Utah didn’t have to look too far to reel in a kicker from the transfer portal.
Former Colorado kicker Cole Becker announced Friday he has committed to the Utes, three days after entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Becker, who was the Buffaloes’ kicker the past two seasons, will have two years of eligibility remaining.
What did Cole Becker do at Colorado?
The 6-foot-3 kicker out of Roseville, California, made 11 of 13 field goals during the 2022 season, with a long of 49 yards, while connecting on 20 of 21 extra points.
He made 25 of 33 field goals at Colorado, with a long of 56, and 45 of 46 extra points over the past two years.
Becker had touchbacks on 67% of his 94 kickoffs over the past two seasons, though that improved to 73.9% during the 2022 season. He was also flagged for kickoffs out of bounds just twice.
Becker entered the transfer portal not long after Jackson State kicker Alejandro Mata followed new Colorado coach Deion Sanders to Boulder.
Will Cole Becker help address Utah football’s kicking issues?
Becker’s addition adds some much-needed competition to a position group that had its struggles this season.
Jordan Noyes and Jadon Redding split placekicking duties for Utah and made 10 of 14 field goals for the Utes in 2022, with a long of 45. The pair combined to make 72 of 73 extra points.
Noyes was a sophomore this season. Redding is no longer with the program, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham acknowledged before the Utes’ appearance in the Rose Bowl.
On kickoffs, Utah struggled to regularly reach the end zone — a combination of four kickers only had touchbacks on 29% of their 99 kickoffs, and the Utes were flagged for kickoffs out of bounds four times.