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On the first drive, on his first catch, Evan Moeai went down as his left ankle buckled and gave way beneath him in Utah's season opener against Michigan last September. He wouldn't play again that season.
The next day, even before the official word was out on the severity of the senior tight end's injury, Samantha Moeai, his wife, tweeted: "I bet no one hates football more than me."
A year later, Evan remembers the tweet and laughs a little uncomfortably about it. Back for his sixth year after getting a waiver over the summer, he talked over the decision with his wife at length.
"She has mixed feelings about football, of course. It's understandable out of concern for my well-being," he said. But at the end of the day, a big part of my decision was knowing I would regret it if I didn't."
After another devastating injury to one of his fellow tight ends, the Utes need Moeai as much as ever.
Kyle Whittingham revealed Thursday that senior Siale Fakailoatonga tore his ACL for a second straight season, putting him out for the year. The loss puts the onus on Moeai and junior Harrison Handley to stand out at the position, particularly since the Utes want to use more two-tight end sets this year.
Returning as Utah's leading receiver from last year (21 catches, 286 yards, four TDs in 2015) Handley had a mission in mind: become a better blocker. He's up from 240 pounds last year to 255 this year, and he said he's worked on his blocking technique and mechanics ad nauseum — which makes him well-positioned to help replace Fakailoatonga's top contribution.
At a recent practice, Handley showcased his added bulk by shaking off defenders after a catch.
"Blocking is definitely still a big emphasis for me," he said. "But I think every single day we're out here in pads, I get better and better."
What Moeai is working on is a little more intangible.
He spent the spring rehabbing his ankle and getting in shape, but his confidence took longer to heal. Tight ends coach Fred Whittingham noticed on the first day of fall camp that Moeai looked "tentative" on the field.
"I talked to him a little bit about it, and the best thing he can do is just let it rip and not think about anything other than playing football," Whittingham said. "He's done that. You've seen him get better and better, and now he's playing really good ball."
At his best, Moeai is a crafty receiving threat. Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said Moeai prominently figured into Utah's offensive game plan each of the last two years before he was injured. Safety Chase Hansen said Moeai is one of the hardest receivers to cover, deceptively quick and shifty in the open field.
He changed his number — from 84 to 18 — just in case the old one was giving him bad luck.
Each day and each practice inches Moeai closer to where his head needs to be. He's talked with Fakailoatonga — who now joins Moeai with two season-ending injuries in two years — and offered his support, but he has his own progress to continue.
"You can't help but feel bad that you haven't been able to be out there and produce on the field like you hoped to, and the coaches hoped you to," he said. "But then again, you can't plan for an injury. There's nothing you can really do. I'm just out here to work hard and do my best."
Twitter: @kylegoon —
Utah's tight end depth
After a season-ending ACL tear to senior Siale Fakailoatonga, the Utes are looking at their depth chart to see who can step up:
Senior Evan Moeai • Coming off consecutive season-ending injuries in 2014, 2015; Snow College alum in sixth year of eligibility.
Junior Harrison Handley • Utah's leading returning receiver from 2015 (21 catches, 286 yards); added 15 pounds in the offseason.
Freshman Chad Hekking • Former HS quarterback joined team in spring; had seven catches for 63 yards in spring game.
Freshman Bapa Falemaka • Judge Memorial standout walked on to team; state champion shot putter in high school.