10 Utah high school football quarterbacks to watch in 2015

Video: Jaren Hall's highlight vs. Spanish Fork
See the Maple Mountain High quarterback in action last season.

A good quarterback can change the fortunes of any team. From surprise contenders to perennial champs, many Utah teams share a common thread – a gifted quarterback who knows how to move the chains and get into the end zone when his team needs it.

Here are 10 Utah high school quarterbacks poised to lead their teams to success with their standout play in 2015.


Keaton Torre, Bingham (South Jordan)
One reason the Miners remain the team to beat in Class 5A this season is because Torre is taking snaps and guiding the offense. He came to the two-time defending state champions from Santa Fe High in Oklahoma. Torre tallied 2,822 yards and 19 touchdowns for Santa Fe over the past two years and is one of the top Class of 2016 recruits in Utah.

Jaren Hall, Maple Mountain (Spanish Fork)
Hall has made a name for himself as a four-year starter for the Golden Eagles. The BYU commit put together his best season yet in 2014, throwing for 2,494 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 193 of 361 passes. Hall, the son of former BYU running back Kalin Hall, sets himself apart with his athleticism and quickness.

Tanner Smith, American Fork
When the Cavemen went from missing the playoffs two years ago to reaching the Class 5A title game last season, Smith played a huge role in changing their fortunes. As a junior last fall, he threw for 3,180 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 229 of 414 passes.

Garrison Beach, Sky View (Smithfield)
The Bobcats have a reputation for featuring an offense that piles up yards and points at lightning speed. Beach does a great job of keeping the engine running smoothly. He is coming off a junior season in which he threw for 2,223 yards and 21 touchdowns while completing 64 percent of his passes.

Kahi Neves, Timpview (Provo)
After spending the last two seasons as a backup quarterback at Bingham and then Brighton, Neves finally has a chance to show what he can do. The senior enjoyed a nice debut with the T-Birds – completing 10 of 15 passes for 213 yards to lead Timpview to its 27th-straight win with a 35-0 victory over West in the team's season opener last week.

Braxton Kerr, Alta (Sandy)
The Hawks have endured back-to-back losing seasons, but Kerr might be able to help them turn the corner and become a playoff contender again this fall. He opened the season in impressive fashion, shredding Cyprus for 259 yards and four touchdowns on 11 of 14 passing in a 55-17 victory for Alta. Kerr completed passes to six different receivers in the win.

Drew Cash, Murray
One of the best stories of the 2014 season was the turnaround the Spartans engineered – going from three consecutive one-win seasons to a playoff appearance. Cash played a major role in making it happen. He enjoyed a breakout junior season, throwing for 2,269 yards and 28 touchdowns. It helped Murray finish with the school's first winning season since 2004.

Drew Lisk, Jordan (Sandy)
Following in the footsteps of Austin Kafentzis, arguably the greatest high school quarterback in Utah history, is a tough task by any measure. Lisk made a favorable first impression in his first action with the Beetdiggers. He kept Jordan's high-flying offense soaring above the clouds in a season-opening 54-34 win over Desert Hills. Lisk passed for 444 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for two more scores in his debut as a starting quarterback.

Hunter Van Buren, Orem
The search for Tucker Camp's successor may be finished. Van Buren battled Cooper Legas for the starting spot in the offseason, until a broken foot sidelined Legas. The junior is making the most of his opportunities to run the offense. Van Buren enjoyed an effective debut, throwing for 266 yards and five touchdowns while completing 68 percent of his passes to lead Orem to a season-opening 52-16 victory over Uintah.

Justin Miller, Summit Academy (Bluffdale)
Bringing in Miller could be exactly what the Bears need in their quest to win a Class 2A title in 2015. The Lone Peak transfer passed for 445 yards and four touchdowns on 38-for-60 passing in limited duty for the Knights in 2014. For Summit Academy, Miller has the potential to put up big numbers and make the Bears' offense tough for defenses used to seeing mostly run-oriented teams.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports