Throughout fall camp, the biggest storyline surrounding Baylor’s tight end room has been the absence of Florida transfer Tony Livingston, who’s missed most of the last two weeks after tweaking his knee. The good news is that Livingston returned to practice on Thursday, a positive sign that things are trending in the right direction.
“He’s day-to-day right now, and what I'm trying to get him through is to kind of work through the progression,” tight ends coach Jarrett Anderson told the media in Thursday’s press conference. “He's coming off the surgery from last year, so we're working through those things. Now, we're going to amp it up, and by next week, it's full speed and ready to go.”
With Livingston limited for most of fall camp, senior Hawkins Polley, a three-star prospect in the Class of 2023, has emerged and earned the trust and confidence of the coaching staff and his teammates.
“Hawkins has stepped up and had a good camp,” Anderson said. “He's been out there with the ones, and I feel comfortable with it. If he rode out there tomorrow, I'd be comfortable with Hawkins.”
Polley reiterated that belief, noting, “I understand so much more of the game. I can see one half of the field, see what's going on, and know what's going on on the back half without having to look. I'm so much more consistent with my technique. I'm really putting the mental and the physical together, and it's helped me a ton getting these extra reps.”
Despite Polley playing just 10 offensive snaps across the last two years, fellow senior tight end Matthew Klopfenstein believes Polley has turned a corner and will be able to be a contributor for the Bears this fall.
“Especially, I remember in the spring, you could really see him start to take some big strides,” Klopfenstein said. “When he really started working, then he had an AC injury; it was a bummer. But throughout the summer, he stayed steady, and I could see him working hard, and now it's showing in the fall. I’m super proud of him.”
Klopfenstein, meanwhile, is coming off an eight-catch season in which he was the primary backup tight end and played a significant role as a run blocker. This year, however, Anderson expects Klopfenstein, formerly a four-star prospect, to take on a bigger role in the passing game.
“He's more comfortable,” Anderson said when asked about Klopfenstein. “He doesn't second-guess himself. Klopp is smart as can be, and sometimes he'll think, ‘Well, am I doing it the right way?’ I said, ‘You're doing it the right way. Don't think about it. Just go do it and react in the way you're supposed to react.’ He's done a good job with that.”
Baylor isn't necessarily expecting one player to replicate Michael Trigg's All-American production, which included 50 catches, 694 yards and six touchdowns. Instead, the Bears hope Livingston, Klopfenstein and Polley can bring different skill sets that collectively make the position effective.
“There's always a complement somewhere,” Anderson said. “That's what I tell them. Trigg may be a more vertical threat on some things, but I said there's other times that their bodies can do different things and create space in their own way that can be a vertical matchup in a different aspect.”
Klopfenstein added, “I'm unique in my own way, and Trigg was unique in his own way. The guy could do it all. I just like to think that I can stay true to my game and what I can do, what I like to do. Would I like to do the things that he could do and make these catches? Absolutely, I think that would be awesome. As far as my game, I feel pretty confident in my game and what I can do and how I can contribute to this team.”
Third-year offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has made note publicly that he wants to play with multiple tight ends on the field this year. Anderson has liked what he’s seen from the underclassmen in the room — Brody Wilhelm, Kai Wesley and Parker Almanza — and they could find themselves in the mix this fall, particularly if injuries arise.
“The young guys, I told them, ‘You better be ready if your name is called.’” Anderson said. “In the springtime, those guys, I threw them out there with the ones, even with DJ in some of those situations. I told them, ‘Spring is fun. Fall is ball.’ You've got to get ready to go play, and as I told them one day, I said, ‘Dead men have to walk,’ so you have to get ready to play. I think they are understanding the urgency and what's going to be at stake for them.”
Lastly, Livingston has a natural built-in connection with DJ Lagway, since he’s transferring from Florida after posting 22 catches for 228 yards over the last two seasons. Klopfenstein and Polley, however, have used the fall to build rapport with Lagway and try to be his security blanket.
“It's been great,” Klopfenstein said of working alongside Lagway. “DJ's got a heck of an arm, so even when you think you're not really open or you're out of sight of him, the ball might just magically appear there. It's a pretty cool thing to have when you've got a quarterback like that and a deep quarterback room that we have. It's a great opportunity for the tight ends, and I'm excited.”
