Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes is looking 'damn good' ahead of fall camp
In the latest episode of his exclusive podcast, "4th and 17," Utah wide receiver Devaughn Vele answered a list of questions from fans on social media. Among the questions, Vele was asked about sophomore quarterback Bryson Barnes and how he's coming along in terms of development. With fall camp now less than two weeks away, and the battle for QB2 about to resume, Vele provided some great insight on Barnes and the status of his game.
"We've been doing a lot of extra work together outside of the lifts and stuff," Vele said. "I don't know if people realize how much progress Bryson has made. I remember when he first came here you could tell he was definitely a walk on, but now Bryson has basically solidified himself as a very damn good quarterback. His understanding of the game and the way he's changed how he throws the ball, his confidence, and everything, it's awesome to see."
Coming into spring camp, Barnes was one of the most popular names as everyone wanted to know the story behind his impressive Rose Bowl performance. After bursting onto the scene in Pasadena, Barnes then followed it up with a phenomenal spring performance and was able to prove that the Rose Bowl wasn't just a spur of the moment thing, but that he can legitimately play at this level.
While still in a dead-heat competition for QB2 with Ja'Quinden Jackson, Barnes illustrated that Utah's quarterback room is deep and he showed a lot of potential. However, according to Vele, that's just the tip of the iceberg.
"I think he's really good. I know people judge it off of the performances he's had in the Rose Bowl and spring game but they haven't seen what I have witnessed...like I said, he's made so much progress...I'm telling you, Bryson is really good," Vele explained.
But it wasn't all sunshine and roses from the beginning. As a walk-on, Barnes has had to work for every opportunity thats been presented to him and while it may have been a rough beginning, Barnes has the attitude and work ethic to excel.
"I say this with all the love and passion for the guy, but when I first saw him there wasn't really anything impressive about the way he played at quarterback, you could tell he was a walk on. But as he kept working, he was always doing extra work...just the way he approaches the day, he's always smiling, always goofing off, but he gets serious when he needs to. He's made so much progress and it's really good to see it."
Playing for Team White in the spring game, Barnes progress was on full display as he led the contest with 157 passing yards on 9-18 with two touchdowns, in addition to a game-high 47 yards on the ground. During his performance, he demonstrated a veteran-like demeanor with calmness and composure. Barnes simply makes the right plays at the right time and rarely takes dangerous risks.
With fall camp now just around the corner, Barnes will resume a heated battle with Jackson for QB2. However, based off his development and what he demonstrated during spring camp, Barnes should be considered the favorite to win the backup position.
For more exclusive FanNation AllUtes content, including more from Vele, individuals can check out the link below to the listen to the third episode of the Devaughn Vele podcast.
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