What looked like it might be a weakness for the University of Northern Iowa's 2011 football team may well turn out to be a strength.
A year ago, the Panthers were blessed with two outstanding tight ends in Schuylar Oordt and Ryan Mahaffey. Both were seniors. Both are currently in NFL training camps, having survived the first round of camp cuts. They left big shoes for UNI to fill with no experienced veterans returning.
Enter Darion Howard, Steven Figueroa and Austin Wells.
Howard is an athletic, 6-foot-4, 250-pound sophomore who bided his time behind Oordt and Mahaffey last season. Figueroa is a 6-4, 245-pound junior who transferred in from Arizona State in January. Wells is the newest addition to the group. A 6-3, 248-pound senior who was a preseason all-American, he found himself without a team when Division II Nebraska-Omaha abruptly dropped its program last spring.
Suddenly, the Panthers look like a team with options and depth at a key position.
"We expect to move that forward at the same level. It's hard to say that when you've got two guys in NFL camps, but we expect the same out of those guys," noted head coach Mark Farley.
Dan Clark, who coaches UNI's tight ends, is enjoying the competition taking place at the position.
"It is a new corps, but it's an exciting year for them, and I think that's what makes it fun," he said. "The meeting room is intense. They know there's no depth chart set. They know there's no game experience back."
The way the Panthers play offensive football, they can use all three.
"So far, it's been great competition," said Howard, whose father, Sherrod, was a two-time all-conference tight end at UNI.
"It's definitely a good thing to have three. The more the better, for sure."
Figueroa, who had a productive spring game for UNI, agrees with Howard.
"We use tight ends a lot here, and that's a big reason I came out here and decided to come to UNI. I'm glad Wells came out here, too. We've got some depth at tight end, and I think we can all be major contributors on this team."
Clark may have a tough time sorting out his depth chart. All three of his top tight ends bring tangible assets to the field.
"Right now it's hard to break them down because they are so much alike," he said. "Darion, I think, has the chance to do anything he wants to do in this game. Figueroa has been in an offense at Arizona State where he's been flexed out a lot. He hasn't had to be on the line of scrimmage blocking somebody as much, so that's where he's been catching up. Austin is more of a true ‘Y.' "He's probably not as quick as Darion, but he has been in the situation where he's been on the line blocking guys.
"They all can block, which is nice for us. We can put them all in and nobody's saying, ‘Schuylar is in the game so they're probably going to throw the ball or Mahaffey's in the game so they're probably going to run.' They can't do that to us anymore, which is nice."
As a senior, Wells has been through the Saturday battles.
"He's a very talented young man who already has the size and physical maturity," said Farley.
Wells, originally from Norfolk, Neb., is trying to make the best out of a difficult situation.
"I guess they (UNO) did what they had to do," he said. "I'm in a place where I like it, so it turned out all right for me. UNI was one of the first schools to call me. They were pretty high on my list.
"I'm just playing football and playing for my position. I like the guys at my position and everything, but we're all playing for the same spot. I'm trying to learn the offense. The playbook's a little bigger than the one at UNO, that's for sure.
"I'm really ready to go. I missed spring ball. (UNI's first practice) was the first practice for me for awhile, so I'm really anxious and ready to go."
Of course, all three tight ends respect the tradition that has been established before them. Before Oordt and Mahaffey, recent Panthers like Brian Cutright, Andy Thorn and Ryan Hannam also enjoyed at least a taste of the NFL.
"That was another big reason I came here because I knew last year the two tight ends had a chance to play at the next level," said Figueroa. "I think Coach Clark does a great job with the tight ends, and I think he's a big reason (Oordt and Mahaffey) had the chance to go to the next level. I know they're doing the right things here with the tight ends."
Howard also embraces that tradition.
"There are expectations everywhere you go," he noted. "You want to live up to what was before you and try to do a little bit better. When you've got great players like that ... it gives you a little something to shoot for."
Meanwhile, the 2011 Panthers have their own goals, such as another Missouri Valley Football Conference title and a return to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. They'll have a trio of talented tight ends to help them get there.
"I'm enjoying everything I'm doing out here with this team," said Figueroa. "I feel like there's something special going on here, and I feel like we have a real good shot to win that national championship."
A year ago, the Panthers were blessed with two outstanding tight ends in Schuylar Oordt and Ryan Mahaffey. Both were seniors. Both are currently in NFL training camps, having survived the first round of camp cuts. They left big shoes for UNI to fill with no experienced veterans returning.
Enter Darion Howard, Steven Figueroa and Austin Wells.
Howard is an athletic, 6-foot-4, 250-pound sophomore who bided his time behind Oordt and Mahaffey last season. Figueroa is a 6-4, 245-pound junior who transferred in from Arizona State in January. Wells is the newest addition to the group. A 6-3, 248-pound senior who was a preseason all-American, he found himself without a team when Division II Nebraska-Omaha abruptly dropped its program last spring.
Suddenly, the Panthers look like a team with options and depth at a key position.
"We expect to move that forward at the same level. It's hard to say that when you've got two guys in NFL camps, but we expect the same out of those guys," noted head coach Mark Farley.
Dan Clark, who coaches UNI's tight ends, is enjoying the competition taking place at the position.
"It is a new corps, but it's an exciting year for them, and I think that's what makes it fun," he said. "The meeting room is intense. They know there's no depth chart set. They know there's no game experience back."
The way the Panthers play offensive football, they can use all three.
"So far, it's been great competition," said Howard, whose father, Sherrod, was a two-time all-conference tight end at UNI.
"It's definitely a good thing to have three. The more the better, for sure."
Figueroa, who had a productive spring game for UNI, agrees with Howard.
"We use tight ends a lot here, and that's a big reason I came out here and decided to come to UNI. I'm glad Wells came out here, too. We've got some depth at tight end, and I think we can all be major contributors on this team."
Clark may have a tough time sorting out his depth chart. All three of his top tight ends bring tangible assets to the field.
"Right now it's hard to break them down because they are so much alike," he said. "Darion, I think, has the chance to do anything he wants to do in this game. Figueroa has been in an offense at Arizona State where he's been flexed out a lot. He hasn't had to be on the line of scrimmage blocking somebody as much, so that's where he's been catching up. Austin is more of a true ‘Y.' "He's probably not as quick as Darion, but he has been in the situation where he's been on the line blocking guys.
"They all can block, which is nice for us. We can put them all in and nobody's saying, ‘Schuylar is in the game so they're probably going to throw the ball or Mahaffey's in the game so they're probably going to run.' They can't do that to us anymore, which is nice."
As a senior, Wells has been through the Saturday battles.
"He's a very talented young man who already has the size and physical maturity," said Farley.
Wells, originally from Norfolk, Neb., is trying to make the best out of a difficult situation.
"I guess they (UNO) did what they had to do," he said. "I'm in a place where I like it, so it turned out all right for me. UNI was one of the first schools to call me. They were pretty high on my list.
"I'm just playing football and playing for my position. I like the guys at my position and everything, but we're all playing for the same spot. I'm trying to learn the offense. The playbook's a little bigger than the one at UNO, that's for sure.
"I'm really ready to go. I missed spring ball. (UNI's first practice) was the first practice for me for awhile, so I'm really anxious and ready to go."
Of course, all three tight ends respect the tradition that has been established before them. Before Oordt and Mahaffey, recent Panthers like Brian Cutright, Andy Thorn and Ryan Hannam also enjoyed at least a taste of the NFL.
"That was another big reason I came here because I knew last year the two tight ends had a chance to play at the next level," said Figueroa. "I think Coach Clark does a great job with the tight ends, and I think he's a big reason (Oordt and Mahaffey) had the chance to go to the next level. I know they're doing the right things here with the tight ends."
Howard also embraces that tradition.
"There are expectations everywhere you go," he noted. "You want to live up to what was before you and try to do a little bit better. When you've got great players like that ... it gives you a little something to shoot for."
Meanwhile, the 2011 Panthers have their own goals, such as another Missouri Valley Football Conference title and a return to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. They'll have a trio of talented tight ends to help them get there.
"I'm enjoying everything I'm doing out here with this team," said Figueroa. "I feel like there's something special going on here, and I feel like we have a real good shot to win that national championship."
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