Georgia Tech will begin coach Geoff Collins’ first spring practice March 26, and it will be an important set of practices for all involved.
Players have new schemes to learn and will be seeking to make an impression upon the coaching staff as the depth chart begins to coalesce.
This series will take a look at seven players for whom this spring could be particularly important, both for themselves and for the Yellow Jackets. First on the list is tight end Tyler Davis, a graduate transfer from Connecticut.
What he’s done so far
Davis played three seasons at Connecticut before coming to Tech as a grad transfer. Davis played in all 36 games for the Huskies and started 15 games, including 11 as a junior this past season. Over three seasons, he caught 47 passes for 500 yards and seven touchdowns, with 22 catches, 237 yards and six touchdowns in 2018.
Playing against Temple in the American Athletic Conference, Davis had three catches against the Owls in the 2017 and 2018 games.
Why this spring is important
Aside from players switched into the position, Davis (6-foot-4, 243 pounds) will be the only scholarship tight end in spring practice. At present, in fact, he’s the only tight end listed on the roster who will be available in the spring, as signee Dylan Deveney is scheduled to enroll in June. There had been a walk-on tight end, but he chose to leave the team.
It won’t be a surprise if other players are tried out at or moved to the position to join Davis, but none, obviously, with his experience.
As the Jackets change offensive schemes, Davis likely will take a lot of practice snaps as they learn the new offense. His presence will be critical not only for him, but also for the offense around him.
What his role could be
The path for Davis not only to start but to be an integral part of the offense seems quite open. With experience and a record of productivity, Davis could become a significant asset for Tech’s offense. Beyond that, as safety Malik Rivera provided valuable leadership as a grad transfer to a young secondary last season, Davis could provide stability to an offense that will be young in many spots.
Quotable
Coach Geoff Collins: “Just excited about him and having coached against him for the last two years, when he was at UConn, he was one of their best players, if not arguably their best player. Having him here, so he can help us implement the offense (is beneficial).”
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