Jordan Wynn still looks like a kid.
Crooked smile, baby-faced, spiky hairdo (as opposed to the old-guy kind) ... the works.
But he just turned 20, so in most circles, he IS a kid. And yet, even so, the University of Utah sophomore quarterback has a lot on his shoulders these days. In no particular order, his mind is otherwise occupied with: football, school, social life, school, football, school, social life, football and football.
Remember, he broke on the scene last season as a true freshman, eight games into the season. He debuted in the second half against Wyoming and led the Utes to a 22-10 come-from-behind win.
He finished the year starting the final five games and wrapped up the campaign by earning MVP honors at the Poinsettia Bowl, near his hometown of Oceanside, Calif.
In case anyone has forgotten, he completed 23-of-36 passes for a career-high 338 yards and three TDs in that game.
Not bad for a kid, right?
Well, that was then. This is now.
And the stakes just keep getting higher.
In addition to the whole school/football/social life thing, Wynn has to be the face of Utah football in the midst of one of the program's most critical seasons.
And so it was that Wynn led the Utes into their season opener on Thursday, going 21-for-36 for 283 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-24 overtime victory No. 15-ranked Pittsburgh.
Others made mistakes that easily could've cost the Utes dearly -- fumbles, silly penalties, missed assignments, bad punts and even worse timeouts -- but for the most part, Wynn did an excellent job of handling the spotlight.
And if his steady improvement over the past several months is any indication, well, Utah's program is in good hands as it rumbles through this season and looks to the future.
But don't forget: He's 20.
The other day, someone jokingly asked Wynn if he felt like a savvy veteran now.
If his wispy, peach-fuzzy beard wasn't a dead giveaway, his carefully-chosen words certainly were.
"I'm getting there," he said. "I still only have five-and-a-half games under my belt."
Getting there?
As with most young QBs -- wherever they're playing -- comfort and confidence are the keys.
"I'm definitely comfortable," said Wynn. "The game is slowing down."
Last year's Poinsettia Bowl surly did wonders for Wynn's confidence. And Thursday's opening-night overtime win certainly must've done wonders for his comfort level.
While others around him weren't quite so calm, cool and collected, Wynn seemed to be all those things.
"The big picture is kind of clear in my mind now," he said. "Last year, I was still trying to figure things out."
As an example, Wynn said his understanding of defenses has improved considerably.
When you're 18 and in high school, those defenses are much more predictable.
When you're 20 and in college, they wear disguises.
"I've been able to see little tiny things I didn't used to see because I was so flustered," he said.
Oh I see. So in this case, comfortable is the opposite of flustered.
Or to put it another way: flustered is to comfortable, as loss is to win.
Better make that Wynn.
Jim Burton is the Standard-Examiner's sports columnist. He also covers the Utah Jazz and the NBA. He can be reached at (801) 625-4265 or at jburton@standard.net. He Tweets at http://twitter.com/jmb247
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