On the drive on a Tuesday, Scott, Happy Tuesday, buddy. How are we doing?
Oh? I could not be better. Right now. It's a beautiful fall day. I'm sitting on a golf course at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley taking a break chat with you.
There you go. I was going to ask you where you're at, because I've learned it could be a myriad of different things, so I'm just gonna follow up. Where are you golf?
From?
Which track you're playing today?
We're South Mountain. I'm with my youngest son, Zach. We're having a good time.
Oh, good for you, Good for you. Well, I don't want to take out too much of your time, so let's get to it all the time you need. I appreciate it. What are you seeing as somebody who played quarterback at the highest level of this young backup quarterback who for now appears like he might be the starter? And tell Cam's ready, what stands out most about Isaac's gross Scott.
Well, he's started two games and they won both of them, and that's the number one thing. He hasn't really done anything that is going to kill the team. That first interception was almost like a long punt, you know he did have and then he had the one interception going in in the red zone and that down the road could hurt you. But did a lot of really good things and didn't just didn't give up the big, big,
big mistake that killed the game. But made a lot of plays both throwing and running where you know, he extended drives, he got the team in scoring because it just I mean, this dude's a freshman and he's playing on the road against a Rake team Oklahoma Stake, great atmosphere, tough place to play, and it didn't really seem to bother much.
So what's the Scott Mitchell take on this? Because if I'm hearing from people in the community, I'm sure you are too. And Scott, the bottom line is, and you know this, you were a pro. The money changes things. It just does. When you start to make more money, it even changes it even more. People expect you to show up for work when you're making the kind of money that professional athletes make. And whether it's season ticket holders or boosters or alumni who are continued to add,
you know, to be asked to donate more. I mean, there are programs around college football at the University of Tennessee that have announced a ten percent ticket increase in order to keep up with the nil stuff. And I wouldn't be stunned if that's more commonplace and when if the reports are true, Scott the Cameron Rising is being paid seven figures to play quarterback at the University of Utah. It just changes the way people talk about his lack
of availability. Now. For me, I just believe he's hurt and when he's ready, we'll see him. But I know that people across the community are kind of approaching this with a general feel of here we go again. What's your take on all this?
Okay, that's a lot, Yes it is, Yes it is. But there's a lot to it though, And money does funny things to everybody. And you know, I think when I was in college and one hundred dollars, you know, I was I thought I was a rich man if I got one hundred dollars. And when I first got into the pros, you know, you you see all these guys making all this money, and you're, you know, you're you're making you know a little bit more than the minimum, and you're like, I want to be them. So you're
very hungry. And then you have guys who they never care about the money, like it's it's about their legacy, and they're there a lot of times. There's the guys that the Peyton Mannings and Tom Brady's you know, Tom Brady took pay cut basically to be the best player ever. So they're those guys. And then they're guys that are like, show me the money, pay me the money, and they're motivated by that. And it's not a bad thing because guys do a lot of good things to get paid.
But you see, I mean, look at what happened in the NFL. Tua got paid, Trevor Lawrence got paid. They're talking about these guys, you know, toa may never play again. Trevor Lawrence hasn't played well all year. Dak Prescott just got paid. I don't know how good he's played this year. So it's it's hard. You know, we're human and money does funny things, both directions, and I can't imagine what it's like as a college kid, you know, making you know, like like you said, a lot of money every year.
But knowing Cam, he's competitive, like he wants he wants to, you know, go out and play, and and and if and if he's healthy, he's he's a massive help to this team, I mean a massive help. So I don't think it's a question. I really agree with you. The problem is, you know, you don't you don't have the you're you're right about people, I'm paying money for this. You know, it seems like there should be some kind of clause in there, and and and I think there's
some thing. Negotiate all different kinds of terms with nil money. You know, you don't just get it all at one time. Maybe there's an injury clause, and maybe there should be because you're not going to have people donate. You're not gonna have people contribute if they're not getting a return their money. And it's not just a Utah thing, it's it's a thing across the board. But the reality is the more Zach Wilson plays, the better he's going to play.
You're still going to have things to learn with him, but you've proven in probably one of the tougher places to play, he's shown that he can win. So it makes it a little bit more palatable if Cam can't go.
Do you think two part question, do you think college teams and coaches should be mandated to report injury statuses before the weekend ahead like they do in the pros and attendant to the question, do you think we're high speed ahead to that reality based off of how much money is at stake for people as a result of information such as who is your starting quarterback? Because everybody can gamble on sports now, you.
Know, it's fascinating. I'm not a gambler, but the whole thing fascinates me. The line kept changing like crazy, even during like game day, right, I mean it was like, uh and and I think people were getting information and they they they tend to find information. You know. However, wherever the NFL is very much in bed with gambling, college football probably will be it some time and they and you know, and they'll be they'll have the same
kind of arms length. You know, they're going to get paid for every bet that's placed, not not for outcomes or or you know, performance. But that's what the NFL does. I mean, if you want to try to continue to pay all of these players and coaches, you got to find new ways and new sources of revenue. So I wouldn't be surprised that down the road that does that
does happen. If it does, yeah, then injuries are going to become a relevant part of you know, your weekly discussion, and and they're going to have all the different you know, likely, questionable, out probable kind of designations for guys. I know when I played, there was a there was like a Thursday that was like, techno, I'm not playing, and then Sunday it was like, yeah, I think I can do this. You know, so people you know, it's not just there's
just gamesmanship. I mean some people actually they do change and whatever. But but I think it will definitely go towards like a like a pro model, you know that. I heard today someone I know who it was talking about, you know, taking the highest division of college football and just taking it totally independent of the NCAA, almost like
a semi professional league type of thing. And so then when you get that, then you can regulate like the money, you can regulate when people can go and and become a free agent, you can regulate injuries, all those things. And it just feels only because college football is not amateur athletics. It's a big, huge business. And I think once the cat came out of the back, once everyone admitted that then this whole almost at breakneck speed, This whole thing is going towards a professional model.
So give us your best guess or maybe you know. I mean, we don't see practice, so it's hard to know, but you know, coach wit And during his Monday morning pressure he said it was literally a game time decision. They decided about fifteen to twenty minutes prior to kick that it was Isaac and not Cameron. So what does that look like, Scott? During the week, Let's just operate off the assumption that we're in the same situation that they're going to wait until kicktime Saturday night to decide
who it is under center. Does that do one of the other, you know, one of the two options of disservice because they don't get as much reps with the ones during the week. Do they both get reps with the ones during the week? Like, what does it look like when you have two options, if we're taking them at their word to prepare for a game over the weekend during during the week, what does it look in kind of feel x Scott?
So when I played, like practice reps were like so sacred, like and you're the starter and you're taking every possible rep you can take in every drill, like you know, you know that there's a process that you have to go through every week to prepare yourself, and you're you're so finely tuned, and just the little, the little variance just can really throw you off. And for me, that glove is a vary instead. I did drive me nuts.
And I don't know how in a week's time I could just throw a glove on and go okay, yeah, go out and play at a really high level and be really accurate and feel comfortable. I just don't see that personally. But aside from that, I want all the reps if I'm going to be the guy. And and the problem with with what's going on at Utah Isaac Wilson, a true freshman needs more than every rep have in practice.
Cam Rising, who hasn't played and is rusty and is trying to figure out if his hand's okay, he needs every rep, And it's like everybody needs every rep and and to you know, to divide and and decide, you know, you know, kind of halfway, you know, listening to coach Winningham said, well, Cam took more of the reps earlier in the week and Isaac took him more later. It's
like that just scares me. It's that old adage, you know, two quarterbacks you don't have one and and that, and it's kind of that scenario, even though both of them are a quarterback and are are the guy that you you'd want to have out there on the on the field. It's just it's almost like you got to go into this like or what do we Tuesday? You have to go in Monday and just say, are you any significantly
better than you were on Saturday? Because I watched Cam warm up and he did not look good like I was, so I was. I was so relieved, honestly Spence when he did not start the game, because I go, I don't know how he's going to throw the ball. I mean, it looks so bad. There was like when coach Whittingham said there was no zip on the ball. There was no zip on the ball. And I was and I was concerned for Cam, you know, because because you know, it's it's hard if you can't throw the ball. I mean,
that's that's really hard. So I just if it was me, I would pick a guy early in the in the weekend. I go with him, and and Isaac might be the better choice only because if he's not playing well and you can go to Cam, you know, if he's like, hey, you know, I'm feeling pretty good on game day whatever, then you always have Cam Risen kind of sitting there on the sideline right now as an option. Isaac Wilson's is as confident as he's ever been since he's been
at the University of Utah. He's going to get better and better and better. He's the guy that's got the most game experience right now, and you might be wise just to write that as long as you possibly can.
This is not equivocally unfair, Scott, But I'm going to ask you anyway, based off of fished, off of what you saw in person, stillwater of Cameron warming up, give me your best guess about whether or not we see him on Saturday against Arizona.
Oh, I don't think it's unfair because I'd have to see a significant change from last week, like a significant change, and maybe maybe it's hey, you know what, maybe we're better off we're at home. We're gonna have the electricity of the crowd. Night Dark Knight. Isaac's playing playing well, the defense is playing well, then then you have a bye week and then that's a more maybe sensible and
reasonable way to kind of see where Cam is. And if it was me today, Spence, I would I would start Isaac Wilson, I really would.
Interesting And you know what, and I talked to you about this couple of weeks ago, and as you know, you played in the pros. You know, most great quarterbacks have that outlet, have that comfort, you know, that blanket, you know, the guy they feel comfortable going to when nothing is there. Does it feel like maybe with Isaac that guy is Dorian Singer. I mean we saw a nice Dorian Singer game against Okay State. Seven catches, ninety five yards.
Yeah, you're starting to see that emerge, you know, and it's just because he's getting, you know, opportunities to play. I mean, when Utah has eighty plays in a game, you can start finding your security blanket in a hurry. And Dorian was phenomenal in that game. And he's not the only one. Money Parks is a great option. Mackay Bernard running the football is a great option. Bran Keithy is a great option. Really, pick a tight end is a great option. In this in this offense. And that's
the beautiful thing about Isaac Wilson. He does not have to do this by himself. And he's got a great defense and he's got great support around him. That offensive line is really starting to come to life right now. The thing with because you're gonna see a lot of good things and then he's gonna run into something he hasn't run into. So like last week it was pressure in the red zone and he's never felt like blitz pressure like that ever in his life. Ever at Corner Canyon.
I mean, they're just not the same athletes. It's not the same speed. And so there were some throws that were just off that a veteran savvy quarterback is licking his chops and the throat of money parks down the middle of the field. That the touchdown. The throw to Dori and Singer that got almost intercepted in the end zone, that's a touchdown. The pass to bran Keithy is not almost tipped. So it's it's really it's just you're gonna see good stuff and then you're gonna see moments of growth.
You know. After the game, he said, oh, there's some good things and bad things, and I said, no, there were some good things, and there were some learning things. You're just learning, kid, You know, these aren't bad things. You're just seeing it for the first time. So he's going to go through maybe five or six games seeing things that maybe he hasn't seen, and then he'll really really get dialed into things and and feel really comfortable.
I think this offense spence could be super explosive, like they should be scoring forty points a game. They have that much potential and that much talent on that offense. It's just getting the right guy under center that can deliver and get the ball to the right people.
Of course, this early in the season, there's still a lot of observation, not conclusion, and you want the team and the players simply to improve week by week by week by week. If I ask you, Scott, with your keen quarterback guy, what's the next step in the evolution and the growth of Isaac Wilson? What does that look and sound like to you?
It's gonna sound funny, but it's a real thing. I'm telling you real thing. It's how do you handle success? Like all of a sudden, you start playing really good and then you start getting like cocky and feeling like you've arrived and you're dead at that moment. It will kill you. You will be humbled in a New York minute in those situations. And you know, and and Isaac Wilson's really feeling it right now, and he should be, but he's he's a long way. There's a lot of things
right now he doesn't even know. He doesn't even know that he's going to run into. And so it's it's staying hungry, it's staying humble, it's staying focused, it's it's staying in the moment. Is really the next step in the evolution. So often we don't handle success well like we all seem to handle adversity and failure because because it's it's embarrassing, it's it's frustrating, It makes us mad,
makes us more focused. You know, when you're when things are going great, you're not sitting here going, oh man, I'm so mad at the world. You know, because we're like four and oh and ranked top ten in the car. You know, it's hard to get mad. And a lot of good players, you know, Michael Jordan used to manufacture mad and and and a lot of these guys and he I mean, I know in my career you just never feel comfortable. You just never feel like you've arrived.
You can't or you'll get you will get run over. And it's the biggest challenge I think Isaac will face maybe in its whole time at Utah.
All right, one more question about the Isaac Wilson dynamic, and then we'll move on to some other things. With a few minutes left, and I'll set you loose. Do you have you seen enough to believe? And let's be clear, no clue who's going to start Saturday, and no clue when Cam We'll be back, and it might be Saturday. But again, the community is kind of like, here we go again. If it's Isaac, and if they ride with Isaac, have you seen enough to believe that they can win
the Big twelve? If the quarterback all year is Isaac Wilson, you know, it's.
A question of whether he continues to grow. You know, people you know you've see in the NFL right now. You know, Jaydon Daniels was phenomenal last night on Monday Night fotball. I'm unbelievable. But it's it's only two or three games in the season. All of a sudden, people are going to get four games on this guy, and things are going to change in a hurry. They're going to start seeing the tendencies and they're going to know how to defend him, because right now they don't really
know because he's just new. And you know, Andy Dalph and all of a sudden starts for the for the Carolina Panthers and he plays great. You know, well, let's see where he is in four weeks, is you know, because people will start to dial in and figure out. And that's the same thing with with Isaac Wilson. No one knows anything about him right now and they're they're trying to figure stuff out. And so can he adapt? Can he evolve? Can they make the adjustments? Can he
adjusts as it goes on? And can he handle the pressure? I mean, I'll give you a great example. All of a sudden, the YU seem to show up, you know, down south, and that rivalry game certainly looks a little different right now. Although I know that Utah is a better team, it's a real rivalry and if BYU has confidence and thinks that they're in it, it makes that game so much harder and rivalry games are weird and they're hard, and so that's something he's going to have
to deal with. He's going to have to deal with playing on the road with a tough a tough opponent like maybe a UTHTF toward the end of the year, or maybe call Colorado, you know, toward the end of the year, and then going into the Big twelve championship game, it's sits a different level of pressure and and a lot of guys, you know, that first time they go through it, yeah it's not so good, you know, And then and then maybe the next time they're they're better
at it. I don't know if he's mature enough to handle that. He certainly was mature enough to handle a hostile crowd, a Big twelve opponent one, you know that it was actually a pretty good upon better than people might think. I just think Utah is pretty good. And so can he win a Big twelve championship? Yeah? If if he if he evolves, and if he matures, and if he kind of stays humble.
So let's move away from the quarterback spot. A couple of minutes left here, And I don't want to say that I didn't think Mackay Bernard couldn't run between the tackles. I just don't know that I've ever seen it very consistently, more of like a you know, some AGP Ryan third down catch, a pass out of the backfield type, occasional stretch handoff type. But are we seeing the evolution of
Mackay Bernard into a bell cow for Utah? After the debate about who the running back will be, and what stands out most to you about the way he seems to be growing right before our eyes?
Well, I saw, I saw macar McKay the first game of the season, and they were tough yards, and they were those inside the tackle runs, and I go, I've never seen that from Mackay. And and then and then all of a sudden it started to evolve and and he got more carries and got more comfortable, even talked about I got better vision, you know, after after watching uh So, it's a definite departure from the player he was he was. He was certainly more of a pass
catching on the edge type of runner. He wasn't that bruising Avion Thomas Jaquindon Jackson even like a Zach Moss was was kind of a tough runner. On the inside, and he recognized that that if he was going to be the everyday down guy, that's what he had to do. So he put on some weight and it was and
it was huge. And not only the weight, but you know, I think he got rid of some mental weight, you know, where he just you know where he kind of lost his fun and desire of football and he found out again. And that might be the biggest change in Mackay than the physical weight change is just his mental approach to
everything and his excitement to be around. Coach Whittingham, which I thought was insightful, said, you know, he had too many carries in the game on Saturday, and he says, look, we're in a marathon here, We're not in a sprint. I think coach witt knows that he doesn't have a lot of guys behind him that maybe, you know, can carry that load. So so they've got to protect the carries. They've got to keep Mackay fresh. Oh he's being that bell cow you know in November.
All right, Scott, before I set you loose. You know, I cannot shake the image of watching Arizona not get beat by Case State, get bullied by K State. I mean, they got pushed around, and then you watch case State essentially not being able to match up the physicality with BYU, And this feels like a game that Utah should win regardless of who's under center. The line as of now is Utah minus eleven. Utah is an eleven point favorite as Arizona rolls in for a late kick. But it's
going to be warm. It's about eight to fifteen mountain time. It'll be on ESPN. Of course you can hear it with you and you and Ryles on this radio station. What's your anxiety level leading into Saturday night and what do you think UTAs to do to come away with another win to keep the record clean.
I'm always anxious before games only because of the respect I have for football and how any opponent at any time can beat you. So for me, it's just ingrained in me. Always have that anxiety. And right now I don't think we still know who everyone is in this conference. It's so hard to tell from the first two non conference games, how how good people really are? You know, you look at Oklahoma State, I mean they really should
have lost to Arkansas. Arkansas gave them the game, and you know the other two opponents just weren't weren't that good, so you know, you just don't really know how good they are. You also look at it and go, well, there's a lot of good teams in the conference, and that means that there's gonna be a lot of competitive games. You're going to have a lot of games like BYU
winning one week and Kansas State winning the next. And yet I really think that Utah is at a different level than the other teams in the conference from a maturity level, from a depth level, from a talent level, and that kind of helps them show up every week. And not only that, their defense shows up every week. So that always always puts you in every game. I mean, you have Karni Reid and you have Connor O'Toole out two of your best players on defense, and you're not
really missing a beat. And you're having younger players like John ou Hall coming in and these uh at linebacker and he's figuring that out. And you have these these young talented kids in the secondary making plays, Scoopy Davis and you know Smiths Note and Chris Calhoun, and you know, so you're I'm not nervous about it, and and the and the other thing too, And this is what coach Witt loves more than anything. He's pissed. He is so pissed that they lost last year. Everyone in that building.
So they will and he will not let anyone forget it. And he will drive that point home more than anything in the world. This is a This is a team that knows how to win championships. They understand the process and the process of showing up and preparing every week. So I really think Utah will be ready for this game and and I would expect them to win. Well.
Should be another fun one. Love those late kicks. Gott We'll let you get back out on the course, man, Thanks for the time, appreciate okay, foh, all right there, Scott Mitchell were the best to ever do it at the University of Utah. He'll be on the broadcast with Bill once again coming up on Saturday Late kick Man eight fifteen