Utah Quarterback Brandon Rose ‘Keeping Head Down’ During Rivalry Week
Nov 5, 2024, 12:31 PM | Updated: 1:00 pm
SALT LAKE CITY— It’s rivalry week for the state’s two most prominent programs. One program comes into the game riding high while the other searches for answers.
In many regards, this season has not gone according to plan for Utah. The program has faced one difficulty after another, and it is certainly hoping this week can provide some resolution.
𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟗 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 🔴🔴🔴 pic.twitter.com/CXGtsbKK6d
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 5, 2024
One area where uncertainty remains, at least publicly, is Utah’s quarterback situation. Given the offensive struggles this season, coaches spent the bye week re-evaluating Isaac Wilson and Brandon Rose.
On Monday, head coach Kyle Whittingham seemed optimistic about the team’s plan for the position this week.
“Yeah, we’ve got a plan right now, and we’ll keep it to ourselves,” Whittingham said of the quarterback situation. “We have a plan going forward; nothing is ever set in stone, but we’ve got a situation that is best for us and gives us the best chance to win. ”
Utah Quarterback Brandon Rose Focused On The Work
Despite the lack of public clarity, Utah’s third-year sophomore quarterback is focused on what matters most right now.
“Just working hard, each and every day, just beat BYU is our mindset right now,” Brandon Rose said.
Though he saw snaps in the season-opener, his insertion in the Houston game was his first real opportunity as a collegiate quarterback. The moment wasn’t lost on him but he also knows what matters most.
“It’s a dream come true; every kid dreams of that moment playing Division 1 football,” Rose said of getting his shot against Houston. “But we fell short, we got a loss, we shake it off, and we’re onto the next.”
Rose has faced a fair amount of adversity in his time here. Given the position’s volatility regarding the transfer portal, Rose seemed like a prime candidate after last season.
However, he stuck it out, and remained committed to the program and the process here. His experiences have helped him this season, particularly in this renewed quarterback evaluation.
“I’ve been in this situation before, and you just have to keep your head down and keep working,” he said. “I’ve always had that drive, the little chip on my shoulder, the keep-my-head-down mentality to just keep working, keep grinding.”
Rose’s approach to this new opportunity to compete for the starting job is pretty simple.
“It’s a production-based business, right?” he said. “So if you produce, you put up numbers, the offense is rolling, the offense is scoring, you’ll likely see that position stay.”
Looking Forward To The BYU-Utah Rivalry Game
“It’s the Holy War; it’s a big-time game,” Rose said. “I haven’t been here for a game against BYU, but the coaches and the seniors in the room are doing a good job of explaining it to us and the animosity between the two teams.”
Rose understands that the possibility of playing this game is a significant opportunity. This game means a lot to both programs, but he remains focused on simply taking it day by day.
“I feel like there is a little more energy in regards to this game for sure,” he said of the team’s preparation. “We’re confident in our ability, we had great bye week practices, we had another great practice today. We’re just building, stacking good days, and we’re looking forward to the BYU game.”
