2018 SPRING PREVIEW: TIGHT ENDS
April 11, 2018
Roster // Schedule // Season Tickets
Minnesota tight end coach Clay Patterson has recently gotten his first on-field look at his charges with spring practice well underway. The Gophers have seven tight ends on the roster this spring and all are looking to make a mark on Patterson, who played both tight end and receiver during his collegiate career.
Gopher fans will have to get to know some new names playing tight end, as Nate Wozniak (43 career games played) and Brandon Lingen (37 career games played) have both graduated.
Minnesota’s most tenured tight ends are soon-to-be redshirt juniors Colton Beebe and Bryce Witham. Beebe has played in 25 games and has made six catches – all of which came in 2016 – for 48 yards. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection has seen action in every game the last two years, with the majority of that coming on special teams in 2017.
Witham has played in 12 career games, but has yet to record a catch. He played in eight games in 2016, but was limited to only the first four games in 2017 as his season was cut short with an injury.
Ko Kieft made his collegiate debut last season as a redshirt freshman and played in all 12 games. He played mostly on special teams, but did record two catches for 17 yards and was also named Academic All-Big Ten.
The team’s newest tight end is Seth Green, who came to Minnesota as a quarterback but was moved to tight end during spring practice.
Nathan Bursch, Jake Paulson and Clayton Witherspoon redshirted last season and have used the spring to show what they are capable of.
Bursch came to Minnesota from Woodbury High School as a tight end, but was moved to offensive line last season. He has since moved back to tight end. As a senior in high school, he caught 11 passes for 129 yards and one score.
Paulson attended Christian Academy of Louisville and made 25 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns his senior year, as his team finished 14-1 and won a state championship. He made 13 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns as a junior and caught 10 balls for 133 yards as a sophomore.
Witherspoon played at local Eden Prairie High School and saw varsity action as a junior and senior. He caught eight passes for 145 yards and five scores as a senior in 2016.
The state of Minnesota’s No. 1 recruit last season was tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford and he signed with the Gophers in December 2017. The St. Cloud, Minn., native will join the team in the summer with the majority of the incoming class and will participate in fall camp.
Spann-Ford was the No. 19 tight end in his class and played tight end, wide receiver and defensive end at St. Cloud Technical Senior High School. He holds school career receiving records in receptions (176), yards (2,657) and touchdowns (38) and he hauled in 46 receptions for 770 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in 2017.
Max Janes will also join the Gophers in the fall. He caught 19 balls for 312 yards and three touchdowns last season as a senior at Mounds View High School.
April 11, 2018
Roster // Schedule // Season Tickets
Minnesota tight end coach Clay Patterson has recently gotten his first on-field look at his charges with spring practice well underway. The Gophers have seven tight ends on the roster this spring and all are looking to make a mark on Patterson, who played both tight end and receiver during his collegiate career.
Gopher fans will have to get to know some new names playing tight end, as Nate Wozniak (43 career games played) and Brandon Lingen (37 career games played) have both graduated.
Minnesota’s most tenured tight ends are soon-to-be redshirt juniors Colton Beebe and Bryce Witham. Beebe has played in 25 games and has made six catches – all of which came in 2016 – for 48 yards. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection has seen action in every game the last two years, with the majority of that coming on special teams in 2017.
Witham has played in 12 career games, but has yet to record a catch. He played in eight games in 2016, but was limited to only the first four games in 2017 as his season was cut short with an injury.
Ko Kieft made his collegiate debut last season as a redshirt freshman and played in all 12 games. He played mostly on special teams, but did record two catches for 17 yards and was also named Academic All-Big Ten.
The team’s newest tight end is Seth Green, who came to Minnesota as a quarterback but was moved to tight end during spring practice.
Nathan Bursch, Jake Paulson and Clayton Witherspoon redshirted last season and have used the spring to show what they are capable of.
Bursch came to Minnesota from Woodbury High School as a tight end, but was moved to offensive line last season. He has since moved back to tight end. As a senior in high school, he caught 11 passes for 129 yards and one score.
Paulson attended Christian Academy of Louisville and made 25 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns his senior year, as his team finished 14-1 and won a state championship. He made 13 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns as a junior and caught 10 balls for 133 yards as a sophomore.
Witherspoon played at local Eden Prairie High School and saw varsity action as a junior and senior. He caught eight passes for 145 yards and five scores as a senior in 2016.
The state of Minnesota’s No. 1 recruit last season was tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford and he signed with the Gophers in December 2017. The St. Cloud, Minn., native will join the team in the summer with the majority of the incoming class and will participate in fall camp.
Spann-Ford was the No. 19 tight end in his class and played tight end, wide receiver and defensive end at St. Cloud Technical Senior High School. He holds school career receiving records in receptions (176), yards (2,657) and touchdowns (38) and he hauled in 46 receptions for 770 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in 2017.
Max Janes will also join the Gophers in the fall. He caught 19 balls for 312 yards and three touchdowns last season as a senior at Mounds View High School.
