« on: March 26, 2012, 10:32:55 AM »
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/03/cj_uzomah_growing_into_role_au.htmlAUBURN, Alabama -- C.J. Uzomah is no stranger to change.
He played quarterback, wide receiver, slot receiver and running back on one memorable winning drive in high school, and now he's landed a new assignment at Auburn. After a freshman year at wide receiver and an occasional passer, Uzomah has grown into being a tight end.
He's up to 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, and likely still gaining weight to play the position he was destined to play in college. Uzomah, the No. 8-rated tight end and the No. 15 athlete nationally according to Scout when he signed out of North Gwinnett High in Suwanee, Ga., says he's ready for the move that coach Gene Chizik envisioned last year.
"I'm looking forward to what he has in store," Chizik said.
The sophomore is getting his chance in spring practice while senior tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen watches from the sidelines following shoulder surgery. Chizik said Uzomah will stay at tight end even when Lutzenkirchen returns in the fall.
"It's not an experiment," Chizik said. "If you go through the history of football and the test of time, there have been a lot of ex-high school quarterbacks that have become really good tight ends. That was my vision for him all along when we recruited him."
Chizik broke the news to Uzomah some time ago. Uzomah responded.
"He's had one of the best off-seasons of anybody on our team. He's worked extremely hard. He's gotten strong," Chizik said.
"He's got the size, he's got the speed. He's a smart young man."
A trick-shot artist for Gus Malzahn last season, Uzomah completed 1 of 3 passes on end-arounds with a touchdown. All along, Chizik planned to move Uzomah.
"I could tell kind of last year that with him talking to me that this was ultimately where he wanted me to be," Uzomah said.
Uzomah was 6-foot-4 and a fast 234 pounds last August. He's getting bigger.
"Coming in they said they were going to utilize me in different ways and put me in different positions," Uzomah said. "Whatever they wanted me to do last year to help this team, I definitely wanted to do it."
Now, he's an understudy to Lutzenkirchen, one of the best players on the team.
"Lutz is a great guy, once he comes back in, of course, he's going to be a huge playmaker for us," Uzomah said. "I'm just trying to do my best and hopefully propel myself to that point where I can help him out if he gets tired or just being in different packages with him.
"We knew each other from high school, playing against each other in the playoffs. He's a great guy, as goofy as anything. He really has helped me out with film and footwork and different alignments, different blocking techniques, because I don't know how to block anybody up front. He's definitely helped me out a lot in that aspect."
Uzomah said he's still learning from the senior to be.
"I don't want to put myself on that caliber, just because he's an outstanding player. But even being mentioned in that class is a great feeling," Uzomah said.
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