Texas Tech football: Players with huge opportunities in spring practice

Mason Tharpe could be a revelation at TE

For all the time, energy, and resources that the Matt Wells coaching staff has invested into the tight end position, there has been little payoff thus far.  Despite playing in a system that has had a TE on the field for virtually every snap of the last two seasons, Tech has not had a player at that position catch more than 26 passes for 311 yards in a season.

Thus, the fact that both of last year’s primary tight ends, Travis Koontz and John Holcomb, return is nothing to be too excited about.  But what could be interesting for Texas Tech football fans to watch is the development of the two tight ends that Tech signed in the class of 2021.

I am most intrigued by the potential of Mason Tharpe because of his size.  Not that the other signee, Jed Castles, is small at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, but Tharpe is already 6-foot-8 and pushing 250 pounds.

Those measurables make him a potential weapon in both the passing game and the ground game and Tech could use a player of his ilk to strengthen the TE position.

It isn’t that there is a lack of bodies there anymore.  After all, the senior Koontz will likely enter the season as the projected starter.  But after he caught just 14 passes for 189 yards and one TD last season, there’s no reason to think that he should be entrenched at the top of the depth chart and one has to wonder if Tharpe (or Castles) can push him for playing time.

We don’t yet know how much of a role the TE position will have in new offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie’s system but we can assume there will be fewer snaps to go around than there was in his predecessor’s scheme.  However, there’s not a star TE on this team right now and that leaves the door open for a player like Tharpe to come in and make a significant impact right away.