Preseason Preview: Tight ends

We started with the backfield -- both quarterbacks and running backs -- but now PowerMizzou.com's positional preview slides to the hybrid position, tight ends. It's a group that could look different than we've seen, and it will be the bridge between the run game and the pass game in Josh Heupel's attack.

We heard, after Josh Henson was hired, that the tight ends would be an important part of Missouri's offense. In the end, no one made any serious statistical impact. Now, Henson's offensive philosophy shares some similarities with Josh Heupel's, especially with the desire to have well-rounded tight ends who can make the offense multiple.

That means Heupel wants to keep the same personnel on the field, but use them in different ways to keep the tempo fast and keep the defense confused.

So what will that mean with Missouri's tight ends? Not entirely sure -- as no one has seen much of anything so far. But, it seems like an easy assumption that the offense will have more of a traditional tight end (most likely Culkin) and another H-back/ hybrid tight end (most likely Jason Reese) that will fill the role of a fullback. At OU, Heupel had Trey Millard, one of the best college fullbacks in recent years, to fill that H-back role. It looks like, for this year anyway, Heupel will use a tight end in the same capacity.

At the same time, though, don't suddenly expect Missouri's tight ends to become huge factors in the passing game. The most receiving yards by a tight end at OU under Heupel was 381 yards. Last year at Utah State, tight ends combined for 409 yards on 30 receptions.