Isaac Wilson’s “welcome to college football” moment came fast.
After graduating high school early and enrolling at the University of Utah, the former Corner Canyon star quarterback’s first winter conditioning workout — a particularly tough one, even by Utah standards — hit hard.
“I was throwing up on the first day. That was a good ‘welcome to college’ moment,” Wilson said.
Since that initial reality check, the prep phenom has been settling in nicely during his first spring camp, working hard in winter conditioning and carrying that mindset over to March as the Utes hit the field for five weeks of practices.
Wilson’s work ethic
As expected, there have been freshman moments from the first-year player, but he’s been able to take his practice mistakes in stride and learn from them. On the opening day of spring practice back on March 12, he threw an interception on the first pass we saw, which was certainly not a surprise from a freshman quarterback playing against Utah’s defense, but his response afterward is what told the story.
Wilson came back on the next series he was in and threw a touchdown pass to Daidren Zipperer, exactly what Utah’s coaches were hoping to see. Not everything is going to go perfectly for Wilson as he adjusts to the college game, but by all accounts, he’s making a good transition to Division I football.
The arm talent and mobility that helped him set a state record for total offense in a season — 4,595 passing yards and 1,306 rushing yards — is visible in the limited windows of practice that media members are allowed to watch.
What will come next is the mastery of the playbook and the quick decision-making required of a Power Four quarterback, and he’s already got a good start on it. Wilson spends hours in the film room and already has a grasp on offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig’s pro-style offense.
“Just about, not quite,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said on March 19 when asked if Wilson has full command over the playbook.
“He’s only been here since January, but he is putting in the time and he’s in the film room constantly and he’s a smart kid and so there’s no doubt in our minds that he will be able to have a complete command of it by the end of spring,” Whittingham said.
The longtime Utah coach also touted how the 2023 Deseret News Mr. Football recipient has fit in so far, saying that he doesn’t get overwhelmed by the speed of the college game or the complexity of the offense.
“Isaac is looking really good. He’s making the transition to Power Five football very well so far,” Whittingham said.
Andy Ludwig’s pro-style offense
The quality reps that Wilson is getting in practice, the experience he’s had working with Rising and the coaching he’s getting from Ludwig are all invaluable and will pay dividends in his career, solidifying his choice to graduate early from high school. By the time fall camp rolls around and decisions will be made about the backup quarterback spot, Wilson will be in a much better place because of his spring camp experience.
“It’s been a good experience getting with the guys, learning the offense. Spring ball has been rough, but I mean, not in a bad way. In a good way because I got to learn the offense and got to stick my hours into the film room. So it’s been good for me,” Wilson said.
On a sunny spring day a week ago, Wilson dropped back to pass with coaches intently watching as he threw. They weren’t the only ones. Wilson’s brother, Zach, and his dad, Mike, watched from the sidelines at the Spence and Cleone Eccles Football Center as Isaac went through reps against Utah’s defense.
They understand what Isaac is going through, having both played Division I football — Mike was a defensive lineman at Utah and Zach was a three-year starting quarterback at BYU, becoming the No. 2 selection in the 2021 NFL draft.
Having a brother with college and NFL experience to lean on is especially helpful for Isaac as he gets up to speed on Utah’s offense.
“Just having Zach there and my dad, Zach’s seen this offense. He’s run some of the plays so he knows the little tips and tricks, like you see the cornerback’s hips just turn just a bit, you’re off the go route, you’re coming back to your crosser. I got to be reacting just like that,” Isaac said, snapping his fingers. “And Zach’s getting me through that stuff.”
Back in December, Isaac told the Deseret News that Ludwig’s NFL-style offense was what he needed for his development if he wants to reach the league, and so far, his experience has matched his expectations.
“He keeps you in check,” Wilson said of Utah’s offensive coordinator, “and I mean, that’s a good thing because his offense is really precise. I’ve talked with my brother, he really thinks it matches up with the NFL offenses, some concepts, some boots, play actions, so just working with him has been a blast.”
Battle to be the backup
This is Cam Rising’s show in 2024.
The veteran quarterback missed all of the 2023 season with knee rehab and is back for his “last dance,” his seventh year of college football coinciding with Utah’s first in the Big 12. Rising wasn’t shy in declaring Utah’s goals for the season after the Utes finished their first spring practice — winning the Big 12 Conference and securing a spot in the College Football Playoff, which expands to 12 teams this season and guarantees a spot for the Big 12 champion.
While Utah has surprised when naming its quarterback position in the past, notably in 2017 when sophomore Tyler Huntley beat out senior Troy Williams for the main gig, there’s no qualms about who QB1 is this season for the Utes — that’s the man who led the Utes to back-to-back Pac-12 championships.
While other highly-touted prospects might be frustrated to not get the starting nod in their first season, that’s definitely not the case for Wilson, who relishes the opportunity to learn from Rising.
“Anytime I have a question, I ask him or Luke Bottari, what’s the read on this? … And they’ve always got my back. They’re going to help me progress,” Wilson said.
Everyone hopes that Rising is able to finish the season healthy, but the program also knows the importance of having a capable backup, especially after last year. Whittingham said earlier this year that he was looking to bring in a transfer quarterback, but that never materialized before spring camp. As spring camp ends, the transfer portal will open again and the Utes could nab a quarterback with some college experience.
As of now though, the QB2 job is between Wilson and Brandon Rose, and even if a transfer is brought in ahead of fall camp, Wilson could certainly still win the job, especially if he keeps developing and absorbing the offense at the rate he is right now.
“There’s a great battle going on between (Rose) and Isaac Wilson right now for that No. 2 QB spot. And they’re both competing extremely well and it’ll be interesting to see what happens in these last seven practices,” Whittingham said.
