Photo by: GoBearkats.com
2022 Preview: Tight Ends
8/12/2022 5:01:00 PM | Football
RETURNERS:Â Jacob Kainer, Dalton Meyer, Marcus Collins, Braeden Howell
NEWCOMERS:Â Thomas Jewett, Jax Sherrard, Elijah Sohn
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HUNTSVILLE – Few positions on the field give players the opportunity to mix finesse with physicality as much as tight ends, and the 2022 version of the Sam Houston Bearkats feel great about their options in that group as the season opener draws near.Â
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A balanced mix of old and new fills the room headed up by tight ends coach Matt Merkens, a second-generation Bearkat in his own right who has a number of versatile guys to work as new offensive coordinator John Perry continues to implement the scheme for the year.Â
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"It's an exciting time for tight ends in this offense," Merkens said. "We have a coordinator who has coached tight ends at the highest level. We are learning a lot in this offense and are being used in it more than they have in the past, whether it's the way we are blocking or the way we are running routes."
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The Kats return three players who saw action in 2021 in Dalton Meyer, Jacob Kainer and Marcus Collins while Davidson transfer Jax Sherrard brings all-Pioneer league credentials to Huntsville from the Wildcats.Â
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Few Bearkats on the entire roster are as seasoned as Meyer who has played in 31 games at SHSU since 2019 and still holds two years of eligibility remaining. A blue-collar player who doesn't shy away from contact, the Alvin native and former walk-on earned his way on full scholarship for 2022 and will likely see his role increase in this season.
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"I think this new scheme is really exciting, especially for the tight end room," Meyer said. "I'm a blocking guy. I like getting down and dirty with the offensive line, but we also have guys who can go deep and make plays. It's nice to have a system where we are all able to excel with our own individual skills."
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Kainer is one of those playmakers the Kats will feature and those skills were on display early in 2021 before an injury shut him down just four games into the season. He joined the Kats for the 2021 season and had explosive plays in each of the first two games vs Northern Arizona and Southeast Missouri before his season was cut short.Â
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He was one of the top junior college tight ends in the nation after his time at Tyler Junior College, hauling in 400 yards of receptions in his time with the Apaches before moving on to Tulsa where he spent a year with the Golden Hurricane before heading to Huntsville. This year he is back to full strength and feels as though he could have a breakout season in Perry's system, one which he feels fits his skillset, especially as a receiver.
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An intriguing addition is graduate transfer Jax Sherrard who joins the Kats from Davidson where he helped take the Wildcats to the FCS Playoffs each of the past two seasons.Â
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A Maryland native, Sherrard started his career at Davidson as a defensive end before shifting to tight end in 2019. He then blossomed into an all-Pioneer League first teamer in 2021 and saw six of his eight receptions last year go for scores.Â
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"Jax has come in and fit into the room very well, which is something you are always concerned with when you bring in a transfer," Merkens said. "He's a hard-nosed blocker who has really good hands and runs good routes. We think he's going to be a really solid player for us and I'm excited to see how he is going to fit into this offense."
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Meanwhile, Collins merely got his feet wet in 2021 as he redshirted after playing just one game against Dixie State late in the year; however, Merkens feels like a year in the Bearkats' strength and conditioning program has done him good and that his receiving skills could make an impact.Â
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"Marcus is really developing well," Merkens said. "He's gained a lot of good weight and he's learning to handle that, both in his running and his blocking. We really like where he's at and where we feel he's going to be as he continues to mature."
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Other additions include promising true freshman Thomas Jewett as well as transfer Elijah Sohn who is donning the pads for the first time on the college level after being a successful swimmer at both Texas A&M and SMU. Braeden Howell also returns to the room after a redshirt season in 2021.
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Jewett was one of the highly-regarded signees for the Kats last fall and has impressed the staff early on with his willingness to immediately hold his own in camp in both the run and pass game. At 6-5, 240 pounds he has the frame you are looking for in a younger tight end, but also has natural abilities as a receiver.
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NEWCOMERS:Â Thomas Jewett, Jax Sherrard, Elijah Sohn
Â
HUNTSVILLE – Few positions on the field give players the opportunity to mix finesse with physicality as much as tight ends, and the 2022 version of the Sam Houston Bearkats feel great about their options in that group as the season opener draws near.Â
Â
A balanced mix of old and new fills the room headed up by tight ends coach Matt Merkens, a second-generation Bearkat in his own right who has a number of versatile guys to work as new offensive coordinator John Perry continues to implement the scheme for the year.Â
Â
"It's an exciting time for tight ends in this offense," Merkens said. "We have a coordinator who has coached tight ends at the highest level. We are learning a lot in this offense and are being used in it more than they have in the past, whether it's the way we are blocking or the way we are running routes."
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2022 Bearkat Football Preview: Tight Ends #EatEmUpKats
— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) August 12, 2022
?? https://t.co/lpUH23Y8rS pic.twitter.com/HZZ6iTsiHB
The Kats return three players who saw action in 2021 in Dalton Meyer, Jacob Kainer and Marcus Collins while Davidson transfer Jax Sherrard brings all-Pioneer league credentials to Huntsville from the Wildcats.Â
Â
Few Bearkats on the entire roster are as seasoned as Meyer who has played in 31 games at SHSU since 2019 and still holds two years of eligibility remaining. A blue-collar player who doesn't shy away from contact, the Alvin native and former walk-on earned his way on full scholarship for 2022 and will likely see his role increase in this season.
Â
"I think this new scheme is really exciting, especially for the tight end room," Meyer said. "I'm a blocking guy. I like getting down and dirty with the offensive line, but we also have guys who can go deep and make plays. It's nice to have a system where we are all able to excel with our own individual skills."
Â
Kainer is one of those playmakers the Kats will feature and those skills were on display early in 2021 before an injury shut him down just four games into the season. He joined the Kats for the 2021 season and had explosive plays in each of the first two games vs Northern Arizona and Southeast Missouri before his season was cut short.Â
Â
He was one of the top junior college tight ends in the nation after his time at Tyler Junior College, hauling in 400 yards of receptions in his time with the Apaches before moving on to Tulsa where he spent a year with the Golden Hurricane before heading to Huntsville. This year he is back to full strength and feels as though he could have a breakout season in Perry's system, one which he feels fits his skillset, especially as a receiver.
Â
An intriguing addition is graduate transfer Jax Sherrard who joins the Kats from Davidson where he helped take the Wildcats to the FCS Playoffs each of the past two seasons.Â
Â
A Maryland native, Sherrard started his career at Davidson as a defensive end before shifting to tight end in 2019. He then blossomed into an all-Pioneer League first teamer in 2021 and saw six of his eight receptions last year go for scores.Â
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"Jax has come in and fit into the room very well, which is something you are always concerned with when you bring in a transfer," Merkens said. "He's a hard-nosed blocker who has really good hands and runs good routes. We think he's going to be a really solid player for us and I'm excited to see how he is going to fit into this offense."
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Meanwhile, Collins merely got his feet wet in 2021 as he redshirted after playing just one game against Dixie State late in the year; however, Merkens feels like a year in the Bearkats' strength and conditioning program has done him good and that his receiving skills could make an impact.Â
Â
"Marcus is really developing well," Merkens said. "He's gained a lot of good weight and he's learning to handle that, both in his running and his blocking. We really like where he's at and where we feel he's going to be as he continues to mature."
Â
Other additions include promising true freshman Thomas Jewett as well as transfer Elijah Sohn who is donning the pads for the first time on the college level after being a successful swimmer at both Texas A&M and SMU. Braeden Howell also returns to the room after a redshirt season in 2021.
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Jewett was one of the highly-regarded signees for the Kats last fall and has impressed the staff early on with his willingness to immediately hold his own in camp in both the run and pass game. At 6-5, 240 pounds he has the frame you are looking for in a younger tight end, but also has natural abilities as a receiver.
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