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BREAKING: Utes Land Texas Transfer Jackson

Ja’Quinden Jackson
Ja’Quinden Jackson


With their 2020 starter recovering from surgery, a lackluster year from their recent grad transfer, and the likelihood that this weekend’s talk of the town is hanging up his cleats, the University of Utah needed to fix their quarterback room and they’ve done just that. Late Saturday night, Texas transfer Ja’Quinden Jackson (6-foot-2 and 232 pounds) announced his intentions on Twitter.


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A friend of Utah’s freshman phenom, Ty Jordan, Jackson was the (2020) no. 5 rated dual-threat quarterback and no. 180 in the Rivals250. Out of high school he had offers from Utah, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida State, and 22 other schools.

After partially tearing his ACL in his high school state semifinals game, Jackson has been healthy enough, but didn’t play this season.

This is what Orange Bloods managing editor Jason Suchomel had to say about him:

“He’s very quiet, tough to get much info on. Legit badass, though,” said Suchomel. “Dual-threat guy, canon for an arm, power runner. Redshirted this year after suffering a knee injury in the state semifinals as a senior. Healthy now but Texas wasn’t giving him any practice reps.”

Texas’ loss is Utah’s gain, as Jackson will enter the program with five years to play four, thanks to 2020 not counting against anyone’s eligibility.


What this means for the quarterback room

The full expectation is that Cam Rising will return healthy to regain his starting job, as the Utah program had sky-high hopes for the team with him under center. But, what about after him? That was suddenly the issue. South Carolina transfer quarterback Jake Bentley has shown some head-scratching struggles. Drew Lisk just saved the Utes on what is likely a storybook ending, when he was ready to move on from football. Freshman Cooper Justice remains a raw prospect. Then there’s Peter Costelli, their prized 2021 four-star recruit who lost his senior season due to California shutting down their 2020 high school season.

All of this creates a lot of unknown heading into next season with a team that looks ahead of schedule and ready to compete for the Pac-12 Championship. Jackson suddenly finds himself with a golden opportunity and a chance to impress during spring football, before Rising comes back to reclaim his job.

Can he dominate and take the Pac-12 by storm like his friend, Jordan? Ute Nation is about to find out.


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