Huskies Turn To Freshmen To Fill In Holes At Tight End

Kade Eldridge started the first game held in his college football career, taking the field for USC as a freshman tight end in a 27-20 victory over LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Quentin Moore knows about Allegiant Stadium, too.

As a junior tight end, Moore caught what proved to be a game-winning touchdown pass covering 2 yards late in the University of Washington's 34-31 win over Oregon in the 2023 Pac-12 championship game just off the Vegas strip.

Now that's pressure and performance.

However, both of those players, seemingly with NFL opportunities awaiting them at some point, went down with injuries last weekend at Michigan in the 24-7 loss and left Jedd Fisch's coaching staff in a mad scramble to fill the void.

The 6-foot, 250-pound Eldridge from Lynden, Washington, was lost for the season to a broken foot, while Moore, a 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from Kenmore, is out a week or more after collapsing with what has been described as a concussion.

Enter their replacements: Baron Naone and Austin Simmons.

Austin Simmons heads upfield in ball on the East field. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Their first names make them sound like a pair of British aristocrats, but they're true freshmen tight ends, both from Oregon, now being pressed into service ahead of their time.

Consider that Cade Otton redshirted as a UW freshman tight end. So did Jack Westover and Devin Culp. All are NFL players now.

While neither Naone nor Simmons has to be the No. 1 tight end, leaving that responsibility to sophomore Decker DeGraaf, the Huskies rely heavily on multiple tight-end sets to run their offense.

They even had Eldridge operating out of a fullback position, same as Westover before him, not only blocking but carrying the football.

Moore, for that matter, is considered a blocker supreme, a talent that should give him a shot at pro football.

"Q is pretty unique," UW offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty said.

Baron Naone and his parents on his UW recruiting visit. | UW

So here comes the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Naone and the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Simmons, entrusted with filling in as both receivers and blockers right away. There are no speicalists here, just full-service players.

"I think those kids are more in the mold -- they're really able to do both," Dougherty said. "We didn't want to bring in just a big receiver who would just be a threat in the passing game."

While playing for a run-heavy West Linn High School team, Naone showed off his receiving skills early last season with 6 catches for 60 yards and a pair of touchdown covering 26 and 5 yards in a 34-27 victory over Sumner.

Simmons, notably mobile for a tight end, had a senior season at West Albany High School in which he pulled in 41 balls for 756 yards and 7 scores.

Austin Simmons changed his appearance during spring ball. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Noane is considered a physical player, seemingly able to play edge rusher on the college level if needed.

Simmons appears extra serious in his football pursuits. He showed up for UW spring football with long hair hanging out the back of his helmet, but he had it all shaved off by the end of those 15 workouts.

While Simmons is waiting to appear in his first Husky game, Naone has received a taste, getting on the field in the season opener against Colorado State and last weekend at Michigan.

Here they come, ready or not.

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