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SALT LAKE CITY — For a position group that has seen its share of setbacks over the past several seasons, suddenly the Utah football roster is overflowing with talent at quarterback.
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham announced via Twitter that Kendal Thompson, a redshirt sophomore quarterback from the University of Oklahoma, will be transferring to the Utes after he graduates in May.
"We would like to officially welcome @Thurm405 to the Utah Football Family!" Whittingham (@UtahCoachWhitt) tweeted.
Thompson will have two seasons to play two and will not have to sit out a year since he will already have graduated at the time of the transfer. Since the transfer won't occur until May, Thompson will not participate in spring football with the Utes.
- Travis Wilson
- Adam Schulz
- Conner Manning
- Brandon Cox
- Micah Thomas*
- Travis Wilson
- Adam Schulz
- Conner Manning
- Brandon Cox
- Micah Thomas*
- Kendal Thompson
- Donovan Isom
- Travis Wilson
- Adam Schulz
- Conner Manning
- Brandon Cox
- Micah Thomas*
- Kendal Thompson
- Donovan Isom
- Chase Hansen
- Jason Thompson*
This isn't the first time a quarterback has transferred from Oklahoma to Utah. Tommy Grady made the switch in 2005, and the highlight of his playing career at Utah being a 44-6 rout of the No. 11 UCLA Bruins.
Utah beat out 41 other schools interested in Thompson, a source close to the situation told NewsOK.com.
Thompson was in a three-way battle for the starting job for the Sooners before breaking his foot on the first day of fall camp. Trevor Knight led Oklahoma to a 45-31 upset of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, making him the "obvious starter" for the Sooners in 2014.
The news comes in addition to the announcement that Travis Wilson, who had been sidelined at the end of the 2013 season after a concussion test discovered damage to an intracranial artery, has been cleared to participate in spring football.
The added depth helps the Utes, who have been absolutely plagued by injuries at the quarterback position. The last time a quarterback started and finished the same season for the Utes was in 2008.
With Wilson being cleared to participate and the addition of Thompson, Utah will have seven quarterbacks on the roster this fall. Come 2015 when Chase Hansen returns from an LDS Church mission and Jason Thompson, a transfer from Wyoming, is eligible to play after sitting out a season, the Utes will have nine quarterbacks on the roster, and that is if no new quarterbacks are brought in as part of the 2015 recruiting class.
Pretty safe to assume that some position changes are in the works. Robert Jackson is the cross platform sports and weather producer for ksl.com and KSL-TV. Jackson has covered the Utes for KSL since 2008. You can catch him and co-host Brian Swinney Tuesdays & Thursdays from 7-9 PM on the Ute Sports Report 1320 KFAN.
