Fall preview: Quarterbacks
Fall camp is almost upon us, and with it the Utes begin preparations for a new season. Coming off a 2015 campaign that saw Utah win 10 games and make major strides toward becoming a new power in the Pac-12 south, the 2016 version of the Utes will look continue the momentum and push for an actual division championship.
With a stout defense and strong offensive line returning, the key for Utah to take the next step will begin with quarterback play. Today, we take a closer look at the quarterback competition heading into fall camp and what to expect as the Utes head into the season.
The Contenders
2016 will be a new era for the Utah offense. After owning the starting job for the better part of four years, Travis Wilson is gone and three players are looking to take his place. Here is a breakdown on the three contenders for the starting job.
Troy Williams - Ute fans saw a glimpse of what Williams could do in spring camp, even if an injury cut his camp short and prevented him from playing in the spring game. Although he doesn’t have the best arm of the Utah quarterbacks, he’s capable of making all of the necessary throws and is probably the best of the three quarterbacks at reading defenses.
Although he’s a capable runner and is certainly fast and athletic enough to evade a pass rush and extend the play, Williams isn’t known as a big running threat. He’s all about keeping his eyes downfield and moving the ball through the air. Although he’s shown promise early on, Williams is still a big question mark. Nobody knows exactly how he’ll react when the pressure is on and he has to perform. Case in point: Williams doesn’t have a lot of game experience, yet. He saw limited game action at Washington, but put up astounding numbers at the JUCO level last season. That said, despite the limited experience, Williams is well positioned to make a statement and claim the starting job with a strong fall camp.
Brandon Cox - There’s a lot to like about Cox’s game. He’s a terrific athlete and a fantastic runner. He’s got a big arm to match. Of the three quarterbacks on the roster, Cox best knows the Utah offense and what the coaches are looking for. Cox has been snakebitten by injuries for each of his three seasons in the Utah program, and that injury history has impeded his development as a quarterback.
Cox had a solid spring, but when Williams went down, he had a golden opportunity to create some separation between himself and the other quarterbacks. Although he generally performed well, he didn’t do enough to close the door on Williams or Huntley. Even if he doesn’t win the starting job, we expect to see Cox play this fall.
Tyler Huntley - Coming out of high school as the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, everyone knew Tyler Huntley could play. But Huntley handled himself over the spring with a maturity and readiness that belied the fact that he essentially skipped his senior prom to play football at the U six months early. He has the best arm of the quarterbacks, and is fantastic on his feet.
Huntley’s spring was typical of a true freshman. He was inconsistent. When he was good, he was spectacular. But at times he struggled adjusting to the speed of the game and making the right reads. All of those things are fixable with time and reps. And he’ll get his opportunity to show how much he’s grown over the summer. Huntley won’t back down just because he’s a freshman. Look for him to battle the two upperclassmen throughout the fall. Make no mistake, he’s gunning for the job.
Prediction
This will be one of the more intense quarterback battles of the Whittingham era, and a lot will be riding on it. The best case scenario for Utah’s long term future would be for one of the two juniors to seize the job early, allowing the team to lock in with one style and Huntley to redshirt without question. We don’t think that’s going to happen. Instead, we expect a drawn out battle between all three quarterbacks that goes down to the wire. Ultimately, we expect Williams to win the job. He looked the most consistent and polished in the spring, and if he’s healthy that should continue. That said, don’t be shocked if we see both Williams and Cox battling for reps even through the Southern Utah game.