UteNation Countdown to Kickoff: No. 16 Bryson Barnes

With sixteen days left and today being a double-dose of the countdown, this article takes a look at everyone’s favorite pig farmer and surprise Rose Bowl standout, Bryson Barnes.

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham shocked everyone last January when he turned to the former walkon in place of a concussed Cam Rising. With ice in his veins, he eventually led the Utes to tie the game before Ohio State ultimately kicked the game-winning field goal.

Heading into the 2022 season, there’s zero question that Rising is the starting signal-caller. However, Barnes finds himself in a battle with Ja’Quinden Jackson for the no. 2 quarterback role. The winner of that role could have a leg up in the competition for 2023, as its anticipated within the program that 2022 should be Rising’s last year.

UteNation Take

Don’t attack me for throwing cold water on the situation, but just because Barnes did what he did against Ohio State, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s ready for extended prime-time minutes. What he did in that game is fair to be termed as a pleasant surprise.

The biggest advantage with Barnes as the backup to Rising would be that the scheme doesn’t have to change much. Jackson, however, is the better athlete who can hit the explosive plays at any moment. That being said, the offense has to be altered to fit Jackson’s skill set and strengths.

Because of this, it could be a situation similar to the year of Jason Shelley and Drew Lisk. Barnes—like Lisk— would likely be the better in-game option, while Jackson—similar to Shelley—could be the more likely backup to Rising, if there’s ample time to prepare and adjust the scheme.

Remembering Barnes’ recruitment

Barnes was a three-time first-team all-state selection out of Milford HS, earning 1A MVP in 2018 as a junior. He was lightly recruited despite 244-of-404 passing for 3,533 yards and 39 touchdowns, while adding 625 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on 181 carries his senior year. The big reason why was because of his level of competition. Still, Barnes had FCS offers and chose to bet on himself by walking on with the Utes. Judging by his early performance, the sophomore made a wise decision.