'Barnes Is Our Guy!' Utah Utes Coach Kyle Whittingham Provides Update on QB Situation
Announcing that supposed-to-be starter Cameron Rising would actually be missing the entirety of this season was the final blow in a season-long Utah Utes quarterback saga.
First, Rising was going to miss the season opener and maybe a game after that. No big deal. Then, it became a bigger deal. Rising was missing game after game, and the Utes were cycling through backups looking to find any one player who could push them past conference opponents with ease.
"Easy" isn's a word to describe the Utes' season, and especially not their wins, but they did make it work fairly well. Through eight games, Utah has a 6-2 record and a top-20 ranking in the CFP poll, but its job isn't done yet.
And neither is the quarterback drama.
Utah Utes quarterback Bryson Barnes throws the ball against the Florida Gators at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Rose has been an interesting storyline all season for the Utes. After he was expected to take the helm during Rising's absence, a sudden injury that left him mysteriously hospitalized — mysterious because of the lack of info that came out following the incident — he no longer was cleared to play, and hasn't played since.
And by Whittingham's recent press conference, it doesn't look like he will be.
"Whoever gives us the best chance to win is who we'll trot out there," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said this week. "If Brandon becomes that guy, then yes, that will happen, but right now Bryson Barnes is our guy."
Currently, Rose and Rising both qualify for medical redshirts, so naturally, Whittingham would be hesitant to lose that on Rose, especially if he ends up being Rising's successor. But according to the coach, it's more about Rose's playing level after not having appeared in any games this season.
"Missing all that time, obviously, set him back," Whittingham said. "Had he not missed all that time, he'd be more in the mix. I don't think there's any doubt about that, but here we are with four games left and we'll see if he can elevate himself, but that's really up to him how he performs."
However the final stretch of the season shakes out for Utah, it'll be one to remember, for better and for worse. Rose may not be playing for the Utes, but he's certainly primed to take more snaps in the future — and for now, Barnes gets that duty.
