College Football: Building a super team position by position
The tight end is a rare breed in college football. The position has fallen out of favor as spread offenses have swept across the nation. Some programs still frequently employ tight ends, but none do it better than the Stanford Cardinal.
Outside of Andrew Luck, Stanford hasn’t typically been known for its electrifying quarterback play. Instead the Cardinal focus on running the football and short passes. That scheme has paved the way for an impress away of pass catchers, all of which possess incredible athleticism given their size and toughness in the trenches.
Three of those tight ends played on the same team in 2011. During that season Coby Fleener, Levine Toilolo and Zach Ertz combined for 86 receptions, 1,356 yards and 20 touchdowns. That’s more production than most schools see out of their best receivers, let alone several seasons at the tight end position.
All of those guys, including recent draftee Austin Hooper, went on to some measure of success in the NFL. That’s not too surprising given the track record of overwhelming success that David Shaw has had with the position since he took over with the Cardinal in 2011.