BEAUMONT, Texas – Over the course of the next couple weeks LamarCardinals.com will be breaking down the 2021 Lamar University football team, position-by-position, leading into the season opener against North American University Thursday, Sept. 2 from Provost Umphrey Stadium.
 
Today LamarCardinals.com will look at the LU wide receivers and tight ends.
 
WR Quick Facts:
 
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/1  

Starters Returning/Lost: 3/0

Newcomers: 8

Top Returner: Kirkland Banks. On a team that is very young, Banks is the savvy veteran that every position is looking for. After gaining back his COVID year, Banks enters the 2021 campaign with four years of experience. In just six games last season, the Lake Charles, La., native led Big Red in receptions, receiving yards and yards per receptions. He has also served as a threat on special teams in the past for the Red and White.
 
Stats: The Cardinals closed their final season in the Southland Conference ranked 11^th in passing offense, averaging just 119.0 passing yards per game with only five passing touchdowns. LU didn't have a receiver who finished the year ranked in the top 10 in either receptions per game or receiving yards per game. Those stats are a bit misleading considering one of their top targets coming into the season – Marcellus Johnson – played in only three games due to injuries.

Noteworthy: The aforementioned return of Marcellus Johnson – due to an injury early in the 2020 campaign, we never really got to see what Johnson was capable of. Originally signed as a quarterback out of high school, Johnson was moved to receiver following his redshirt season due to a lack of depth at the position but was forced back into the role when the Cardinals faced overwhelming injuries at quarterback in 2019. The 2020 season was set to be his coronation at the position until COVID and injuries set in.
 
The Storyline
The Cardinals return so many veterans at the position behind names like Banks, Johnson and Erik Pizarro – the Cardinals third starter from a year ago – which is cause for optimism. Between those three, LU returns a wealth of experience and all bring different skill sets to the position between size, speed, route running, and strong hands, this could be a very strong unit for the Red and White in 2021.
 
Banks led the team with 14 receptions for 183 yards (13.1 ypr) last season, while Johnson finished second on the team (despite playing in only three games) with 11 catches for 137 yards (12.5 ypr). Pizzaro was fifth on the squad with eight catches for 57 yards. The concerning stat for Big Red's top three is that none of them hauled in a TD pass in 2020. There are a number of factors that play into that between COVID constantly altering practice schedules, the season getting pushed to the spring, only playing a six-game schedule and the team as a whole being overwhelmingly young. Make of that what you will, but it's definitely a number that head coach Blane Morgan and company are looking to improve upon this season.
 
In addition to the three returning starters, the Cardinals also return a bevy of players who saw plenty of snaps last season, even though they may not have had their names in the starting lineup. Those names include Tyrique Carter (Huntsville freshman), Alex Connell (Buna, freshman), Jacoby Davis (Houston, sophomore) and Jack Roe (Humble, sophomore).
 
The names previously mentioned provide LU's eight newcomers a benefit last year's newcomers didn't have. The incoming freshmen, while talented in their own right, won't have the same pressure placed on them during their first season as last year's group did. The eight newcomers – all incoming freshmen – include Dozie Ifeadi (6-1, 185, Tyler, Texas), Ethan Newton (6-2, 160, Houston, Texas), Keshaun Lazard (6-0, 175, Opelousas, La.), Luke Ferguson (6-3, 171, Grandview, Texas), Canden Grogan (6-3, 165, Mont Belvieu, Texas), Vernon Mosely III (5-9, 185, Houston, Texas), David Jefferson (5-10, 165, Pearland, Texas) and Javonta Thomas (5-11, 190, Van, Texas). This group brings added size (with five of the eight standing at least 6-0) and speed to the position.
 
 
TE Quick Facts:
 
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/0  

Starters Returning/Lost: 1/0

Newcomers: 3

Top Returner: This, again, is a really tough question to answer. Jeremy Davis started three games last season before having his season cut short due to injury, and he is now back and healthy. But (you had to know there was a 'but' coming here), the Cardinals are also returning the two players who split the starts in the remaining games last year. While there is a lot of excitement surrounding the return of Davis (and there should be), there should also be plenty of excitement with the return of Connor Venetis and Nathan Gaskamp. With all of that being said, I'm choosing Venetis for the top returner. He started two games for the Red and White during his rookie season, and he also led all tight ends in terms of receiving yards and tied for tops in terms of touchdowns (all accomplishments probably no one expected).  

Stats: While there is no stat for blocking, other than the 'pancake block' which is not an official stat recorded by the NCAA, the Cardinals have several quality receivers at the tight position who can be described as weapons – each of them are quality blockers when the assignment calls for it. As a group, the tight ends finished the season with 14 receptions for 97 yards and three touchdowns. The versatile group of athletes also tacked on 16 carries for 47 yards and a score. All numbers that could've been even greater with a healthy Davis for the entire season.

Noteworthy: The Cardinals return all three players who saw time at starter last year. In addition to that, Venetis was just a freshman last year, and due to COVID he gets that year of eligibility back for this season. All of that combined means the 2021 tight ends could be a vastly improved group in 2020.
 
The Storyline
Any time you return a starter at a position that is a good thing. When you can boast of three guys who got starts at the position the year before even better. With that said, there should be nothing but excitement about this group and how they will help the offense.
 
Venetis (6-5, 240, Lafayette, La.) probably had his number called a bit sooner than even he was expecting but he was ready when the time came. He proved in his rookie season that he could handle the rigors of NCAA Division I football. He returns now with a year of experience under his belt, to go along with a full year to work with Dan Darcy in the weight room and he knows what the coaching staff expects from him.
 
Gaskamp (6-1, 230, Midlothian, Texas) is slightly smaller than Venetis but was versatile enough for the coaching staff to trust running the football in short yardage situations. All Gaskamp did in his 11 opportunities running the ball was punish defenders and fall forward when tackled. Now, imagine that effort when being called on to block?
 
Transferring in from Missouri Southern State, Davis was one of the most experienced tight ends coming into last year and a lot was expected of him before injuries derailed that plan. Prior to the injury, Davis hauled in seven passes for 41 yards and a score. The 6-5, 245-pound Houston native is looking to pick up where he left off prior to the injury.
 
One of the biggest headlines of the 2020-21 academic year was that of senior Dawud Shorts (and lineman Caleb Williams) when they were placed on scholarship. The video went viral and made national headlines. Shorts is the most experienced of all tight ends entering his fifth preseason camp with the Cardinals. It was his hard work and determination that placed him on scholarship, and it's that same work ethic that should see him competing for more snaps in 2021.
 
The coaching staff also brought in three newcomers to learn behind a talented veteran core. Those three include Steve Johnson (6-2, 212, Port Lavaca, Texas), Devin Fregia (6-3, 253, Liberty, Texas) and Cole Kelly (6-6, 218, Friendswood, Texas).