This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Cottonwood received a major blow to its rebuilding process after learning three-star Class of 2017 receiver Taniela Pututau suffered a completely torn ACL and partially torn PCL, according to the Colts second-year coach Mike Tidwell.
Pututau will miss his entire senior season. At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds as a junior, Pututau led the Colts, who finished 2-8 in 2015, with 29 receptions last year, and was expected to be the foundation for the program to continue to build on as it attempts to return to the level of success of its past.
"The very last play of camp — the very last play on the goal line challenge — we threw a post," Tidwell explained. "Taniela went up and caught it, came down, and his cleat stuck in the ground. His ACL is torn in half."
Pututau, who will undergo surgery on Wednesday, maintains offers from Air Force, Army, BYU, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon State, Utah and Utah State, according to 247sports. Pututau also tweeted he received an offer from Navy.
Cottonwood opens up this season on the road against defending Region 6 champion Olympus on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. The Titans won last year's meeting between the programs, 33-14.
— Trevor Phibbs
Twitter: @trevorphibbs