Interesting to note…

[Whitty]

… the seeming lack of conversation around Cam’s status this week, compared to last week. Leading up to the UCLA game everyone knew Thursday was the “decision day” for Cam, and rumors were abounding all week. This week feels much quieter. Don’t know if that’s a positive or negative.

[Larry B]

I think a lot of people (including me) are just sick of the drama of it all. I’m starting to not really care. It really has put a damper on what has otherwise been a fun season.

[The Miami Ute]

Yeah, that’s exactly how it is for me. Let me know when you’re ready to play. I shan’t be asking any more.

[belli1976]

I am pretty sure all the drama is on the fan boards.not in the locker room.

[Whitty]

Agree with this sentiment

[22Ute22]

Aside from hoping he plays, only to be disappointed when he doesn’t, it’s caused a huge rift and a lot of tension in our fanbase. I think people are just tired of it all. Additionally, I think most people have now assumed that he will play against Cal, and will not be playing against OSU. Of course we have no idea, but most people just don’t think he’ll be ready to play on a short week.

[CityCreekUte]

If he’s anything less that 100% I don’t see a strong argument for this being his return game with a bye and Cal to follow. So I don’t think there’s much discussion because I think there’s a lot less wonder/expectation that it happens.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

We are a good quarterback away from a possible three peat. That’s what makes it so hard. Watching the penn state qb (six year senior) dissect our blitzes and change plays at the line and make us pay during the rose bowl. Shows how an average qb with lots of game experience can make a huge difference.

Cam is capable to make the defense pay for blitzing or personnel changes. We don’t have another qb that can do it. Cam may not be physically as talented as NJ (Cam has better arm) but experience and leadership takes time we dont have.

Nobody talks about Kuthie much because we can win without him. Big mistake for not developing a better backup qb. That’s why the Cam talk still exists. If he can’t play he should move on not that anything changes but we can tamper our expectations and give NJ more reps and a longer leash.

[22Ute22]

This is part of the reason I’m so confused that people have turned on NJ so fast. He barely played QB in High School, and he barely has any experience playing QB in CFB. His first start against a P5 team was against a UCLA team with TWO borderline elite edge rushers. Look, I’m not a QB scout or coach, but it seems mind boggling that people have claimed with absolute certainty that he can’t be the guy in 1-2 years. I’m not saying that he will be the guy, but to claim that he can’t be the guy after one P5 start is absurd. It is just people unfairly taking out their frustration with the offense on him, rather than the coaching staff. Or maybe it’s the Barnes believers who are trying to make the NJ crowd eat crow, even though their situations are not remotely the same.

[2008 National Champ]

It’s not so much that anyone is turning on Johnson as it is realizing that he is not what people had hoped for, yet.

Two years ago, the majority of the board were convinced that JaQuinden was going to be the next great QB. Do you hear anyone suggesting that he take some reps?

RJ Hubert is another example. While rehabbing from two major injuries, he all of a sudden became the greatest Safety in Utah history. Until he missed a couple of tackles. The whiplash was amazing to witness.

[22Ute22]

So because fans had completely unrealistic expectations of NJ, he can’t be the future QB? Again, this just sounds like people who are taking out their anger on NJ for the offensive struggles, rather than the coaching staff.

As I have already said, NJ has barely played the position. He only played it during his Junior and Senior years, and I believe his junior year was a shortened COVID HS season. So he barely has any experience at the position at all, and is a very raw product.

You might think, did he enroll early? Nope. He enrolled in June of 2022, so he didn’t get the spring ball that year to learn the offense and practice, unlike Brandon Rose who did enroll early. In their true freshman years, Rose was the scout team QB, which is much better for development than the peanuts of reps that you get as a QB3 who is trying to learn the playbook.

Well, how about spring ball of his redshirt freshman year? He missed a portion of that due to a hamstring injury.

Again, NJ has barely any experience at this level and position, yet he managed to overtake Bryson Barnes who has a bunch of Utah HS records, granted at the 1A level, and who has been in the system since the fall of 2020 when he walked on. And you know what? The fans who are wishing for Rose have no basis for thinking Rose is good. According to OnlyU and Ghost of the HEB (in this thread), Rose was barely making the offense more effective than the other two, and barely separated himself. Rose had more high school QB experience than NJ, enrolled early, was the scout team QB his true freshman year, and wasn’t hurt during spring ball, and he was BARELY AHEAD OF BARNES AND NJ. Even Whitt said Barnes was back in the mix for QB1 because he was making less mistakes than Rose.

[Rick]

I guess I haven’t read the posts of people saying Johnson can’t be QB1. I see enormous potential. If he does start again this week I hope Whittingham and Ludwig give him more of the playbook – or simply let him run more of what he knows. I like Nate. He’s improving and has significant potential.

I know some of us believe the coaches should have brought in a veteran for a situation like this and I get that; but I don’t think many of those fans think Nate can’t be a quality QB. Nate getting this kind of experience with the team winning is huge.

[Ghost of the HEB]

Not much else to say other than he will play when he feels ready.

[Sanders]

I would be curious to know how far ahead Rose was over Johnson before Rose got hurt in training camp. Do we know how severe Rose’s injury is?

[Whitty]

Rose is back practicing, has been for about a week or two I believe

[Ghost of the HEB]

None of the three separated themselves much in camp. Rose struggled early, improved a lot, and certainly had the best arm talent. But it’s not like the 1st team was was significantly more effective with him at the helm (we have come to see the defense he was facing is pretty good, tho).

He returned to practice last week, but unless there’s an emergent need, you’re not going to see him play.

[RedUte14]

how is he going to be redshirted again?

[Ghost of the HEB]

Fixed it. Whit has just said he’s missed too much time to contribute this season.

[SOWhat]

Ghost, he will play when he is cleared by the medical staff. It’s not Cam’s decision, it’s not Kyle,s decision it’s the doctor.

[Ghost of the HEB]

🤐

[Larry B]

Actually, there have been some pretty reliable reports that he has been cleared medically but has made his own decision not to play.

[Central Coast Ute]

After all that has transpired, I’m not expecting him to come back. I won’t believe anything until I see him take a snap. I don’t care if he warms up, I don’t care if walks to midfield for the coin flip. Let me know when he plays.

[Tony (admin)]

I think most believe Cam will be back after the bye week, so not much smoke this week.

[Author]

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