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TEMPE, Ariz. — Senior tight end Brant Kuithe hobbled off the field in obvious pain to his right knee at the end of the first quarter on Saturday after pulling down a catch to secure the first down.
In a game that was never in doubt for a visiting Utah team that was up 14-0 at the end of the opening quarter — Arizona State had a total of -5 yards after one quarter — there was nothing else more important than Kuithe in that moment. The do-it-all athlete and primary target of quarterback Cam Rising was in significant and obvious pain.
Kuithe was brought into the team's pop-up medical tent on the sidelines as different training personnel made their way in and out to check on the 6-foot-2 tight end and assess the injury's severity.
It was the longest 20-plus minutes for those watching the tent like a hawk — which was basically every member of the media and Utah fans in attendance — with no sign of the star tight end. When Kuithe finally emerged — slightly peaking out of the medical tent with a towel over his head and his pads and uniform off — it was suddenly clear his night was over.
Once he eventually made his way out of the tent, it was clear it wasn't just a one-game injury for Kuithe, with ice wrapped around that right knee and crutches brought to him to keep him upright without putting weight on his leg. It was a sudden realization that Utah would likely have to do it without Kuithe in 2022.
Teammates took turns coming up to Kuithe to console him and offer their support, but nothing could bring him back onto the field.
In the immediate aftermath of the game, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham tried to remain positive but knew the prognostication looked grim for Kuithe. "It doesn't look good," he said, with his voice dropping low.
"I just feel horrible for the kid," Whittingham said. "Such a great teammate, he's a leader, he's a captain, came back for another year to be with his team and help us win. So we'll hope for the best; it's not definitive, but, like I said, it doesn't look good."
Fellow tight end Dalton Kincaid, who had two touchdown catches for the Utes in the win over the Sun Devils, said Kuithe is "a huge part of the offense" and that he's going to be missed on the field, not just for his talent but for his leadership.
"He's a huge leader on the team, so we're still going to need to lean on him for his leadership," Kincaid said. "But that was definitely a brutal loss, and it hurts a lot."
In Kuithe's four previous seasons with the Utes, he led the team in receiving yards in 2021 (611 yards) and 2019 (602 yards), and finished second to Britain Covey in the COVID-shortened 2020 season with 236 yards on 25 catches. His pass-catching threat, alone, made it a massive loss for the Utes.
Kuithe's season hasn't officially been ruled out, or the exact extent of his injury, but Whittingham said the team will have a better picture Monday after more tests have been completed. Still, he's not expected to play again this season, and Utah will have to retool its offense in the interim as a tough October schedule looms.
Whittingham said on Saturday that he's not sure exactly how the offense will change without Kuithe, but expects tight ends like Thomas Yassmin, who caught a pass from Rising on Saturday that he turned into a 72-yard play, and former wide receiver Munir McClain to see an increased role at the position.
"I think we got a taste of what Thomas Yassmin can do," Whittingham said. "He caught that ball and hit the juice. He told me if he hadn't had to cover the kickoff a couple plays before he would have been in the end zone.
"I call BS on that," he added with a chuckle. "But he is fast. You talk about a big, strong, fast athletic kid. He's 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, and he can run. He was a tremendous rugby player before he got here. His role, along with Munir McClain, will increase, and they've got to step up and help fill that void."
The two will supplement Kincaid's proven ability in the field, in addition to that of Logan Kendall, who is also listed as a fullback on the team's two-deep roster. Rising said he expects Kincaid to now be the No. 1 target.
"He's gonna be the No. 1 guy inside and then we're gonna be looking for him to produce," Rising said. "He's gonna have a great amount of production because of it."
In Kuithe's absence, Rising now has to open up his arsenal of targets in his attempts to open up the passing game. Kuithe was a near guaranteed option for Rising, which led to multiple targets for the experienced tight end.
Kuithe had an opportunity to leave after last season to pursue an NFL career, including getting an invitation to the NFL Combine, but he opted to return with the team despite receiving good grades from the league. How his injury will impact his NFL stock remains to be seen.
