Morgan Turner Breaks Down Tight End Progress in Fall Camp

Tight ends coach Morgan Turner met with the media following Day 2 of fall camp to shine some light on the position group and where they stand. There was plenty of turnover at this position from last season, but Turner has been impressed with their chemistry so far.

Early Bonding

Turner emphasized how having good chemistry is beneficial to everyone on a team. In the tight end room it started in January, led by returner Andreas Paaske.

“It all started when they showed up in January and Andreas got the whole group together and said we’re going go-karting and took them all out,” Turner said. “So, I mean they hit the ground running, and we’ve had enough transfers, we’ve had enough movement that they know the faster we could mesh together, the faster we get along, the better we’re going to be as a team.”

Turner had high praise for the steps that Paaske has taken as a leader for this position group and for the team over the offseason.

“He’s one of the guys that was a summer captain,” Turner said. “And he’s worked like crazy. He wants to be a better blocker. He wants to be a better receiver. It matters to him, and it shows.”

“There are little things he’s done, whether it’s helping the new guys move in or working through the visa stuff with the international guys. That stuff builds trust in the room.”

[You may also be interested in Sam Pittman Recaps Fall Camp Day 1]

New Additions

Arkansas brought in multiple new additions to the tight end room. The most mentioned and asked-about new addition was Rohan Jones. The Montreal, Canada, native joined the Hogs after having a standout season at FCS school Montana State and is starting to draw attention.

“He’s got really natural hands,” Turner said. “Natural route runner, but he’s not scared in the run game. He’ll go hit you. He’s embraced it, and I’m really excited about where he’s going.”

The Hogs also brought in Jaden Platt from Texas A&M. Although he is new to the Hogs, he has previous relationships with some of the staff, including Turner, who recruited him out of high school, and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who coached him at A&M in the same role. The last two new additions came from the freshman recruiting class in Hutson Hendrix and Gavin Garretson.

Fall Camp Focus

Turner mentioned the key to being successful, especially in the SEC, is being physical. So, that is one thing the tight ends will continuously work on leading up to the season opener.

“In this league, the most physical team’s going to win,” Turner said. “We’re going to put our hand in the dirt and go knock people off the ball.”

Another area that needs some fine-tuning is knowing the basics of the offensive system. Turner said the tight ends will have to be smart and know their responsibilities, from their alignment to their assignments and the ability to do it quickly.

Looking Ahead

As fall camp continues, Turner’s confidence in the tight end group reflects a broader optimism around the program. His emphasis on chemistry, toughness and detail-oriented development sets the tone for a group that’s still growing but already making an impression. The foundation is in place, and now it’s about building on it each day.

“We’ve got a room of guys that are working hard, supporting each other, and taking coaching,” Turner said. “That’s where it starts. The more ways we can make the defense adjust, the better we’re going to be.”