In the landscape of Montana State football, few position groups have generated as much quiet confidence as the tight end room. As the Bobcats prepare for the upcoming season, the unit stands out not just for its numbers but for its character. Rocky Lencioni, who transferred in and made an immediate impact in 2025, finished with 19 catches, 206 yards, and six touchdowns. Those stats tell only part of the story. The real narrative is about resilience and depth.

When asked to sum up the tight ends in a single word, Lencioni paused before answering: "I guess I'll just go with gritty. I think we have a lot of gritty guys in there. Rylan Schlepp obviously just had a double ankle surgery this offseason, and it's pretty cool to see him come out here and just continue to do what he's been doing for years."

Schlepp, now entering his third season of play after redshirting his first two years, is the veteran presence in the room. Offensive coordinator Pete Sterbick emphasized the leadership Schlepp brings. "Rylan Schlepp's a guy that's been here the longest out of those guys, so there's some leadership things that Rylan brings to the table," Sterbick said. "Rocky is a third year player coming in. I think he established himself last year."

Lencioni, despite his own success, remains humble about his role. "I'm obviously a younger guy. I know Schlepp's been there a lot longer than me. And so I still look up to him a lot, I've learned so much from him over the years," Lencioni said. "But for me it's really just leading by example. I look up to the people that are doing things the right way and try to emulate that. And if I can be that for other guys, that's the way I want to go about that."

The Bobcats faced a roster change when Hunter Provience transferred to N.C. State, but they quickly added Bruin Fleischmann, a transfer from Air Force and the brother of MSU offensive lineman Titan Fleischmann. Lencioni praised Fleischmann's work ethic. "You've got a guy like Bruin who's obviously hard-nosed and will just throw his face in there and go to work," Lencioni said.

Sterbick expects Fleischmann to grow into a leadership role as well. "Being the type of person he is coming from the Air Force, I think he obviously has some great leadership capabilities that we'll probably see come out as time goes by," Sterbick said. "He hasn't been here very long."

Lencioni added that Fleischmann's experience is evident. "He's really gelled well with our room. It's not an easy thing coming into a new room and learning the lingo and the new techniques and obviously a whole new offense. I think he's doing a really good job with that."

Beyond the established names, the tight end room is cultivating young talent. Sterbick highlighted Carter Curnow, a redshirt freshman from Dillon. "Carter Curnow is a guy that redshirted, but I see everything from him for being such a young guy. He's commanded a lot of respect."

Lencioni echoed that sentiment with enthusiasm. "Carter Curnow is one of the more impressive redshirt freshmen I've ever seen. I've not only gotten to know him just as a friend, but also on the field. It's just kind of a blessing to get to line up with a guy like that. And then all the way down the line, we've got guys like Luvens Valcin, Carter Cocke, Luke Smith, that are going to go out there and just continue to get better and push all of us from the bottom up."

This depth creates a competitive environment that benefits the entire offense. With multiple players capable of contributing, the Bobcats have flexibility in their formations and play calling. The tight ends are not just a safety valve; they are becoming a weapon. As the season approaches, the "gritty" label may define more than just their attitude — it could define their impact on the field.