UteNation Countdown to Kickoff: No. 8 Brandon Rose

We get another double dose of articles in the UteNation Countdown to Kickoff today, and this one highlights no. 8 Brandon Rose. Despite only being a true freshman, Rose was on campus in spring ball, meeting our criteria for the countdown articles.

Rose was the Southwestern League MVP on the way to leading his team to a league championship as a senior at Murrieta Valley HS in Temecula, CA. Arriving at Utah, he was viewed as an Andy Ludwig type quarterback, who could excel in the Utah offensive coordinator’s pro-style attack.

UteNation Take

Rose really impressed the coaching staff in spring ball, so he came into fall camp with some intrigue to see how he progressed over the summer. Like many freshman do, Rose had his ups and downs. While his spring was promising, he struggled a bit in fall camp.

With Cam Rising possibly leaving for the NFL after this season, there will likely be an open competition for the QB1 and QB2 spots in 2023. This season will be crucial for him to get up to speed in the college game, as he still needs to work on his processing of defenses and the playbook.

One year in the same quarterback room with a talent and leader like Rising, could do wonders for Rose’s future. It’s up to Rose on how much knowledge and skills he soaks in, while learning from the 2022 First-Team All-Pac-12 selection.

Remembering Rose's Recruitment

The three-star quarterback was a bit under the radar in the 2022 class because he didn’t really get his name out there at camps. Despite that, he had P5 offers from Utah, Arizona State, Northwestern, Colorado and Kansas. Rose committed to Utah after visiting Northwestern, even with Elite 11 quarterback, Nate Johnson, already being committed. The confident Rose, who oozed swagger at the high school level, was unafraid of the challenge and competition.