When Rutgers hired John McNulty for a second stint as offensive coordinator, Travis Vokolek was one of the big winners.
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound tight end from Kickapoo, Missouri, was a diamond in the rough find for the Scarlet Knights. After playing sparingly as a freshman last year, Vokolek had a sensational spring practice that put him on the radar as a candidate for a breakout season. He has continued that progress through training camp.
The reason why McNulty’s hire was a boost for Vokolek and his fellow tight ends, Jerome Washington, Nakia Griffin-Stewart and Daevon Robinson: The coach is coming off a stint as the Los Angeles Chargers’ tight ends coach, working with stars Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry, and he plans to feature the tight end much more in his scheme than former coordinator Jerry Kill did.