At 6-foot-6 and 254 pounds, senior Kellen Davis has the prototypical frame of an NFL tight end. But he has yet to put together a breakout season in his three years at MSU, totaling 28 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns in 29 career games.
That all may change under the new coaching staff, which makes an effort to involve the tight end in the offense and use the run to open up the pass.
"I definitely feel like I'm going to be utilized more," said Davis, who caught a touchdown pass for the Green team in Saturday's scrimmage. "We're going to run a lot more play action, which leaves me open a lot, so I'll have a chance to make some big plays."
Before coming to MSU, tight ends coach Mark Staten was a member of Mark Dantonio's Cincinnati staff that used the tight end as a main receiving target. In 2006, Bearcats' tight end Brent Celek was second on the team with 35 catches and 481 yards, while finding the end zone three times.
But the staff also demands its tight ends be able to block and create holes in the running game. Davis knows this and has made blocking a point of emphasis.
"It's coming along really well this spring," Davis said. "I'm pleased with my progress, and I think my coaches are, too."
The coaches, specifically Staten, have seen Davis use his strength and athleticism to improve his blocking.
"From day one to now, he's a different guy," Staten said. "When he gets that body low and he gets in there, there's not many that he can't move."
Last season, Dwayne Holmes was often used as MSU's blocking tight end. But with Holmes now playing fullback, Staten is looking for Davis to become a complete tight end for MSU.
"He's got tons of potential," Staten said. "He'll run incredible 40 times, he can leap out of the gym, and now he's putting that to the field and seeing how, if he keeps his pads down, he can be a tremendous blocker with his strength and that he can catch anything as long as it gets in his area."
Predicting success
The competitive juices were flowing after Thursday's practice — just two days before MSU's intrasquad scrimmage — as Davis had no problem predicting a big victory for his Green team.
"We'll win by at least 20 — I'm guaranteeing a victory," Davis said.
When senior linebacker SirDarean Adams — also on the Green team — heard Davis' prediction, he took it a step further.
"Twenty? I say 30," Adams said.
While Davis and Adams guaranteed a blowout, White team quarterback Brian Hoyer was hesitant to predict a score or winner. But he was confident enough to disagree with Davis.
"If they win by 20, they can have all the steaks in the world because it's not going to happen," Hoyer said, referring to the deal saying the winning team was fed steak for dinner, while the losing team had to eat franks and beans.
In the end, Davis just missed on his prediction. The Green team held a 21-0 lead late in the fourth quarter before Hoyer found senior wide receiver Terry Love for a 13-yard touchdown pass to get White on the board. The Green team won, 21-8 — a margin of 13 points.
