Radio Rundown: Sean Beckton shares update on tight end room he 'still loves'
Nebraska tight ends coach Sean Beckton was a guest on “Sports Nightly” on the Huskers Radio Network to discuss his position group. The assistant has had a wealth of options at the tight end position during his tenure including Jack Stoll and Austin Allen who are both in the NFL.
Travis Vokolek is Beckton’s newest lead tight end and represented the Huskers at Big Ten Media Days this week. Beckton was the only offensive coach retained from the 2021 season and it’s clear he still enjoys coming to work everyday.
“I still love it,” Beckton said. “I love to work with guys who want to be coached and across the board, all of those guys want to be coached.”
The assistant spoke on the first day of fall camp and a full schedule of fall practice media availability can be found by On3 Nebraska members here.
Other “Sports Nightly” recaps:
Mark Whipple (OC/QB) | Mike Dawson (DL) | Mickey Joseph (WR) | Travis Fisher (DB) | Bill Busch (ST) | Bryan Applewhite (RB) | Barrett Ruud (ILB) | Donovan Raiola (OL) | Mike Dawson (ED) |
Here is what Beckton had to say:
On Travis Vokolek
***When spring came around, the Husker tight ends had to get used to a world without Allen. Vokolek is next in line for the starting job but was held out of spring ball with an injury. Beckton said the senior could have done some things for Nebraska this spring, but the coaching staff held him out.
“I thought it was more beneficial for him to sit back anyway to really fine tune some of the top ends of his routes,” Beckton said. “That’s one of the things that at the end of the season goal wise I want him to improve on.”
The assistant also said he spent time developing Vokolek as a leader. With the Springfield, Missouri, native on the sidelines, Beckton said he saw improvement in those areas.
With a little help, Travis Vokolek found his place as one of Nebraska’s top vocal leaders
On Austin Allen
***Beckton said he believes that Allen will play in the NFL. The 6-foot-8 giant signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants shortly after the NFL Draft. Beckton reached out to former UCF tight end Jordan Akins asking if the 30-year-old could look out for Allen.
“He called me back a couple of weeks after he arrived there and told me he’s gonna be just fine on this level here,” Beckton said. “He has really worked himself, his body and also his athletic ability, and put himself in a position where he can be successful on the NFL level.”
Beckton said that Allen’s biggest challenge is the new terminology and that the tight end’s head is in the right place.
On Thomas Fidone
***Beckton said he has spent a lot of time with Thomas Fidone on the mental level. The assistant added that Fidone is also working extremely hard in the weight and training rooms to make his comeback.
“He’s in my office almost every single day and I’m down in the training room with him, encouraging him,” Beckton said. “He’s at the point now where he is really working. I know he’s only supposed to be working on certain things, but I catch him sometimes doing things he’s not supposed to do.”
Beckton said that he is making sure that Fidone “follows the script,” but added that the Lewis Central product is “just built that way.”
On Chris Hickman
***Chris Hickman is another tight end that was banged up last spring. Beckton’s bar for the Omaha native is to regain the weight he had a in recent years.
“For him to be sustainable throughout training camp and throughout the year, his goal for me is to try to get up over 215-220 (pounds),” Beckton said. “With his passion and toughness, he’ll be able to play that weight and be able to give us some snaps. In coach (Mark) Whipple’s offense, we can use a guy that’s undersized, that’s athletic and can get down the field like Chris Hickman.”
The assistant added that the 6-foot-5, 215-pounder has done a good job of teaching AJ Rollins, James Carnie and others the nuances of the game.
On Chancellor Brewington
***Chancellor Brewington, like Hickman, falls into Beckton’s “hybrid” tight end category. Also like the Omaha Burke product, the tight end was injured this spring.
Brewington drew praise for his intelligence and the nature of his transition from wide receiver to tight end last season. Within the first week, the 6-foot-3 Brewington had been able to do damage at the point of attack.
“That was my first indication that he would be able to (play the position),” Beckton said.
The assistant mentioned that Brewington now weighs over 225 pounds and has had a great offseason despite his spring setback.
“He’s back at it and really working hard out there thus far this summer,” Beckton said. “So I’m excited to see what he’s gonna bring to our offensive scheme in a bigger role.”
Nebraska Football Fall Camp Preview: Tight End
On AJ Rollins and James Carnie
***Of the two redshirt freshmen, Beckton says that Rollins has taken the bigger step this offseason. The Creighton Prep grad gained some confidence during the spring. Since the spring game, Rollins has added upwards of 10 pounds according to Beckton.
“I’m excited about what he’s doing in the weight room,” the assistant said. “I peek my head in there over some of the coaches windows and see them working hard down there and you know, really pushing themselves.”
Carnie dealt with injuries during the spring period and is working his way back into the mix. Beckton added that Vokolek has done a good job of pushing the tight end room with help from Nate Boerkircher. Rollins needs to improve on understanding the complete scheme but Beckton says he will be in the battle at his position this fall.
On Nate Boerkircher
***Beckton said that Boerkircher “proved himself last spring.”
Early in the spring, Whipple confused the walk-on for a scholarship athlete. When Boerkircher arrived in Lincoln, Beckton believed that the tight end’s pass-catching skills would be an asset for the Huskers. The Aurora, Nebraska, native had to put on more weight before he got on the field.
Boerkircher accomplished that goal last season and redshirted last season. Beckton said that the 6-foot-5, 230-pound tight end had put on quite a bit of weight this offseason. Plus, Boerkircher just makes plays.
“You could see in the spring game, the first play of the spring game, he jumped over somebody and made a play,” Beckton said. “Those are the plays he made all spring. So I’m on him every day to continue to work.”
The assistant said that Boerkircher can get complacent at times. In fact, Beckton said he had to get the tight end’s attention a couple weeks ago.
“He’s back on track to continue to work and do the things necessary to compete for a job,” Beckton said.
On a trio of additions
***Nebraska has two more scholarship tight ends that have arrived in Lincoln this summer. Chase Androff hails from Lakeville, Minnesota, and Brodie Tagaloa from Pittsburg, California. Both additions provide some serious size with Androff weighing in at 235 pounds and Tagaloa, who was recruited as a defensive lineman, has a 260-pound frame.
“We needed guys who were more point of attack, more hammers,” Beckton said.
The next job on the docket is to improve their receiving ability.
Another name that drew a mention was walk-on Luke Lindenmeyer. The Papillion-La Vista product has caught the attentions of Beckton, Whipple and head coach Scott Frost.
On the tight end room
***Beckton said his room wants to be coached hard and knows that he will, “love them up.”
“My goal is to develop young men and find out their weaknesses early on and really improve their weaknesses and fine tune their strengths,” Beckton said.
It’s clear he is pleased with his room’s attitude.
‘All those guys in that room really work extremely hard,” the assistant said. “They know I’m coming at them every single day so they have to bring their A-game in everything they do.”
