|
Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photograph
BYU is again within the enterprise of utilizing and producing tight ends in its offense and among the best to ever play in Provo thinks it’s about time.
“I feel it will likely be superior. To me, an important half (to an offense) is to have quite a lot of methods you’ll be able to assault the protection,” former Cougar Jonny Harline instructed the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “A good finish is a superb strain launch for the quarterback. You will have a big goal that’s typically near you. To me, it at all times appeared like a simple throw and offers a security (outlet) to the quarterback.”
Harline savored his seasons as John Beck’s favourite goal. He peaked his senior yr (2006) with 58 receptions for 935 yards and 12 touchdowns. Final yr, at the same time as BYU rolled to an 11-2 report and No. 13 nationwide rating, their three tight ends mixed for 31 catches and 4 touchdowns.
In a busy offseason, Kalani Sitake went to work to repair that. Most notably, the Cougars signed former Ute Carsen Ryan from the switch portal. After a productive spring, Ryan is predicted to hold the majority of the load at tight finish this fall.
Then Monday occurred.
When 6-foot-6, 238-pound Brock Harris picked up the BYU baseball cap throughout his nationwide announcement, he did greater than depart the opposite hats belonging to Georgia, Michigan and Oregon on the desk — he made historical past.
Ranked No. 33 on ESPN’s High 300 for the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 2 total tight finish by 247sports.com, Harris grew to become BYU’s third highest-rated commit within the trendy historical past of recruiting rankings and the highest tight finish.
Final week, the Cougars picked up a dedication from one other extremely touted tight finish in Colorado. Ty Goettsche, a 6-7, 225-pound product, selected BYU over provides from Penn State, Auburn and Florida.
Each gamers will serve church missions after highschool and whereas they received’t report back to BYU till 2028, Harline applauds the renewed give attention to his former and demanding place.
Excessive on Ryan
Harline has by no means met Carsen Ryan, however he shares a connection by means of Orem Excessive, the place he attended college with Ryan’s mother, Danielle. Her father, Steve, was Harline’s athletic director.
The Tigers all-state soccer and basketball star and future BYU Corridor of Famer began following Ryan’s profession on the prodding of a buddy. “I bear in mind him telling me, ‘Hey, this child, Danielle’s son, he’s an superior participant, and lots of people are evaluating him to you,‘” Harline mentioned. “I’ve adopted him as he’s gone to UCLA and Utah. I pumped for him to return (to BYU).”
Ryan is 6-4 and 252 kilos. In his prime, Harline was 6-4 and 238.
“Taking part in bodily and stepping into the secondary, that’s an enormous a part of it,” Harline mentioned about what Ryan can do for the offense. “The extra every particular person produces helps the opposite gamers. The extra productive your offense is, the extra productive each particular person on that offense goes to be.”
Ryan appeared in 12 video games at Utah final season, together with 5 begins. He caught 10 passes for 113 yards and a landing.
Making music
Previous to his Orem commencement, Harline was pressed by a writing project to declare what he needed to be when he grew up.
“I need to play within the NBA, the NFL or be a rockstar,” he wrote. “I had the NFL, somewhat bit, however I like enjoying (music). Since I completed soccer, I’ve constantly performed in bands.”
Harline is the lead guitarist for his group Tigerfrog. They produced one album that’s obtainable on Spotify and have a second one able to report. He began music classes at age 7 with the piano.
“I get on my children now to ‘do your half hour of follow.’ That’s what I did, on daily basis,” Harline mentioned. “I like music total. As soon as I obtained into junior excessive, I began with the drums and the guitar as a result of it’s rock ‘n’ roll. It’s nonetheless an enormous a part of my life.”
The perfect half about music for Harline is that, in contrast to soccer, he can nonetheless play it — and it by no means hits again.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret Information and is a play-by-play announcer and present host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the creator of the youngsters’s e book “C is for Cougar,” obtainable at deseretbook.com.
