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SALT LAKE CITY — Freshman tight end Brant Kuithe rolled off his defender and jumped out on a post route with nobody but the green grass in front of him.
Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley saw the open Kuithe streaking toward the end zone and delivered a ball on target for a 29-yard touchdown strike against the visiting Weber State Wildcats in a 41-10 win Thursday. It was the second touchdown from a tight end and one of four thrown by Huntley that night.
Fellow freshman Cole Fotheringham was the other tight end to score for Utah on a 3-yard toss from Huntley in the flats for Utah’s first score of the game. While impressive that Utah’s tight end position came out strong in the season debut, it was a sign of bigger things to come from the younger talent on the roster.
The two freshmen highlight several young players that got their first opportunity to play Division I football Thursday while showcasing a bright future for the Utah program. In total, five true freshmen saw playing time, with an additional six redshirt freshmen contributing some minutes in a slow but eventual smothering performance for Utah.
Wide receiver Solomon Enis, who continues to receive praise from head coach Kyle Whittingham, had a strong first appearance with two receptions for a total of 34 yards on three targets. Enis’ first catch of the game was a 29-yard catch down the sideline as he beat his defender to the ball.
“Solomon Enis, I'm a big fan of Solomon Enis,” Whittingham said after the win. “I think he's got a terrific upside.”
Enis, along with redshirt freshman Jaylen Dixon, who caught a 40-yard bomb from his former high school quarterback Jason Shelley, helped give the offense a spark in the second half after an anemic first half receiving effort. In the first half, Utah only managed 96 passing yards and a lot of miscues and dropped passes.
But a near 200-yard passing performance in the second half opened up the game and gave Utah the expected distance from the highly regarded visiting FCS program at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Shelley briefly showcased his ability in garbage minutes late in the fourth quarter, including the previously mentioned 40-yard toss to Dixon and a scramble for a 40-yard rushing attempt to put Utah in striking distance deep in their territory. The redshirt freshman and backup to Huntley finished throwing 2-for-2 for 40 yards while adding a total of 49 rushing yards on two attempts.
“It was good to see Jason Shelley come in and do some really good things,” Whittingham said. “He had a couple of nice runs and a nice throw.”
On the defensive side, where Utah only allowed 61 yards of total offense from the Wildcats, redshirt freshman Mika Tafua and freshman Nick Heninger added to the lockdown pressure in an assaulting strike to the offense.
Tafua was named a starter at the defensive end position opposite of Bradlee Anae and looked the part in his first game. Whittingham called Tafua a “legit” Pac-12 defender following his two tackles for loss Thursday. Utah totaled 11 tackles for loss on the night. Heninger also contributed some solid minutes on defense with one of the team’s three sacks on the night against Weber State quarterback Kaden Jenks.
Utah will face a more difficult opponent in Week 2 as they travel to DeKalb, Illinois, to visit MAC favorite Northern Illinois. But if Week 1 was any indication, Utah has a solid group of talent ready to compete for meaningful minutes to help Utah in its pursuit of the elusive South Division title.
