Countdown to Kickoff: No. 89 Cole Fotheringham

The UteNation countdown continues and we hit the 80s, starting with tight end Cole Fotheringham at no. 89. The junior has been a starter for Utah most of his career, playing in all 14 games his freshman year while starting in nine of them, and he's been as solid of a contributor as there is the past few years, starting in 20 straight games.

Cole's stats are not necessarily eye-popping, with 37 career receptions for 390 yards for three touchdowns, he's averaging over 10.7 yards per catch and has 28 starts in his 33 games as a Ute. Fotheringham is as tough as they come and is a proven asset for the Utes, and his impact is a big reason for the recent resurrection of the tight end position at Utah.

UteNation take

The 6-foot-4 junior out of San Clemente helps lead a deep tight end room along with Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid. While Kuithe is utilized more as an H-back and lining up in multiple spots, Fotheringham is a more traditional tight end, but don't let that fool you. With prototypical size and good athleticism, defenses cannot sleep on Fotheringham as a receiving threat. Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig has the luxury of two versatile, seasoned veterans in Fotheringham and Kuithe, and untapped high-upside potential in Kincaid.

Fotheringham's willingness to contribute as a dependable run-blocker should give opposing defenses fits to guess what the Utes will do in multiple tight end sets. Whether he lines up on the line or outside, defenses will need to locate Fotheringham. Kuithe may draw more attention, but that should only open up more opportunities for Fotheringham to make his mark on the game.

Alex remembers Fotheringham’s recruitment

Coming out of high school, Fotheringham was a 6-foot-4 215 pound tight end. As a three-star tight end and rated no. 36 at the position in the 2016 class, Fotheringham committed to the Utes in July 2015, following his good friend, Tucker Scott. Ultimately his decision came down to Utah and BYU, as he tripped the Cougars late in the process, but there was never any real concern that he would flip his commitment.