Nate Johnson makes push to be Utah's QB2 ... or QB1 against Florida

SALT LAKE CITY — Nate Johnson has taken the opportunities he's been given and run away with them.

And sometimes it's a literal run.

With his quick burst of speed, it makes the Clovis, California, native an elusive quarterback to contain. That much was sure when Johnson's first two touches of his collegiate career went for 9- and 8-yard rushing touchdowns on designed QB run plays against Arizona at Rice-Eccles Stadium last season.

Talk about an exciting (and productive) debut for the freshman quarterback.

"I mean, it was really fun," Johnson said in November. "First carry, touchdown; second carry, touchdown. Just being out there with the guys, being with team, it was really exciting."

Johnson learned the week prior that he'd be a potential factor in the team's offensive game plan against the Wildcats, and delivered when the moment came. It gave Utah's coaching staff and the fans in attendance that night a glimpse into the potential future of the quarterback position with Johnson under center.

Fast forward to August and Johnson has been given another opportunity with starting quarterback Cam Rising rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in the Rose Bowl earlier in the year. Rising's status as the team's starter for the season opener against Florida remains in question, though Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said Rising is "progressing."

The opportunity for Johnson seemed distant given an injury he sustained in spring camp that held him out for much of the limited practice availability going into the 22 Forever Game. Fellow redshirt freshman Brandon Rose took the reigns in spring and appeared destined for the backup quarterback spot, beating out Johnson and walk-on quarterback Bryson Barnes.

And for the first part of fall camp, Rose maintained his spot at the top, with Barnes nipping at his heels — or vice versa, depending on the week. Johnson was a distant third and hoping to make up the difference.

The opportunity came knocking again when Rose suffered an undisclosed injury that has held him out of fall camp the last two weeks. As such, Whittingham declared Barnes the presumptive starter if the game was played then, and Johnson would be his backup.

But the added reps between the two quarterbacks gave Johnson a shot in the arm, and his progress — and accuracy — as a quarterback accelerated.

"Nate Johnson was a huge benefactor of getting more reps, and he's really responded well. ... I have seen the benefit of going from repping three quarterbacks to two, with losing Rose, that those to Bryson and Nate have gotten considerably better at almost every aspect of quarterback play," offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said. "Have they arrived yet? Absolutely not. But that is a much improved position group in the last week as any on the football field."

In the days after Ludwig spoke to media, Whittingham declared the battle between Barnes and Johnson essentially a tie.

"I can tell you that for the two-spot, Bryson Barnes and Nate are on equal footing right now," Whittingham said. "Nate's closed the gap and they're exactly in a dead heat at this point."

Johnson has gotten more first-team reps in practice and has been given the opportunity to showcase his dual-threat ability that could be a disruptor to opposing defenses that have to scheme against him. And given the limited tape on Johnson, that could mean an added level of secrecy for Utah going into the Florida game should Johnson get the nod to start.

Whittingham remains coy on who the starter will be with a week before kickoff. He said he's not keeping it a secret as a gamesmanship move to limit Florida's ability to game plan, though that could certainly help, it's just where Utah remains.

Rising could be cleared, and if so, he'll get the start against Florida. But if he's not — and there remains good odds he won't — it's a coin flip on whether Johnson comes out on top.

"We're truly unsettled," Whittingham said. "There's really no deception at this point, it's just we'll see how things progress."

Deception or not, Whittingham and his coaching staff have more confidence in their redshirt freshman quarterback now. And if given the opportunity to start or take the QB2 role, Johnson will run with it.

"Every day is getting slightly better, getting better and better every day," Johnson said. "Just moving forward, it's good to still stay in that film room, study Florida, study our plays, and, you know, just keep it moving."

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