As a tight end for the University of Memphis football team, Brendan Doyle is essentially an offensive lineman/wide receiver hybrid.

More often than not, the Monte Vista Christian School graduate fulfills the lineman role for the Tigers, blending into a sea of colliding players as he blocks for ball carriers or protects his passer. In that role, much of what he does goes unnoticed — at least to the average fan.

“No one sees that he goes in and back-blocks a 250-pound defensive end 15 to 20 times a game,” Memphis offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey told reporters at a Sept. 10 press conference.

It’s when Doyle gets the occasional opportunity to catch the ball that he becomes a lot more visible — and he’s certainly making people, including and especially his coaches, notice how much of an offensive threat he can be.

Entering Memphis’ nonconference game against Florida State last Saturday, Doyle had just 10 career catches since transferring from the College of San Mateo following the 2022 season. Six of those receptions, however, were for touchdowns.

When a reporter pointed this out at the Sept. 10 press conference, Cramsey responded, “I need to get him the ball more, is what you’re telling me. I hear you.”

Doyle caught TD passes in each of the Tigers’ first two games this season: He hauled in a 32-yarder in Memphis’ season-opening 40-win over North Alabama on Aug. 31. The most impressive part about it was that most of those yards were generated after the catch.

Doyle also caught a 4-yard touchdown pass in the Tigers’ 38-17 triumph over Troy on Sept. 7.

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound redshirt junior had four touchdown receptions last season in leading the Tigers to a 10-3 record, including a Liberty Bowl victory over Iowa State. Two of those TDs came in Memphis’ 59-50 win over South Florida last November — both in the first quarter.

When Doyle describes the thrill of scoring before a packed stadium on a fall Saturday as “a good feeling,” he’s putting it mildly.

“A lot of what I do is unseen,” Doyle said. “When I get into the end zone, it’s nice to be seen. It feels like all my hard work is paying off.

“It’s a blessing every time I get into the end zone.”

Nothing, however, could beat the excitement of his first TD catch, which came in a 45-21 road victory over Alabama-Birmingham last October.

“It was an amazing feeling,” Doyle recalled. “I wouldn’t compare it to anything else.

“To get into the end zone is hard enough. To do in Division I, to actually be getting playing time, is the best feeling I’ve had since I started playing football.”

A psychology major who is minoring in sociology, Doyle hasn’t given much thought to his post-football career.

“I’m not really focusing on that right now,” he said.

His focus is on helping Memphis return to a bowl game, possibly win an American Athletic Conference championship, and perhaps even getting himself on NFL teams’ radar in the process.

“If I can keep up my hard work, be in the right spots on the field and make the most of the opportunities that come my way, that opportunity should present itself,” Doyle said. “I think I can be a valuable asset to any NFL team that wants me.”

Cramsey, the Tigers’ offensive coordinator, summed up his feelings toward Doyle in two words at the Sept. 10 press conference: “Love him.”