Healthy tight ends are in short supply at BYU spring football practices this month. Where have they gone, and what are coaches doing about it?

Provo • Steve Clark likes to say that his golf game, particularly his short game, is really improving at BYU’s spring football practices.

“I’ve been chipping a lot, hitting a few 9-irons,” said BYU’s tight ends coach.

Of course, he’s joking. Clark is actually working really hard this month, trying to get the few healthy tight ends who are participating — most of them fairly inexperienced — up to speed.

With top returning tight ends Matt Bushman, Moroni Laulu-Pututau, Nate Heaps and Hank Tuipulotu all recovering from offseason surgeries, Clark’s group is as small as it has ever been — hence, the golfing jokes when he’s asked what he’s been doing.