Texas TE room’s ‘versatility’ isn’t showing up in the passing game

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Between 2022 and 2024, Texas Longhorns tight ends averaged almost 800 yards and six touchdowns on 65 receptions per season, fueled by the star power of Ja’Tavion Sanders and Gunnar Helm.

After a disappointing season from Cal Golden Bears transfer Jack Endries in 2025 that featured career-low production from the one-time walk on, the position room coached by Jeff Banks entered the 2026 season with expectations adjusted downward thanks to only three receptions for 54 yards returning and the addition of Michigan State transfer Michael Masunas, who notched only 24 catches for 270 yards and three touchdowns in three years with the Spartans.

Through four games, the four tight ends have combined for 97 yards on nine catches, production that translates to 27 catches for 388 yards over the regular season. The only season during the Steve Sarkisian era that featured fewer contributions from the tight ends in the passing game was 2021, Sarkisian’s first season in which Cade Brewer accounted for 22 of the 23 catches and the position, and all 184 yards and three touchdowns.

Given the lack of impact in the passing game beyond sophomore Emaree Winston coming up with his big reception on 4th and 9 against Ohio State and finishing the game with three catches for 38 yards, it was hardly surprising that Sarkisian chose to deflect from the passing game when discussing his tight ends on Thursday.

“I think production, we always want to think, did the ball get thrown to them, but are they pass protecting? Are they run blocking? Are they shifting and moving in a way where we can gain advantages and doing the things that we need to do? And do they understand why we’re doing it?” Sarkisian said.

Of course, those are all important aspects of the modern tight end position, which demands the type of versatility praised by the Texas head coach.

But let’s go back to the passing game for a minute since the Horns are missing so much from past years, not just in terms of production, but also in terms of how the tight end position can threaten defenses to open up opportunities for other players.

Simply put, it’s really not happening this year.

After three years in the Texas program without receiving a single target despite playing 265 career snaps, senior Spencer Shannon hasn’t flashed much upside as a pass catcher despite some modest gains in his movement ability, recording three catches for 24 yards.

The major revelation is that Shannon’s hands haven’t been reliable with two drops in his five targets.

During the spring, Sarkisian framed the pass-catching ability of Masunas as a positive revelation for the coaching staff, but playing time has been hard to come by for the transfer, who has only seen the field for 41 snaps this season without receiving a target.

Sophomore Nick Townsend’s ability to impact the passing game remains largely unknown since he’s received just four targets over 163 snaps — the early returns suggest that his biggest contributions will come as a hard-nosed blocker.

Built like a fullback, Winston has the best hands and route-running ability in the position room, but after flashing in the comeback against the Buckeyes, the 6’1, 245-pounder only has two targets with one catch for six yards in the last two games.

So there’s no evidence of seam-stretching ability from this group, they aren’t dangerous on play-action passes like Leak, and Sarkisian has put his tight end screen package into long-term storage.

For the Longhorns head coach, the apparent hope is that the entire group continues to get better throughout the season.

“I think all those guys maybe lacked a little experience, especially playing for us from Michael’s perspective, but I’m watching these guys grow and improve and get better, and they’re not perfect — nobody on offense is right now, nobody on our team is — but I think they’re working at their craft,” Sarkisian said.

With two big-bodied in-line tight ends in Shannon and Masunas, Townsend’s ability to serve as a move blocker and play some on the line of scrimmage in favorable matchups, and Winston available to use as a short-yardage fullback, there are certainly plenty of combinations for Sarkisian to employ.

And Shannon has had his flashy moments as a run blocker in addition to steady play in pass protection.

What Texas has lacked is that ideal pairing in 12 personnel since Townsend suffered a bone bruise against Ohio State. Remember how Townsend made his presence felt on the team’s first play from scrimmage this season, which is still the longest run by the Longhorns this season?

The Texas offense needs more blocks like that, and could get them once again with Townsend listed as probable on the team’s initial injury report released on Wednesday — the Spring Dekaney product has real game-changing ability as a blocker.

Right now, however, any significant contributions from the tight ends in the passing game look unlikely.

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