Nate Johnson reveals transfer destination after two seasons with Utah
Nate Johnson is moving to the SEC.
Vanderbilt lost all three of its top quarterbacks — AJ Swann, Ken Seals, and Walter Taylor — when the season ended. The Commodores immediately faced a significant question. Who will be the guy in 2024?
Clark Lea and Co. seem to have found their answer on Sunday. Or, at the very least, the first piece of the puzzle. Former Utah quarterback Nate Johnson revealed his pledge to the Commodores on social media. After a redshirt year in 2022 and a freshman campaign in 2023 that saw him battle for starting reps, Johnson will have three years of eligibility with Vandy.
@Greg_Panelli @CoachDanny10 @PeteThamel @VandyFootball @RoscoesMr pic.twitter.com/Gc5oROF7Ux
— Nate Johnson (@Shaboinate3) December 18, 2023
Johnson played in seven games for Utah this fall, completing 39 of his 72 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns. He added 232 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Utah was missing its starting quarterback to begin the season, and Johnson found himself in a battle for the reliever role. He initially lost that battle and served as QB2 for the Utes’ opener against Florida, but emerged off the bench in the fourth quarter on the road against Baylor a week later and engineered a come-from-behind victory.
He completed a career-best 13 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown the following week against Weber State as the starter. Against Oregon State, he was replaced in the second half of a blowout loss and served as the No. 2 quarterback from then on.
The 6-foot-1 Johnson was a 4-star recruit out of the 2022 class. He was ranked as the No. 16 quarterback in the class and was an Elite 11 finalist. Johnson’s ceiling remains high. He’s still a work-in-progress as a passer, but has truly special dual-threat ability because of his quickness as a runner. He was one of California’s fastest athletes, running a 10.56 100m while at Clovis High.
Barring further additions to the room, Johnson will battle with Drew Dickey in the spring. The 2024 class is also bringing a pair of 3-star Chattanooga passers, Whit Muschamp and Jeremy St-Hilaire, to campus.