This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
They have played through knee injuries, a broken leg and a career-threatening brain condition. And now, BYU's Taysom Hill, Utah State's Chuckie Keeton and Utah's Travis Wilson are positioned to make college football history in the state.
If the three of them can stay healthy and keep their jobs throughout the season, 2015 will mark the first time in at least 60 years when senior quarterbacks have started every game for all three programs.
This convergence required the NCAA's granting an extra year of eligibility to Keeton, who missed most of a second consecutive season in 2014. As of early October, each QB was out of his team's lineup — Keeton and Hill because of season-ending injuries and Wilson (temporarily) because of ineffectiveness.
Their collective return creates an intriguing dynamic, considering their experience, talent and all the questions their complicated careers have inspired. Utah's Red-White game Saturday will conclude spring practice in the state, giving way to four-plus months of wondering: Who knows how these quarterbacks will perform?
All we have to go on between now and Sept. 3 are some mild endorsements from their coaches.
Utah co-offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick: Wilson is "playing like a veteran."
BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae: Hill's "arm is really good."
USU coach Matt Wells: Keeton appears to be "a lot closer to his old self."
Ute coach Kyle Whittingham assured everyone he's "not panicking" about the offense's production in two scrimmages. Wells said he's "not alarmed" by Keeton's 7-of-18, 55-yard showing in the Blue-White game. Each offense will be bolstered in August by healthy or newly arrived receivers in August, and Hill soon will be cleared for full activity after rehabilitating his broken leg.
In any case, it is remarkable to think that nobody's sure what to expect from senior quarterbacks who have started a combined 77 games. Will all of them make it through the year? The twist is BYU and USU will meet Nov. 28 in Logan to conclude the regular season. That should match Hill and Keeton against defenses that prematurely have ended their seasons — twice, in Hill's case.
Other than his pre-existing condition, discovered during concussion protocol in November 2013, Wilson has remained healthy at Utah. But he was benched twice last season in favor of Kendal Thompson, who again will push Wilson after missing spring practice with a knee injury. Wilson never seemed comfortable with former offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, but he may thrive under Roderick, who is credited with restoring Wilson's confidence in tough times.
Hill has missed 15 of 39 games over three seasons, due to leg injuries. He improved as a passer last season before exiting, but running remains his strength. So the issue is how Hill and Anae will try to met the dual goals of exploiting his all-around ability and keeping him healthy.
Keeton, USU's season-opening quarterback as a freshman in 2011, has started and finished only 27 of a possible 53 games in four years. The question about Keeton is whether he can be the player he was before being hurt in October 2013. He played the first three games last season with mixed results before reinjuring his knee. After nearly three weeks of evaluation, he was declared out for the year.
Keeton will have another showcase game Sept. 11 at Utah, where he played brilliantly in a losing effort against Wilson two years ago. Utah's 20-13 win over BYU in 2013 will stand as the only meeting of Wilson and Hill as starters.
Only once in what would be considered the modern era, dating to the mid-1950s, have the state's three FBS schools all begun a season with seniors as their starting quarterbacks. That was in 1986, when BYU's Steve Lindsley was replaced by Bob Jensen late in the year.
The '86 circumstances were different than this year's. Utah's Larry Egger and USU's Tom Ponich were in their second seasons in Division I as junior college transfers. Lindsley, also a transfer, was a first-year starter. BYU (8-5) had a big downturn that season after going 35-4 the previous three years. Utah finished 2-9, and USU went 3-8.
The schools' forecasts are much more favorable in 2015, with Keeton in his fifth year at USU and Wilson and Hill in their fourth years on campus. Their teams should succeed, if the QBs can get through the season.
Twitter: @tribkurt —
Top-five quarterbacks
In 2015, Travis Wilson, Taysom Hill and Chuckie Keeton can move up their schools' career lists of quarterbacking victories. The current top five:
Utah
Player Years Wins
Brian Johnson 2005-08 26
Alex Smith 2003-04 21
Mike McCoy 1992-94 18
Mike Fouts 1995-96 15
Travis Wilson 2012-14 15
BYU
Max Hall 2007-09 32
Ty Detmer 1988-91 29
Jim McMahon 1978-81 26
Robbie Bosco 1984-85 24
Marc Wilson 1977-79 22
(Taysom Hill 2012-14 14)
Utah State
Tony Adams 1970-72 22
Chuckie Keeton 2011-14 19
John Pappas 1966-68 18
Eric Hipple 1977-79 14
Anthony Calvillo 1992-94 12
Jose Fuentes 2000-02 12