Utah quarterback Cameron Rising has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024 season following additional evaluation from the team's medical staff, the team announced. Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said earlier Monday that Rising was out "indefinitely" with multiple injuries and that freshman Isaac Wilson will again take over starting quarterback duties "until further notice."
"Any future developments concerning [Rising's] collegiate eligibility will be addressed at a later date," the statement read. The possibility of a second medial redshirt for Rising, coupled with the Department of Justice's proposed consent decree prohibiting the NCAA from enforcing its Transfer Eligibility Rule, could make Rising eligible for an eighth year of college football.
Rising missed several weeks with a lacerated finger on his right (throwing) hand that he sustained against Baylor on Sept. 7. He returned in Week 7 against Arizona State but struggled with three interceptions and completed only 43% of his passes in a 27-19 loss. Rising also sustained a lower leg injury during a brutal tackle early in the game.
The seventh-year senior has struggled mightily with injuries throughout his career, but an ACL tear in the 2023 Rose Bowl against Penn State was the most devastating. Rising missed the entire 2023 season, though Whittingham remained coy about the QB's availability for most of the year. Rising missed a month with the hand injury as well, giving him only three appearances for Utah this season.
Wilson has started three games for Utah in Rising's absence, posting a 2-1 record. However, he threw four interceptions in his most recent performance, a 23-10 loss to Arizona. With the loss to Arizona State, Utah is 1-2 in Big 12 play after being selected as the preseason conference favorite.
Nightmarish injuries
Before his ACL tear, Rising was one of the most successful quarterbacks in college football. The Utes posted a 19-4 record in games that he started, finishing with two Pac-12 championships between 2021-22. Without him in the lineup, Utah went 8-5 last season. In 30 games at Utah, he's thrown for 6,127 yards and 65 total touchdowns.
However, the injuries have stolen potentially two years of competitiveness from Utah. The true freshman Wilson will have to salvage the 1-2 start to Big 12 play and attempt to keep the Utes competitive heading into the heart of Big 12 play.
According to Whittingham, the program is open to Rising returning for an eighth year of eligibility in 2025. It's unclear whether Rising would be open to that. He would be 26 years old when the season starts.
Managing the QBs
Before Rising suffered his knee injury, there were already rumblings that he could look to the NFL. Despite the potential loss, Utah failed to gather many proven options in the quarterback room. Last season, former walk-on Bryson Barnes was thrust into the starting lineup. True freshman Nate Johnson also started games. Both transferred after the season.
Now, Wilson beat out returners Luke Bottari and Brandon Rose, who have combined for 11 career passes. Utah also added former five-star Sam Huard as a transfer, but the junior has yet to appear and remains behind Rose on the depth chart.
In five games, Wilson completed only 56% of passes for 830 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. Against Arizona, he hit only half of his passes as the Utah offense mustered just 10 points. The Utes rank No. 66 nationally in passing offense and No. 92 in passer rating.
