BYU's Remington Peck leaps over San Jose State cornerback Jimmy Pruitt after a catch in the Cougars' 17-16 win over San Jose State on Nov. 6, 2015. Peck has switched from the defensive line to tight end. (Associate Press)
BYU senior Remington Peck was recently moved from defense to offense as tight end, and he is already contributing to the Cougars' success on offense.
BYU fans have seen what a good tight end can do for the passing game. The tight end is something BYU's offense is made for, according to Peck. Former Cougars Dennis Pitta and Andrew George were perfect examples of good tight ends that helped open up the field for outside receivers.
Some might think that this would have been a rough transition for Peck, but the Bingham High graduate is no stranger to the tight end position. He recorded three catches for 41 yards in the Cougars' loss against Missouri after making the transition to tight end just two weeks prior.
Peck said things are starting to feel more regular now after several weeks of play at the tight end position. He attributes his success to the guys in his position room that have coached him along the past few weeks.
Peck made a subtle transition in the Wagner game when he played part of the game at tight end and the other part on defense. He then made the full switch to tight end at practices during the team's bye week. He recorded his first catch in the Cougars close win against San Jose State — the first catch recorded by a Cougar tight end in 2015.
The Cougars have lacked pass-catchers at the tight end position over the past couple of years, which has primarily been used for blocking. However, Peck has shown that he can give the team an opportunity to turn that around. Unfortunately, he is the only healthy tight end the Cougars have right now. But who knows how much more effective Peck will be with only a few games remaining. Regardless, he is already making a difference on offense.
Having Peck in the game as an offensive threat shows that a tight end option can open up the pass lanes for the outside receivers. Quarterback Tanner Mangum said he is excited to have Peck on the offensive side of the ball, as he has done a good job at catching the ball and helping out in the run game.
BYU's depth at the tight end position was lacking after losing tight end Bryan Samson to a season ending injury against Cincinnati on Oct. 16. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall then went to the drawing board with coach Robert Anae. That's when they had an 'epiphany' that Peck was the guy for the job, and within two days he was practicing with the offense.
'He's emerged as a true tight end,' Mendenhall said. 'He has earned that spot for the rest of the season.'
Peck's full role on the offense continues to develop and should give Cougar fans something to get excited about.