Newcomer Duck tight end Casey Kelly is a big guy with a big personality, and that might be just the thing for his new job, backing up starter Terrance Ferguson.
Tight ends coach Drew Mehringer had to be getting a little nervous this spring. Seeking starters' minutes, 9-year veteran Cam McCormick and Moliki Matavao both transferred, McCormick to Miami where he's reunited with Mario Cristobal, Matavao to home town UCLA to work for that old football carpetbagger Chip Kelly. Worse yet, T-Ferg went down with an injury, missing spring practice.
The quorum in the spring tight end meetings and practice rotation consisted of junior Patrick Herbert (played in 13 games last year, mostly on special teams) true freshman Kenyon Sadiq (talented but raw, a 4-star recruit from Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho) and three walk-ons, Landen Shepard, Travis Brashear, and Peter Burke, all three freshmen.
Ferguson's expected to be full-go at fall camp, but still. McCormick and Matavao caught a combined 20 passes last year, for two touchdowns and an even 200 yards. Dependable blockers with good hands, they gave the Ducks the firepower for multiple tight end sets and trickeration. Matavao even scored a rushing touchdown, on an inside handoff/counter play.
Enter Kelly, who toured the campus and the football facility at the Spring Game, deciding to make it his next football home.
I am blessed to say I am committed to THE University of Oregon ! 🦆🦆🦆 All glory to God! BLESSED ! @CoachWilsonLove @CoachDanLanning @oregonfootball @Drew_House_UO @DrewMehringer pic.twitter.com/r79e3Nt9Ps
— CK (@caseykelly1211) April 28, 2023
A former walk-on who rose to part-time starter at Ole Miss, Kelly has good size at 6-3, 255. He's played three seasons in the SEC, nabbing 28 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns while contributing on multiple special teams. He earned a scholarship in February of 2022.
When starter Michael Trigg (a transfer Lane Kiffin brought in from USC) suffered a broken collarbone early last season the press chided Kelly about his fitness for the starting job. He'd never been a full-time player or premier receiving threat, they said.
Kelly shot back, “I don’t listen to any of that. I’m going to come (up) with my own mindset and I’m not going to let other people’s thoughts or actions dictate what I’m doing day-to-day. They don’t see what I do on a daily basis and I’m not going to let that affect me.”
That's a good focus for a guy coming in as a backup. He's always been a guy who brings the energy at practice and on the sideline.
As much as anything, this may be something the Ducks need from Kelly, a veteran, competitive player who notches things up a bit. The sideline went flat last year in losses to Washington and Oregon State. Vocal leadership, a forward focus and self-confidence can be a big deal.
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