Florida State University Athletics
Practice Report: Lockette Believes TEs Ready To Thrive
8/21/2019 8:57:04 AM | Football
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Telly Lockette believes that, outside of the quarterbacks, his tight ends might have the toughest jobs on the Florida State football team.
Take a lap on the practice fields and it’s easy to see why.
At any given moment, Lockette’s group – which consists of junior Tre’ McKitty, sophomore Camren McDonald and senior Gabe Nabers – might be blocking a defensive lineman, engaging a linebacker at the second level or trying to beat a defensive back on a passing route downfield.
Like virtually all modern offenses, FSU asks its tight ends to do a little bit of everything.
And if the Seminoles’ offense is to reach its full potential in 2019, it will likely need McKitty, McDonald and Nabers to do it well.
“We can line up at receiver, we can line up at ‘sniffer’ (similar to an H-back), we can line up with our hand in the ground,” said Lockette, entering his second year as FSU’s tight ends coach. “And that’s what the new game is coming to, where you get these new tight ends. … You’ve got to be able to do all three phases.”
Appropriately, Lockette has three players from three unique backgrounds that all bring a little something different to the tight ends’ meeting room.
He described McKitty, a 6-5, 245-pound native of Wesley Chapel, Fla., as the most traditional tight end of the three. And, with 10 career starts, 256 receiving yards and two touchdowns, he’s the most experienced of the bunch.
McDonald, meanwhile, played a receiving-heavy style at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High, and, despite his 6-4, 231-pound frame, Lockette insists that McDonald is faster than some of FSU’s wide receivers.
And Nabers, from nearby Hahira, Ga., might be the group’s blocking specialist – a 6-3, 243-pound former fullback who switched to tight end when head coach Willie Taggart arrived last season.
Having three players with different styles – and from three different corners of the country – makes for an interesting dynamic on the practice fields.
“They work together,” Lockette said. “They give each other stuff. They all buy into it and try to help each other.
“Camm is a receiver, Tre’ is more of a tight end, Gabe brings that fullback atmosphere. So now, those guys are learning from each other and it makes the room very competitive.”
And, given that the Seminoles plan to run their offense at high speed and without a huddle, whichever tight ends can manage all of their responsibilities the best will likely be the ones who see the field.
Meaning that offensive coordinator Kendal Briles isn’t going to start with a blocking tight end on a first-down running play, then immediately substitute a better receiving threat for a passing play a few seconds later.
“He expects us to be prolific playmakers and make plays down the field, and (also) be a sixth offensive lineman, really,” McDonald said. “We have to be complete football players in this offense.”
It’s a big job, and one that might make a big difference for the Seminoles this fall.
But Lockette believes his group is up for the task.
“It’s pretty hard,” he said. “But I’ve got some guys that grasp what Coach Briles wants, and we’re going to do a pretty good job this year.”
Recent history gives a good idea of what that looks like.
Briles’ tight end at Houston last year, Romello Brooker, caught 33 passes for 409 yards and seven touchdowns, and later joined the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent.
And, the year before, Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant had 32 catches, 408 yards and five touchdowns.
That type of production makes it easy for the tight ends to believe in what Lockette and Briles are asking of them.
“I love it,” Lockette said. “They’re buying into it because, right now, they’ve got an opportunity to show all their skill set.”
Extra highlights: Safety Levonta Taylor returned and was a full participant after missing Monday’s practice. Joshua Kaindoh rejoined the team after missing the last week or so with a tweaked hamstring. As is often the case for players returning from injuries, Kaindoh did position drills but did not yet work with the team during 7-on-7 or 11-on-11. … Speaking of which, both Marvin Wilson and Tamorrion Terry continued their limited practice, but neither looked any worse for wear after returning on Monday. … Transfer receiver D’Anfernee McGriff had his first “wow” moment of camp, catching a ball over the middle during 7-on-7 drills, then weaving through a group of defenders and racing down the sideline for a long touchdown. McGriff previously played in Briles’ offense at FAU. … Whether he knew it or not, receiver Warren Thompson paid homage to former NFL standout Alvin Harper by catching a pretty touchdown pass then laying the ball up, basketball style, over the goal post. … Hamsah Nasirildeen did a nice job beating Khalan Laborn and Anthony Grant to the edge near the goal line on successive plays. Nasirildeen kept both out of the end zone, and then made sure to let them and their offensive cohorts hear about it. … Carlos Becker III, who has had a pretty active few weeks, made a quarterback pay for an underthrown ball near the sideline by jumping in front of the intended receiver and grabbing an interception. … A nice moment for walk-on kicker Parker Grothaus, who drilled a 54-yard field goal near the end of practice.