This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Is the tight end finally back in the BYU offense?

It sure looked that way on Friday night, as Cougars tight end Tanner Balderree caught three passes for 62 yards in the 55-53 win over Toledo. Balderree now has five catches for 67 yards, while Hunter Marshall has three grabs for 45 yards.

"That was great. You always tell kids if they work hard, good things will happen. And it happened for Tanner. We would have had more if Jamaal [Williams] wasn't such a ball hog," joked tight ends coach Steve Clark.

A sign of things to come?

"I hope so," Clark said. "We just saw some things that they were [doing]. They were so worried about the run that it helped us. We ran a couple of routes that they basically turned loose because they were so worried about Jamaal, and that got guys open. It was really nothing new. We are keeping the tight end in a lot to block, and we are using more four wides [receivers] a lot."

Balderree will be making a homecoming of sorts against Michigan State in East Lansing on Saturday. The junior from Sherwood, Ore., grew up in Michigan, where his father, Ted, worked in the automobile industry and taught classes in design at the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, he didn't see action in last year's 31-0 loss at Michigan, his favorite team growing up.

"It is going to be fun, because I have some friends that I grew up with that went to Michigan State, and a few are still there," Balderree said Wednesday after a practice outside the student athlete building.

Fun certainly describes Friday's game for Balderree, a former defensive end who made the switch after his freshman year and also played some running back last year.

"I just feel really lucky," he said. "They gave me an opportunity and a chance to prove something, and that is just what I needed. So I made the most of the chances I got, and I am really grateful that I got them. Taysom [Hill] had the trust to throw it to me. That meant a lot to me. So that was exciting for me. That was probably the best part, that I felt like Taysom trusted me enough to throw to me. So that was cool."

Clark said the tight ends have been seeing about 25 plays a game this season. He said Balderree, Hunter Marshall, Troy Hinds and freshman Alema Pilimai have improved "a ton" since last spring.

"They have been thrown in from other positions, and they are still learning it," Clark said. "They would like the ball more, but they don't say a word. They do what they are asked to do, blocking and protecting."

Detmer said he wanted to bring back the tight end when he got the job last winter, and plays opened up against Toledo that haven't previously been there.

"They got to single high [safety] and were playing man on that position, and when you are running the ball that way, it opens things up behind those linebackers, and so that's kind of what you envision going in," Detmer said. "You would like to see the offense kinda run like that, run and pass, keep people off balance. So I thought those guys did a good job stepping up in the second half. We kinda challenged them at halftime after seeing the way Toledo played us in the first half, and they stepped up and made some plays for us. That was great to see, and I think gives everybody more confidence in being able to do those things."

Hill said it was great to see tight ends running free down the middle of the field.

"Well, that formation for us had been [used a lot]. All the formations really incorporated the tight ends. We were so run heavy throughout the entire game, and our run game was so good that it allowed us to have some free runners, and Ty dialed it up perfectly and called the right play at the right time, and we were able to get the guys involved," Hill said.

Balderree said the switch from defense to offense has been a good thing for him.

"I am just happy to help the team however I can. Last year when I made the switch that was [because] the situation was we had a lot of defensive linemen, not many tight ends, and there was an opportunity to help the team and so I am just trying to be my best at that. Whatever the team asks me to do, I am going to do my best at it."

Clark, the tight ends coach, said two other former defenders who are now tight ends, sophomore Troy Hinds and freshman Alema Pilimai, are making big strides.

Hinds got in at tight end a few plays against Toledo.

"He will get a couple more this game," Clark said. "Just his size and his ability to move is what we need. He matches up so much better with defensive ends. He's long and strong. But he's really going through camp right now. It is more of an issue of knowing what to do. There is a lot on the tight ends. It is run, it is pass, it is protection, it is motion. A lot."

Regarding Pilimai, Clark said: "He is doing well. He has to put on weight. That's his thing. He's about 218. We need him at least 230, just to block the ends. He has been in games, and he has held his own. But we still need him stronger. But he's got a good future. We are excited about him."