Utah WR Britain Covey Undecided About Returning In 2022

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah wide receiver Britain Covey has been with the program since 2015 but still has one more year of eligibility after this season.

The old man jokes have flowed all season when Britain Covey speaks to the media but he is an impact player that Utah fans want to see sticking around for the 2022 season.

Covey has made a huge impact on the team not only as a wide receiver but as a punt returner. As the regular season wrapped up for Utah, Covey was asked if he was going to return for the 2022 season or call it a career. Covey was asked twice in the last two weeks and had two different answers.

When asked last week leading up to the regular season finale against Colorado, Covey said he would wait until after the Pac-12 Championship game to decide his future with the program.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Covey said last week. “I will go out and walk as a senior, just in case, but that’s a decision that I told my family I’ll make before the bowl game, but after the Pac-12 Championship, so I just want to focus on the next couple weeks, but I will walk just in case.”

Whittingham said he would take Covey as a GA in a heartbeat. https://t.co/FCBuTMLi1C

— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 29, 2021

Kyle Whittingham Not Confident About Covey Returning In 2022

During his weekly Monday press conference, head coach Kyle Whittingham was asked about what Covey has meant to the program but elaborated slightly about his future.

“We’re gonna hate to see him go, I guess there’s a glimmer of chance he may come back but not much,” said Whittingham.

Covey has talked about going into coaching when his playing career is over. Whittingham said he would take him as a graduate assistant in a heartbeat.

“Yeah, he’s talked about getting into coaching and if he decides to go that route, he’ll be outstanding,” stated Whittingham. “We would take him back in a second as a graduate assistant and get him into that role if that’s what he chooses to do.”

Captains. Brothers. pic.twitter.com/vRXHPbve2f

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 26, 2021

When the media met with Covey after Monday’s practice, he didn’t want to talk about his future at all or the possibility of coaching.

“You can ask me about that next week,” Covey said. “At this point, I’m so fired up for this week. I don’t even care about my future at this point.”

Britain Covey’s Legendary Career At Utah

After a very successful high school career at Timpview as a quarterback, Covey joined the Utes in 2015 where he was named a freshman All-American. He left for two seasons to serve a church mission in Chile.

Covey returned to the program in 2018 where he played in 13 games before suffering a knee injury in the Pac-12 Championship game. He was named first team All-Pac-12 as a returner. The Provo, Utah native played in four games in 2019 before sitting out the season and using his redshirt with his knee not 100% recovered.

The 2020 season was a free year for all college football players due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Covey played in four of the five games that season and was once again a first team All-Pac-12 selection as a returner.

It wasn’t a dream. @brit_covey2 really did do this last night! #GoUtes
pic.twitter.com/vKoLkBO9WO

— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) November 21, 2021

This season, Covey leads the FBS in punt return average, punt return yards and tied for the most punt returns for touchdowns with two. He holds the school record for career punt return yards and second in career punt returns.

Utah will face Oregon in the 2021 Pac-12 Championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The game will take place on Friday, December 3 at 6 p.m. MT on ABC.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com, Co-Host of Faith, Family and Football podcast with Clark Phillips III and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports.

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