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The 21-year-old Bryson Barnes was born in a rural Utah community called Milford, a town with no more than 1500 inhabitants. His improbable rise to fame has captivated the nation and is one of the feel-good stories of the year.
Barnes was not even the Utes' backup quarterback, but a third-string signal-caller whom a series of misfortunes to other players and personal determination has allowed to take center stage.
Is Bryson Barnes Mormon?
Bryson Barnes was raised as a Christian, a not uncommon sight in rural communities in the United States even today. Which specific denomination he subscribes to is unknown, but there's some confusion about his relation to the Mormon community, with some thinking he identifies as one. This might be due to the fact that one of his older brothers has joined a Mormon mission.
While growing up in Milford, Barnes worked on his family's pig farm as a farmhand. He has told the media that the experience taught him responsibility and the importance of doing the job, regardless of how unpleasant it can be.
This commitment can be seen in a player who has refused to give up even when his career future looked bleak.
Bryson Barnes 2023 Season
So far, Barnes has thrown for 769 yards, with four touchdown passes and five interceptions. This imbalance between scores and interceptions is reflected in a poor QBR of 44.2, which ranks 100 among QBs nationally.
His value comes from his dual-threat nature, with him recording 128 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns.
The highlight of his season so far came in Week 8, when the player outdueled Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams in a 34-34 victory over the USC Trojans. That day, he threw for 235 passing yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.
Sadly, his latest performance in Week 9 brought only 136 yards with two interceptions against the Oregon Ducks in a 35-6 defeat.
Who is Bryson Barnes replacing?
Barnes's opportunity came due to the misfortunes of Cam Rising. The Utes' star quarterback tore several knee ligaments in Utah's Rose Bowl defeat, 35-21, to Penn State. Ever since, Rising has been trying to get into playing shape and the Utes harbored the hope of having him back for the second half of the season. This has since proved impossible, and in Week 8, he was officially deemed out for the season.
Bryson Barnes initially shared time with quarterback Nate Johnson but eventually won the starting position and vindicated himself with the victory over USC. The Week 9 debacle could hardly be blamed on Barnes; Oregon is a superior squad, but the two interceptions could weigh heavily on his shoulders.
