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Once again, Travis Wilson is Utah's starting quarterback.
For the time being.
The latest Utah depth chart — in something of a surprise, given Kyle Whittingham's comment Saturday that his starting quarterback would likely remain a secret — shows Wilson's name in bold atop that of junior Kendal Thompson.
"I just wanted less questions for me during the week," Whittingham explained at Monday's news conference. "I kind of played that strategy game last week by not announcing, but we figured that this week, let's just announce it and be done with it and move on."
The Utes' Saturday opponent, USC, is susceptible to the pass, allowing 251 yards per game through the air, but is tied for 20th in the nation with nine interceptions. Of the two starters, Wilson has thus far been less likely to turn the ball over.
But the starter in Utah's previous two games has finished the game on the sidelines — Wilson, against UCLA, and Thompson, against Oregon State. Both times, Whittingham said he was looking to give the offense a "spark."
There will not be a set rotation, he said, and he'd prefer that Wilson or Thompson seize hold of the job for keeps.
He draws a distinction between a quarterback battle and a two-quarterback system.
"People say, 'Oh, well you're playing two quarterbacks so it's a two-quarterback system,'" Whittingham said. "No, it's not as far as my definition. … We're waiting for some separation to occur."
The case for either quarterback is not particularly strong at the moment. The Utes are passing for 191 yards per game — 99th in the country — and just 109 in three Pac-12 contests.
Wilson has completed 57 percent of his passes for 833 yards, seven touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He remains one of two quarterbacks in the Pac-12 — potential No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Marcus Mariota is the other — who has not been intercepted this season.
But since the Week 2 win over Fresno State, he hasn't looked as comfortable, and is just 25-for-53 for 215 yards in conference play.
Thompson's early entrance in Pasadena seemed to spur Utah's ground attack, but he's thrown two picks and lost a costly fumble to end the first half in Corvallis.
Both have been helped by the emerging threat of junior running back Devontae Booker. Both have been let down by multiple dropped passes.
Thompson transferred from Oklahoma in the offseason, drawn by the uncertainty of Wilson's status and his familiarity with the offense run by offensive coordinator Dave Christensen.
When it was announced that Wilson was cleared to play after the discovery of an intracranial artery condition late last season, and with the promise that Thompson would get a chance to prove himself, a battle waged through summer conditioning and fall camp.
It seemed to be over in August, when Whittingham announced to the surprise of few that Wilson, who'd started 16 games, was Utah's guy.
Halfway through the season, USC presents the latest in a series of tryouts.
It's a tight race, Whittingham said.
"And there's a very strong possibility that you'll see Kendal in the game this week, as well."
Twitter: @matthew_piper —
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