What could Utah's QB depth chart could like in 2026?

Prior to Utah's final regular season game, head coach Kyle Whittingham made it clear to fans, media and the school's administration that he wanted to see Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin in Utes uniforms in 2026.

The reasons for bringing both dynamic quarterbacks back to Salt Lake City were pretty obvious to anyone who watched Utah's revival on the offensive side of the ball in 2025. In addition to the budding chemistry between the two, Dampier and Ficklin combined for quite the one-two punch under center, with the former serving as the starter and engine of the offense and the latter stepping in on occasion to provide the team a spark via his penchant for big plays in the run game.

Whittingham recognized that holding on to a couple of signal-callers who would be in line to earn starting jobs elsewhere would cost the program a pretty penny.

"The portal does not open until January now so you have a little more time after the regular season to sort those things out than before," Whittingham said. "With what Byrd's done this year and what Devon has done, for that matter, we're gonna have to really step up to hang on to those guys."

As he prepared his squad for its Las Vegas Bowl matchup against Nebraska, it appeared the Utes had found a way to make his wishes come true.

About a week after Dampier vocalized his intentions of staying put over the airwaves, word of Ficklin's return to Utah reverberated out of Salt Lake City, giving Utes fans hope that they'd be seeing their favorite quarterback tandem in the same crimson and white for the 2026 season.

There was still the two week transfer portal window in January to get through before anything became official, though all signs pointed to Dampier and Ficklin being on Utah's roster for the start of spring ball.

Joining them for the first practices of the 2026 campaign will be a couple of three-star recruits in Douglas Count High School (Georgia) product Michael Johnson (247Sports' No. 49 quarterback in 2026 class) and Arkansas native Kane Archer (No. 79) from Greenwood High School.

Utah's Projected 2026 QB Depth Chart

A full offseason to heal and recover after getting banged up in 2025 should allow Dampier to hit the ground running as the Utes' starter for the second season in a row. The soon-to-be senior is in line to be a team captain, given his leadership qualities and command of the Utes offense from the most important position on the field, and has certainly earned the designation with his play on the field.

Despite being less than 100% healthy, Dampier ended the regular season with 2,180 passing yards, a career-high 22 passing touchdowns and only five interceptions after throwing 12 picks with new Mexico in 2024. He also had 687 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, becoming the first Utah quarterback to throw for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 600 yards in a single season since Alex Smith accomplished the feat while guiding the Utes to an undefeated record in 2004-05.

If Dampier were to come back to Salt Lake City for 2026 as expected, that would presumably make Ficklin the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart once again. His actual role, though, wouldn't be that of a typical backup, if his freshman season served as an indication of what's to come out of the Muskogee, Oklahoma, native.

Ficklin native recorded 56 carries for 503 rushing yards and tied NaQuari Rogers with a team-high 10 rushing touchdowns in the regular season. He was also 21-of-35 (60%) through the air for 301 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, earning high praise at times from Whittingham for his poise and big-play ability throughout the season.

"You could tell from day one that his demeanor was different than a typical freshman,"Whittingham said after Ficklin's first career start against Colorado on Oct. 25. "The way he carried himself, the way he handled his business. It was very evident back in spring ball that maybe we have something special here."

Pending the Utes' incoming transfer class, that would leave the third spot on Utah's quarterback depth chart to be decided between the team's incoming freshmen.

Archer, who flipped his commitment from UCF to sign with Utah during the early signing period, will arrive to campus following a successful high school career at Greenwood. The 6-foot-1 prospect guided the school to to back-to-back state titles (2023 and 2024) and didn't lose a single game as a starter until the championship game of the 2025 6A state playoffs, where Greenwood lost to Shiloh Christian High School, 70-50, on Dec. 6.

Archer, who threw for over 12,000 yards at Greenwood, was ranked by 247Sports as the top quarterback out of Arkansas in the 2026 class.

Johnson signed with the Utes as 247Sports' No. 49 quarterback in the class nationally. The 5-foot-11 recruit threw for 2,331 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 544 yards and 11 scores as a senior, guiding Douglas County to the 6A state quarterfinal round in the process. He was also an outfielder and pitcher on the diamond and recorded times of 11.15 in the 100-meter dash and 22.14 in the 200-meter.

Johnson's dual-threat capabilities could serve as an intriguing fit in Jason Beck's offense. But only time will tell how all of Utah's quarterbacks fit into next season's puzzle.

What does appear to be the case at this point in time is that the Utes won't have Isaac Wilson on the roster for 2026. The former star-recruit and younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson will reportedly enter the transfer portal after appearing in one game during the 2025 season.

The transfer portal, which opens Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16, will shed even more light on the Utes' potential depth chart for 2026.

Utah's Projected 2026 QB Depth Chart

MORE UTAH NEWS & ANALYSIS