Utah Football’s Choice For Starting QB Could Signal Coach’s View Of 2020 Team

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – There is going to be a lot going on this spring for Utah football with an exodus of talent that includes nine players who went to the NFL Combine, others who graduate(d), and possibly the biggest item is the quarterback battle that will occur between Cam Rising and Jake Bentley.

With so much talent gone the question has to be asked if Utah football has gotten to the level under Kyle Whittingham to just reload with new talent and compete for a Pac-12 title, or if the Utes need to rebuild in 2020 with so many players gone?

Despite being in a quarterback battle this off-season, South Carolina graduate transfer @JakeBentley19 has a great relationship with @drewlisker & @crising7.#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/BEGbTitHNK

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 3, 2020

KSL Sports’ Scott Mitchell is a former Utah quarterback and current color analyst for the football radio broadcasts. He knows a thing or two about the program. Mitchell thinks even if the Utes are reloading a massive drop-off is unlikely.

“Rebuilding means next year is going to be a down year. 8-4 could be a real possibility for Utah next year,” Mitchell said on KSL’s UnRivaled. “Reloading is still having really good players but they are just finally getting an opportunity and are competing for championships.”

The question is if the Utes have the talent and returning production to be able to get to a third-straight Pac-12 title game.

Mitchell looked to the past at BYU under LaVell Edwards when the Cougars seemingly had an All-Amerian quarterback every year, even with the new guys. That is reloading, according to Mitchell.

“In the LaVell Edwards era, every year was reloading and BYU just put the next quarterback in,” Mitchell said. “They had Gifford Nelson, then it was Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Robbie Boscoe, Steve Young, and it was called reloading because they were all good. I think Utah has talent [to reload in 2020].”

Quarterback Battle: Cam Rising Or Jake Bentley?

The Utes no longer have Tyler Huntley under center but they do have former Texas transfer Cam Rising who spent this past year as a redshirt, and South Carolina graduate transfer Jake Bentley who are both battling for the starting job.

After the first day of spring practices, the two seem to be playing nice. At some point this spring there needs to be a quarterback named to be able to lead summer workouts. Rising was with the program all last year and Bentley, who is now healthy, did not play much football in 2019 due to a broken leg.

However, Rising hasn’t really played at the FBS level whereas Bentley has played 33 games in the SEC. Mitchell feels the former Gamecock has the edge to be the starter for Utah.

Utah QB Cam Rising is worried about getting better in the spring rather than the QB battle.

Although, he does welcome the competition.#Utes @kslsports pic.twitter.com/e7tfVFMoip

— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) March 3, 2020

“He is a proven commodity. I am absolutely sure [the edge goes to Bentley]. Of course, Utah will say, ‘we have a competition.’ Obviously, everyone will think it is very clear that the guy who has played in the SEC and did well when he played should be the guy,” Mitchell said. “You don’t know where Cam Rising is because he hasn’t really been given the opportunity, because maybe his ceiling is better than the other guy. I don’t think the assumption that he was good in the past doesn’t mean he will be good in the future and Utah has been known by going with the younger guy.”

It all comes back to rebuilding versus reloading for Utah football for 2020.

“What you ask yourself is: are they rebuilding or reloading?” Mitchell asks.”If you are rebuilding you go with the younger guy because Bentley will not be here in a year so why would you rebuild with a guy who won’t be around next year.”

Perhaps the quarterback choice for the Utes will tip Whittingham’s hand for what he thinks of next year’s Utah team.

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