Huskies hope to increase role of tight ends

STORRS – Sean McQuillan doesn’t even attempt to mask the enthusiasm he has for the offensive scheme first-year coach Bob Diaco has brought with him to UConn.

Quite simply, it could be a tight end’s dream.

The degree of tight end involvement will be unveiled Friday night at Rentschler Field when UConn opens the season against BYU (7 p.m., ESPN, UConn IMG Radio Network). But Mike Cummings, who doubles as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, has created a fantasy goal for McQuillan and his unit partners.

“Coach Cummings wants to constantly integrate tight ends into the game,” McQuillan said. “He even said if he could have four on the field at the same time, he would do it.”

Exactly how would that work, McQuillan was asked.

He laughed.

“Someone would [catch a ball],” he said. “Yeah.”

McQuillan had 25 receptions last season for 196 yards and one touchdown. The TD came at SMU, before he missed the final three games with an injury. Diaco has named him starter for the opener against BYU, but there is great depth at the position with five other tight ends awaiting their turn.

Tommy Myers of Coventry is McQuillan’s backup on the depth chart. Steve Hashemi of Trumbull, Alec Bloom, Sheridan Lawley and Nicholas Lensander are the other tight ends on the roster.

“It’s great. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m excited for Friday to see how the game is going to play out and how the tight ends are going to fare.”

Tony Gonzalez is credited with revolutionizing the position in the NFL with the Chiefs and Falcons. His athleticism changed the way the position was viewed by coaches and fans. Gonzalez played basketball and football at the University of California. McQuillan, from Glastonbury High, played three years of hoops before focusing on football and prepping at Avon Old Farms.

“I like to think I’m my own person,” McQuillan said. “But it’s kind of funny. I was talking about it the other day with one of my buddies. Jordan Reed [of the Washington Redskins] being a CT guy, he’s kinda what the tight end position is now. It’s an athletic guy, who maybe is not as heavy as the old traditional tight ends but can still block, move really well and create mismatches for the defense. From a personal standpoint, that’s just what I’m trying to do. He’s a guy I’d like to emulate my game around. I think I’m that kind of player.

“It used to be the 280-pound guys that were in line, almost like a third tackle. Now you are starting to see guys who are more athletic and can stretch the field.”

McQuillan has been watching film of BYU for weeks and is intrigued because the Huskies and Cougars have never played before. BYU enters with a high-powered offense led by quarterback Taysom Hill, but there are lot of questions on the defensive side of the ball.

“They’re a base [3-4] defensive team, all about doing the right things and being in the right position,” McQuillan said. “They are big, physical guys. For us, it’s just being physical and dominating the line of scrimmage. We want it to be a dogfight at all times.

“On our first possession, we want to be loose, physical and create that dominance to let them know it’s going to be a four-quarter game.”

DIACO RADIO SHOW DEBUTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT

If you want to hear coach Bob Diaco’s thoughts as the Huskies get closer to Friday’s season opener, tune in to the coach’s radio show at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Here are the details from UConn:

MORNING LINKS

Catch up on the headlines from BYU:

Cougars surprise with captain selections.

Huskies and Cougars left behind in changing college landscape.

Diaco, BYU coach share philosophies.

Optimism for BYU starts with Hill.