Marcus Satterfield is fired up about Nebraska’s tight ends: ‘I’ve been very pleased’

The Huskers’ co-offensive coordinator is rarely as fired up as when he takes charge of the position group during practice. Whether sprinting across the field to lead the tight ends to a new station, coaching technique during drills or taking part in them, Satterfield’s energy for the room is obvious — and it’s because he feels has a special group on his hands.

“I love my room, and not just because it’s mine,” Satterfield said. “I’ve been very pleased with their development and their willingness to get better, (how) they work hard and the competitiveness they play with.”

The top-end talent present with Nebraska’s tight end room has kept the position group consistent and steady heading into the 2024 season. The top three Huskers at the position — Thomas Fidone II, Nate Boerkircher and Luke Lindemeyer — each played 11 or more games a year ago, marking breakthrough campaigns for all three players.

“We saw a lot of snaps last year, the three of us, and that’s really helped with our experience and our confidence,” Boerkircher said.

Fidone has never lacked for confidence, even after the first two seasons of his collegiate career were sidetracked because of knee injuries.

That changed last fall when Fidone played 30 or more snaps in every single Nebraska game and ended the season unscathed. Albeit in a down year for the Nebraska passing offense, the tight end led the Huskers with four receiving touchdowns and ranked second on the team in receptions (25) and receiving yardage (260).

“Being able to have that one full year and being able to build off that and continuing to have a healthy season is going to be beneficial for us as a team and me as a player,” Fidone said on July 30.

Both as a pass-catcher and blocker, Fidone said he’s shaping his game after one of the NFL’s best tight ends in George Kittle. The two have gotten into contact, Fidone said, and he hopes to work out with Kittle at some point in the future to learn tips about how the veteran continues to dominate physically.

Fidone wants to dominate at the collegiate level, too — but he knows it’ll take more than just him to help the Nebraska offense achieve its goals. Lindenmeyer, a sophomore, continues to improve as an all-around tight end capable of filling in for Fidone or Boerkircher without losing a step.

A fifth-year junior, Boerkircher has a major presence as one of the best blockers in Nebraska’s tight end room. Having started seven games and caught five passes a year ago, Boerkircher should be on the field whenever the Huskers line up in a two-tight end formation.

“As a walk-on and a Nebraska kid, that’s the gritty side of football and that’s something I take pride in,” Boerkircher said of his status as run blocker. “… Last year a big role for me was blocking and pulling, so it was important for me to develop better route-running and footwork, and I think coach Satt has helped me out a lot in that area.”

Behind the three returning veterans, Satterfield is also coaching the next wave of Husker tight ends.

Junior AJ Rollins has moved back to the offensive side of the ball after spending the 2023 season at defensive end, while redshirt freshman Cayden Echternach is developing physically in his second year with the program. A host of true freshmen — Ian Flynt, Danny King Eric Ingwerson and Connor Schutt — are also learning the ropes of the position. Fullback Barret Liebentritt is also working with the tight ends.

In order to get the most out of his tight ends as pass-catchers, Satterfield has put the group through many practice drills with Nebraska’s quarterbacks.

“He really helps us as tight ends know the whole play and every minute detail,” Boerkircher said. “That helps us with leverage in blocking and it helps us with spacing in our pass concepts.”

The player who’ll catch the most passes in the room, Fidone, said that he and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola built “a strong connection” over the spring and summer — and that he believes in a common football saying that “a tight end is a young quarterback’s best friend.”

Fidone is the standout tight end on Nebraska’s roster, but the room is much more than that. With the help of a position coach who also calls the plays for the Husker offense, things are falling in place for a big 2024 season out of Nebraska’s tight ends.

“I think we’re going to be a huge focal point, especially in the red zone, (as) vertical threats and over the middle,” Fidone said. “All of us have a lot of athleticism and a big catch radius, so we always like to say we’re always open no matter what.”