Add it all up and Cofer’s a logical fit at tight end

Craig Cofer did the math.

Hawaii’s spring football roster consisted of 10 defensive ends and three tight ends. Cofer then chose to make the move from defense, where he played sparingly as a sophomore transfer in 2011, to tight end, a position created when head coach Norm Chow installed the pro-set offense.

"It made sense to me," Cofer said.

The UH coaches also did the calculations, and Cofer’s size, strength and agility added up to a tight end candidate.

"He has an NFL-type body," said Phil Rauscher, who coaches the UH tight ends. "He’s a little stiff, but we’re working on his flexibility. He has a chance to be a really good player in the Mountain West (Conference). He’s doing well."

There are three other tight ends competing in spring workouts. Clark Evans, who transferred in January, was a junior college All-American tight end. Waylon Lolotai was the Warriors’ scout-team tight end in practices last year. Darius Bright moved from wideout, but has been kept out of full-contact drills while recovering from wrist surgery. Two tight ends join the Warriors this summer.

Until then, Cofer has been kept busy as the Y, which is a blend of receiver and blocker. The other tight end is the F, which can be aligned in the slot, wide or in the backfield.

"They started me at the Y because the offense is new to me," Cofer said, "but they said I’ll get to learn the F, too."

Cofer said he was a tight end in high school before moving to defensive end in junior college. He said he is comfortable as a blocker.

"Blocking is just basically getting in the way and holding on," Cofer said. "It’s not bad."

He said his time on the other side of the line of scrimmage has been helpful.

"I know if the D-end is shooting one way, the linebacker is coming the other way," he said. "I’ve been playing defense for three years in college. I kind of know how it works."

Cofer answered concerns about his catching ability in the first two practices. In an 11-on-11 drill Wednesday, he ran a deep pattern, cut between two defenders and hauled in a pass.

"He’s making some catches," Rauscher said. "He stretches the field more than any of us thought he would. That’s good. That’s a good weapon to have in our arsenal."

Cofer said: "It kind of came natural, catching the ball. I guess my hands are pretty good."

Rauscher said Cofer has displayed good moments and flashes of "growing pains."

"There are things he does really well, and there are things he wishes he could forget," Rauscher said. "We’ll get them corrected. We’ll make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake twice."

Cofer, who is 6 feet 5, focused on gaining weight when he thought he would remain at defensive end.

Once he made the switch, he said, "I’m eating normal now."

He said he weighs 255.

He maintains a strict iron diet. Last week, despite a strained pectoral muscle, he participated in team testing. He still bench-pressed 375 pounds.

"I shouldn’t have benched, but I couldn’t resist," Cofer said. "It hurt, but I still thought I could put up big numbers."