Utah's Chase Hansen is a 'running back trying to play quarterback'


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SALT LAKE CITY — For a guy who was rumored to be transferring to BYU and switching to the defense before the conclusion of his LDS mission, redshirt freshman quarterback Chase Hansen is fitting in well at the University of Utah.

The 6-foot-3 dual-threat quarterback was a highly coveted in-state recruit coming out of Lone Peak High School, where he left passing for over 3,000 yards and 38 touchdowns his senior year while adding just over 1,400 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. The All-American knew how to compile a highlight reel in high school and is starting to make a splash at Utah in the few weeks on campus.

Hansen impressed the coaching staff after a week of practice and earned the No. 2 spot behind starting senior quarterback Travis Wilson. But the freshman hasn’t always been the one under center directing an offense.

For much of his football career, Hansen played running back before switching to quarterback his sophomore year of high school. As a result, Hansen said he doesn’t shy away from running the ball when he gets the opportunity or taking the big hits the defense brings at him.

“I’ve always kinda been a running back trying to play quarterback,” Hansen said. “Obviously I’m trying to change that mentality, but the way I look at it, it’s football, that’s the game. It’s not a contact sport, it’s a collision sport. I look forward to every collision.”


I've always kinda been a running back trying to play quarterback. Obviously I'm trying to change that mentality, but the way I look at it, it's football, that's the game. It's not a contact sport, it's a collision sport. I look forward to every collision.

–Chase Hansen


But Hansen is the first to recognize that encouraging hits as a quarterback can sometimes not be the smartest idea, particularly in a position so vital to an offense.

“I’m just trying to be a little more smarter with the body right now, but I do love the contact; it’s just the way I’ve always played,” he said.

In Utah’s first scrimmage of spring, Hansen had a decent showing, completing 9-of-20 passes for 90 yards. His effort and attention to detail has separated him from much of the quarterback competition and looks to be the favorite to challenge senior Kendal Thompson in the fall for the backup quarterback spot this season.

“Maybe it’s just how my head works, but my expectation is to always be the guy. Not just to be the guy, but to kind of work to the top,” he said. “In saying that, I knew it wasn’t just going to happen, that I was going to have to come out here and compete and do some things.

“I don’t know, I was pretty unsure about what to expect, especially not knowing who’s in that QB room,” he added. “There’s a lot of smart, good quarterbacks in that room right now. I’m hungry and eager to keep moving forward.”

As for the rumors he was going to transfer to BYU before re-enrolling at Utah?

“I think my mom emailed me one day and she’s like, ‘hey, we heard you’re going to BYU, is it true?’ I was like, Mom, if I was going to BYU, I’d tell you that I was going to BYU; you of all people should know,” Hansen said. “It was funny. It was just an interesting situation.”

Hansen said the pressure to go to BYU following an LDS mission is a real thing, though.

“There is, there definitely is. There was a point on my mission where I could see kinda why missionaries have that tendency to think maybe BYU is the better place for me,” he said. “For me, personally, coming back to why you play football, I think there was a point in my mission where you realize that football is a way to spread the gospel — being an athlete and someone that’s recognized.”

Hansen said going to the University of Utah does not sacrifice his beliefs or values as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Instead, he said more should see the school as another opportunity to share the gospel.

“Speaking on a spiritual level, as a missionary we’re trying to help the whole world, we’re not trying to just help Utah County,” he said. “There’s something about sports, something about football and athletics that you can have an impact as an athlete. And I think that’s awesome. If there’s one thing I love about football, it’s the fact that we can have an impact outside of football.”

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