Alabama TE Josh Cuevas Carrying Veteran Mentality into Second Season

Cuevas was down in the spring, but feels good physically heading into year two at Alabama.

Josh Cuevas (80) celebrating with teammates Jam Miller and CJ Dippre. | Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— One of Alabama football's spring storylines this year was lack of available depth at tight end. Redshirt senior Josh Cuevas was one of the players who got banged up, and two of his focuses this summer have been to work back into football shape and to be a leader.

"We've been really trying to work at everything individually, and it's really hard to do that when we don't have bodies," Cuevas said Monday at the Crimson Tide's media day. "I feel good. I feel great. Going back into fall camp, I think I'm in a good spot, weight wise, and just speed and everything."

Cuevas made 16 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown in his first year with the program last season. However, he joined many of his peers on the injured list thereafter, and the room was left with Jay Lindsey as the only healthy scholarship player during spring ball.

"We weren't very good depth-wise going into the spring," Cuevas said. "Jay stepping up, we've got Peter Knudson stepping up too and just taking a whole bunch of reps... It's even better, it's even more helpful for me as well having other guys to lean on to teach some of the younger guys who came in some of the playbook stuff."

The position will get something of a facelift this fall, with Cuevas slotted for the leadership role in a new-look group after the departures of CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts. Alabama made four portal additions at the tight end spot in total. Cuevas said getting the system down is the most important thing.

"You can't really do anything unless you know what you're doing," he said. "Once you know what you're doing, then you can start working on the technical aspect of the game and stuff like that. Once you get that going... it makes it a lot easier on the field, and you don't think as much. That's been kind of the big emphasis [for] me as an older guy."

Cuevas has one thing no other tight end on the roster this season (or last) does. He played for Kalen DeBoer at Washington, meaning there was no new-coach learning curve for him last year, though being on a new team brings its own set of changes regardless. Now that Cuevas has been in Tuscaloosa for a year, he's put his voice on display more.

"You obviously get more comfortable with the team," he said. "At first, you're kind of wary of like, how much did you really get into the different things? But going into the second year, you're a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more outspoken."

"You're able to just kind of be a little bit more of a leader. I wouldn't say order people around, but just let them know, give them a nudge, just kind of let them know how DeBoer works, and his whole staff, stuff like that," he said.