Josh Cuevas is back for his second season with Alabama football , but the second will be nothing like the first.
The Crimson Tide fifth-year senior has gone from the new guy to the new leader in the tight end room this spring, and not exactly by choice. Gone are last year's primary tight ends, CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts , who will be in NFL training camps this summer. According to Cuevas, both have made a point to spend time with the tight ends this spring, but they're not the ones buckling a helmet in spring drills.
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Cuevas transferred from Washington last year to follow coach Kalen DeBoer to UA, and settled quickly into the playing rotation to catch 16 passes for 218 yards.
Now, however, he's the only tight end with any game experience to speak of.
"Going into this year, definitely that's a little bit of an adjustment, stepping into that leadership role a little bit more," Cuevas said. "Kind of helping young guys mold into the system we're trying to get going."
Tight end is among the thinnest positions on the UA roster this spring. Veteran reserve Danny Lewis Jr. is unavailable while recovering from an injury, and freshman Marshall Pritchett is dealing with an injury as well. Another incoming freshman, Kaleb Edwards, won't enroll until summer. That's left Cuevas in a leadership position with a small cast of reserves that includes redshirt freshman Jay Lindsey, a couple transfers, and a few non-scholarship tight ends. They've got questions, and the familiarity Cuevas has with DeBoer and his staff, including new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who coached him at Washington in 2023, he's the one with the answers.
Fortunately for Cuevas, Dippre and Ouzts haven't completely disappeared.
"CJ and Robbie are definitely sticking around and sticking their heads in, giving me some tips," Cuevas said. "I wouldn't say I'm doing it alone. … I'm trying to be a little more vocal. CJ's told me not to be afraid to dig into a guy."
There aren't many to dig into these days, but by fall camp, there will be a bit more depth with the returns of Lewis and Pritchett, plus the addition of Edwards. It remains to be seen whether Grubb puts two tight ends on the field at the same time as often as UA did in DeBoer's first year.
Either way, Cuevas will be indispensable.
Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football's Josh Cuevas making switch from new guy to new leader
