At least that’s the case presented by BYU tight ends Coach Kevin Gilbride, who aims to surround BYU’s new starter at quarterback this season with a lot of quality help.

“A tight end can absolutely be a young quarterback’s best friend,” Gilbride said. “They’re guys who are bigger who absolutely understand there are small windows in how to attack a football. It can come in small, underneath windows or beyond the (coverage), but they can also stretch the field and get the high ball. So yeah, a tight end can definitely be a young quarterback’s best friend.”

In order to provide true friendship, a tight end obviously has to prove capable. Last season saw BYU present tight ends that were capable blockers, although somewhat lacking in the receiving aspect and vice versa, leading coaches to explore bringing in other personnel at the position.

Enter Utah transfer Carsen Ryan.

Ryan entered the transfer portal shortly following the completion of last season with Cougar coaches quickly working to bring the former Timpview standout to Provo. Ryan ultimately took the opportunity to play for Gilbride in lieu of several other offers in hopes of adding to BYU’s strong tight end tradition.

“There’s been a lot of great tight ends here who have played in (Aaron Roderick’s) system through the years,” Ryan said. “When talking to BYU coaches it really felt like the right move for me. Things didn’t work out at Utah for me, but I really felt like BYU was a place where I’d have a great opportunity to prove myself and so far I think it’s worked out well.”

As far as things working out well for Ryan at BYU, Gilbride is absolutely in accord.

“He’s been everything we were hoping for and more,” Gilbride assessed. “He’s shown that he can execute in all areas of tight end play. He’s an all-around tight end that can function well in all responsibilities.”

For some fans, tight ends are employed to receive the football and on occasion complete blocking assignments, although it’s actually the other way around. At least in BYU’s offense.

“If blocking doesn’t come first, then it’s just like having just one other receiver out there, and it’s how defenses will play you,” Gilbride explained. “So it all starts with run-blocking and pass-protection.”

So far Ryan has proved equal the task on all fronts while emerging as one of the more-targeted receivers during most open practice sessions. Often is the occasion when the 6-foot-4, 250 pound senior makes stand out plays to extend offensive sets for the offense, showing a level of reciprocal comfort with BYU’s inexperienced trio of competing quarterbacks.

“I haven’t been counting my targets. I’ve just gone out there to do the best I can with each rep I get,” Ryan said. “I’m just trying to get open and become the comfort blanket every quarterback needs a tight end to be. It’s all about being in the right spot at the right time and hopefully I’ve shown that and continue to improve doing it.”

Off the field Ryan is pursuing a degree in economics, which has challenged him considerably.

“BYU is definitely harder than Utah with school, but it’s been good,” he said. “My classes and professors have been great, and even though I was sort of fighting for my life during winter semester, I’ve settled in and I keep telling myself that it’s going to be worth it at the end. It’s definitely not an easy degree, but my classes have been great and BYU overall has been everything I was looking for.”

Although Ryan is established as BYU’s top tight end, others have continued to progress with Gilbride hoping to employ several capable options this coming season. New Mexico transfer Keayen Nead (6-foot-5, 265 pound Jr.) has provided notable plays during practices and has progressed nicely, according to Gilbride, along with others such as Noah Moeaki (6-3, 245 Fr.), Will Zundel (6-5, 240 Fr.) and Anthony Olsen (6-4, 250 Jr.), among others. BYU’s most experienced tight end, Ethan Erickson (6-5, 245 Sr.) is still working his way back from injury.

“We have an exciting group of young players that are getting better each day,” Gilbride concluded. “Carsen will be leading us, but we’re going to need a lot of others to contribute and prove effective in executing all the things we require from our tight ends. Overall I’ve liked the progress we’ve had as a group this fall.”