Arkansas to lean on tight ends
FAYETTEVILLE — The tight end room has to be the most Razor-backcentric position on the University of Arkansas roster.
The top two players at the position are both Arkansans in senior Blake Kern (Lamar) and sophomore Hudson Henry (Little Rock), and the new tight ends coach is the only former Razorback on second-year Coach Sam Pittman's staff.
Dowell Loggains, a quarterback and letter-earning holder at Arkansas for 50 games in the early 2000s, is a native of Newport who holds the Hogs dear.
“We all share the same passion,” said Loggains, who came aboard after spring ball from an offensive analyst spot at Penn State. “With
Hud, you can talk about his dad played here, his mom was a cheerleader. I played here. My wife was a cheerleader. My brother-in-law [Mark Burnett] played second base for the Hogs for three years.
“We all have that common passion for the Razorbacks and this state, so our conversations are deep and passionate about that. We all have the same goal. When you play here and you came from here, it does mean more.”
The top of the tight end depth chart looks solid, with Kern accounting for 20 receptions for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns last year and Henry grabbing 16 passes for 92 yards and 1 score.
However, they are the only two returning tight ends who caught a pass in 2020. Otherwise the position is loaded with unproven scholarship players, walk-ons and players who have been battling injuries.
Nathan Bax, a 6-4 sophomore who started his college career at Illinois State, received playing time mostly on special teams last season.
Senior Koilan Jackson moved over to tight end from wideout, and picked up his dad's No. 88, to cap an injury-plagued career. Collin Sutherland is a 6-5 redshirt freshman, and 6-4 Erin Outley from Little Rock Parkview hasn't recovered well enough from knee surgery to get started in camp.
Bax is joined on the walk-on roster by a pair of redshirt freshmen, 6-5 Zach Lee from Bentonville and 6-4 Nathan Johnson from Little
Rock Catholic.
Loggains said Friday that the third tight end spot is up for grabs.
“We have three guys right now that have played and have experience, and there's some other guys that are looking to earn opportunities,” Loggains said. “I'm not going to get into the depth chart right now. That's for Coach Pittman to decide those things.
“To define roles at this point, it's way too early. I might be able to answer those things a little bit better after our first scrimmage when we see these guys in live action and unscripted situations.”
Kern, a former walk-on, emerged last season. He sees his career path as similar to Loggains, who walked on at Arkansas in 2000.
“I think a huge part of where we relate is we both took the road less traveled,” Kern said. “We met here now, I've known him for a while, and he's a great guy. He relates a lot to us in that he's from Arkansas and he loves the Hogs, just like everybody in our room.”
Loggains has spent most of the past 11 seasons as either quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL with the Titans, Browns, Bears, Dolphins and Jets.
“Coach Loggains has come in and he's added a different aspect, and kind of a different game to our play,” Henry said. “Whenever Coach [Jon] Cooper was here, I think we developed in the run game. Then we brought in Coach [Cody] Kennedy, and in spring ball we did a really good job of developing our physicality in the run game and in our perimeter blocks.”
Kennedy's move to offensive line coach to replace Brad Davis opened the door for Loggains' return to the UA campus.
“Bringing in Coach Loggains, he's so offensive minded. He's been with so many big teams in the NFL,” Henry said. “He's done a lot. To have him as your position coach, it's been pretty awesome.
“We've been learning a lot about being receiving tight ends on top of being physical in the run game. It's just been really good to have him.”
Pittman played a small gag on the Razorbacks when Loggains was hired. He announced that he loved to bring in alumni to talk to the team as he introduced Loggains to address the team.
After Loggains talked, Pittman remarked, “You guys just talked to your new tight ends coach,” Henry said.
The tight ends will play a large role as run blockers in offensive coordinator Kendal Briles' schemes, but they also need to be a dependable outlet for quarterback KJ Jefferson.
Henry celebrated Loggains' hiring for more than just bringing an ex-Razorback onto the staff.
“We just knew that we were going to become better in the passing game and become more of a threat in the passing game, so that we could get guys like Treylon [Burks] open, get guys like Trey Knox open, all those guys,” Henry said. “And be able to open up the run game as well.”
Kern said Loggains' experience as a longtime coordinator and play-caller has influenced the tight end room.
“He brings an asset to the room of seeing the whole picture on any given play throughout practice,” Kern said. “He teaches us the grand scheme of the picture instead of just seeing it through a straw.
“He calls out every single thing and makes us think about things that we wouldn't traditionally as tight ends. That just gives us a better understanding of what's going on in the whole play and the big picture. As football players, you've got to see the whole picture in order to be successful, and that's what he does a great job of.”
Pittman was happy to add an assistant coach with Loggains' local knowledge and professional experience.
“He's got such a great personality,” Pittman said. “He's had such a great love for Arkansas. I mean, he just beams it. And he knows how to coach.”
Loggains calls the Arkansas job the favorite in his career.
“In my mind, this is the best job I've ever had because this is the job I've always wanted,” Loggains said. “I hope those guys feel that. I hope they feel how passionate I am about the Razorbacks because I feel theirs, and I know how much it means to Blake Kern. What this school, this university, this football program means to him.”
The Razorbacks have added a pair of tight end commitments to the 2022 class in Dax Courtney of DeWitt and Tyrus Washington of Leesburg, Ga., to help restock the room.
Loggains added that Henry and Kern are great assets.
“They have a very good understanding of the offense and what we're trying to accomplish that way,” he said. “It's a huge advantage to us, and it's a huge advantage to the young guys.
“Those are the guys we keep telling those young players to watch those guys and watch the upperclassmen. They set the standard, and it's their job to also protect and keep the standard.”