Utah Utes football: QB battle to become 2-man competition

It's judgment day for University of Utah quarterbacks Corbin Louks, Terrance Cain and Jordan Wynn.

Today's scrimmage at Rice-Eccles Stadium will likely be the final audition for one of them in their quest to become the Utes' next starter.

Head coach Kyle Whittingham has repeatedly said that the field of candidates will be reduced to two after the 100-snap scrimmage. With the Sept. 3 season-opener against Utah State drawing near, reps are becoming an issue — and there just isn't enough for three.

"We don't get four preseason games to decide. We've got to make a decision. So that's what we are going to do," said offensive coordinator Dave Schramm. "I wouldn't say it's necessarily D-Day — it's a little strong — but it's important. It's definitely important."

Whittingham agrees it'll carries a lot of weight, but downplayed its overall significance.

"We don't like that drama," he said. "It's not that dramatic."

The scrimmage is just one variable in the competition.

"Everything gets evaluated. Every single thing they do," Schramm explained. "It's not so much the scrimmage. It's the timetable. The clock isn't going to stop because we need to decide on a quarterback."

The players have been put in every situation possible through spring ball and early on in fall camp. Their job is to get the ball to the playmakers while pursuing a goal to improve each day.

"We're all trying to help out the team. It's not about us," Wynn said. "So we're all just trying to get better as a group, first."

Individually, Whittingham said the primary responsibility of the quarterback position is to manage the offense.

It's a job all three are eager to fill, though each insists the competition has remained friendly.

"We help each other out. We all want to succeed," Louks said. "It's not very stressful. You've just got to come in and worry about yourself, worry about your offense and worry about your team."

Getting better every day is the common theme. It's an approach the quarterbacks are taking into the scrimmage.

"I just see it as another practice to get better and to improve," Louks said. "No pressure."

Cain has similar thoughts.

"The scrimmage is big because it's practice. You're trying to get better," he said. "That's all I'm looking for is another day trying to get better."