Utah Utes Football: Conner Manning Makes It Interesting

Sep 7, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Conner Manning (17) warms up prior to a game against the Weber State Wildcats at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah won 70-7. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Let me preface this by saying that there is no QB controversy and Travis Wilson is clearly, without a doubt, the best QB on the roster.

But Conner Manning has really made the future of the QB position very interesting.

Conner is finishing his first full season year, and while there have been some people cheering him on, a great many Ute fans seem to have discounted the kid.  Many people thought Brandon Cox would beat him out and that once Donovan Isom signed, Conner would never see the light of day.

A few even going so far as to say it was a mistake to recruit him.

Too Small, Too Slow, Not a Big Enough Arm…

What it’s clear is that we’re seeing is that no he doesn’t have Adam Schulz cannon, nor is he Russell Wilson with his feet.

What Conner does however, is throw an accurate ball and make great decisions.  Those two strengths go a long way.  He doesn’t have a cannon but he can get the ball down field.  He isn’t going to change games with his feet but he will find moments to make his scramble.

I don’t know what the future will hold for Conner.  When Donovan Isom and Kendal Thompson arrive, Utah will have the most combined talent and depth at QB that it has ever had.  In fact, counting Conner, Utah will have four quarterbacks better than most of the guys ever to step under center at this school.

What I do know, is that whomever the starter is for the rest of the time Conner is at Utah, will have been forced to earn it.

And considering the history of Utah quarterbacks, that has to sound like music to Ute fans ears.