Texas A&M Football: 4 things we learned from the spring game

3. Tight ends are going to be a big deal

Jace Sternberger looks to be a huge cog in the new-look offense. He suited up for the maroon team on Saturday, hauling in eight passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. His first two grabs highlighted his potential impact in this offense. He bailed out Starkel on a key third down conversion before breaking free later in the same drive for the maroon team’s first touchdown. The second touchdown of the day was also to a tight end. Kellen Mond connected with Ryan Rennick for a 4-yard score in the second quarter.

On the surface that sounds like a good day for a good player, but the history of the tight end position at Texas A&M makes that big day by Sternberger seem astronomical.

Tight ends caught 35 passes under the last six seasons in Kevin Sumlin’s offense, averaging just shy of .5 receptions per game. The eight grabs by Sternberger today plus two more by other tight ends make for 10 total catches by tight ends – 20 times the rate of receptions in the Kevin Sumlin era.