PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – Kody Epps was on his way to stardom at BYU.
In 2022, Epps had six touchdowns in a five-game span before suffering a season ending shoulder injury. He worked his way back to play in eight games last year, but wasn’t himself. He finished with just 21 catches and score a single touchdown. This year, he’s feeling good.
“The consistency, that’s the difference,” Epps said after Thursday’s practice, “Just being consistent with where I’m at right now. That’s what I’m finding the most comfort and the most at ease with my body right now. Sometimes I get down on myself about certain plays, but at the end of the day, when I reflect on my day, I’m healthy.”
Now in his fifth season at BYU, Epps is appreciating every single rep he gets, especially after missing so much time the last two years.
“The next day isn’t guaranteed for any of us,” Epps said. “So every rep and every opportunity I get anything on this football field, I’m so gracious and appreciative of the opportunity. So, I take I take it all in. I soak it all in and I try to give it my total effort.”
“He’s giving back to himself,” said quarterback Gerry Bohanon. “His confidence is getting back. He’s had some injuries and things that probably have been worrying him. But I feel like he’s in a good headspace. So, he’s coming out here making plays for us.”
Another weapon Bohanon and the offense will have to work with this year is Keanu Hill. After making the switch from wide receiver to tight end, Hill hopes to create mismatch nightmares for opposing defenses.
“I’m loving the tight end position, and I feel like I was born to play at this position,” said Hill, who had 73 receptions for 1,212 yards and 11 touchdowns as a receiver. “Not going to lie to you, I feel like with my bigger body, I think it’s perfect for me.”
When he sees a bigger, slower linebacker line up against him, Hill starts licking his chops.
“For sure,” Hill said with a big smile. “I’ll start staying at the quarterback to make sure he sees the matchup too. “I’m always licking my chops. I always feel like I got the best matchup on the field.”
So how exactly can BYU exploit Hill’s speed and catching ability?
“I’ll give an example of the Chiefs with Travis Kelce,” Bohanon said. “You get a guy that’s very skilled as a receiver, and you get him in there against linebackers and safeties who don’t cover all the time, you got a mismatch there. So, it gives you some kind of comfort.”
But as a tight end, Hill had to bulk up a bit to handle some blocking duties, which he doesn’t seem to mind.
“I’ve always used to love blocking ever since I was in high school,” Hill said. “My dad always used to say, take pride in everything you do. So blocking is something I take pride in, especially nowadays because since I’m down in the trenches, my technique has to be spot on.”
إرسال تعليق