OGDEN — Weber State football has enjoyed the steady presence of experienced tight ends for years now, but the likes of Justin Malone and Hayden Meacham are gone and, like many positions for the Wildcats in 2024, hungry newcomers must step up.

The first things tight ends coach David Fiefia looks for: toughness, physicality, technique and finishing. The ball may or may not come your way in a given game, but tight ends must always block well.

“I think of us as journeymen. You just do what it takes whenever the team needs us, how the team needs us, we’re there to answer the call,” Fiefia said. “Whether it’s putting our hand down and blocking for the run game, flexing out and catching a pass … on good days we get five or six targets and hopefully a touchdown once in a while, but we just do what’s best for the team.”

Third-year sophomore Keayen Nead has separated himself as the No. 1 tight end, which makes sense from an experience standpoint: his seven receptions for 28 yards last season are the only recorded Division I offensive stats in the group.

“He was drinking from a firehose last year but it was enough to give him a taste of what it takes to be the No. 1 tight end … and he’s responded really well with taking ownership, he’s always in the office watching film and he’s coaching up younger kids as well,” Fiefia said.

Nead, the son of former Idaho tight end Kelly and nephew to former BYU tight end Spencer, started in football as a defensive end or linebacker but “I just have the body for tight end, right?” The small-town Idahoan arrived home from a church mission just before the 2022 season, redshirted, and saw time in 2023.

Based on personnel, throwing to tight ends has been somewhat missing from Weber State’s recent offense, even though second-year head coach Mickey Mental used tight ends in the passing game quite a bit at Notre Dame College. Nead says that’s changing.

“More passes and more yards, this fall camp we’re throwing the ball around to tight ends — ones, twos and threes — which made me pretty happy,” the 6-foot-5 Nead said. “I think I’ve established myself as a pass-catcher.”

Fiefia said quarterback play is a big factor in what the offense looks like regarding tight end usage and sophomore Richie Muñoz returning after his five-game introduction last season will make a difference.

“Having the game slow down for him, where he can help the O-line set, set the protection … I think just the natural maturity from the quarterback spot and him communicating with the O-line, it’s enabled him to see the full field and see the tight end when he’s open,” Fiefia said.

Muñoz, says Nead, “may not be the most extroverted guy but he’s really establishing himself as a leader just through his play, his knowledge of the playbook,” he said. “I’ve been extremely impressed.”

Beyond more receptions, Nead’s also excited for how many tight ends may see the field at once. He thinks Weber State will use a big helping of two- and three-tight end sets to plow the road and spring themselves open for passes.

A big group of game-inexperienced teammates follow behind Nead (No. 45).

Utah transfer Noah Bennee (No. 84) has looked the part, Fiefia says. A junior, the 6-foot-4 Bennee has no career receptions and played special teams at Utah in 2023.

“He’s experienced what it feels like, what it looks like to perform on game day at a big-time program,” Fiefia said. “Pressure doesn’t really get to him, he studies really hard, works hard on things in practice, so I anticipate him being a solid guy in the rotation. … He’s flourished learning our offense and where he fits in.”

Junior Pete Knudson (No. 86) brings the next-most experience as a returner for WSU. Having spent some time at linebacker and defensive end in his time at Weber, the 6-foot-4, former high school quarterback is breaking into a place where he should see game reps at TE, Fiefia said. Knudson appeared in eight games in 2022, recording one tackle.

Samson Peaua (No. 25) could carve out a spot as well. Redshirting at BYU in 2022, the brother of WSU women’s basketball freshman Mata Peaua played at Snow College last season, catching 12 passes for 80 yards. Peaua is 6-foot-4 and has three seasons left to play.

Dahlyn Jones (6-foot-2) and Ammon Munyer (6-foot-5) round out the group, both returning as freshmen after redshirting last season. Jones (No. 88) had 609 receiving yards and seven touchdowns for the Texas 6A state champs in 2022, while Munyer (No. 95) last played as an Idaho prep in 2020 before serving a mission.