UteNation Countdown to Kickoff: No. 13 Nate Johnson

We get a double dose of articles in the UteNation countdown to kickoff with thirteen days left with no. 13, and here we discuss Nate Johnson. The quarterback played in four games in 2022, preserving his redshirt freshman season. Johnson completed one pass for a 16-yard touchdown and had five rushes for 51 yards and two touchdowns.

He brought a unique and tantalizing element to the offense in 2022 that opponents had no answers for.

UteNation Take

When healthy, Cam Rising is the starting quarterback for Utah, so Johnson is part of the battle for the back up spot and heir apparent to Rising.

Bryson Barnes has had the leg up on the QB2 in recent seasons—and it appears to be the same to start 2023– but Johnson’s athleticism has continued to earn him some special packages to just get him on the field. While probably the biggest threat with his legs, Johnson also has a strong arm with some zip on the ball. If he can improve on the finer details like touch on passes and protecting the ball, Johnson could be in a great position to battle for the starting spot in spring 2024.

With Brandon Rose out to start the season, and Rising being brought back slowly from injury, Johnson has taken advantage of his increased reps in practice, after being limited in the spring. If it is indeed Barnes that starts the season, Johnson will see a higher amount of specialty packages.

Remembering Johnson’s Recruitment

Johnson was a 3-star Rivals-rated recruit, an Elite 11 finalist and an Under Armour All-American Bowl participant. The Clovis HS (Clovis, CA) had many options for college, and ultimately his recruitment came down to Utah and Michigan. Eventually, Utah won the battle in the summer of 2021 after a visit to Salt Lake City.