Provo • When Keanu Hill regrouped after last year’s 5-7 season, he told his parents he might need to change positions.
He’d been a receiver most of his career. His father, Lloyd Hill, was a Hall of Fame receiver at Texas Tech. He’d spent much of the last four years trying to crack into BYU’s rotation of featured pass catchers.
But 2023 was a struggle. He started some games, but played injured throughout much of the season. He finished with just 12 catches.
So, he figured tight end would be easier.
“Just talking to [offensive coordinator] A-Rod [Aaron Roderick], all the things he could do with me at that position. I can be a good blocker and run routes,” Hill said.
In three months, Hill bulked up from 210 pounds to upward of 235. At 6-foot-4, he was an easy pas- catching option at a tight end. The move was complete.
And it might be exactly what Roderick needed to make the offensive jigsaw puzzle a little easier to solve.
Last year, BYU had more than 11 talented playmakers on offense. But it was sometimes difficult to get them on the field at the same time together.
Hill was chief among them. He could make contested catches, a valuable skill, and block well. He could help the running game and make plays.
But he never fit neatly into the wide receiver room and it was difficult to find him a spot.
He wasn’t fast enough to break away from cornerbacks and safeties. BYU often opted to put more speed at receiver with Keelan Marion, Parker Kingston, Darius Lassiter and Chase Roberts logging most of the snaps. Even Kody Epps got into the mix after he was healthy.
It meant Hill was left out at times — one of BYU’s better players not involved. He never had a season with more than 36 catches.
But moving him to tight end allows BYU to get Hill on the field without sacrificing speed and length at the wide receiver position (something position coach Fesi Sitake values, especially in the Big 12). More of BYU’s top 11 playmakers can be on the field at the same time.
Hill’s position change also makes BYU less predictable. At tight end last year, whenever the Cougars brought in Mata’ava Ta’ase, opposing teams knew what would come next. With Hill being able to catch and block, it makes the offense more dynamic.
Roderick is, “able to use me way more at that position,” Hill said.
It solves the jigsaw puzzle too.
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