One of Utah’s top playmakers is coming back for a seventh season of college football.
Following in his quarterback’s footsteps, tight end Brant Kuithe will return to the Utes after missing all of 2023 with a knee injury. He hasn’t played since Sept. 24, 2022 — when he tore his ACL against Arizona State.
Kuithe comes back to an offense that will be led by seventh-year senior Cam Rising. Rising also missed the 2023 while rehabbing a torn ACL. Both Kuithe’s and Rising’s injury status, and potential return, defined a letdown 8-5 season for Utah last year.
Before his injury, Kuithe was one of Rising’s best targets. He had 611 receiving yards in 2021 to go with six touchdowns. In four games in 2022, he averaged 51 receiving yards a game.
During those seasons, Kuithe played alongside now-NFL tight end Dalton Kincaid.
Kuithe’s return will give Rising a much-needed familiar target after multiple veteran receivers left the program in recent weeks. Wide receiver Mikey Matthews transferred to Cal and and veteran Devaughn Vele entered the NFL Draft.