MOBILE, Ala. – There may be nine tight ends on the University of South Alabama’s preseason football roster, but only two have ever started a contest for the Jaguars as they have built a 17-0 résumé in their first two seasons of competition.

Seniors Paul Bennett and Kevin Helms have recorded 13 starts apiece during that stretch, combining to make 29 catches — including reaching the end zone on four occasions — for 334 yards.  And, just as important, they have handled the blocking duties required of the position in USA’s offensive scheme to help the unit record over 435 yards and 40 points per game.

As such, preseason expectations for production from Jag tight ends begins with the duo.

“We’re expecting big things from Paul and Kevin on and off the field,” assistant coach Bryant Vincent, who mentors the position, stated.  “They are two outstanding players who bring a lot to the table.  One thing we are counting on from Kevin and Paul outside of being great players at the position is their leadership.  Every great football team has to have tremendous senior leadership, and we are relying on them to be two of the main leaders of this team.

“They are very experienced, very talented and they are tough, physical players that this football team can rally around.”

Although known for blocks that earned him the coaches’ “War Daddy” award on four occasions last fall, Bennett still managed to catch nine passes for 130 yards and his first career touchdown.  At 6-foot and 245 pounds, the Maylene, Ala., native weighs nearly as much as several individuals on the offensive line.

“Going into the fall, Paul will be the starting U-Back,” explained Vincent.  “The way I like to describe Paul is that he is the same guy every day — he comes to practice and the weight room with the same attitude, and that’s to work his tail off and to get better every day.  He brings a lot of toughness and leadership to this team.”

Helms, on the other hand, has three touchdown receptions among his 14 career catches, with two of those coming in the final three games a year ago.  He gave the Jaguars the lead for good against Georgia State with just under seven minutes to go with a nine-yard catch from C.J. Bennett, while his four-yard scoring reception in the season finale against Arkansas-Monticello was the first of three straight USA scores that broke the game open in the second half.

“Kevin Helms, to me, has the potential to have a breakout season,” Vincent said of the 6-foot-3, 235-pound resident of Gulfport, Miss.  “Kevin can run, he can catch, he can block, and he is tough and physical.  I feel like he is our best threat catching the ball at this position.”

Bennett and Helms won’t be the only tight ends to take the field for the Jags this fall, though.  The group includes another pair of players who earned letters at the position last season, as well as a junior-college transfer who began classes in the spring and was able to take part in practice and offseason conditioning.

Ryne Baxter was a member of the offensive line in the program’s first season of competition, but he ended up seeing action in all 10 games in 2010 at tight end after making the move the previous spring.  As a true freshman last fall, Rush Hendricks also appeared in every contest, catching two passes for 24 yards.  Both individuals also contributed on special teams, with the latter recovering a fumbled punt return against Kentucky Wesleyan while also recording a fourth-down tackle on a fake punt in USA’s win over Missouri S&T the following week.

“We’re counting on Ryne and Rush to help this football team,” Vincent observed.  “Ryne had a great spring, he’s a great blocker who is tough and physical, and also a very intelligent player.  We’re going to count on Ryne to help us win games this fall.

“Rush is another guy who had a good spring, but we’re looking for him to take his game to the next level,” he continued.  “He has a lot of ability and is a good athlete, he’s a 4.0 student and has a great work ethic.”

In fact, Vincent believes that Baxter may be a surprise player making a key contribution to those familiar with the Jaguar offense this season.  “I think it could be Ryne, he’s just solid in everything he does.”

A key newcomer to the unit joined the program in January from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, though his ties to USA football run deeper than most incoming recruits — Kennedy Helms is the younger brother of Kevin.  In the fall, the younger Helms had two of his four catches go for touchdowns as MGCCC finished third in the final National Junior College Athletic Association poll.

“Kennedy is a very intelligent player,” commented Vincent.  “He’s big, he’s physical, he’s very eager to learn and has the desire to be a great player.  It was very important for him to get here in the spring because, in our offense, the position dictates that you might play tight end or the offset fullback [U-Back]; there’s a lot that goes into this offense in those positions, it’s probably the toughest position to learn outside of quarterback.

“He was able to get a jump start understanding this offense, which is key because we’re losing Paul and Kevin after this year and will be thin at tight end.  It’s important that he mature and progress in this system.”

With Bennett and Helms entering their final season of eligibility, the coaching staff recognizes that the duo are being counted on not just to produce on the field but to help begin the transition to those who will start following their departure.

“It puts a lot of responsibility on them,” said Vincent.  “They mean a lot to this program having been here from the beginning, they have been through all the wars that have helped get us to where we are as a program right now.

“There is a lot of responsibility on their shoulders to help carry this team to the next level.”

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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