Tight End: Hello? Is anybody there?

Offensive Coordinator Mike DeBord is also the position coach of the Tight Ends and with all the players at the position disappearing at a rapid rate soon Coach DeBord will be talking to himself at Spring Practice. As Tyler Ecker and Brian Thompson are lost to graduation, Mike Massey (83) is out with an injury, and Carson Butler is out with disciplinary problems, the top four players on the depth chart at Tight End from last season are out. Coach DeBord is making due in Spring Practice with Chris McLaurin who mostly saw action on special teams last season and Andre Criswell who is switching to TE from fullback. McLaurin, who saw action in three games last season at TE, might just inherit the starting job by attrition if the players ahead of him are unable to make it back in the fall. He could go a long way in helping his cause by establishing himself with a good Spring Practice. He will certainly get a lot of individual attention from Coach DeBord this spring as there is no one else around for Coach DeBord to instruct. Go Blue!

*Note: Photo of Mike Massey (83) dropping a potential TD pass in the season opener against Vanderbilt on 9/2/06 by David Guralnick/The Detroit News