Injuries Robbed Him Of What Could Have Been, Cam Rising Still Among The Greats Of Utah Football
Oct 15, 2024, 10:44 AM | Updated: 11:38 am
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah’s star quarterback, Cam Rising, finally made his return from a finger injury. Unfortunately, the excitement over his comeback dissipated as quickly as it arrived. His return from one injury unfortunately led to another injury, just three snaps into the game.
In a statement issued Monday evening, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham announced that Rising suffered yet another season-ending injury.
RELATED: Cam Rising’s 2024 season has come to an end
His 2024 campaign comes to a premature and unceremonious end. However, Rising’s impact on the program is irrefutable. As the program turns the page with its focus shifting to TCU, it’s a good time to reflect on Rising’s career and what he’s meant to Utah Football.
A lot of talk around the quarterback/passing game in today's TCU week press conference but there were some other takeaways from today… #GoUtes https://t.co/9JQ2EXPqA8
— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) October 14, 2024
The Bad Moon Rising
Rising joined the University of Utah in January of 2019, transferring from Texas with high hopes and a competitive spirit. Utah had just enjoyed its first trip to the Pac-12 Championship game and quarterback Tyler Huntley was entering his senior season. The fit made plenty of sense for both parties.
Rising would be forced to redshirt the 2019 season, which gave him the unique opportunity to spend time in the booth with offensive coordinator, Andy Ludwig. Though not learned until a few years later, that proved to put his acclimation into the offense ahead of the curve.
After just a glimpse of his ability in 2020, Rising’s ability and impact became quite clear in 2021. Rising suffered a shoulder injury in 2020 and Utah elected to bring in another transfer quarterback, Charlie Brewer, to start that season. The San Diego State game provided clear as-day evidence of the positive effect Rising had on the offense. From that point on, it was Rising’s team and his swagger permeated throughout the team.
Rising’s combination of leadership and playmaking quickly made him a fan favorite. His breakout performance throughout the 2021 season, put him on the map as one of the top quarterbacks in college football.
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After suffering two early losses, Rising led Utah to their first win over USC in the Coliseum in program history. That game featured one of the most memorable plays of his career, an incorrectly signaled flea-flicker that led to a touchdown completion to Devaughn Vele. He quarterbacked the team to a win over a No. 4 ranked Oregon Ducks team in a simply dominant performance.
He followed that up with another win over the Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship game a few weeks later. Lastly, his 62-yard touchdown run on 4th and 1 against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, will serve as one of the most memorable moments of his career.
He followed that up in 2022 with some of the greatest moments in Utah Football history. His late-game heroics against USC at home will be immortalized by Utah fans. Rising then led Utah to their second-straight championship title, while on a somewhat gimpy leg, cemented his status in the game.
The Leader of the leaders leaves a lasting impact
Beyond the numbers and playmaking, Rising’s leadership qualities set him apart. His competitiveness and confidence permeated throughout the team as he established himself as the lead guy in 2021. That had a significant impact on the entire program. He brought a swagger that had been missing and was ultimately the missing element to Utah’s conference championship contention.
Even during tough times, his positive attitude forged the team’s competitive will. Regardless of how games started, Utah always had a chance to finish with a win in the end. That was apparent very early on in that 2021 season.
In just his second start, Utah faced Jayden Daniels and the Arizona State Sun Devils at home. The Utes fell behind 21-7 at halftime and Rising had not played well. However, he bounced back and rallied the team with 28 unanswered points to secure a 35-21 win. In 2022, the Utes fell behind against Florida, and USC twice, but the Utes rallied in all three of those games and won two, one of which served as their second Pac-12 title.
There was always a chance with Rising. His leadership and competitiveness meant Utah was never out of the game. Rising’s leadership played a significant role in Utah’s rise over the last three or four years. His contributions helped elevate the program to new heights and solidified Whittingham’s status as head coach among the greats in the game.
An Unceremonious End?
As frustrating as the last six weeks have been with his injury situation, it doesn’t take anything away from his career. There is a very real chance that we’ve seen Rising in a Utah uniform for the last time. That is a significantly unfortunate conclusion to an incredible career.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of any athlete’s career and ultimately, they robbed Rising of his highest potential. The 2023 season was particularly challenging as he attempted a return from a devastating knee injury he suffered against Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Sadly, those challenges persisted and have resulted in a season-ending injury, the third of his career.
A player who has accomplished as much as he has should not have to go out like this. It’s a cruel and unfair conclusion for him, his teammates, and to a lesser extent the fans.
Though the 2024 season did not end as he or Ute fans had hoped, here’s to Cameron Rising— whose legacy is among the greatest of all time in Utah Football history.
