holds Nebraska’s record for catches by a tight end in a season. He caught 32 passes and six touchdowns in 2008.
And yet, McNeill has been noticeably absent in the Huskers’ game plans and box scores in recent games. He caught zero passes at Baylor and only has five receptions in NU’s last four games.
He’ll smile when a reporter asks why he isn’t getting his touches, but make no mistake: He’s noticed, too.
“I know how many (catches) I’ve had, and obviously I don’t like it,” McNeill said. “But at the same time, you’ve just got to deal with it.”
NU’s problems on offense have proved the need for a consistent playmaker, and McNeill showed in his breakout sophomore season that he can be a big-play threat for the Huskers with seven receptions of 20 yards or more.
The four tight ends who share time with McNeill — Dreu Young, Kyler Reed, Ben Cotton and Ryan Hill – have combined for 10 catches and no touchdowns this season. They’ve made their displeasure perfectly clear to new NU quarterback Cody Green.
“I’m always having Mike and them saying, ‘Come on now. If you want to win, just throw me the ball,’” Green said with a laugh. “He’s always telling me that.”
Though Baylor attempted to neutralize him with one or more linebackers on most plays Saturday, McNeill said extra attention has been a rarity this season.
“Most of the defense haven’t really keyed on me, so I really don’t have an explanation,” McNeill said. “It’s not my call. I can’t make myself get the ball, so I can’t really explain all that.”
Redshirt freshman Reed, NU’s second-leading tight end with five catches for 52 yards, said he can’t answer for his group’s drop-off in production.
“I think that’s a question for the quarterbacks, because as far as I understand, we’re running the same routes,” Reed said. “When I watch film, I see Mike open a lot. That’s on the quarterback and who he wants to throw to.”
The way Ron Brown sees it, though, there’s nothing wrong with how things have been going for his tight ends lately.
NU’s tight ends coach has been pleased by the progress his pass catchers have made in the area of blocking and isn’t worried about their lack of catches as of late.
“People count how many times you get the ball, but that isn’t the measurement,” Brown said. “That’s a poor barometer. You’ve got to look at the overall thing — getting tempo, blocking, route running — and all those things go into their play.”
To Brown, a great block is just as necessary as a great catch, and he needs players who are one-part receiver, one-part lineman. Getting a tight end to make blocking an equally high emphasis in his own game, though, tends to take time.
“I like the way they’re going down and smacking people around,” Brown said. “They’ve gotten better at it, but I want it in their bloodstream. That’s takes a couple years to get into their system.”
Brown has been especially impressed by Cotton’s knack for “going downfield and hammering people,” and the redshirt freshman hasn’t complained about trading catches for blocks.
“We’re just doing the best we can as a team to move the ball,” Cotton said. “If that means calling on us to make more blocks, then so be it. Lately, it’s been in the receivers’ hands, and that’s totally fine with us.”
NU’s tight ends have shown an improved ability to block the edge this season, Reed said, and that’s going to be especially vital on Saturday.
Oklahoma defensive ends Jeremy Beal, Auston English and Frank Alexander have combined for 39.5 career sacks and 74 career tackles for loss, and Beal is currently ranked seventh in the nation with 8.5 sacks.
OU’s stout defense and tendency to bring creative blitz packages — Texas star quarterback Colt McCoy was knocked down 14 times in the first half when he played the Sooners this season — will present a difficult challenge for Green, and McNeill hopes he can be the safety blanket the NU’s true freshman passer needs.
“I think we have the ability to make plays, but obviously, that comes down to what play is called and what Cody’s reading on the defense,” McNeill said. “It’s not going to be a forced issue, but I think we can help him out.”
Green, of course, would like to return the favor to his tight ends if it’ll relieve some of the pressure he will face this weekend.
“I feel they’re really going to get their chance this game,” Green said. "We’ll have to use them a lot, so it’ll be fun to try and see if I can get Mike off my back about it.”
maxolson@dailynebraskan.com
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