How Nate Johnson got his first reps as a Ute

While star quarterback Cameron Rising made his return to the field on Saturday after sitting out against Washington State the previous week, Utah fans also got their first taste of freshman quarterback Nate Johnson. Despite only taking a few reps, Johnson thoroughly impressed everyone as he recorded two touchdowns and 23 yards on just three carries.

So why did Johnson come in despite the return of Rising? According to Kyle Whittingham, the Utes were simply looking for a spark in their offense.

"We were low on running backs as far as healthy running backs, and we were down Dalton [Kincaid] and we were looking for a way to provide some more creative ways to provide a spark, and he sure did that," Whittingham said.

Making his first appearance for the Utes, the former four-star dual-threat quarterback from California entered the game on the tail end of two drives and demonstrated his speed as he reached the outside twice and scored two rushing touchdowns.

.@Shaboinate3 has some wheels!!@Utah_Football | #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/B5hCTuti8Q
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) November 6, 2022

We told you he's nice with it.

📺 https://t.co/S9ruEs19Ow #GoUtes | @Utah_Football | @Shaboinate3 pic.twitter.com/7AnOsCuU9n
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) November 6, 2022

"You saw how fast he is; he is the fastest kid on the team. You saw what he did on the track and high school, and he's got blazing speed, and I think you saw that manifest tonight," Whittingham added.

Just like Whittingham mentioned, Johnson's speed and explosiveness was on full display as he easily outran the Wildcats defense and nearly went untouched twice. For Johnson, this was a massive confidence booster as he'd been preparing for the opportunity since Monday.

"Once it was Monday, they pretty much had put in my own little package," Johnson said. "Stay ready so you don't have to get ready, so I just stayed ready the entire week."

“I mean, it was really fun. First carry, touchdown, second carry, touchdown. Just being out there with the guys, being with team, It was really exciting…it gave me a lot of confidence," He added.

To come in as a freshman and execute to perfection like Johnson did is very impressive. It's also important to note that it wasn't a garbage time situation when the freshman was inserted into the lineup. He came in at a deadlock and remained composed to give the Utes an early 14-7 lead.

So whats in store for the freshman? For this season it remains undecided but there is a chance we could see him again. As for the future, Johnson has all the skills required to be a star for Utah.

"We will see what happens going forward and what Coach Ludwig comes up with, as that was all Coach Ludwig's brainchild and implementation, and if it looks like something we can hang onto and continue to get mileage out of it, we will do that," Whittingham said.

“Nate’s got a ton of potential," Whittingham added. "He’s got a very high ceiling. He also throws the ball very well, we see it in practice every day. You haven’t seen that yet but he’s got a very high ceiling.”

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