At the Helm: Longhorns tight end making the most of his turn after long road

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas senior tight end Gunnar Helm, like other seniors, is reaping the benefits of developing while waiting his turn. The impact he's had early in the season is a direct reflection of how the process can work when time and effort are prioritized.

In two games this season, Helm has almost the same statistics he had all of last season. He's hauled in nine catches for 140 yards with a touchdown so far, and in 14 games last year he had 14 receptions for 192 yards and two scores. He was, of course, playing behind Ja'Tavion Sanders who's now in the NFL, but now Helm is at the top of the depth chart and is making the most of his opportunity.

Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said Helm has "continued to work" the past three seasons and "stayed the course."

"He developed the calluses he needed and mental toughness, and he showed a ton of resiliency," he said. "You could argue he's played as good as anyone on the team in the first two games. I've been super impressed with what he's doing in the run game and the passing game."

Helm called his first touchdown catch of the season, a 21-yard grab wide open in the back of the end zone after Quinn Ewers scrambled away from the Michigan pass rush, "a proud moment." He said he's still learning the position but his confidence is "building."

"I'm getting more exposure to the routes and the passing game and yards after the catch, and I'm more confident now than what I was at the beginning of the season, but I think all of that comes with experience," he said.

He outdueled his Michigan counterpart Colston Loveland in the 31-12 Longhorns victory. Loveland was a first-team all-Big 10 performer last season and helped the Wolverines win the College Football Playoff national championship. Texas did the most important thing and kept Loveland out of the end zone, but he ended with a decent stat line of eight catches for 70 yards. Helm hauled in seven passes for 98 yards and the opening touchdown to set the tone, but he's not about to proclaim he's better than the first-team preseason All-American.

"He's one heck of a tight end, and if there are things from his game I can take, I'll take them," Helm said. "He's an All-American tight end for a reason."

Helm said he studies NFL tight ends like San Francisco's George Kittle, Kansas City's Travis Kelce, Baltimore's Mark Andrews and Detroit's Sam LaPorta, and he "constantly takes stuff from them."

"If something comes up that I like," he said, "I'm definitely going to try it."