Isaac WIlson's first college action got off to a less than ideal start.
With his family — including his brother, former BYU quarterback and current Denver Bronco Zach Wilson — cheering him on at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the four-star former Corner Canyon quarterback got the go-ahead to enter the game with 32 seconds remaining in the second quarter Thursday night against SUU.
After a 254-yard performance, starting quarterback Cam Rising's return to Rice-Eccles Stadium was done after he threw his career-high fifth touchdown, so out came Wilson to big cheers from the crowd.
Ahead of No. 12 Utah's 49-0 win over Southern Utah, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said he wanted to give the freshman as many reps as possible, so it tracked when he inserted him into the contest before the end of the first half.
Utah, which was up 35-0 at that point, could have taken a knee and gotten to the locker room, but the Ute coaches wanted to see how Wilson would perform in a last-minute drive with the goal to score a touchdown.
Spencer Fano, who moved to his old high school position at right tackle this season, got beat inside on a spin move by Southern Utah defensive end Walker Harris, who sacked Wilson on his first collegiate snap.
Whittingham called timeout, wanting his freshman quarterback to get a couple more plays in.
Wilson had to scramble on the next play, setting up a third-and-15 passing situation from about the 50-yard line. There may have been miscommunication between Wilson and tight end Caleb Lohner on the route, but the ball sailed about five yards past its intended target and into the hands of SUU cornerback (and former Ute) Lacarea Pleasant-Johnson, who picked it off to end the half.
Postgame, Whittingham said that in hindsight, it wasn't the best situation to put the freshman quarterback in for his opening action.
"Maybe it was a little bit unfair to put him in that spot, but better safe than sorry," Whittingham said. "Cam had played enough. Didn't want any fluke accident to happen to Cam at that point, so I thought it was time to get Cam out of the game."
Rising, who was seen tying Wilson's shoe on the sideline after his cleat came off during the game and was also giving the freshman pointers throughout, agreed with Whittingham.
"I think he got put in a bad situation his first few snaps," Rising said. "When you go in there and you're in that two-minute situation, I think it's hard when you just get thrown into that, and that's kind of not the ideal way to start."
While it's not a dream start to a college career, Wilson isn't alone in a less-than-ideal beginning at Utah.
Just ask Alex Smith, who was in attendance on Thursday as his name went onto the Rice-Eccles Stadium Ring of Honor. Smith's first-ever game action, in 2002 against San Diego State, featured him being sacked twice in a row and throwing a pick-six.
Smith's career turned out just great, and it serves as a reminder to not read too much into the first games for college quarterbacks.
Wilson completed his first pass as a Ute to Washington transfer receiver Taeshaun Lyons to start the second half, though the drive didn't go anywhere.
The four-star quarterback started to get comfortable on his third drive of the game, completing a fourth-down conversion to Daidren Zipperer for 19 yards, then a 14-yard play-action completion to Zipperer that was called back due to Fano pushing a Southern Utah player who held Zipperer for too long after a tackle.
Wilson also had a strike to Luca Caldarella on the same drive, then floated it to the end zone for Lohner, who dropped what should have been Wilson's first touchdown pass.
The drive still ended with a score when Mike Mitchell ran it in on third down.
Wilson did a good job taking what the defense gave him for most of the game, but at the start of the fourth quarter with the Utes in the red zone, he threw his second interception.
He rolled out and looked to have Lohner open underneath for a first down but forced it to the end zone, where it was picked off. It was another learning moment for Wilson, and the good part is that these lessons were coming in a game the outcome was never in doubt.
Wilson did end his first game on a high note after Southern Utah's Alyas Vigil shanked a punt that gave the Utes the ball at the Thunderbirds' 20-yard-line.
It's vital as a quarterback to have a short memory, and on his first play since throwing the second pick, Wilson shook off the interception and delivered a well-placed ball to Lohner, who made a great contested catch in the corner of the end zone.
It was the first Utah touchdown for both players.
"I think he did a good job responding and coming back. Definitely needs to clean some things up, but we all do pretty much," Rising said.
Wilson played 33 snaps on Thursday, completing 7 of 11 passes for 74 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He also added a 22-yard run, flashing some of his dual-threat ability.
As expected from a freshman playing his first game, It certainly wasn't the cleanest contest from the newest Ute quarterback — he needs to make better decisions on some of his throws — but he also showed glimpses of what his potential could eventually be at Utah.
"I thought Isaac came back in the second half, did some much better things," Whittingham said. "He'll learn from it, he'll grow. He's got all the tools, he's got a strong arm. He's very mobile, as you saw. He made some nice runs for us, but it's a process.
"He was in high school just last year, so we still think — it'd be crazy not to think — that he's got a big upside, because he does."
