If there is one position that Kentucky football fans love, it's the tight end spot. I can't tell you when it started, but nearly everyone loves it when the quarterback feeds the tight ends. From James Whalen to CJ Conrad, there is something special about seeing the big guys get the ball and get up the field.
In Week 1, Kenny Minchey found his tight ends early and often in a 45-13 win over Youngstown State. Minchey would complete 18 passes against the Penguins, with half of them going to the tight end trio of Mikkel Skinner, Willie Rodriguez, and Henry Boyer. In other words, the big boys were eating.
- Mikkel Skinner- 4 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD
- Willie Rodriguez- 4 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD
- Henry Boyer- 1 reception, 31 yards
Skinner is a unique athlete who played wideout in high school, he has the tools to be a matchup nightmare with his speed and size. He is 6'4 and runs a 4.5 40-yard dash.
Willie Rodriguez is a third-team preseason All-SEC selection, and Boyer was brought back for his blocking ability. Because of that, he was able to sneak out and get a huge gain when eyes were on other receivers. It was great to see each of them get involved because each of them bring something special to the field.
Kentucky football's tight ends offer a lot of versatility
Looking at the stat line reinforces the idea that Minchey loves his tight ends. The tight end room accounted for half of the completed passes, touchdowns, and 46.5% of all passing yards.
After the game, Willie Rodriguez spoke about how versatile the offense can be: "I think there’s just so much that goes into our offense, and we have so many different weapons, and I think when we play clean and execute, like we did today. A lot of good things could happen from that.”
A lot of good things indeed. Kentucky would score on its first three possessions, four if you count the muffed punt from Youngstown State that allowed Kentucky to score late on a short field. The tight ends also helped block and keep things clean for Minchey, who was not sacked in his Kroger Field debut.
As for Minchey, he said, “Just good, good to be able to go out with the guys and play against another team.” That one sentence says a lot. Fall camp can be a long process, and sometimes it feels good to just not play against your own teammates. The fact that the connection between Minchey and the tight ends is developed says a lot about how they have come together over the summer.
When a quarterback has a favorite target, you can see them look for them in uncomfortable situations. Think of Tom Brady finding Rob Gronkowski in New England or Tampa Bay. The fact that Minchey was looking across the middle so much indicates where his eyes go.
If Kentucky is going to upset Alabama next weekend, the tight ends will need to be fed, something Will Stein is good at.
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