CardinalSportsReport.com - Spring Ball Progress Report: Tight End

March 11, 2013

Andy Drukarev
CardinalSportsReport.com Publisher

After spending three seasons on the Stanford coaching staff, Morgan Turner thought that his time on The Farm had come to a close. In January, Turner accepted a job at Florida International, where Morgan's father, Ron, is the head coach.

But after Ron Crook's sudden departure to West Virginia, Turner had a change of plans.

"It was very crazy, about a month total," Turner said. "I went, got a condo in Miami. I was all set up, moved in. Then I got the call and flew out the day after I got the call and started spring ball the day after that."

Turner earned a crack at a position coaching job after spending three years on Stanford's staff. In 2010, he was a strength and conditioning intern. In 2011 and 2012, Turner technically held the generic title of "offensive assistant," but worked closely with the run game.

"I worked closely with the tight ends and o-line," Turner said "I did a lot of the run game pictures and protections, so I was in the run game meetings, game plan meetings. Going over with (Coach Mike Bloomgren) and Coach Crook just all of the game plan, drawings, all that stuff. I got to hear both sides. O-line play and the tight end play with both of them."

Now that he is the full-time tight ends coach, Turner will be tasked with mentoring a group that lost two premier tight ends to the NFL. Cardinal Sports Report spoke to Turner over the weekend and asked him to evaluate all of the tight ends currently on the roster.

Turner on Luke Kaumatule: "His football IQ has grown tremendously," Turner said. "He didn't play a lot of tight end before he got here, and so every rep he gets he learns something new. So just seeing different things. He's been tremendously improved on that part. I want to see consistency with him. Every little technique we're teaching. Because he's getting better mentally. Now he needs to get physically every play."

Kaumatule says…. "I just need to get all of my steps down in the blocking perspective and also understanding key concepts in the passing game as well. There's always something I can get better at and improve at."

Turner on Davis Dudchock: "He's taken on the role of a leader," Turner said. "He's the oldest guy in the room that's played tight end, so the guys look up to him. He knows it inside and out now, and he's able to do a lot of things just because of his knowledge of the system."

Dudchock says… "I'd say (an area I could improve) for me mainly focusing on straining to finish blocks and working on my targets and assignments," Dudchock said. "(Straining is) more really driving through and having good knee bend and leg drive and getting a lot of displacement. Moving a man against his will. That's something I could definitely improve on."

Turner on Charlie Hopkins: "He's catching on mentally from what I see, because he hasn't been able to practice," Turner said. "We got him out here in individual today, saw some good things. Mentally he seems like he has it now we'll see I think next session he'll be in more. See how that translates on the field."

Turner on Chris Harrell: "Chris is doing well. Last year he was Scout team for us, did a great job. And then he stepped in. He got almost all of the reps with the twos, all the reps with the threes today so he's just gaining a ton of experience right now… He needs to put on a little weight. He's a little light right now, so get bigger and stronger. He does a good job with the technique, really trying to do the technique, so that's helped him defeat kind of his being undersized."

Turner on Eddie Plantaric: "Same with Charlie, kind of," Turner said. "He has a better baseline because he was with the o-line so he really understands the run game play, so right now he's working on the passing game. He's working through some things injury-wise right now, so as long as he catches on with the pass game, I think he'll be pretty good for us."

Turner on Alex Frkovic, who suffered a severe knee injury before the season: "(He's) training right now, training as hard as he can," Turner said. "We saw some really good things with him last year before he got hurt. Hopefully he comes back soon. He's been in the meetings, staying engaged, which is very good to see."

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