H-backs, tight ends are invaluable to Marble Falls football

CAPTION: Marble Falls’ Kaleb Bielfeldt’s size, sure hands and feet make it difficult for defenses to cover him. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

Noah Lyon’s versatility on the football field was hard to miss.

On offense, the 2025 Marble Falls High School graduate had to be accounted for because of his ability to line up in the flat and at tight end. He used his natural height and strength to block and seal the end of the line of scrimmage for his teammates to get rushing yards. When the play called for him to release to become a receiver, his pass-catching ability, footwork and sure hands made him difficult to cover.

Defensively, he used those same traits to find the ball carrier and made numerous tackles.

Lyon’s skills were so valued that he signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for Schreiner University in May.

His frame, height and how to use all of that isn’t something that every football program has. That’s why when programs do have players like that, coaches make the most of them.

Since then the Mustangs have been on the hunt to find other players in the program who have those traits and can do those tasks.

Head coach Keri Timmerman noted these players, who are called tight ends or H-backs in his version of the spread offense, are invaluable because of all they can do on the field.

“They’re huge to our running game,” he said.

Those athletes can be found on the offensive line, in the backfield or just about anywhere. When a program has a handful, they can be used in a number of ways to create matchups that benefit the offense to move the chains on drives that eventually lead to points.

“It gives us the advantage in the front and gives us an advantage in the passing game,” Timmerman said. “They can line up in the backfield and at wide receiver.”

The commitment to finding the athletes with the natural intangibles and then teaching them all that comes with being the H-back is hard to miss. Timmerman, who is entering his second year at the helm, noted these players are asked to be good in several areas. And the earlier, the better.

“They are a jack of all trades,” he said. “Which is why it’s a big deal to develop them as freshmen and identify them.”

The good news, he indicated, is that the classes coming behind the 2025 class have some athletes who have those natural abilities and traits – footwork, blocking, running routes and sure hands. Their consistent play and contributions to being an outlet for the quarterback explains the rapport the two have and why signal callers absolutely love those players.

“In an ideal setting, you have all four of those things,” the coach said. “We’re going to have several working in those positions.”

CAPTION: Marble Falls’ Noah Ortiz has the traits that make him invaluable to the Mustangs’ football program as a tight end or H-back. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro