Now that he has a tight ends coach in Bobby Acosta, Kendall Moore expects to be pushed to his limit much more than he was last season.

“It’s exciting to have a tight ends coach this year,” Moore said, “because I can actually progress as a tight end.”

Moore and Josh Parris showed flashes of potential last season — like Parris’ game-winning touchdown against Boston College, or Moore’s athletic touchdown grab against Northwestern — but they combined for just 19 catches and were seldom targeted in Syracuse’s offense.

Now, with a new coach assigned to the tight end position, an up-tempo offense and another year of experience, Parris and Moore, along with rising sophomore Tyler Provo, are preparing to be more involved in the offense.

“When you have a coach that can really sit down and rip apart their footwork and all that stuff, it makes them better,” Acosta said. “We do have talent at that position.”

While Parris, a junior, has emerged as the frontrunner to start at tight end, Acosta said the competition is still open. If Moore or Provo beats out Parris, Acosta said, that’ll just push Parris to improve even more.

It’s a good problem to have, he said — three young players with strong upsides, the ability to excel in multiple facets and the desire to improve.

Parris’ shining moment came against Boston College. After losing a game Parris said SU should have won to Pittsburgh the week before, the Orange was on the verge of missing a bowl.

Syracuse trailed the Eagles 31-27 with 2:08 to go, but Terrel Hunt ignited an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by Parris’ second career touchdown.

Parris said the play was in the works for weeks. He talked with offensive coordinator George McDonald at halftime, and the two decided it was time to bust it out. The defender kept overplaying him, so Parris knew he could elude him and burst toward the end zone.

It worked perfectly.

“I think I was probably more excited than Josh,” Moore said. “I ran out on the field and gave him a big hug, the second one of the day. It was an overwhelming feeling.”

Parris and Moore have become extremely close. As Moore has learned the nuances of tight end — he played center in the Spring Game and tackle in high school — Parris has been there to help.

“When he first came in, his steps were horrible,” Parris said, smiling and glancing at Moore. “He was still blocking like a tackle.”

“Open field last year, I had tunnel vision,” Moore said, as the two cracked up and had trouble reeling in the laughter.

But now, Parris said, Moore is more comfortable playing the position. Acosta said the 6-foot-5, 248-pound Moore uses his size to his advantage. He’s a skilled run blocker, too, but the main thing they’re working on is his speed.

One of Moore’s best assets is his multidimensionality. He’s translated his blocking proficiency to the tight end slot, and sometimes even catches the defense off guard.

“You think he’s blocking but he’s going out on a tight end screen or something,” Hunt said. “It’s the best thing for him because he’s able to be versatile.”

In spring practice, Parris, Moore and Provo mainly operated on a swiftly moving three-play rotation. When Moore’s in there, his mentor, Parris, zeroes in on his movement and technique. When Parris is on the field, the roles switch.

Syracuse’s fast-paced offense may allow the trio of tight ends to get more reps, with players constantly coming on and off the field. There’s a lot of movement, and potentially many more catches in store.

Said Moore: “Just keep the water ready, because there’s going to be a lot of running.”

Published on April 22, 2014 at 12:04 am

Contact Trevor: tbhass@syr.edu | @TrevorHass