Receiver Tayvion Robinson (9) likes the offense the 49ers ran and is glad new UK offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello is implementing part of it at UK. (UK Athletics Photo)
Could this be the season Kentucky really utilizes the tight end in its pass offense? Okay, we’ve heard for years that Kentucky coach Mark Stoops and whoever the offensive coordinator happened to be that the Cats would get the ball to the tight ends — a move associate head coach/tight ends coach Vince Marrow obviously endorses.
However, UK tight end Brenden Bates sure thinks new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who came to UK from the San Francisco 49ers, is going to utilize the tight ends a lot more.
“Before all of this, I was watching (Los Angeles Rams tight end) Tyler Higbee, (Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis) Kelce, those kinds of guys,” Bates said. “But seeing (49ers tight end George) Kittle, that dude is the best tight end in the NFL and (Kyle) Juszczyk is, in my opinion, the best fullback in the NFL.
“So, watching film on them every day is incredible and I’m learning a lot, we all are, from their film and their technique.”
“The stuff coach Rich is introducing to this offense is a lot of Juszczyk from the 49ers, his role is very similar to what we’re doing now. It’s a way more versatile fullback than a traditional fullback,” Bates said.
Receiver Tayvion Robinson, a transfer from Virginia Tech, likes that Scangarello’s offense let receiver Deebo Samuel shine in San Francisco.
“A lot of the stuff he did in San Fran was unbelievable, very impressive. I feel like we’ve done some of the stuff they’ve done in San Francisco with Debo,” Robinson said Tuesday.
Scangarello likes to adapt his offense to his personnel and says he’s using spring practice to get to know the Cats and what players can do. However, he wants his offense to be versatile just like it was in San Francisco.
“I thought we did as good as anyone in the league,” Scangarello said. “Whether you want to be like the Atlanta Falcons in ’16 and have (quarterback) Matt Ryan be the MVP or you want to grind it out like we did the last few years and put people in pressure in the run game and take care of the football, it has the flexibility to do that based on your personnel and what you have.”
3 Responses
Kittle really came into his own when he went San Fran. I really like the way they used Kittle, Deebo, and the offense in general.
I like the offense, and the hire, but I’ll be a lot more comfortable when I see UK putting the football in the end zone on long drives and quick strikes in 2022.
I like the direction across the board.
Receiver room could be best ever in the Bluegrass – caveat – 4&5* QB’s are coming off the board like hot cakes in the next recruiting go-round.