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Aug. 3—GRAND FORKS — When Tray Kuntz committed to UND football out of Grand Forks Central in June of 2023, the tight end was 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.
On Monday at UND football's Media Day at Memorial Village, Kuntz is now 267 pounds as he enters his sophomore season.
Kuntz explained his physical progress with an Eric Schmidt staple phrase.
"Coach Schmidt says all the time — the work is the work but the work works," Kuntz said. "Just trusting the strength and conditioning staff, getting bigger, faster, stronger."
As the Fighting Hawks enter Week 2 of fall camp, Kuntz has developed a role in a deep tight ends position.
"He's attacked the weight room," UND tight ends coach Gordie Haug said. "That's the biggest thing that needed to happen as you go from redshirt freshman to Year 3. For him to climb from 240 (pounds) to 260 in an offseason tells you the want-to to be able to be the player he needs to be."
A year ago, Kuntz was stuck behind a number of talented tight ends but saw playing time — including catching a touchdown pass against Portland State in Week 2.
"He's completely committed and smart," Haug said. "He's really locked in as a player. You can tell him one thing, he'll never forget it and do it to the best of his ability."
Injuries at tight end last season increased Kuntz's importance as the 2025 season went on.
"He had a good fall camp (in 2025) but was stacked behind guys," Haug said. "Injuries happen and all of a sudden he's playing in games last year. He's getting experience, but not being heavy or strong enough against those guys paid off this offseason knowing he needed to attack (the weight room)."
"Mass moves mass," Kuntz said. "I'm just falling into that run-game kind of mindset where I just want to be able to dominate there, so I was taking my body seriously and eating a lot, lifting a lot ... just making sure I can still move."
Kuntz said gaining weight was about following the advice of the nutrition staff.
"I'm a big numbers guy, so (dietician Jen Haugen) was able to kind of break it all down," Kuntz said. "If you want to gain weight, you need this many calories, this much protein, this much carbs, all that. I just tried to take that as seriously as I could. And then, I mean, I love food, so I just eat, eat, eat."
Kuntz has noticed the difference at the line of scrimmage.
"I think my redshirt freshman year that fall I was probably 240, 245, then over the winter I jumped to that 260 range," Kuntz said. "That spring ball I think it really kind of clicked for me where this is kind of who I need to be and succeed. I could tell a huge difference, just being able to kind of stand your ground a little more."
The emergence of Kuntz further drills home for UND how deep the tight ends group can be in 2026. Aidan Behymer and Nathan Hromadka are expected to be back in the mix after battling injuries in 2025, while transfer Hunter Kallstrom is also expected to be in the rotation, along with those who had extensive playing time a year ago in Haydn Stay, Mason South and Watson Hafer.
"It's a good problem to have," Haug said. "When I look at the tight end room, everyone does things differently. The best trait is different. You can build packages off that. When we were healthy last year, we were playing five or six per game. There will be packages for every one of these guys."
Continue reading...
On Monday at UND football's Media Day at Memorial Village, Kuntz is now 267 pounds as he enters his sophomore season.
Kuntz explained his physical progress with an Eric Schmidt staple phrase.
"Coach Schmidt says all the time — the work is the work but the work works," Kuntz said. "Just trusting the strength and conditioning staff, getting bigger, faster, stronger."
As the Fighting Hawks enter Week 2 of fall camp, Kuntz has developed a role in a deep tight ends position.
"He's attacked the weight room," UND tight ends coach Gordie Haug said. "That's the biggest thing that needed to happen as you go from redshirt freshman to Year 3. For him to climb from 240 (pounds) to 260 in an offseason tells you the want-to to be able to be the player he needs to be."
A year ago, Kuntz was stuck behind a number of talented tight ends but saw playing time — including catching a touchdown pass against Portland State in Week 2.
"He's completely committed and smart," Haug said. "He's really locked in as a player. You can tell him one thing, he'll never forget it and do it to the best of his ability."
Injuries at tight end last season increased Kuntz's importance as the 2025 season went on.
"He had a good fall camp (in 2025) but was stacked behind guys," Haug said. "Injuries happen and all of a sudden he's playing in games last year. He's getting experience, but not being heavy or strong enough against those guys paid off this offseason knowing he needed to attack (the weight room)."
"Mass moves mass," Kuntz said. "I'm just falling into that run-game kind of mindset where I just want to be able to dominate there, so I was taking my body seriously and eating a lot, lifting a lot ... just making sure I can still move."
Kuntz said gaining weight was about following the advice of the nutrition staff.
"I'm a big numbers guy, so (dietician Jen Haugen) was able to kind of break it all down," Kuntz said. "If you want to gain weight, you need this many calories, this much protein, this much carbs, all that. I just tried to take that as seriously as I could. And then, I mean, I love food, so I just eat, eat, eat."
Kuntz has noticed the difference at the line of scrimmage.
"I think my redshirt freshman year that fall I was probably 240, 245, then over the winter I jumped to that 260 range," Kuntz said. "That spring ball I think it really kind of clicked for me where this is kind of who I need to be and succeed. I could tell a huge difference, just being able to kind of stand your ground a little more."
The emergence of Kuntz further drills home for UND how deep the tight ends group can be in 2026. Aidan Behymer and Nathan Hromadka are expected to be back in the mix after battling injuries in 2025, while transfer Hunter Kallstrom is also expected to be in the rotation, along with those who had extensive playing time a year ago in Haydn Stay, Mason South and Watson Hafer.
"It's a good problem to have," Haug said. "When I look at the tight end room, everyone does things differently. The best trait is different. You can build packages off that. When we were healthy last year, we were playing five or six per game. There will be packages for every one of these guys."
Continue reading...
