Thursday, March 28

UCLA tight ends grow together, forming tight-knit unit rooted in shared work ethic


Sophomore tight end Mike Martinez (center) is part of a young tight end unit for the Bruins charged with producing after the loss of Devin Asiasi to the NFL. (Kanishka Mehra/Photo editor)


This post was updated Oct. 25 at 7:26 p.m.

UCLA football’s tight end group lost their leading receiver from last season, Devin Asiasi, to the NFL.

And after a canceled spring program, things have gotten hairy for a few Bruin tight ends.

“Our tight end group’s been kind of doing the long hair, mustache thing so we’re going to see how long we can get it going,” said redshirt sophomore tight end Greg Dulcich. “This has been however long quarantine’s been, so I’m not very good at growing it. (Redshirt sophomore tight end David Priebe’s is) pretty nice when you get a chance to see that one.”

Dulcich said Priebe, redshirt freshman tight end Michael Churich and himself all began growing facial hair, and sophomore tight end Mike Martinez has joined his teammates in the bonding activity but admitted his mustache was lagging behind the others.

The tight ends have used this bonding and pride in their collective intensity as they supplement the loss of Asiasi. Asiasi – whose 641 yards and four touchdowns led the positional group in 2019 – now plays Sundays for the New England Patriots.

Despite new practice conditions because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a long layoff in the spring, Dulcich said their work ethic has been praised by coaches.

“(Tight ends/special teams coach Derek Sage) says something about this group of guys, we just work,” Dulcich said. “One of his sayings is we just bring our hard hat and our lunch pail every day, and that’s kind of the mentality you have to have as a tight end.”

The group has just one upperclassman, but it still has experience to lean on according to Dulcich, who was put on scholarship in March and said he gained almost 20 pounds of muscle this offseason.

“Me, (Priebe and Martinez) got a lot of experience last year,” Dulcich said. “(Churich) knows the offense really well. (Redshirt junior tight end Evidence Njoku) has been coming in with some really good stuff. We know exactly what we’re doing and I think we have been coming into it really well, with just understanding that we’ve got to do whatever we’re asked.”

After three starts at tight end and hauling in just three catches for 39 yards last season, Martinez said he worked in quarantine to better understand coach Chip Kelly’s offense.

“I would say the biggest leap (coming into this season for me) comes from a mental aspect,” Martinez said. “Everything’s starting to slow down more for me. The route concepts, the blocking schemes. It’s just becoming easier for me to understand.”

Martinez said it was tough to not practice with his teammates in the spring, but has taken advantage of the opportunity to become a better leader.

The unit stayed in touch over Zoom in the spring, even talking to Asiasi and former UCLA tight end Caleb Wilson for advice, and the group’s only upperclassman, Njoku, has turned out a strong camp, according to Dulcich.

Dulchich said Njoku, who announced his transfer from the University of Miami in January, has emerged as a vocal leader of the unit, all while displaying his ability to block at the position.

“(Njoku’s) always getting us juiced up before practice, making sure that we’re ready to go,” Dulcich said. “I think he brings really good energy not only to the tight end group, (but) the whole offense, team, everything. So (I’m) really excited to have him with us.”

Nineteen days from their season opener in Boulder, Colorado, coaches have emphasized that tight ends like Martinez lean on their strengths as they are more ingrained in atypical football routines.

COVID-19 Update

As for testing, Kelly said the Bruins have adjusted to taking tests as they arrive at the facility before practice.

“Yeah, it’s not an ordeal,” Kelly said. “They’re pretty proficient. That’s the first thing they do when they come here, so taking the test itself is not very long, it’s the processing of the test.”

Kelly said the coaching staff has also discussed its coaching infrastructure if a coach were to test positive but hasn’t ironed out a plan with Athletic Director Martin Jarmond.

Student-athletes are also expected to self-report potential COVID-19 symptoms and cannot enter the facility until returning a negative test.

Sports senior staff

Waldman is currently a Sports senior staff writer. He was previously an assistant Sports editor for the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, track and field, beach volleyball and men's soccer beats. Waldman was also a reporter on the women's basketball and beach volleyball beats. He is also a political science student at UCLA from Alameda, California.


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