QB Charlie Brewer leaves Utah after losing starting job

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Quarterback Charlie Brewer has left the Utah Utes after losing his starting job to Cameron Rising, the team said Tuesday.

Brewer, a four-year starter at Baylor, transferred to Utah for his final season and won the starting job following a heated competition with Rising in the preseason camp. But the Utes struggled with Brewer under center. He went 1-2 in three starts and was benched late in the third quarter of Utah’s 33-31 triple OT loss to San Diego State last weekend.

Rising was listed as the starting quarterback on the depth chart Utah released Tuesday morning. Brewer was not listed at all.

“Charlie has decided to move on, and we wish him the best,” coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement released by the school.

In three games with Utah, Brewer threw for 484 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 61% of his passes. He threw for less than 150 yards in each of the losses to BYU and San Diego State.

Brewer threw for 9,700 yards and 65 touchdowns in four seasons at Baylor and led the Bears to the 2020 Sugar Bowl.

Utah is preparing to open its Pac-12 slate this weekend hosting Washington State, which is coming in with an unsettled quarterback situation.

Cougars starter Jayden de Laura was injured late in the first half of Washington State’s loss to Southern California and coach Nick Rolovich said the quarterback is day-to-day.