Reports: CU tight ends coach Taylor Embree joining the Jets

BOULDER — The New York Jets plan to hire Colorado tight ends coach Taylor Embree to coach their running backs, according to multiple reports. Embree, the son of former CU head coach Jon Embree, joined the Colorado staff last offseason.

The Jets fired head coach Adam Gase during the season and replaced him with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Embree worked in San Francisco with Saleh as an offensive quality control coach for three seasons before signing on to join Karl Dorrell’s staff.

Embree’s new role as a running backs coach may come as a surprise. He coached tight ends at CU and he worked closely with the tight ends in San Francisco, as his father was the team’s tight ends coach. John Dunn coached the Jets’ tight ends last year and it is unclear whether he will remain on the staff in 2021.

Colorado’s tight ends got off to a hot start before facing tough circumstances in 2020.  Brady Russell was poised for a breakout, and it came in Week 1 against UCLA, when he caught five passes for 77 yards. He was hurt late in the game and didn’t see the field again for the rest of the season.

Behind Russell, the Buffs didn’t have much help. Jared Poplawski and Luke Stillwell missed the season with injuries, and talented freshmen Caleb Fauria and Louis Passarello weren’t ready, leaving C.J. Schmanski, Matt Lynch and Nico Magri to fill the void. Lynch, a fifth-year senior, received the bulk of the work.

Outside of Russell, the Buffs’ tight ends produced five catches for 21 yards in 2020.

Colorado now has four open spots on its coaching roster: defensive coordinator, strength coach, inside linebackers coach and tight ends coach.

Tyson Summers filled the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach job last year, so both positions could be filled with one hire.

Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell is well-traveled and has connections throughout football. In fact, that’s part of the reason that he landed Embree in the first place. Dorrell has worked with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in the past, including giving him his first job as a graduate assistant.