AUBURN | They showed it last season. They showed more of it in last Saturday’s A-Day game.

And Auburn’s tight ends will probably show even more this fall.

After years and years of being used mainly as oversized blockers, the tight ends had a breakout fall under first-year coach Bryan Harsin and more could be in store for year two.

“I think you saw part of that today,” said John Samuel Shenker, who set a school record for tight ends with 33 catches for 413 yards. “We’re kind of all over the field, different routes and blocking things like that.

“I think that was a little bit of a show of what we have and what we can do. It was pretty exciting to show that today. And obviously moving forward, we hope to push that even more.”

Four AU tight ends combined for 11 receptions in the spring game including Brandon Frazier, who led all receivers with five catches for 42 yards.

Frazier didn’t catch a pass last season but has been a breakout star this spring in a position group that includes Shenker, a senior, along with juniors Tyler Fromm and Luke Deal.

True freshman Micah Riley-Ducker enrolled in January and there’s also sophomore Landen King, who worked as a tight end the first half of spring before spending the second half at wide receiver.

It was King who had the game’s standout play with his 19-yard touchdown reception with 24 seconds remaining.

“When you have a guy like Coach (Brad) Bedell, he played seven years in the NFL. So he understands what it takes to be successful as a player. And how he coaches those guys and his mentality, I see that in that group,” said Harsin. “And those guys know, from the run game to the movement to the pass game, those guys need to play well in order for us to be successful.

“You saw it today, but they've done it all through spring. So we need them. They're a big part of what we do in our offense. I think that showed up today. I'm not sure how many catches they all had, but you could see it on the field.”

Shenker finished with two receptions for 34 yards in A-Day, Fromm three receptions for 41 yards and Deal one reception for two yards.

The offense often employed two tight ends and at times had three on the field together.

“I think today it kind of all came together, and it was a beautiful thing to see,” said Shenker. “And I think Coach Bedell was pleased. I think all of us were pleased with today.”

Auburn concluded spring practice with the A-Day game. The season-opener is Sept. 3 against Mercer at Jordan-Hare Stadium.