With title yet to come, Ratliff feels like No. 1

Because he doesn't believe in ranking quarterbacks on a depth chart, Ute football coach Kyle Whittingham isn't listing Brett Ratliff No. 1 for next fall. But that doesn't mean he can't rank them in what he calls "practice order."

"Before today," said the Ute coach, following Saturday's spring game, "it was Brett Ratliff, Tommy Grady and Kevin Dunn. Brian (Johnson), having not taken any reps, is not in the equation — at least at this point."

After the game, not much had changed. Ratliff was still leading the hit parade and Johnson was still recovering from a knee injury. Asked if he felt the starting job (or whatever it's called) was his, Ratliff said, "I've been taking the reps as No. 1, so there is the feeling it is my job."

So what if the Utes do have more quarterbacks than Canada has geese? There are worse things than depth.

"If you went around to spring ball (nationwide), you would not find a team with the (quarterback) depth we have," said Whittingham.

"There's maybe a couple of quarterbacks who are better, but I would not trade this group for anyone."

Having four legitimate candidates for the starting job may be a pain for the quarterbacks, but the coaches love it. You can never be too rich, too beautiful or have too many quarterbacks. It's true Johnson started 10 games in 2005, earning second-team all-conference honors, before being injured. He is a smart, shifty player who was fourth nationally in total offense. It's also true Oklahoma transfer Grady is 6-foot-7 and has an arm like a launching pad. Then there's Dunn, a 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman who threw the winning touchdown in the White's win over the Red on Saturday.

Dedicated, competent quarterbacks, one and all.

Yet Ratliff is clearly the leader. Though he didn't have his best day, he was 5-12 for 37 yards and a touchdown. Grady was 8-16 for 114 yards and two touchdowns, but also had an interception. Dunn, with 59 yards on 5-11 passing, logged the winning touchdown. Johnson sat out while recovering from surgery.

Yet while each had his moments, Ratliff had two things in his favor. First, he was the best throughout spring drills. And second, he's 2-0 with the cameras rolling. Barring injury, illness or a tailspin in the fall, when the Utes meet UCLA Sept. 2 at the Rose Bowl, he'll be taking the snaps. It has looked that way since November, when Johnson's injury sent Ratliff to the forefront the next week against BYU. All he did was engineer a surprise overtime win that vaulted the Utes into a bowl game.