Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley had plenty of nice things to say about the challenge Iowa State tight end Charlie Kolar presents.
“He’s tough, man. All of the tight ends they have are. They do a good job using those guys, moving them around. Creative with the route concepts that they run, whether they’re dropbacks or play-actions. Charlie’s especially tough because just his ability to run really crisp routes,” Riley said.
Obviously, the Sooners see Kolar’s talent on tape. Still, it’s a different challenge altogether once Oklahoma actually gets its chance to defend him on the field.
“You watch him run and you don’t appreciate how big he is. You get on the field with him and a big human that can in a lot of ways kind of runs and gets in and out of cuts like a wide out. You combine that with that big frame, the hands he has, the experience he has. He’s a tremendous player,” Riley said.
Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch echoed those sentiments.
“It’s one thing to be big. It’s not as if Kolar is the only tall tight end in the country. His skillset and what they allow him to do and what he’s able to do is just a unique challenge. Whether it’s zone or man, it’s a challenge for defenses,” Grinch said.
The 6-foot-6 Kolar has given Oklahoma fits in the past. Last season, Kolar grabbed four receptions for 66 yards in the Cyclones’ 37-30 win in the regular season. Then, Kolar pulled down six grabs for 92 yards with a touchdown in the Sooners’ 27-21 Big 12 championship game win.
That also doesn’t account for the pass interference penalties Kolar has drawn in his meetings with Oklahoma.
It helps Kolar and Iowa State that they have an experienced quarterback in senior Brock Purdy and one of the best running backs both in the Big 12 and nationally in junior Breece Hall.
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