A dozen years ago, Cal’s tight end spot nearly vanished from the offense. Under Sonny Dykes, four-wide sets were common enough that the position sometimes felt like an afterthought.
That is not the case now.
In Tosh Lupoi’s first season, the Golden Bears look ready to lean into the tight end room in a major way, and first-year position coach and run-game coordinator Steve Huanga is fully on board with the idea of using two tight ends often - and, in some situations, even three.
The numbers in the room make that possible. Mason Mini, who caught 35 passes last season, is back for his junior year.
Dorian Thomas, a junior transfer who caught 56 passes in 2025, is in the mix too. Add in senior transfer Rico Walker from Purdue and freshman Taimane (Taw-mahn-ee) Purcell, a four-star recruit from Hawaii, and Cal suddenly has depth at a spot that can shape the offense in a hurry.
“I think it’s going to be an electric offense,” Mini said. “I’m expecting a lot of big things from this season.”
Thomas was even bolder.
“It’s going to be a movie. We’ve got guys all over the place,” Thomas said. “We’re going to put up at least 50 points a game this year.”
That kind of talk is easy in August. But the setup does give Cal something interesting to work with around star sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapoutele, promising newcomers Ian Strong and Chase Hendricks at receiver, Adam Mohammed at running back and an offensive line strengthened by transfers.
Sagapoutele said the tight ends could be a real centerpiece.
“We have great tight ends and you just can’t keep ‘em off the field,”Sagapolutele said. “I think we’re going to be in a lot to different personnels . . . whether it’s 13, 12. Yeah, you can expect them to be on the field a lot.”
For Huanga, though, the whole idea only works if the tight ends can handle the dirty work in the run game. That’s where his background matters. He played offensive line in college and spent the past four seasons at Oregon as an offensive analyst and assistant tight ends coach.
Blocking is not optional in his room.
“I’m an O-lineman,” Huanga said. “Our guys, they are required . . . they have to be able to block. That’s something we poured into them this spring.
“They’ve grasped all of our concepts, all of our schemes and have really transformed themselves in the run game.”
Mini and Thomas both know their reputation so far has been built more on catching the ball than sealing the edge. Both also know that won’t be enough if they want to stay on the field together.
“Last year I was better at receiving,” Mini said. “This year I want to improve on my blocking, for sure.
Definitely a big emphasis. Just getting bigger and stronger in the weight room.”
Thomas said the same thing in his own way.
“My strengths are my route-running and being able to make plays on the ball. Also being physical,” Thomas said. “I don’t have the best technique in the room in the run-blocking so that’s like a huge deal for me.
“You watch my film from last year to now, you can tell I’m a way more dominant run-blocker. He just keeps pushing into us, pushing into us, making us the best we can be.”
Huanga has plenty of examples of how those packages can stress a defense. Oregon used two tight ends in nine of its 15 games last season, and the Los Angeles Rams also dipped into three-tight-end looks at times.
The appeal, he said, is in the matchup game. If a defense answers with three linebackers, a tight end can end up with a linebacker in space. If it stays small, Cal can hammer the run.
“Certainly if you’re playing teams and they have three-linebacker packages, you could get a linebacker out there covering a tight end in space. A majority of the time it’s a favorable matchup in the passing game,” he said.
“If they leave a small body out there, you can get into 12 personnel run game and we’re going to have to force those guys to defend the run. There certainly are a lot of games you can play if you have two really good tight ends on the field. I’m ready to see those guys get after it.”
And Cal may not be done adding more to the mix. Thomas had especially high praise for Purcell, who is already turning heads in camp.
“Taimane’s an athlete,” Thomas said. “They don’t make tight ends like that no more.
Super-fast, super-athletic, he can jump out of the gym. Super strong - out-lifts everybody.
It’s going to be tough keeping us all off the field.”