Can Tyler Huntley Be The Best Player In The Pac-12?
Jun 28, 2019, 4:29 PM | Updated: 4:31 pm
TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 03: Quarterback Tyler Huntley #1 of the Utah Utes looks to pass during the first half of the college football game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Pac-12 expectations for the University of Utah football team are sky-high this year with many projecting the Utes as a preseason top-15 team, Pac-12 South frontrunner and a challenger for the Rose Bowl.
To achieve these expectations, the Utes’ individual player talent will have to shine.
Historically defense has led the way for Whittingham’s team. However, Scott Mitchell, host of KSL’s UnRivaled and KSL Sports contributor, makes the somewhat outlandish claim that Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley could be the best offensive player in the conference.
Raise your hand if you believe @19scottmitchell when he says that Tyler Huntley will be the best offensive player in the @pac12 pic.twitter.com/06jYq5LejD
— KSL's UnRivaled (@KSLunrivaled) June 28, 2019
Mitchell did not say Huntley would be the best offensive player for only the Utes, but the whole Pac-12. Soley on the Utes offense, he has Huntley above future first-or-second round NFL Draft pick, running back Zack Moss.
As for competition in the Pac-12 – it includes another likely first-round, and maybe even first overall pick, in Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.
“Tyler Huntley will be the Pac-12 player of the year this year,” Mitchell said confidently on KSL’s Unrivaled.
“I watched and observed him last year. Tyler Huntley is coming back next season as the most seasoned quarterback in the Pac-12. He is as seasoned as (Stanford QB) K.J. Costello and (Oregon QB) Justin Herbert, there is not a more seasoned quarterback in the Pac-12,” continued Mitchell.
“If you look at the month of October, he was as good as anyone in the country. They were averaging 40 points per game and a lot of that was on Tyler Huntley.”
Injuries Derailed Huntley
Mitchell was right saying Huntley was having a good season leading up to his collar bone injury. The Utes were 4-0 and averaging 41 points per game during that stretch.
As for Huntley, he was leading the Pac-12 in yards per attempt at 9.8 and had the best quarterback rating in the league at 176.60. He was one of three quarterbacks to complete over 70% of his passes at 73.3%.
Nationally, he was top six in each of those categories. He was careful with the ball with seven touchdowns and only two interceptions in four games.
Before his injury, Tyler Huntley was one of the most exciting and accurate quarterbacks in college football. He will look to lead Utah once again this year. pic.twitter.com/3Dt3lUUHFI
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 6, 2019
Then he got injured against Arizona State.
His backup, Jason Shelley led the Utes to a 3-2 record and a Pac-12 title game berth. However, his numbers were nowhere near what Huntley was putting up.
Shelley completed just 58 percent of his passes, had as many interceptions as touchdowns and his yards per attempt averaged 6.7, 3.1 yards behind Huntley’s hot October.
Huntley Becoming The Best
The biggest competition for Huntley to be the best quarterback in the Pac-12 comes from Oregon’s Herbert and Washington quarterback Jacob Eason.
Mitchell compared Huntley to former ute signal-caller Brian Johnson. Johnson’s offensive coordinator during the undefeated 2018 season happened to be Andy Ludwig, who is back overseeing the 2019 Utah offense.
“Brian Johnson really flourished under Andy Ludwig, and he did it against a really good Alabama team in the Sugar Bowl,” Mitchell said. “The key is production and consistency. I am telling you, this kid is bigger than he has ever been, he is a senior and is primed for this.”
Ludwig has an offensive style in place to help Huntley be the best he can be. This will help the Utes contend for the Rose Bowl. The style won’t run him as much to keep him healthy, according to Mitchell.
“I am all for letting the offense flow through Zack Moss. When they were scoring 40 points per game, they were doing that. They also had tremendous production from Tyler Huntley. When you are a quarterback and have that consistent running game you can be lights out. However, when it is all on you and you are trying to scramble for everything – every single week, it is a struggle.”
Mitchell said that some Ute offensive and defensive players surrounding Huntley are better than him, but that is the thing that can help Huntley be an elite quarterback.
“When you have all those players around you, maybe they are better than you, I am just telling you that at the end of the day Tyler Huntley will significantly benefit from this. It is not even a question,” Mitchell said.
For Huntley to win the offensive player of the year award it will likely take a combination of Utah appearing in the conference championship game and Huntley having a season that mirrors his success from October of last year.
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