Monday, July 22, 1996

Oilers tight end emerges as a threat

By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO - Tight end Frank Wycheck was accustomed to being ignored last season.
Wycheck proved that was a dangerous strategy, quietly catching 40 passes for the Houston Oilers while defenses concentrated on speedy wide receiver Chris Sanders.

This season, Wycheck is no longer an afterthought.

"Last year, the word was out that we never went to the tight end, and that's why we went to it because no one really was covering me over the middle," Wycheck said.

"But as soon as we start catching some balls down the middle, they'll do some things that will open up the outside receivers."

Sanders caught 35 passes and scored nine touchdowns in an outstanding rookie year in 1995 and the Oilers have added Willie Davis, who started for the Kansas City Chiefs last season.
Wycheck may even see some double-teaming.

"I'll be happy to sacrifice over the middle for the receivers to make big plays on the outside," Wycheck said. "Now they've got to defense all of us."

Quarterback Chris Chandler started going to Wycheck last season and he expects more from the position this season.

"I think Frank will be as big an addition to this offense as Willie," Chandler said. "It's going to be balanced all across the board. Just look at what he (Wycheck) did the last half of the season. He just makes plays. We're looking forward to Willie adding to it too."

After two seasons with the Washington Redskins, the Oilers signed Wycheck last August and he eventually started 10 games.

"I got an opportunity when a couple of tight ends went down, then I got involved in the offense and made a couple of big plays," Wycheck said. "The confidence that Chris and I had in each other is what set the whole thing off.

"He knew he could go to the tight end and make some big plays down the middle.
"In this offense you need a tight end to catch the ball and to make yards after the catch. Toward the end of last year, I started coming on when I started playing more tight end."

Wycheck caught more passes last season than in two seasons with the Redskins, where he shuffled from h-back to fullback, before being waived last year.

"This offense is a blessing in disguise for me," Wycheck said. "Jerry Rhome (Oilers offensive coordinator) was with the Redskins and he ran the H-back. I was drafted into that system and now this offense is perfect for me."