SALT LAKE CITY – Everyone has an opinion about Cam Rising Watch™ 2024 – or so it seems in different corners of the internet.
Regardless of whether you’re a Utah fan or not, you’ve probably talked to someone about the rookie injury this season (or last season).
The truth is, it’s been 670 days since Rising last played a full college football game — through no real fault of his own. Or I guess it depends on your opinion of the situation.
After rehabbing last year from a serious knee injury that required the starting quarterback to miss the entire 2023 season, Rising suddenly found himself back on the sideline after suffering a hydration station during the first half of a Week 2 game against Baylor.
It was an apparent injury to his hand, which has left his status in question over the past few weeks.
It was easy to recognize the infection – or at least recognize someone – but everything beyond that is shrouded in mystery. As is his policy, head coach Kyle Whittingham doesn’t talk about injuries until the end of the season.
Rising’s doesn’t fall into this category, so Whittingham doesn’t provide details. At most, he offers wishful optimism that his star quarterback will soon return to the quarterback position, leading an offense that was expected to be one of the best of Whittingham’s tenure at Utah.
However, the hush-hush nature of his injury has led many to speculate about anything and everything regarding Rising, which has been labeled a “game-time decision” for the past two weeks.
Whittingham even said Rising was “really close” to playing after Utah’s loss to Arizona on Saturday.
Close, but not available.
As such, the Rising has become somewhat of a lightning rod for a frustrated fan base that hasn’t seen their starting quarterback play a full game in over a year. Sure, he can play through pain, right?
It’s not as easy as some on the internet make it out to be.
“All I’ll say is Cam Rising wants to play worse than anyone else, and when he can he will,” Whittingham said Tuesday. “And it’s not like he was able to play and then he didn’t go; that’s not the case. … I can tell you for sure that he wants to play, and as soon as he gets the green light, he will play. And hopefully that will be the next game.” “
We’re just over a week away from the next game, as Utah will have its first bye of the season before next Friday’s road game against Arizona State.
There is optimism — there’s that word again — that the extended break will be enough for Rising to return to center to finish the 2024 season. His return to the field isn’t lost on Whittingham, either.
“He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country,” Whittingham said. “It’s a quarterback-driven game. He’s the most important position on the field — and it’s not even close. So if you have an elite quarterback, like Cam Rising, then yeah, it definitely helps to get him back on the field and they gave us a big boost.”
Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) stands on the bench after sustaining an injury during the Utah-Baylor game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Utah won 23-12. (Photo: Scott J. Winterton, Deseret News)
Rising will return to the field when he is ready to play, but don’t expect Whittingham to explain when that might be.
In Rising’s absence, freshman Isaac Wilson has filled in nicely, going 2-1 in his three starts. But the former Corner Canyon star still has a long way to go before he gets on the same plane as QB1. This is still a learning process for Wilson as he gains valuable reps as a starter.
Assuming Utah hands over the reins to Wilson next season as the team’s starter, those starting minutes become invaluable for the young quarterback.
As evidenced by the three games he started under center, Wilson can move the ball down the field — making occasional plays beyond his experience as a freshman — but it will take time.
And it’s going to take patience from a fanbase that was sold on Rising and got backed up by its first collegiate cast instead.
“He does some really good things, but he also makes good freshman mistakes, so there’s a learning curve,” Whittingham said. “He’s done some things that exceeded our expectations, and some other things that are like a freshman. But he shows a lot of toughness and guts. He’s got a lot of confidence, he’s got a lot of tools. He’s got a lot of natural gifts to succeed at this position.”
Wilson remains a viable and viable asset for Utah State to lead the offense — even while trying to overcome some occasional pain — but Rising remains the star of the offense, one that many are eager to see back on the field.
