In today’s UteNation countdown to kickoff, we feature Utah’s Swiss Army knife, no. 80 Brant Kuithe. In just 80 days, Utah fans will welcome Kuithe’s return after suffering an ACL injury that ended his 2023 season just four games into the year.
Back in January, Kuithe, quarterback Cam Rising, wide receiver Devaughn Vele, and fellow tight end Thomas Yassmin all decided to return for one more season in pursuit of a Pac-12 title three-peat. For Kuithe, it was an unfortunate setback, but returning to college was a no-brainer, as he wouldn’t have been healthy enough for NFL OTAs, in a fight to establish himself early in the league.
Kuithe has already gone down as an all-time great Ute, but this season will firmly cement his legacy at Utah. The three-time All-Pac-12 tight end has played in 51 games with 26 starts, and currently sits at 148 career receptions. He’s 44 receptions away from the all-time Utah record of 192 set by former first round pick Kevin Dyson (1994-97)—an extremely doable goal for him to chase.
UteNation Take
What makes Kuithe so special as a player is his versatility. His overall season stats are not necessarily eye-popping, having one season with 50 receptions, but he is a threat for an explosive play at any moment from any point of the field. Before he went down in 2022, he was supposed to be the overwhelming majority of the passing game.
Utah fans and opponents alike, are accustomed to seeing the 6-foot-2 athlete line up as an in-line tight end, at the wing, in the slot, in the backfield, or out on the perimeter. His speed and ability to demand attention all over the field is what makes him a nightmare for defenses. He is just as likely to score on a jet sweep from the wing as he is on a post route over the middle.
Kuithe’s skillset has given Utah’s offense an added dimension that cannot be achieved with a standard tight end. Similar to other great 12 personnel offenses, athletic tight ends like Kuithe next to players like Dalton Kincaid or Thomas Yassmin give the offense a great schematic advantage. Kuithe’s health will be something to keep an eye on throughout the season. Utah showed in 2022 that they have the depth to adjust when Kuithe went down, but Kuithe’s ability to force defenses to key on him is difficult to replace.
Remembering Kuithe’s Recruitment
Like his twin brother, Brant was also a one-time commit to Rice University out of Katy, TX. Kuithe signed with Utah in 2018 after he and his brother Blake committed just a few weeks before signing day.
Although he wasn’t heavily recruited, Kuithe did have some quality offers from such teams as Boise State, Colorado, and Iowa State. He’s another great example of an under-the-radar pick up from the Utes, in which they see something that others don’t and end up with an immediate contributor.
