The freshman sensation for the Utes will officially be back on March 7th, just in time for spring football. Britain Covey was named first team freshman all-american and honorable mention all-PAC12 in 2015 before heading off on an LDS mission to Chile. Covey had a stellar high school career at Timpview in which he was the region 8 MVP as a senior. He accounted for more than 100 touchdowns with over 7,000 yards in total. Covey chose the Utes over BYU and Utah state. He’s generously listed at 5’8 and 170lbs.
The Utes will feel no pressure to throw him into the mix in spring ball as he acclimates to the violence of football again. He will most likely receive limited reps to get the rhythm and timing back for running routes.
The compact assassin did most of his damage in 2015 as a slot receiver, taking on opponents’ nickel corners who rarely matched him in quickness. Covey’s biggest competition this year will come from the 5’10” speedster Demari Simpkins who is coming off a 29 catch, 354 yard true sophomore performance in the slot.
Slot receivers are often times used to run shorter routes, designed to get open quickly to provide an outlet for the quarterback if pressure is felt from the defense. Typically the taller receivers are on the outside of the formation where they have a better chance to jump up for a deep pass when more space is available.
Because of Britain Covey’s small stature and immense production as a true freshman, he instantly became a fan favorite. He has since grown into a local legend and fans are anxiously waiting for the return of Utah’s own version of Mighty Mouse. Covey should compete for all conference honors in 2018.
