With only a month to go before the season opener, a Big 12 program is still making roster moves. New Utah head coach Morgan Scalley had to turn to a former Utes player to address depth at a critical position.

Quarterback Brandon Rose has officially recommitted to the Utes, as reported by On3‘s Pete Nakos. This move marks a homecoming for the redshirt senior, who started his career with the Utes in 2022 and stayed until 2024 before transferring to UMass.

While the college transfer portal is closed for the season, Rose entered it during a previously open window. He was allowed to finalize his decision and announce his commitment to Utah at any time. Rose first arrived at Salt Lake as a three-star QB from Murrieta Valley High School. He had a long wait before he could take snaps for the program. He spent years waiting behind the QB icon at the school, Cameron Rising.

Rose took a redshirt year during Utah’s second consecutive Pac-12 championship run. When Rising’s knee injury opened the door, a severe fall-camp injury shut it again. Bryson Barnes had already locked down the QB1 role by the time Rose returned to full fitness.

Even after not seeing game time for almost two years, he still stayed loyal to the Utes. Rather than transferring out in 2023, he kept his faith in the Salt Lake program. He finally got his first appearance after spending most of 2024 behind freshman Isaac Wilson. When Wilson got benched against Houston in October 2024, Rose stepped in in the third quarter, completing 7 of 15 passes for 45 yards.

Former head coach Kyle Whittingham heavily commended Rose for staying with the team in 2023 despite not playing. “He’s stuck it out. It speaks to his character and his drive and his confidence in himself. It’s refreshing to see that happen, especially at that position.”

Two weeks later, he landed his first official career break. He started against No. 9 BYU in the iconic Holy War game. Rose put on his best game for the showdown and threw 2 touchdowns. Rose suffered a severe foot fracture in the second quarter but finished the game. Days after the BYU game, Utah announced Rose was out for the season. He noticed a crowded QB roster for 2025, and that’s when he decided to enter the transfer portal.

Brandon Rose’s journey at UMass Minutemen

Brandon had a brief stint at UMass before deciding to return to his former program. Rose faced multiple setbacks, but he confronted each one, which contributed to his excellent character development. He arrived in Amherst for a clean slate and more playing time, but the Minutemen did not have the proper structure to help. His main reason for switching was to follow offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian.

During August 2025 fall camp, Rose engaged in a fierce three-way quarterback battle against Yale senior transfer Grant Jordan and redshirt freshman AJ Hairston. After an intense battle to secure the position, in August 2025, head coach Joe Harasymiak named him the starting QB.

Rose saw the field in six total games, with three starts. He completed 52 of 88 passes for 424 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. UMass had a terrible season, going 0-12 and finishing last in the Mid-American Conference. He re-entered the portal and returned to his original program in 2026.