April 6, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State's top performers series is back again checking in with Nittany Lion tight ends coach Tyler Bowen.
It's clear Penn State has a sizeable gap at the position when considering the departure of All-Big Ten first team selection Mike Gesicki. For Bowen though, the standard doesn't change regardless of who has departed and who returns.
"We talk about all the time, we want to compete at a standard in this program and this group is going to live up to that standard," Bowen said. "As a group, we're going to find guys who are going to reach that standard and I think they have really embraced that and really brought a good mindset into spring practice."
Among the Nittany Lions new to the group, early enrollee Zack Kuntz has already impressed Bowen with his transition to the collegiate game.
"Zack's
really coming along for a guy who should be in high school right now," Bowen
said.
He's doing a really nice job of acclimating to what we do with the tempo of
practice and everything. Somethings are new to him but he's doing a nice job
acclimating."
Earlier this week Penn State head coach James Franklin noted that while Kuntz is pretty far along in the passing game, he still has progress to make in the run game.
"It's a little bit probably like when Mike Gesicki got here and never blocked and had never really been in a three-point stance and never been attached to the tackle," Franklin said.
For Franklin, unlike Gesicki, the Nittany Lions will have time for Kuntz to develop with the increase in numbers and depth.
"Now, we're in a situation where almost at every position, if guys are going to contribute early, it's because they have earned it and beat people out at every position," Franklin said. "He's getting stronger, he's getting more confident, he's a really good kid, he learns well."
Outside of Kuntz, Bowen noted redshirt Danny Dalton has extended the progress he made in winter workouts on through the spring.
"Danny really, right now, he's carrying over what he started in the winter and taking it into spring ball with his effort his attention to detail and really finishing in everything he does," Bowen said.