TAKEAWAYS: Utah’s Forever 22 Game
The University of Utah held its annual spring game at Rice Eccles Stadium, rebranding it as the 22 Forever Game in honor of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe. Despite several players sitting out, the game didn’t disappoint, as Ute fans got a glimpse of some promising up-and-coming players.
Led by Brandon Rose and Ja’Quinden Jackson, the White Team came out on top, 38-28 victory. Here are the takeaways from the game:
Rose shined in the battle for the backup quarterback spot
Before kicking into the battle for the No. 2 role behind Cam Rising, it must be noted that a large number of key players on defense were held out. Regardless, that shouldn’t damper the excitement that fans surely had after watching the game.
Brandon Rose shined in the spotlight and showed why he’s been the talk of spring ball. He finished the game 19-24 for 233 yards and one touchdown. His best play was a 26-yard pass to wide receiver Money Parks for a touchdown. While he didn’t have any "wow" moments, he looked confident, composed, and accurate throughout the game.
The game plan was designed to highlight his strengths and it did just that.
Bryson Barnes threw for 60 yards for the game. His longest play was a pass to Hayden Erickson for 27 yards and he added a 32-yard touchdown run on and a third-and-8. It was a great read on a QB read-option.
This game was about showcasing the young quarterbacks and seeing how they would perform in the spotlight. As Whittingham has stated, they know what they have in Barnes.
After battling a leg injury that has limited him in spring ball, Nate Johnson backed up Barnes. Johnson went for 43 yards of 4-7 passing, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran twice for 28 yards with a long of 18. His performance and progression shouldn’t be fully judged until fall camp because he’s missed some valuable development time.
Ja’Quiden Jackson gave a glimpse of what’s ahead
It was a limited amount of touches on the day for Jackson, but he didn’t disappoint. He only ran three times for 17 yards and a goal line touchdown, but he played with tenacity and bulldozed his way down the field with each carry. Jackson's goal for the spring was to improve his pass-catching, and he showcased that improvement in the game with two receptions for 52 yards, his longest for 30 yards on a swing pass.
It’s going to be a frightening sight for opponents when he hits open space. Jackson is a budding star.
Parks and Matthews shine, but Utah needs Bridges
One big question still remaining is wide receivers, as Whittingham noted in several post practices that there are still a lot of questions at that position.
With Devaughn Vele and Makai Cope held out, Money Parks and Mikey Matthews took advantage of a lot of reps in the game. Parks led the White Team with five receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown. Matthews added seven receptions for 59 yards. They each had 23 yards after the catch, as they took shallow routes and constantly made something out of them.
Their performances were important, as Whittingham has made no secret about the receiver struggles in the spring. While their performances were encouraging, it’s clear that former five-star receiver Trejan Bridges — who was on an official visit — is the most crucial 2023 recruit remaining for the Utes to land.
Notables on defense
Linebacker Justin Medlock was the standout for the game, as he tallied 11 tackles, six solo, and a fumble recovery in the game. Defensive end Chase Kennedy also added three tackles and one forced fumble.
Ole Miss transfer Miles Battle is adjusting well to the man-to-man schemes after playing in mostly zone sets for the Rebels. He had a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown on Mack Howard. He’s expected to play alongside JT Broughton and Zemaiah Vaughn this fall.
After arriving early to campus, 2023 recruit Johnathan Hall got extended time in the game as several safeties sat out. Hall announced his presence by picking off a risky throw by Johnson.
The one known injury in the game was to backup defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa who had had a solid camp leading up to the injury. Numerous other defensive players had some nice moments in the game, but each defense featured a large amount of walkons, who will be crucial to Utah’s special teams efforts.
A subdued ending
A nice day turned gloomy as the team returned to the locker room and received devastating news that one of their own had an unexpected death in their family. The postgame press conference was understandably canceled, as the team rallied around each other.
While UteNation won’t go into specifics, our hearts go out to the football program and those affected.