The Pitt football program recently added a large group of talented players during the early National Letter of Intent Day. Jumbo-athlete Trey Andersen from Lehi High School in Eagle Mountain, Utah is one of the more interesting prospects added to the Class of 2021.
The towering 6-foot-6 inch, 255-pound prospect can play either tight end or offensive line. He was originally a member of the 2019 BYU recruiting class, but never signed with the Cougars and opted to serve a mission as a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Pitt offered Andersen a scholarship on June 25th and he ultimately chose the Panthers over California and Utah State.
To gain better perspective on Andersen, Pittsburgh Sports Now spoke with MILE-WR (MILE = Make It Look EZ) trainer Ross Apo. Apo was a star wide receiver at The Oakridge School in Arlington, TX. He was ranked a four-star prospect and eventually chose BYU over Texas. Apo played for the Cougars from 2010 to 2014. He has been working with the future Panther since his junior year in high school.
”Trey attended Lehi High School and played a lot of offensive line. He eventually started to slim down and lost all his baby fat,” stated Apo. “The weight loss made him mobile and he could start to run. Once he lost weight his father, a fellow BYU alumnus, reached out to me and wanted me to work with him. He told me that he had grown vertically and slimmed down horizontally and wanted to play tight end. We started working together from there.”
”My initial goal was breaking him of bad habits and to teach him things. When we got him on the field, we went through in and out routes and getting his head around as he gets open or gets ready to catch the ball. We do a lot of cutting. For his size at 6-foot-6 inches tall, 255 pounds, he’s going to be moving a lot different than your average tight end.”
Andersen had a strong senior season at Lehi High School, catching 28 passes for 487 yards and scoring two touchdowns. He has football in his DNA, as he father, Jason, played college football for BYU and later for the New England Patriots (1998-2000) and Kansas City Chiefs (2002).
”I’m working with Trey on a number of cuts,” said Apo. “We have focused on 45-degree cuts. His 90-degree cuts are fine. They tend to be easy. We work on the corners, the posts, those common tight end routes. He’s good there. I’ve put a lot of emphasis on his curls and come backs. We work on the odd routes, like a stick nod. I want to get him used to running these concepts that will probably be run at Pitt.”
Andersen has a frame that will remind many of former Panther standout and Minnesota Viking Brian O’Neill. Coming out of Salesianum School in Delaware, O’Neill was 6-foot-6 inches, 250 pounds. He initially played tight end for the Panthers until transitioning to offensive tackle in 2015. O’Neill was eventually selected in the second round of the NFL Draft after being named First-Team All-ACC.
Apo was asked about Andersen’s potential move to the offensive line. He replied, “His father was a really big guy and played offensive line at BYU. He eventually played for the New England Patriots. Trey was originally on the offensive line because he was so big.”
”If they decide to move him to the offensive line, his frame is definitely big enough to make that move. He could easily get up to 300 to 315 pounds. Trey is so tall, I could see him adding the necessary weight without the big belly and body fat. He could be one of those athletic left tackles that can pick up those really good pass rushers off the edge.”
Apo has attempted to provide Andersen with some safe advice, “If you’re going to go to the next level and it happens to be on the offensive line, fine, just go to the line,” he said. “If a tight end gets hurt or a guy transfers, then they’ll put you at tight end. You must get onto the field. Getting onto the field is the priority, first and foremost. Go with the position that will do that.”
”Right now, Trey believes he’ll be playing tight end, but I keep telling him that if he has to move to the offensive line, it’s not a bad thing,” said Apo. “He’s an athletic guy and he’ll probably end up as one of the most athletic lineman on the team.”
”If you have ever studied Trey’s HUDL highlights, Trey is an excellent blocker. His senior year when he’s on the line and not flexed out at tight end, he has a ton of pancake blocks. Trey is like one of those big, old, nice guys that are simply, stronger than everyone else. He’ll just check a player and they’ll go flying. His father played on the offensive line his entire life, so he’s a tremendous mentor as far as offensive line goes.”
Apo was asked if Andersen was excited to join the Pitt program. He emphatically stated, “He would leave today if he could. He’s beyond excited to join Pitt. Every time we work out, that’s all he talks about. The Panthers are getting a player that’s eager to get on campus and get to work.”
