Britain Covey Named Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Dec 3, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO – University of Utah wide receiver and return specialist Britain Covey has been named the Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced on Friday. Covey is the first Ute to win the honor in football since Utah joined the Pac-12 in 2011.

Awarded across each Pac-12 sponsored sport, Utah last had a Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year when Brianna Chisholm (women's tennis) was selected in 2019.

Long regarded among the nation's most effective returners, Covey's on-field success has carried to the classroom with a 3.86 cumulative grade-point average. Completing his business degree in Summer 2021, he has accumulated a lengthy list of academic accolades in his career. The Provo, Utah, native has been named CoSIDA Academic All-District (2018, '20, '21), CoSIDA Academic All-America (2020), Pac-12 All-Academic and Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (2018, '19, '20). He's made six appearances on the University of Utah Dean's List, and earned seven career Athletic Director's Honor Roll awards.

On the field, he is a four-time All-Pac-12 selection, including three as a returner and First Team honors in 2018 and '20. The 2021 Paul Hornung Watch List member, Preseason All-American and Preseason All-Pac-12 pick leads active players in the Pac-12 with 176 career receptions, racking up 1,905 receiving yards which is sixth-most in program history. This season, he leads the Utes with 44 catches.

He has amassed 1,905 receiving yards in his career, sixth in program history. Covey has caught at least one pass in 42 of his 45 career games, including 14 straight contests.

As a returner, Covey continues to rank among the top in the country as well as Utah history. He is averaging 16 yards per punt return this season, leading the Pac-12 and No. 2 in the FBS. It includes two punt return touchdowns, most recently a 78-yard runback vs. then-No. 3-ranked Oregon in front of a record Rice-Eccles Stadium crowd and national television audience. Covey, a team captain and member of the Utes' Leadership Council, owns four career punt return touchdowns which leads all active players in the FBS.

His 1,080 career punt return yards are the most in program history at Utah, and he sits second in the Utes record book with 89 career punt returns. Covey is the only active wide receiver in FBS with over 1,500 career receiving yards and 600 career punt return yards.

A testament to his collective receiving and returning prowess, Covey owns 3,866 career all-purpose yards which ranks fourth at Utah.

Winners of the Pac-12 South, No. 17-ranked Utah is just hours away from the Pac-12 Championship Game vs. No. 10 Oregon. Played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. MT on Friday night and the game will be televised on ABC.

Britain Covey • 2021 Awards & Accolades