There are 28 days left until kickoff, so today it’s time to talk about a guy that is familiar with Utah football, but has lined up against them frequently over the last four years. That would be Washington safety transfer Brandon McKinney.

Despite playing in 44 games for the Washington Huskies, he never could find a regular spot as a starter, although he did start the 2018 Rose Bowl.

The 6-foot-2 and 200 pound is hoping a change of scenery can change his fortune. Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is optimistic that he’ll fit better in the Utah scheme. Either way, McKinney has a golden opportunity for his senior year at Utah. Will he be in the two-deep rotation or will he be a starter? That’s the big question.

UteNation take

While the safety position has always seemed to work itself out at Utah, there’s a major need for someone to step up alongside Vonte Davis. True freshman Cole Bishop has had the benefit of spring ball and performed extremely well in the process. However, he doesn’t have the P5 experience that McKinney comes with.

Alex remembers McKinney’s recruitment

Out of high school, McKinney was a four-star 5.8 rated safety in the 2017 class. He held seven Pac-12 offers, with Utah being one of them—before ultimately choosing Washington.