Taylor filled a need at TE for WVU, but group still needs experience
On this season's WVU football roster, tight end is debatably the position with the least true in-game playing experience, which made the decision to go after a tight end in the transfer portal easy, but still questions remain.
Tight ends are an important position in any offensive scheme, not just for their pass catching, but for their blocking abilities too. Tight ends are the anchor for an offense but also the liaison between an extra offensive lineman and an extra wide receiver.
West Virginia lost two contributors at the position at the end of last season, as Mike O'Laughlin transferred away to another Big 12 school, Houston, and blocking specialist Brian Polendey also graduated.
Now some other players will be expected to step up and fill that role, and it starts with LSU transfer Kole Taylor and returning tight end Treylan Davis, who have each respectively seemed to have earned the majority of snaps in this upcoming season.
"I'm excited about being a lot more versatile in our position room this year. We’ve got guys that can do both," Davis said.
With both players being a junior or younger, the group has time to develop but contributions will be expected here in a couple of weeks. Taylor seems to have taken the starting spot and he was a great addition for the Mountaineers.
Taylor is not only daunting for his size, coming in at 6 foot 7 inches and 250 pounds, but owns a unique skill set for the position according to WVU's newest tight ends coach, Blaine Stewart.
Taylor appeared in 32 career games and started seven for the Tigers, but was unable to record much on the stat sheet, with five catches for 55 yards last season.
However, his size alone could make him a big passing target (pun intended) for West Virginia, but his impact goes further than that. Taylor has also become a leader, motivator, and teacher for the young group according to fellow tight end Davis.
"He’s an excellent motivator. His energy is awesome and he knows what he's talking about. His technicalities of the game, he knows the game well," Davis said. "Footwork, hands inside, leverage, hand placement on defenders, he’s awesome in every sense of it."
Right alongside Taylor is the returning sophomore tight end Davis, who has made some big strides himself this offseason.
"Treylan, from my perspective, has entirely changed his body," Stewart said. "He's in a good place, starting with Coach [Mike] Joseph and the strength staff, and it's really transformed his game," Stewart said. "He's moving well, his physicality and blocking is obviously still there, but we found him a couple of ways to get involved in the passing game.
The redshirt sophomore Davis played sparingly in all 12 games last season and he only ended up catching five passes for 51 yards, but he's still going to be a factor in this group.
Redshirt sophomore Victor Wikstrom and redshirt freshman Will Dixon will follow behind and add some depth to the position as well.
Although Wikstrom and Dixon are mostly in a backup or special teams role this season, the development has been there this offseason for both of the young tight ends and it's important to foster the next group of stars for West Virginia at the position.
"Victor has really taken strides, he's in a great place physically. He's really committed to improving his physicality and his point of attack blocking, but I think Victor's done a great job and he has a good grasp of the playbook," Stewart said. "Will Dixon is another guy that has had a lot of reps this fall... Will's done a great job and has all of the tools to be a really good player."
Although the group may be inexperienced behind Taylor, it's exciting for Stewart to have a skilled group of players, so that the Mountaineers can create issues for opposing defenses.
"If you have tight ends, you can really load the box and get heavy guys in to block or you can be in the same personnel group and spread it out and that's what defensive coaches say is a challenge," Stewart said. "I just think the more tight ends that are involved in any type of offense, the more pressure you put on the defense."
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