The second story in a series previewing position groups for the Arkansas football team
FAYETTEVILLE — Trey Knox no longer is a wide receiver making the transition to tight end as he did on the run after last season’s opener.
Knox, a senior at the University of Arkansas, is a full-fledged tight end.
At 6-5 and 245 pounds, Knox looks like a tight end physically, and he’s had the time to learn the playbook and details of the position.
Knox gradually worked to add weight last season, going from 215 to 227 pounds, but that still was light for a tight end by SEC standards.
“I’ve put on a lot of weight, but I feel great. I feel amazing,” Knox said after Sunday’s practice. “Just ready to go play.”
At Knox’s request, he moved to tight end when he didn’t have a catch in the Razorbacks’ 38-17 victory over Rice to open the season after he had seven receptions for 70 yards in 2020.
Knox, who as a freshman in 2019 had 28 receptions for 385 yards, understood he could help himself and the team by playing tight end, where the Razorbacks lacked depth.
That doesn’t mean the move was easy.
“Last year was definitely hard,” Knox said. “Not being able to learn the little nuances of playing the position, of course, because you don’t have enough time to sit and really be coached on details when you’re getting ready for an opponent.”
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Knox said by going through spring practice and summer workouts he’s learned more about how to block defensive ends and improved his footwork and hand placement so he can strike more effectively.
“Just all the little details that make you so much better than just playing with raw strength and playing off of athleticism,” he said.
Adjustments aside, the move worked out well for Knox as he became a reliable receiver for quarterback KJ Jefferson, especially in two-minute drill situations, and had 20 catches for 141 yards.
“Trey comes in with a different skill set at the tight end position,” Jefferson said. “I don’t call him a tight end necessarily. I call him a flex-tight end because we can still put Trey out there at wide receiver and just let him play. That’s his background.”
Jefferson said Knox creates mismatch problems for linebackers trying to cover him.
“Relying on Trey, it’s truly just confidence,” Jefferson said. “I know he’s going to be in the right spot at the right time. I know he’s going to run his route.
“We’re able to have chemistry in those crunch situations.”
Safety Jalen Catalon said he can see the difference in Knox through the early part of training camp.
“Most of it’s muscle,” Catalon said of Knox’s added weight. “You can tell he’s moving well. You can tell he’s comfortable now. He’s comfortable in the system.
“I expect a lot of great things from him in the offense and using him a lot, because he’s a weapon.
“He’s a matchup problem now that he’s gotten more acclimated to it. He’s moving fluidly and I’m proud of him for making that transition and keeping a level head and doing it for the best of the team.”
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Arkansas assistant Dowell Loggains, who coaches the tight ends, said Knox’s transition from wide receiver was made smoother because of his intelligence.
“He’s going to be successful in life because he’s a conceptual thinker,” Loggains said. “He wants to know the why in everything.
“Everything we do. Why do you take this step? Why is it important you get your second step in the ground? He has the advantage coming from the wideout room … He knows what all five [receivers] are supposed to do. He also knows where the ball is supposed to go based on coverage.”
Knox is the leader of what has become a deep tight end room where others being counted on include juniors Hudson Henry and Nathan Bax. Eight players are working at the position, with true freshman Ty Washington getting reps behind Knox, Bax and Henry.
“In all honesty, I think we have the most talented tight end room that we’ve had in a very long time,” said Henry, who made four starts last season and had four catches for 27 yards. “We have a good group of core guys who we can get in there and run a lot of different personnel out of.”
Loggains, a former Razorback quarterback and holder and long-time NFL offensive coordinator, joined Arkansas’ staff last season.
“The room has done a good job just competing and really focused on themselves and learning the offense and what they have to do inside the offense,” Loggains said. “It’s easy for me in year two knowing what this offense asks of this position to be able to teach better and have those guys have a better understanding of what’s happening and what skill set they need and where we have to improve and what our strengths and weaknesses are.”
Loggains spent extra time coaching up Knox at his new position during last season, but that no longer is necessary.
“Trey has found a good way [to add weight] and looks good and moves well,” Loggains said. “It’s a tribute to the kid’s work ethic and our strength staff and Julie [Zalewski] our nutritionist, who has done a great job with him.
“It is a commitment. It’s not just, ‘Hey, put on weight.’ You have to change your mindset. You go from playing wide receiver where you have to block, but you’re out there on the edge. You’re blocking people that are your size.
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“Compared to now you have to block defensive ends. And now on the second level you’re blocking linebackers.
“It’s a mindset, and that’s where the mental toughness comes in. It’s not for everybody. Not everybody can make this transition, but Trey is a mentally tough kid. He’s physically tough.”
Running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders said he can tell Knox is confident in his blocking.
“He’s not a scared guy. He wants to block,” Sanders said. “So having somebody that wants to block in front of you is lovely.”
Knox has gained 40 pounds since being 205 as a sophomore.
“Stuffing my face,” he said with a smile. “Eating any and everything. I’ve said it before, literally I was just eating everything. Drinking chocolate milk before bed. Protein shakes.”
Knox said he also ate a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chicken, steak and potatoes.
“Working out, too,” Knox said. “I transformed my body.
“It’s not all bad weight. Like, it’s not bad weight at all. I feel good.”
Arkansas' tight ends at a glance
RETURNING STARTER Hudson Henry (3 starts in 2021, 4 in 2020)
LOSS Blake Kern
WHO’S BACK Trey Knox, Nathan Bax, Erin Outley, Collin Sutherland
WHO’S NEW Ty Washington
WALK-ONS Nathan Johnson, Zach Lee
ANALYSIS Knox, a senior, made the transition from wide receiver to tight end early last season and took well to the position. He should be the starter now after adding needed weight. Bax, a former walk-on, and Henry figure to compete for playing time when the offense uses two-tight end sets. The depth is much better than last season despite the loss of freshman Dax Courtney, who announced before camp he was retiring from football after sustaining numerous injuries.