Utah quarterback Cam Rising is out indefinitely, head coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday morning. The seventh-year senior suffered a lower-leg injury in Utah’s 27-19 loss at Arizona State on Friday night.
Rising’s brutal bout of bad luck resurfaced on Utah’s first offensive drive against the Sun Devils after he’d missed the previous three games with injuries to the middle and ring fingers on his throwing hand, suffered against Baylor on Sept. 7. Rising was tackled by ASU defensive lineman Jeff Clark and his right leg rolled up awkwardly as he was wrestled to the ground.
Surprised Cam Rising didn’t break his ankle pic.twitter.com/vV9DYdcM8Q
— #16 THE REAL U (@therealutahutes) October 12, 2024
Despite being injured on Utah’s opening drive Friday night, Rising stayed in; he was noticeably hobbled and unable to set his feet and deliver passes with ease. He finished 16 of 37 for 209 yards passing and three interceptions.
When asked on Monday if Utah should’ve taken Rising out of the game, Whittingham said, “Cam is a warrior. He’s a seasoned vet and he would let us know if he felt like he was not being effective enough.”
True freshman Isaac Wilson is Utah’s starting quarterback “until further notice,” said Whittingham. Wilson, the younger brother of former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, started Utah’s previous three games in Rising’s absence, leading the Utes to a 2-1 record without their veteran quarterback. Wilson has thrown six touchdowns and seven interceptions so far in 2024.
Rising, 25, returned to Utah in his seventh year of eligibility after suffering a complex knee injury in the 2023 Rose Bowl that kept him out all of last season. In its first year in the Big 12 Conference, Utah was the preseason pick to win the conference and was viewed as a trendy College Football Playoff selection because of Rising’s return to full health.
Unfortunately for Utah, that didn’t even last through the second week of the season, when Rising suffered the hand injury in the first half of the 23-12 win against Baylor.
Whittingham was asked Monday if the topic of Rising returning for an eighth year of eligibility had taken place yet. Utah’s head coach said that would be addressed soon: “I’m not even sure Cam would be interested in going that route. … He’s got a lot to think about. We just want him to take a step back now and get this most recent injury thoroughly diagnosed and on the road to rehab. That would be something we talk about sooner rather than later.”
At Big 12 Media Day in July, Rising told The Athletic that he wasn’t particularly interested in exploring a potential eighth year: “Seven is good enough for me. But you never know. The cards are always on the table.”
(Top photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty)
