UW Tight Ends Catch On

KNOWN FOR producing quarterbacks, the Huskies have turned out three solid NFL tight ends - Aaron Pierce, Mark Bruener and Eric Bjornson. Ernie Conwell could be next. And more could be on the way.

There are few better places to prepare for a career in nursing or business than the University of Washington. The school also is a recognized leader in cancer research and space-shuttle technology, and happens to be regarded as one of the NFL's top quarterback factories.

The line of Washington quarterbacks in the big leagues goes back 20 years to Warren Moon. Every starter since has made it to the pros.

But the Huskies are working on a new trend. One of the best career paths for NFL tight ends runs through the UW. The past two tight ends at Washington, Aaron Pierce and Mark Bruener, play for the NFL's New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively.

Pierce was a third-round draft choice in 1992; Bruener was taken in the first round of the 1995 draft. Also taken in this year's draft was Eric Bjornson. A quarterback and wide receiver at Washington, Bjornson was drafted in the fourth round by Dallas. The Cowboys turned him into a tight end, touting him as the next Jay Novacek.

And last night, he was Novacek, starting in place of the injured Cowboy against Arizona. He caught two passes in a 37-13 Dallas win.

The route from Washington to the NFL could continue. Ernie Conwell, who will play his final game for the Huskies Friday against Iowa in the Sun Bowl, is considered the best tight end in the Pac-10 Conference and will probably be the first Husky taken in the 1996 draft, even if junior safety Lawyer Milloy decides to enter the draft early.

And there are more tight ends where Conwell and Bruener came from. Sophomore Cameron Cleeland, who has eight catches in substantial playing time this season, is expected to keep the Huskies strong at the position next season. He is expected to get competition from sophomore Jeremy Brigham and freshman Anthony Mizin, whom some expect to be as good as Bruener.

Most Husky tight ends played high-school football in Washington. Pierce went to Seattle's Franklin High School; Bruener went to Aberdeen; Conwell went to Kentwood; Cleeland went to Sedro-Woolley; Mizin also went to Aberdeen. (Brigham is from Arizona and third-string tight end Cam Kissel is from California.)

"They look for specific players to fill that position, instead of filling it with just anybody," Conwell said.

At other schools, players like Conwell and Cleeland might have become defensive ends.

"Other teams said to me, `OK, we'll bring you in as a tight end and hopefully you'll stay there,' " Cleeland said. "Washington told me: `You're a tight end, and that's what you're going to play for four years."

Other schools saw Cleeland as a defensive end or inside linebacker. A safety in high school, his heart was in the offense. And at Washington, tight ends are an integral part of the offense.

Beyond being perhaps the best run blocker on his team, Conwell is also the third-leading receiver, with 24 catches for 343 yards and two touchdowns. His first 16 catches produced first downs. He has 18 catches in his past six games, including six against UCLA.

Bruener finished with 90 career catches, most by a tight end in school history. His total also puts him in the top 10 among all receivers.

The role of the Husky tight end was a product of necessity as well as design. Part of Bruener's and Conwell's productivity was the result of a shortage of wide receivers. After the team prematurely lost Travis Spring, Damon Barry, Jason Shelley and Theron Hill, the tight ends and running backs became important parts of the passing game.

The Huskies' willingness to throw to their tight ends made the team an attractive choice for recruits.

"I knew they threw the ball to the tight end a lot," Brigham said. "And I knew at some schools some tight ends don't even see the ball. I figured I had a better future here."

The Huskies don't expect their tight ends to be just big bodies. The common denominator is all-around athletic ability.

Brigham, though he is 6 feet 6, 245 pounds, was a city sprint champion in Scottsdale, Ariz., winning the 100 meters in 10.9 seconds. He was also an all-state basketball player and could have been a Division I small forward.

Cleeland was an all-league basketball and baseball player at Sedro-Woolley. He is a first baseman and two-year starter for the Husky baseball team. Conwell went to the NCAA championship track and field meet as a shot putter.

Bruener was a javelin thrower in high school. Kissel was a baseball and track standout in high school. Mizin helped his Aberdeen basketball team to a second-place finish at the Class AA tournament in 1994.

"Tight ends are the kind of guys that are good at a lot of things," Conwell said. "You have to be strong like a lineman and also be able to run with the ball."

Such is Washington's wealth of tight ends, the team often uses two in the game at the same time and has sometimes used three.

"You never know what's going to happen," Brigham said. "It gets pretty competitive."

Partly because Pierce, Bruener, Bjornson and Conwell have such a high standard. "I think it's something people think about, but no one really talks about," Brigham said.

----------------------- WASHINGTON'S TIGHT ENDS -----------------------

Player High School Team ----------------------------------------------------------. Aaron Pierce Franklin New York Giants ----------------------------------------------------------. Mark Bruener Aberdeen Pittsburgh Steelers ----------------------------------------------------------. Eric Bjornson Bishop O'Dowd (Calif.) Dallas Cowboys # ----------------------------------------------------------. Ernie Conwell Kentwood Husky senior ----------------------------------------------------------. Cam Kissel Mira Costa (Calif.) Husky junior ----------------------------------------------------------. Cam Cleeland Sedro Woolley Husky sophomore ----------------------------------------------------------. Jeremy Brigham Saguaro (Ariz.) Husky sophomore ----------------------------------------------------------. Anthony Mizin Aberdeen Husky freshman ----------------------------------------------------------.

# Played wide receiver and quarterback at UW