Bryce Young talks up young Alabama tight end group in light of Cam Latu injury
With the news that Alabama tight end Cameron Latu is set to miss some time this offseason due to injury, it has provided opportunity for some of the players behind him on the depth chart.
Guys like sophomore Robbie Ouzts and JUCO transfer Miles Kitselman have taken advantage, working to develop chemistry with quarterback Bryce Young. So far the pair have impressed the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, who had nothing but good things to say following practice Tuesday.
“Robbie’s taken a huge jump,” Young said. “Robbie looks really comfortable. He knows everything that’s going on. He’s doing a really good job of picking stuff up and he’s a lot more comfortable in the offense. He knows where to be and he’s doing stuff the right way. Me taking a lot more reps than I did with Robbie last year and being able to develop that chemistry is really cool.
“Miles coming in has done a great job as well. Coming in, he didn’t have as much time as everyone else did, but he came in with the right mindset and is picking stuff up extremely quickly. You would’ve thought he had been here a lot longer than he has. In the pass game, he’s doing good things.”
After Jhaleel Billingsley transferred to Texas this offseason, Alabama returned just two scholarship tight ends in Latu and Ouzts. A veteran, Latu figures to be No. 1 on the depth chart once he gets healthy after recording 410 yards and eight touchdowns this past season. Ouzts appeared in 11 games, but claimed just one catch.
The Crimson Tide brought in Kitselman, who spent one year at Hutchinson Community College. A lineman on both sides of the ball in high school, he received a partial scholarship offer to Division II Emporia State, but opted to go the junior college route and switch positions. He joins three freshmen — Amari Niblack, Elijah Brown and Danny Lewis — as new tight end additions in 2022.
“The young guys, they’re picking up on things really quickly,” Young said. “I think that’s a really good room. We have a really good coaching staff in the tight ends room. But those young guys, you can see them after every practice whether it’s 7-on-7 offseason to now at camp, it feels like every practice they take another step. They get a little bit more comfortable and correct what happened last practice. So I’m excited to watch the tight end group develop.”
Alabama coach Nick Saban said earlier this week that he expects Latu to be out around two weeks, which would mean he will likely be available for the season opener on Sept. 3. But in the meantime with him sidelined, the other tight ends are making progress toward a strong 2022 season.