Utah Football’s Cam Rising Named To Davey O’Brien Watch List

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Football quarterback Cam Rising continues to add to his preseason accolades. On Thursday, Rising was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award.

Rising is one of 36 players on the watch list, which includes eight quarterbacks from the Big 12 Conference alone. The ACC is the only other conference with as many representatives on the list. Here are the eight Big 12 QB’s on the list:

• Rocco Becht, Iowa State
• Jalon Daniels, Kansas
• Noah Fifita, Arizona
• Dequan Finn, Baylor
• Garrett Greene, West Virginia
• KJ Jefferson, UCF
• Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
• Cameron Rising, Utah

Rising was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award in 2022 after a campaign in which he amassed 3,034 yards and 26 touchdowns (8 interceptions) on 249-of-385 passing, while adding 77 rushes for 465 yards and six touchdowns.

He earned MVP of the 2022 Pac-12 conference championship game and is a two-time all-conference selection, earning first-team in 2021.

Cam Rising Is The Engine

As the signal caller, he has led Utah to an overall win record of 18-6, which includes two Pac-12 Championship Game wins, and is tied for fifth all-time in wins at Utah.

Throughout 27 career games, Rising already ranks in the top 10 all-time in career completions (7th, 456), touchdown passes (T-6th, 46), and passing yards (7th, 5,572). He also ranks third all-time in career passing efficiency (147.38) and is fourth in completion percentage (.641).

He enters the 2024 season with 15 career games of at least 200 passing yards, including two 300-yard games and one 400-yard game. In back-to-back seasons (2021, 2022), Rising ranked in the top 10 in ESPN’s QBR Rating, including a No. 6 rating in 2021.

All Utah Preseason Awards & Watch Lists

Davey O’Brien Award Watch List (August 8, 2024)

• Cameron Rising, QB

Comeback Player of the Year Watch List (August 7, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE
• Cameron Rising, QB

Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List (August 5, 2024)

• Cameron Rising, QB

CFN Preseason All-America (August 5, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE (Honorable Mention)

CFN Preseason Big 12 Tight End of the Year (August 5, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE

CFN Preseason Big 12 Defensive Lineman / Defensive Tackle of the Year (August 5, 2024)

• Junior Tafuna, DT

CFN Preseason All-Big 12 (August 5, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE (First Team)
• Junior Tafuna, DT (First Team)
• Jack Bouwmeester, P (Second Team)
• Spencer Fano, OL (Second Team)
• Levani Damuni, LB (Third Team)
• Lander Barton, LB (Honorable Mention)
• Michael Mokofisi, OL (Honorable Mention)
• Karene Reid, LB (Honorable Mention)
• Zemaiah Vaughn, CB (Honorable Mention)

Ray Guy Award Watch List (August 2, 2024)

• Jack Bouwmeester, P

Wuerffel Trophy Watch List (August 1, 2024)

• Tao Johnson, S

Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List (July 30, 2024)

• Junior Tafuna, DT

Outland Trophy Watch List (July 30, 2024)

• Junior Tafuna, DT

Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List (July 29, 2024)

• JT Greep, LS

Maxwell Award Watch List (July 29, 2024)

• Cameron Rising, QB

Pick Six Previews Preseason All-America (July 25, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE | 3rd Team
• Lander Barton, LB | 4th Team
• Junior Tafuna, DT | 4th Team

Pick Six Previews Preseason All-Big 12 (July 25, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE | 1st Team
• Michael Mokofisi, OL | 1st Team
• Lander Barton, LB | 1st Team
• Karene Reid, LB | 1st Team
• Junior Tafuna, DT | 1st Team
• Dorian Singer, WR | 2nd Team
• Spencer Fano, OL | 2nd Team
• Van Fillinger, DE | 2nd Team
• Zemaiah Vaughn, CB | 2nd Team

Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Watch List (July 17, 2024)

• Tao Johnson, S

Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List (July 8, 2024)

• Kyle Whittingham

Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team (July 2, 2024)

• Jack Bouwmeester, P
• Brant Kuithe, TE
• Junior Tafuna, DL

Athlon Sports Preseason All-America (June 18, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE | 2nd Team

Athlon Sports Preseason All-Big 12 (June 18, 2024)

• Brant Kuithe, TE | 1st Team
• Michael Mokofisi, OL | 1st Team
• Junior Tafuna, DT | 1st Team
• Karene Reid, LB | 1st Team
• Jack Bouwmeester, P | 1st Team
• Spencer Fano, OL | 2nd Team
• Zemaiah Vaughn, CB | 2nd Team
• Cole Becker, K | 2nd Team
• Dorian Singer, WR | 3rd Team
• Logan Fano, DE | 3rd Team
• Lander Barton, LB | 3rd Team
• Cameron Rising, QB | 4th Team
• Keanu Tanuvasa, DL | 4th Team

Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 (June 11, 2024)

• Cameron Rising, QB | 1st Team
• Jack Bouwmeester, P | 1st Team
• Junior Tafuna, DT | 2nd Team
• Cole Becker, PK | 2nd Team
• Brant Kuithe, TE | 3rd Team
• Michael Mokofisi, OL | 3rd Team
• Spencer Fano, OL | 3rd Team
• Karene Reid, LB | 3rd Team
• Dorian Singer, WR | 4th Team
• Zemaiah Vaughn, CB | 4th Team

Utah Football Schedule

Utah will kick off the season against Southern Utah on August 29. You can find Utah football’s conference schedule here.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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