This article recaps a segment from The Rush's Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026 episode. Watch the full show.
Judd Thompson of Quarterback U in Lehi joins The Rush every week to break down a Utah high school quarterback. This week he studied Manti junior Kingston Wright, one of the state's most productive passers, ahead of the Templars' 3A first-round rematch at Canyon View on Friday, Oct. 23.
Manti runs what Thompson called a shotgun spread, though he said film was hard to find. "A lot of highlights of Kingston throwing it all over the field," he said. "These offenses have decided that, you know, we're going to spread you out, make you cover in space, make you cover our players." With a quarterback who can also run, he said, "it puts a lot of stress and pressure on the defense."
"Smooth"
Thompson used one word for Wright. "The word I used for him was smooth, just because he is very patient. Lets things develop," he said. "Almost stands sometimes in the pocket, which is abnormal for high school kids."
His favorite throw came against Canyon View, which beat Manti 28-21 on Oct. 15. Wright hit a post route against a two-high safety look. "He throws it kind of in between the corner and the safety. Had to be a perfect throw. That is not easy to make," Thompson said. "That throw to me really stood out. And just his ability to just sit there in the pocket and let it rip is also something that is impressive."
The Cam Ward comparison
Thompson compared Wright to former Miami and Incarnate Word quarterback Cam Ward. "There's been multiple plays where people are making fun of Cam Ward because he almost looks uninterested in the pocket. He kind of just stands there and waits," Thompson said. "But I just get that sense from Kingston, just his ability to be very calm, collected in the pocket and then just let it rip when a kid breaks open."
Andy called it a flattering comparison, and said he plans to join Thompson in a couple of weeks to watch playoff football. Read Andy's take on why the 3A bracket is wide open and the Manti-Canyon View upset alert.