Inside The Bears

Coach Dave Aranda compared Baylor star Michael Trigg to NFL tight end

Michael Trigg causes a lot of havoc, but so did this former player Aranda coached against.
Jacob Haddadin|
Michael Trigg vs. Kansas State
Michael Trigg vs. Kansas State | Brady Harris | Photographer

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Coach Dave Aranda was asked if he had ever seen a TE better than Michael Trigg. Here is what he had to say.

(Michael Trigg) a matchup problem. I remember at LSU, we played Florida, and we won the game. They put too many points on us 2019 year... (Kyle Pitts) was a matchup problem, and Trigg would be similar.
Coach Dave Aranda

Kyle Pitts is currently the starting tight end for the Atlanta Falcons and is having the best season of his career in 2025. Let's check out Pitts' 2020 season, his last season at Florida, and compare it to what Michael Trigg has done through 9 games at Baylor.

Florida TE Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts in a game against Vanderbilt in 2019. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File) | John Raoux/Associated Press

Kyle Pitts 2020 Season

Kyle Pitts actually finished 10th in Heisman voting in 2020. He was the first tight end to receive Heisman votes since 1967. He was a focal point of a good Florida team that finished 8-4 with a Cotton Bowl loss to Oklahoma to finish the year. They finished 13th in the final AP poll.

Pitts himself played 8 games in 2020, totaling 43 catches and 770 yards. That is 17.7 yards per reception. On the season, it averages to 5.4 receptions per game and 96.3 yards per game. The most stunning stat of all is 12 touchdowns in 8 games. That is unbelievable for any pass catcher; it makes sense why Aranda mentioned him as someone who caused so many issues for that talented LSU defense. Later in the year, Kyle Pitts was drafted 4th overall by the Atlanta Falcons and has continued to grow in his NFL journey.

How does Pitts compare to Michael Trigg?

Michael Trigg this season has 40 receptions, 607 yards, and 6 touchdowns. He averages 15.2 yards per reception. Trigg has played nine games and those stats are earily similar to Kyle Pitts. While Michael Trigg has not received Heisman attention he has been shortlisted for both the Biletnikoff and the John Mackey Award, two of the most prestigious awards an offensive player can receive. Trigg also has received draft hype as of late, while he won't go top 5 like Kyle Pitts did, he is expected by some to go in the first round.

Both Michael Trigg and Kyle Pitts have similar playing styles and are able to be utilized in similar ways. Coach Aranda mentioned Kyle Pitts specifically being used as an X receiver, someone who can be used on the outside, and mentioned how they use him and Trigg in the same way. This is special, as most tight ends are not quick enough or as good at running routes where they can be used effectively on the outside.

Aranda also mentions how Pitts was used on the inside and how they use Trigg in the same way, as the traditional Y, slot-receiver archetype. Aranda mentions that Trigg can block, too. Something that Pitts is criticized for to this day. Michael Trigg has improved since his first season at Baylor as a run blocker, but many would say that is still a weak point in his game.

The comparison of Michael Trigg and Kyle Pits is a good one. They are both receiving tight ends who move incredibly well for their size and weight, and are the vocal points for their offenses. We’ve seen Kyle Pitts succeed at the next level with the Atlanta Falcons, and it’ll be interesting to see how Michael Trigg is utilized when he gets his opportunity in the NFL. Michael Trigg has three games left in his Baylor career, and it will be necessary for him to continue to produce if Baylor wants a chance at winning those difficult games.

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Jacob Haddadin
JACOB HADDADIN

Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.

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