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Inside The Huskies

Redman Catches on as Adept Blocker, Becoming the Total Tight End

Tight-ends coach Derham Cato calls him one of the Huskies' most improved offensive players this spring.
Dan Raley|
Redman Catches on as Adept Blocker, Becoming the Total Tight End
Redman Catches on as Adept Blocker, Becoming the Total Tight End

Mark Redman is a redshirt freshman tight end who plays behind senior All-American candidate Cade Otton, is two years younger than well-used junior Devin Culp and likely has heard all of the discussion surrounding junior-college newcomer Quentin Moore. 

Redman, however, has been able to keep up with the older guys if not pass by most of them, by making significant strides over three weeks of spring practice.

"I think he's had a helluva spring," tight-ends coach Derham Cato said. "I think he's one of the most improved guys on the offense."

As Cato explained it, the 6-foot-6, 245-pound redshirt freshman from Newport Beach, California has upped his blocking skills to better complement his known receiving prowess, which is no small accomplishment.

The Huskies have three different uses for their tight ends, which is the reason they have seven of them on scholarship.

They line them up as point-of-attack blockers to facilitate the run game, as receivers stationed just off the line and as an H-back, or fullback, stationed behind the quarterback for more blocking duty. The typical UW tight end specializes in handling one or more of these roles.

Otton, the four-year starter to be, is able to play all three. 

The Huskies are grooming Redman, who appeared in all four games last season as a reserve, to do the same some day soon. Maybe be the next Otton. Or at least the greatest Redman in a purple shirt since Rick, the UW's All-America guard in 1963 and 1964.

"He's been really good in the run game at the point of attack," Cato said of Mark Redman. "We really think going forward he's going to be the guy next in line from that perspective. He's a pretty consistent pass-catcher, not many drops."

While the offense largely struggled in Friday's practice, second-unit wide receiver Taj Davis turned in his best showing of the spring. He had a number of catches, in particular one that stood out.

Midway through the workout, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound sophomore from Chino, California, who opted out last fall and returned to the team this spring, got between cornerback James Smith and safety Julius Irvin and hauled in a 28-yard pass from transfer quarterback Patrick O'Brien

Davis took a hit during the catch, but he held on tight. He then got up and threw the football away emphatically and began to gyrate as others let him know what an exceptional reception it was.

On Saturday, the Huskies run through a full-pad scrimmage, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Fans can apply on the UW athletics website to attend. 

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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