FB: Utah's QB battle is one between experience vs. potential

The COVID-19 pandemic has shutdown college sports, and with it spring practices and summer camps. But what does this mean for Utah's QB battle between the experienced Jake Bentley and the potential of Cam Rising?

The college football season may still be three and a half months away, but that doesn't mean that a major position battle is brewing within the Utes.

While fully believing that there will be a season this year, the main question is who will be under center when Utah kicks off the 2020 season against hated-rival BYU? It's widely expected to be a two-person battle between Jake Bentley and Cam Rising.

Interesting enough, they are both transfer quarterbacks whom possess obvious strengths and weaknesses for the Utes. But without a spring football season — Utah only had three practices before it was canceled — and an expected shortened summer/fall camp prior to the start of the season, it's going to be interesting how head coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff decipher who's the man leading the way.

For Bentley, he's the grizzled veteran with 33 career starts at South Carolina before electing to transfer to Utah for his final season. Although he's coming off an injury, Bentley is armed with the in-game experience, particularly in the SEC, that is massively valuable and can't be overstated.

He did find success, holding a career 19-14 record and 10-7 mark in the SEC. He's played top tier teams in Alabama and Clemson throughout the years and knows how to direct an offense and should face zero nerves come kickoff.

But without a spring season and shortened camp, there are some definite limitations that could hold him back. For instance, he has to learn the playbook all on his own and isn't able to develop the sort of chemistry with his teammates that Rising already has...

For Rising though, he's been in Utah's system for the past year after transferring from Texas and having to sit out the 2019 season. During that time, he was around his teammates and according to reports, developed quite a chemistry with wide receiver Britain Covey.

He is also younger and possesses more upside and stability for the Utes in the long run.

But he has yet to play a college football game after redshirting in 2018 at Texas. The last time Rising played in a football game was two years ago the high school level, so that's a long layoff between in-game experience.

Either way, this QB battle is shaking down to one featuring experience vs. potential.