Penn State hopes add depth at tight end
Penn State is probably lucky to have Pat Freiermuth for one more season.
The third-year junior tight end could have opted out to train for the 2021 NFL draft. Freiermuth has first-round potential in the opinion of many and, after producing 15 touchdown receptions in his first two seasons, the 6-5, 260-pounder is deserving of his preseason All-American status.
But James Franklin’s Nittany Lions still need one or two more tight ends to step forward in the next couple of seasons. Franklin is a fan of two-tight end sets because of the stress it can put on the defense. But those guys must be able to catchandblock.Freiermuthisgoodatboth.
And with Penn State a little more than two weeks away from opening its season in Indiana, there is an opportunity for third-year tight end Zack Kuntz this season, and in 2021. The Lions are also very high on 258-pound true freshman Theo Johnson, who could be a major player in Kirk Ciarrocca’s offense in the future.
The 6-7 Kuntz has worked diligently to get his weight up to 250-plus pounds.
Penn State tight ends coach Tyler Bowen sees Kuntz in a bit of a different light in 2020. He sees a tight end ready to contribute.
“I think Zack has made huge strides, starting to kinda put it all together with that physical strength,” Bowen said Wednesday night after Penn State’s practice.
“Zack is a super-sharp guy, so starting to put it all together and being able to produce on the field. You know, I’ve really seen him take a step in that area this training camp. [He’s] always been a very gifted guy athletically. But now seeing him, the work he’s put in with our nutritionists and everything to get to this point, carrying 250 to 255 and being that guy that’s a multi-tool player, right? Which is what all the tight ends in our program strive to be.”
Kuntz, a redshirt sophomore, appeared in all 13 games last year but he was essentially a special teams player, as Penn State relied on Freiermuth and Nick Bowers. With Bowers moving on, Kuntz will never have a better opportunity to earn meaningful snaps.
Franklin and Bowen want the Lions’ tight ends to do it all.
“Not only a great route-runner, that’s awesome,” Bowen said. “But also a great run blocker, a great pass protector, good on the perimeter, really just in every facet of the game. And that allows us to use those guys in more multiple ways.
“I have seen [Kuntz] take another step. It’s been exciting to watch him go out and work, his approach is as good as it’s ever been.”
The 6-6 Johnson is still finding his way after not being able to work on the field in the spring due to the pandemic. But the January enrollee was one of the top tight end prospects in the 2020 class and Bowen said he’s already flashed some of that intriguing talent.
“Theo’s done a nice job really acclimating into the room,” Bowen said.
“Really, I think the spring was beneficial to him from a mental standpoint. But overall, I’ve been impressed with him. He’s obviously got all of the physical tools to be an elite tight end at this level.
“But so far, I’ve been really impressed with his development, his work ethic, how he approaches every day. There’s a lot of really positive things that I could say about Theo so far. You know, there’s still the things, like any freshman, right? They’re learned experiences on the field and off the field when you get into college. But I’ve been very impressed with his maturity and just how he approaches every practice.”