Jack Westover just wanted stability and insight. Nick Sheridan offered both.

The Bellevue, Washington native played just two high school football games at Mount Si. His 6-foot-3 frame lent itself well on the basketball court, where he was comfortable, but also as the tight end he’d develop into at the University of Washington.

He’d need to learn route running technique, which he said he knew something about, and learn how to block, which he knew nothing about. Yet, within his first four seasons as a player, Westover would have three different position coaches and four different head coaches. Enter Kalen DeBoer and Sheridan.

With the Huskies, DeBoer appointed Sheridan as his tight ends coach, a role he served at Indiana when DeBoer was offensive coordinator. A former Michigan quarterback, Sheridan offered a perspective Westover sought, like how to operate in a fast-paced attack by finding the soft spots in the defense. Westover produced 775 yards, 77 catches and five touchdowns in two years (28 games) under DeBoer and Sheridan.

“I think learning the game from a quarterback lens was the biggest thing for me that allowed me to kinda manipulate zones, manipulate everything as far as finding the friendly space in coverages and such as that,” Westover said Thursday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. “Viewing the game from a quarterback lens I think was the biggest thing he taught me. He’s just a great person as well.”

Alabama football will get a chance to meet Sheridan this spring as its new offensive coordinator. He is expected to call plays — as he did for two seasons at Indiana before getting fired, leading to a reunion with DeBoer — after Ryan Grubb initially came to Tuscaloosa but departed for the Seattle Seahawks. During player media availability, Washington tight ends Westover and Devin Culp offered their thoughts on their former coach.

For Culp, a reserve tight end who posted most of 711 career receiving yards in a DeBoer offense, he said it’s fun to be a part of an attack that’s not afraid of power runs and exotic passing concepts. He said the scheme is good at highlighting player’s talents, which meant Culp was often deployed into the flats and Westover in the “intermediate” game and on third-downs.

“You got to know a lot. You have to understand the playbook deep with as much shifts and motions and as many plays as the tight end does, you got to be sharp up top. That’s the biggest thing,” Westover said. ” … It’s finding the friendly space, understanding coverages is a huge piece to that offense.”

Added Culp: “(Alabama) should know that Coach Sheridan is going to be extremely prepared for the opportunity. He’s gonna give it his all, and most importantly, he’s gonna do everything to make sure he represents the university the way it should be represented.”

Alabama lost promising tight end Amari Niblack to Texas via the transfer portal following Saban’s retirement. It’ll return former Maryland transfer CJ Dippre, Danny Lewis Jr. and Robbie Ouzts. Athletic four-star freshman Caleb Odom should also factor into the rotation.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].