Changes are afoot on The Hill today
It sounds incredible to even say
But out with old and in with the new
The Ute fans are thrilled while Cougars are blue
COMMENTARY — In light of the current logjam at quarterback, it has been widely rumored that one or more Utah quarterbacks would transfer in order to pursue opportunities elsewhere. However, in a surprise move on The Hill today, all six scholarship quarterbacks announced their intention to immediately transfer to other schools.
Why? Cardale Jones. That’s right, the third string quarterback who led Ohio State to the National Championship last year as a freshman will be the starting quarterback for the Utes this coming year. Similar to the situation on The Hill, Jones was facing stiff competition from prior starters, and upperclassmen, J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller for the Buckeyes’ starting job. Ultimately, Jones wanted to be in a position in which he was assured to start come fall.
But why Utah? Ute fans can thank two young Mormon missionaries who are currently proselyting in Columbus, Ohio. No one could have predicted the far-reaching implications of them knocking on the door of a non-descript apartment six weeks ago. Not only has Jones joined the Mormon Church, he has seen the light when it comes to his chances of starting for Ohio State this season.
It did not take long for newly-converted Cardale to narrow his collegiate prospects to BYU, the Mormon Church’s flagship educational institution, and the University of Utah. While there was some initial speculation that Urban Meyers’ prior stint as head coach of the Utes tipped the scales, nothing could be further from the truth. The simple reality is that Jones wanted a legitimate opportunity to compete for another national title, which made his decision a no-brainer.
While Kendal Thompson will be returning to his roots to play for the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers, the other quarterbacks have all chosen other Utah schools. Brandon Cox is transferring to Utah State, Chase Hansen will be playing for Weber State, Donovan Isom has selected Southern Utah, and Connor Manning will be starting for the Red Storm at Dixie State. Because of the extensive social network he has already established in the Salt Lake Valley, combined with the fact he just signed a 1-year lease on his apartment, Travis Wilson has elected to enroll at Westminster (it remains to be seen how long it takes him to figure out they don’t even have a football team).
An open house will be held at Rice-Eccles Stadium starting at 6 p.m. today for Ute fans to say goodbye to the old quarterbacks, and welcome Cardale Jones into the fold. Free suckers will be given away to anyone who has not figured out by now that none of the above is true. April Fools!
Dwayne Vance is a columnist covering the Utah Utes and looks rather goofy with a mohawk. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of St. George News.
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Twitter: @oldschoolag
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