Utah tight end Landen King had what looked to be a sure touchdown.
In the early second quarter of last week’s loss against Oregon State, King came in motion and no Beaver picked him up. After faking the handoff, quarterback Nate Johnson threw it to King, who had nothing in front of him but green grass. Looking for their first points of the game, it would have been a huge play for the Utes.
The problem? Offensive lineman Michael Mokofisi was flagged for a false start, and the play was nullified.
The expected touchdown would have been the biggest moment of the sophomore tight end’s Utah career. He has two receptions thus far this season, one of which is a touchdown.
With Dalton Kincaid in the NFL and Brant Kuithe yet to play, the tight end position — along with the entire offense — hasn’t been as productive for the Utes as last season.
Thomas Yassmin, TE1 in the absence of Kincaid, has eight receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown, with 41 of those yards coming on his first touchdown of the season against Oregon State. Miki Suguturaga has added two catches for 30 yards.
King has played in all five of Utah’s games, including the win over UCLA, where he caught a seven-yard pass for Utah’s only offensive touchdown of the game. Johnson rolled out and showed patience as the play developed, then threw it to a wide-open King for his first Utah touchdown.
A transfer from Auburn, where he had six receptions for 83 yards and a score in two seasons, King said his phone blew up after the UCLA win with texts from friends, family members and former teammates.
“It was just really a whole dream come true for it to come in a game like that, offense kind of struggling. So I’m just happy that I got to really contribute in a really good way in a really big game for us, and we really needed that win. So I’ve been just happy for real,” King said.
When he decided to transfer from Auburn, King said it was a no-brainer to commit to Utah and its tight-end heavy sets.
“One of the big things was really player development. Like I said, I got to really get my body right and everything like that, but really that, and I mean obviously what they do with the tight ends, it was really like a no-brainer,” King said.
“When Coach (Andy Ludwig) called my phone, I mean, he’s one of the great offensive coordinators in college. So when that happened, it was a no-brainer. I already knew I was coming here on my visit,” he added.
Having Kuithe help mentor him is another plus.
“Really just what he brings to the tight end room is really just knowledge. ... It’s been really cool just having him in there and just really just soaking up everything I can from here before he leaves,” King said.
Kuithe and King have struck up a friendship, bonding pretty soon after King arrived in Salt Lake City. The veteran Utah tight end will pick up on things watching film and pass on that knowledge to King and the other tight ends in the room.
“He’s meant a lot to the tight end room and really a lot to me for real. I mean, I see Brant as one of my big mentors, one of my big brothers. As soon as I got here he was with me just talking and really just we bonded just as a friendship,” King said.
While he has seen action in every game, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said King could “be a real factor for us if he gets bigger.”
King is listed on Utah’s roster at 225 pounds; Whittingham says he needs to be at 240-245, but has had a hard time gaining weight.
“If he does get himself to 240, 245 where he needs to be, then he’s a guy that has a lot of upside. So we’re excited about him, but it’s been one setback after another gaining weight — sickness and this and that — but he’s not big enough or physical enough to be a big factor for us,” Whittingham said.
King says that he’s been gaining weight since he arrived at Utah. He is on a meal plan and is drinking shakes to help him reach his weight goal.
“I feel like it is really been pretty good, especially with my weight and just getting my body right. I’ve been gaining weight since I’ve been here. I’ve been getting the offense down, I’ve been playing, so really ain’t nothing for me to really complain about,” King said. “So I’m just happy to be in this position. Blessed, seriously.”
If he can make weight, he could play a bigger role in Utah’s offense in the future.
