The tight end position has been an important part of the offense at Western Kentucky for quite some time.

Jack Doyle, Mitchell Henry, Tyler Higbee, Deon Yelder, Mik’Quan Deane — those are just some of the former Hilltoppers that played the position, excelled at it and took their games to the next level as a result.

Now it’s time for the next group — Kyle Fourtenbary, Steven Witchoskey, Dalvin Smith, Joshua Simon and others — to have their chance.

"We’re all pretty good friends," Witchoskey said. "Kyle’s actually my roommate and Mik’Quan’s been doing great with the (Cleveland) Browns and everything. Just trying to learn their techniques – they’re really good at keeping a stable base and all of that – so just trying to carry on that legacy I guess you could say.”

WKU’s tight ends unit is now led by Zach Lankford, a familiar face on The Hill as he spent three previous seasons on Jeff Brohm’s staff from 2014-16.

Now back to coach a position that he played in college at UAB from 2006-10, Lankford has liked what he’s seen so far out of his core throughout the first six days of fall camp.

"Everything’s been going pretty well this fall camp," Lankford said. "Working a bunch of new guys in there, and the guys are all doing a really good job buying in, trying to learn and getting better every day. It is a struggle – we do ask a lot of those guys – but they’ve been up to the task so far. Just gotta continue to push those guys and strive to be the best unit we can be.”

Fourtenbary enters his redshirt junior season as WKU’s top tight end after reeling in 36 receptions for 302 yards and two touchdowns in 2018.

Alongside Fourtenbary, Witchoskey — a junior — recorded a touchdown reception last year and is looking forward to taking the next step forward in 2019.

“It’s been really great. This offense uses tight ends a lot," Witchoskey said. "I think everyone’s bought in and we’re all just trying to learn the offense still and get those mechanics down. I think the big difference between this year and last year is the whole team’s bought in. These coaches are very respectable in the sense, and I think that’s a great thing for our team.”

While Fourtenbary and Witchoskey look to be the team’s No. 1 and 2 tight ends, Smith and Simon — a pair of freshmen — are also in the mix.

"Very lucky. Inherited a really, really good group – not only great kids but some really good players," Lankford said. "Kyle’s got a lot of toughness and really good athletic ability. He can do anything you need him to do. Steven Witchosky’s one of the greatest people on the team – big FCA guy, leadership council, smart, tough, athletic – proud to coach somebody like that.

“Josh Simon’s a young freshman who’s really been coming along really good. Super, super athlete. Dalvin Smith moved over from receiver, so we’re working to put weight on him, get him going and get him a little bit bigger and stronger and really locked in to tight end type stuff.”