Under college football rules, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham , who plays things close to the vest anyway, is not required to declare the injury status or availability of players before a game. The NFL has such a requirement because of its marriage to gambling interests, but not the NCAA (not yet anyway); neither does the Big 12 Conference (not yet anyway).
So Whittingham doesn't have to share information about a player's status. But should he?
This weekly guessing game about the availability of quarterback Cam Rising is annoying and stale for everyone else. Some observers — fans, media, social media — have run out of patience with the situation, the vague information about the injury itself and its seriousness, Rising dressing for games and going through the full pregame warmup routine, the "game-time decisions," the ongoing uncertainty.
CBS headline : "Utah star QB's murky injury status has become a maddening weekly circus."
Whittingham said last week that he's not "trying for any gamesmanship or any of that stuff," so we can take him at his word.
Or not. As Deseret News beat writer Joe Coles reported, Whittingham has always been "cagey" about injuries, stating often that he won't provide information about injuries unless they are season-ending.
Either way, it's gotten old. Especially since it is a repeat of last season. Rising, injured in the last game of the 2022 season, didn't play a down in 2023, but the Utes didn't announce he was out for the season until Oct. 22 — in Week 7. It was Rising himself who finally provided information about the full extent of that injury.
Will he play? This has been the dominant storyline for the Utes for at least 1½ years, if not off and on for five years.
Because of this week's bye, Rising now has two weeks for his cut and dislocated fingers to mend. But how long will he remain healthy? He's had four major injuries in five years — head, shoulders, knees and hands.
No one has forgotten his role in helping the Utes win two Pac-12 conference championships and two Rose Bowl invitations. That's what invites patience for his lengthy recoveries. On the other hand, he's played in just 2½ of Utah's last 18 games — and 29 of 48 games since 2020. He's now in his seventh year of college football. At this rate, he's going to go directly from NIL to Social Security.
Let's take it from the top:
2020 —After the first two games were canceled by the pandemic, the Utes named Rising the starter for a game against USC. He lasted 3 1/2 series before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. The Utes lost 33-17.
2021 —With the score tied and 10 minutes left in the Rose Bowl after the 2021 season, Rising suffered a concussion after his head slammed the turf, and he left the game. The Utes lost to Ohio State 48-45.
2022 —Trailing Penn State 21-14 in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season, Rising again had to leave the game with a severe knee injury in which he tore three of the four major ligaments in the knee, as well as the meniscus.
2023 —Rising missed the entire 2023 season while recovering from the Rose Bowl injury.
2024 —For the first time in more than 600 days, Rising was back in the lineup when Utah opened the season against Southern Utah. He was still in the lineup a week later against Baylor, but not for long. With Utah leading 23-0 late in the second quarter, Rising cut the ring finger on his throwing hand when he ran out of bounds. He left the game. Utah won 23-12. Rising has missed 3½ games so far.
Rising reportedly made about $1 million in 2023 in NIL money. You have to wonder if the businesses and donors who contribute to the NIL "collectives" want a refund. If Rising misses any more playing time, maybe the Utes ask him to buy a ticket like everyone else.
Even if Rising returns, it's going to take time to get him up to game speed again. He threw five touchdown passes in the opener, but that was against Southern Utah. He threw for 92 yards and two touchdowns against Baylor before leaving the game.
There is some sentiment out there that it is time to move on from Rising and his repeated injuries. Nearly every week since the start of the 2023 season, there's the constant distraction: Will he play? This would allow them to give Isaac Wilson , the freshman backup, more experience for the future. Wilson has won two of three starts. He's completed 55.7% of his passes, totaling 830 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. A year ago he was preparing to lead Corner Canyon High against Bingham High.
But he's playing under a cloud. He's the backup. He knows it and his teammates know it. He splits practice reps with Rising, which compromises his preparation, especially for a player so young. Whittingham himself has addressed the difficulty of Wilson's position. Wilson was told only 20 minutes before kickoff that he would get the start in a road game against nationally ranked Oklahoma State.
The Utes have a better chance to win with Rising, but can they continue to build a team around a player who can't be relied upon?
Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising stands on the sideline after suffering an injury during the Utah and Baylor game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Utah won 23-12. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
