Reviewing the Roster: Special Teams

4/12/2021 4:12 PM | Football

Consistency and chemistry are two key traits to the success of any special teams unit, and here at Utah, the returners at kicker, holder and return specialist brings just that.

Utah’s special teams has had a historic tradition with Lou Groza and Ray Guy Award trophies filling the Spence and Cleone Eccles Football Center trophy room. The 2021 unit is eager to make a return to that level of success, coming off a 2020 season that saw all-conference honors and career-best performances.

RETURNING UTES
Utah returns starters in Jadon Redding (Kicker), Keegan Markgraf (Snapper) and Britain Covey (Return Specialist) who all earned All-Pac-12 in 2020, led by Redding and Covey on the first-team. Redding led the Utes in points last season (41), going perfect on PATs and field goals with Markgraf staying flawless on his snaps.

Utah also returns Jordan Noyes, who joined the Utes in 2020 from England. He handled kickoffs in all five games, averaging 63.4 yards per kick with 11 touchbacks.

Jordan Noyes (67), Jadon Redding (97), Jared March (33), Noah Rodriguez-Trammell (48)

QUICK HITS ON UTAH’S SPRING SPECIAL TEAMS DEPTH CHART

97 :: Jadon Redding :: Kicker :: 5-11, 190, So. :: Fredericksburg, Va. (Colonial Forge HS)
All-Pac-12 first-team as a sophomore in 2020 after going 17-for-17 on PATs and 8-for-8 on FGs (team-high 41 points) … 73-of-73 on PATs and 18-of-21 on FGs in 19 career games as a Ute … tied for first in the FBS and in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage in 2020 … career-long 44-yard field goal against Washington State in 2020.

67 :: Jordan Noyes :: Kicker :: 5-10, 209, Fr. :: Higham, Kent (England)
Walked on the team in 2020, handling kickoffs in all five games … averaged 63.4 yards per kick with 11 touchbacks … career-high eight kickoffs (503 yards) with four touchbacks against Washington State … played American football, soccer, rugby and competed in gymnastics in England.

33 :: Jared March :: Punter :: 5-11, 192, R-Fr. :: Twin Falls, Idaho (Canyon Ridge HS)
Walked on in 2019, seeing action in two games in 2020 … started at punter in Utah’s season finale against Washington State with five punts for 212 yards (42.4 avg) … career-long 50-yard punt landed on the seven-yard line against Washington State … won a state championship in the 1,600 meter relay in high school.

36 :: Skyler Southam :: Punter :: 6-0, 200, Jr. :: Heber City, Utah (BYU)
Played against Oregon State in 2020 with four kickoffs for 222 yards … saw action in 26 career games at BYU from 2018-19, going 11-of-16 on FGs and 42-of-44 on PATs … two-time all-state and an Army All-American out of Wasatch HS … held state records in single-season field goals, career field goals and punt average.

93 :: Keegan Markgraf :: Snapper :: 6-3, 225, Sr. :: Hamilton, Ontario (Central Michigan)
33 career games played at Utah … All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2020, also being named a Patrick Mannelly Award semifinalist (national snapper award) … 160 career snaps as a Ute … had 33 total snaps in 2020 with no blocked kicks or punts … earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2019.

48 :: Noah Rodriguez-Trammell :: Snapper :: 6-2, 200, Jr. :: Van Nuys, Calif. (Notre Dame HS)
Started the final eight games of 2017 after walking on the team … was rated the No. 1 snapper in California and No. 8 in the nation out of high school … was perfect in snaps for punts and PATs his entire high school career … part of the Crimson Council Executive Committee.

18 :: Britain Covey :: Return Specialist :: 5-8, 172, Jr. :: Provo, Utah (Timpview HS)
33 career games as a Ute, ranking fifth all-time in career punt returns (63) and fourth in career punt return yards (665) … three-time All-Pac-12 returner, also earning Sporting News Freshman All-American as a returner … ranked second in the FBS and first in the Pac-12 in punt return average (16.1) in 2020 … 64-yard punt return touchdown against Oregon State last season.