Jamarian “Byrd” Ficklin shined for Utah in spring camp.
The freshman quarterback and former 3-star recruit even caught the eye of Kyle Whittingham.
“Some guys are stepping up. Really impressed with Byrd Ficklin, the quarterback, true freshman. He’s doing some good things,” the Utes head coach said this spring. “He’s got a really good command of the offense. He’s got a big-time arm.”
Formerly a Texas State commit, Ficklin fits the mold to be a dual-threat quarterback in new offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s system. It’s one of the reasons he chose to flip to the Utes in the winter.
He’s now learning behind new Ute starter Devon Dampier, who was one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the country a season ago.
“He’s taught me a lot since I came from high school,” Ficklin said. “From staying in the pocket to being able to get out of it … he’s teaching me a lot of new moves.
“He’s also shown me that, if your read’s not there, find the next one or get out. That’s one thing I really struggled with during my high school career.”
While he won’t be the starter for the Utes this season, Ficklin could be in line to battle with Isaac Wilson for the backup position in 2025.
“Quarterback battle continues for the number two and three spots,” Whitingham said following Utah’s spring game. “I thought Isaac and Byrd both did a nice job.”
Ficklin and Wilson will, ultimately, battle for that spot during the fall.
But he will continue to focus on his development in the short term.
“One of the biggest changes would be mainly the game speed,” Ficklin said “Everything’s moving a lot faster. Everybody on the field is pretty much at the same speed, and it’s really fast. … That’s one thing that I’ve had to help myself with.”
4th Down: Big 12 Media Days
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kyle Whittingham at the Utah Utes spring football game in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Is it fall yet?
Sure, the NBA Finals are on.
The Women’s College World Series has also frequently been on my TV.
Utah and the rest of its college football peers are now preparing to pay their athletes up to $20.5 million after the approval of the historic House settlement.
But there’s nothing like college football.
With Big 12 Media Days taking place on July 7-9, I thought I’d look forward to the biggest Ute storylines heading into the big event.
• Will Kyle Whittingham mention his impending retirement?
For months — since Utah’s head coach announced his return to the Utes on Dec. 8 — Whittingham has been silent about his potential retirement. The 65-year-old will have to inform the Utah Board of Trustees of his decision by mid-December, but there’s always a chance he gives fans a hint sooner.
• Is Devon Dampier ready to lead the Utes?
It’s clear that Devon Dampier will be Utah’s starting quarterback in 2025. He finished with 2,768 passing yards, 1,166 rushing yards and 31 total touchdowns in 2025. How he can replicate that for the Utes next season will be the real story.
• How deep is Utah’s wide receiver room following the departure of Zach Williams?
Utah fans were shocked when Zach Williams departed for USC this spring. He was expected to be the top wide receiver for the Utes heading into next season. Since then, Utah signed transfer wide receivers Larry Simmons and Tobias Merriweather to fill the gaps.
• Can Jason Beck improve Utah’s offense?
Whittingham hired Jason Beck to replace Andy Ludwig this offseason, and he’ll be tasked with rebuilding the Utes’ offense that ranked second to last in the Big 12 in 2024. If he can do that, Utah might be vying for a potential conference title next season.
