UteNation Countdown to Kickoff: No. 68 Jaren Kump
The UteNation Countdown to Kickoff continues today with no. 68, Jaren Kump. The sophomore offensive tackle has been a contributor since his first season in 2020, starting all five games at right tackle in 2020. In 2021, he started three games at left tackle and one at right tackle before a season-ending injury cut the season short.
While he couldn’t play physically, mental reps and film study were key in helping Kump stay sharp last season. Coach Jim Harding expects the 6-foot-5 and 309 pound lineman to be in the mix for a starting spot on the line. In reality, a healthy Kump is an unquestioned starter.
It’s easy to forget with the success that Bam Olaseni had out of nowhere in 2021, came after Kump was injured. While Olaseni was an All-Pac-12 selection, there really was no argument at the start of last year about who to start out of those two.
UteNation Take
With Braeden Daniels essentially locking down the right tackle spot and Bam Olaseni graduating, Kump should be the front runner for starting at left tackle. Kump has been a starter since he stepped on campus, and there is no reason to think he will not pick up where left off before the injury.
Despite only being a sophomore, Kump is already a seasoned veteran on the Utah offensive line. He has already shown he can physically play the position and while nothing replaces live, gameday reps, all of the mental prep and film study last season should have still helped him grow as a player.
With Nick Ford and Olaseni moving on from college, Kump should be able to step up and take more of a leadership role in the position group alongside Daniels. Jaren’s ability to get back up to speed this fall will be key in protecting quarterback Cam Rising as expectations and hype for the Utes are at an all time high going into 2022.
Remembering Kump’s Recruitment
This was a fun one. A lifelong BYU fan in a family of Cougar diehards, Kump committed to BYU early in the recruiting process. Little did the Cougars know—and UteNation had heard and hinted at the rumblings—even at the time of his commitment, Utah weighed heavily on his mind. Kump would eventually flip, choosing Utah over Arizona, ASU, Cal, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and BYU. Quite honestly, he’s another example of how Utah being in the Pac-12 as a P5 school and BYU being an Independent, has altered the landscape of the storied rivalry.