A Sea Of Red

We move to the last of the skill positions, the fullbacks and tight ends. We start with the lead blockers because we have some recent developments:

Fullback

Players Lost
Nicky Fualaau (Kicked off team)

Players Returning
Thomas Kennedy (R-Sophomore 3Y) No Rushing Stats 1 Catch 4 Yards
Daquin "Buddy" Edwards (R-Freshman 4Y) No 2014 Stats (Redshirt)

Fualaau, who was suspended three games last season, and had already dropped to third on the depth chart, was dismissed by head coach Turner Gill after another rules violation. He probably would not have seen the field a ton anyway after being dropped behind the two players who will be taking the reps this fall. Kennedy, from nearby Lord Botetourt, and Edwards, who was redshirted in 2014, will split the reps heading into training camp. Kennedy took over as the starter after Fualaau was suspended the first time, will probably go into camp as the starter.

Tight End

Players Lost
Dexter Herman
Garrett Long

Players Returning

Players Returning
Canon Smith (R-Junior 2Y) 2 Catches 10 Yards
Will Johnson (R-Junior 2Y) No 2014 Stats
Tyler Meeks (R-Sophomore 3Y) No 2014 Stats
David King (R-Freshman 4Y) No 2014 Stats (also backup long snapper)
Kendall Couamin R-Junior 2Y) 4 Catches 28 Yards

Couamin surprised a lot of people by winning the starting job over the spring, but according to Flames beat writer Chris Lang's post-spring depth chart, Canon Smith is also listed as the second tight end in the starting lineup, which will give the Flames a lot of flexibility in both the passing game as well as blocking. Transfer Will Johnson as well as LCA product Tyler Meeks should both see time at both TE spots as well. The Flames added a transfer in Christian Morgan from Ole Miss, but he will sit out the 2015 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

At first blush, in my view at least, you could say that Couamin would be our "pass catching" tight end and Smith would come in when we need an extra blocker, but really, both of them have decent pass catching ability and that, as I said, gives us a lot of flexibility in the passing game, which will open up opportunities for receivers like Peterson on the outside. Smith gives us a lot of opportunities for mismatches if we can work the formation and line him up against a smaller DB.

The thing that Couamin has over all our other TEs is speed. He is a legit deep threat in the Brandon Apon mode.

Brandon Apon.... Best TE we've seen this decade... unbiased fact, of course.

Gave us a brand new element to our passing game. Itll be interesting to see how Couamin does running those seam routes that Apon pretty much feasted on