Michigan Football needs to utilize Zach Gentry more in 2018
The Michigan football team has a lot of exciting options on offense. But one that needs to be used more is tight end Zach Gentry.
Michigan football was not a good offensive team during the 2017 season. It doesn’t take a lot of analysis or investigating to understand that. However, one position that was productive for the Wolverines was tight end and with guys like Zach Gentry, that production should only increase.
If you don’t know tons about Gentry, that’s understandable. He came to Michigan football as a quarterback and then made the switch to tight end. The redshirt junior has played their the past two seasons, albeit, with mixed results.
After not catching any passes in 2016 and not seeing much of the field, of course, due to the presence of Jake Butt, Gentry had a breakout season of sorts in 2017. He only caught 17 passes but went for 303 yards and caught two touchdown passes.
Only wide receiver Grant Perry had more receiving yards than Gentry. Sean McKeon, another tight end, joined Perry is being the only other player on the team with more receptions. He finished with 31, Perry had 25.
Gentry was somewhat consistent, catching passes in nine games last season, including at least two receptions in at least six games. The redshirt junior also had three receptions against Purdue and Maryland. Those were his best games as a sophomore, with 48 yards and a score against the Boilers, as well as 63 yards a touchdown versus the Terps.
But now with his unique blend of size and athleticism, Gentry has the ability to be a weapon. And with Shea Patterson throwing him the football, in an offense that is hopefully more up-tempo, Gentry could thrive.
While the tight end position was solid last year, with a legitimate quarterback, things could be even better. Gentry is a guy that is most effective in the slot and the seam. He can line up outside and as an in-line tight end, his blocking has even improved greatly, but his ability to make big plays is still his most valuable asset to UM.
Gentry will never be the two-way standout that Jake Butt was. That bar is just too high. Butt could do it all, not just as a receiver, but as a blocker too. Butt might have been the best tight end Michigan football has had since Jerame Tuman, a guy who won a national title at Michigan and had a long NFL career.
Gentry isn’t quite like those guys. He is not the dominant blocker they both were, but in terms of pass catching, he might be better, at least in the same league as Butt.
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Mismatches are important when it comes to being a great offense. Michigan football didn’t have many it could exploit last season. In Gentry, UM has one, a guy that can be dangerous in the seam and in the red zone. Now, it’s time for Patterson and the Wolverines to take advantage of it.