Current NunesMagician favorite and now full-time Tight End
Dan Villari was perhaps the most unorthodox player in college football last season.
When the Syracuse Orange found themselves without a healthy quarterback late in the season, the former QB found himself back under center in what we’ve dubbed the ThunderCat offense. Villari barely threw the ball on the Yankee Stadium turf, but he turned into a wrecking ball and powered through Pitt defenders all night for 154 rushing yards, a touchdown, and an ACC RB of the Week award.
Yes, the QB turned TE won an award for best RB performance in the conference. With all the recent recruiting success, we still have to remind you just how wacky the end of the 2023 campaign was.
So a year after having the rare trifecta of rushing, passing, and receiving touchdowns, what’s next for the rising junior? A further dip into the Taysom Hill well? Maybe appearing on the cover of the upcoming NCAA video game? (We can dream about that part.)
Or what about once seemed like would never happen with ‘Cuse football: a mainstream approach to this growing position? It seems that’s close to finally being a reality.
“I think more traditional tight end,” Villari said on his future role. “Blocking a lot, catching passes. So I’m excited to do both of those things.”
The first part of that has been very obvious in the first few open practices. Tight ends have been lining up against each other and with members of the defensive line in drills, working on blocking techniques and how to maintain a pocket. So far, it’s been one of the most intense aspects of camp.
He may have been skeptical back when first moving to the position, but now Dan is committed to the tight end role in what’s become a stacked room of them.
And so is new offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon.
“Oh, he’s been fantastic,” Villari said. “You know, he’s coming from the NFL, very knowledgeable. I really love his scheme so far. He loves to get the tight ends involved, so that’s always a great thing.”
Nixon himself said that he’s really excited about the weapons he has to work with in the tight ends’ room. With Oronde Gadsden returning to the position and four-star freshman Jamie Tremble arriving on campus in the fall, there should be some very interesting ways to get all three of these guys involved – both as receiving options and extra blockers.
“We’ve got to be able to block to run the football and be able to protect our quarterback,” Nixon said. “It’s a huge thing. It’s definitely a big part of the tight end position… We have to have tight ends that can hold the edge for us.”
Dan Villari has dished out big hits before. He can take plenty of hits himself too. And he’ll have plenty of chances to do both for the new Orange offense.
We don’t call him “Thunder Dan” for nothing.