Cam Rising may be returning for a sixth year, but his injury in the Rose Bowl, and Kyle Whittingham’s initial postgame sense that it’s something long term, are threatening what was lining up as potentially another massive football season for the University of Utah in 2023.
Neither anyone in charge, nor inside Rising’s inner circle is saying publicly exactly what the injury is or what the timetable looks like. The belief is he is at least out for spring practice, with being ready for the start of fall camp in August in some doubt. Let’s roll with that.
Despite what the message board doctors have to say, speculation on the injury and the timeline doesn’t benefit anyone, but assuming this is a longterm situation that will cost Rising at least spring, here are the realistic scenarios to consider. Of course, what rehab looks like will dictate how this plays out.
1. Rising rehabs himself back for the start of fall camp.
2. Rising Is not ready for camp, but he’s ready for the regular season
3. Rising is not ready for camp, nor is he ready for the start of the regular season.
I have a lot of questions.
If No. 1 pans out and Rising is physically ready, he is the unquestioned starter. If it’s No. 2, is he the unquestioned starter to open the season without the benefit of spring or a full fall camp?
My instinct there is yes, but there at least has to be a conversation. Within all that, with Rising out for spring, are you going portal diving looking for a veteran option? It’s getting a little late for that, but no one could have predicted an injury here.
No. 3 would be the most interesting, the most fascinating. With Rising shelved, what if Nate Johnson wins the job out of camp, and comes out of the gate well. I’m making this up, but what if Johnson is 3-1 or even 4-0 against an early slate that will include Florida, Baylor, and a TBD Pac-12 opponent? If Rising is ready at that point, then what?
Whittingham makes $6 million-plus annually for a reason.
Other things on my mind
• Eight Utah football players have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. None of them are a total surprise, but fourth-year sophomore running back Micah Bernard choosing to find an expanded role elsewhere is certainly noteworthy.
Bernard showed up at Utah as a 17-year old, and really had to wait his turn in what was, and has largely continued to be, a loaded position room. He was never a bell cow, but when he was healthy, he was far and away the Utes’ most versatile backfield option, specifically as a pass catcher.
Late in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Jordan Wilmore and Devin Brumfield left the program before the finale, the late Ty Jordan was thriving, and Whittingham did not hide the fact he intended to hit the portal for more help. The easy thing for Bernard to do would have been to follow Wilmore and Brumfield out the door. He stuck around, got two Rose Bowls out of it, and cult legend status after he played both ways in the 2022 Rose Bowl vs. Ohio State.
History, not to mention this fan base, should look kindly upon Bernard as the years go by.
• Utah’s 2021 recruiting class counted quarterbacks Peter Costelli, running back Ricky Parks, and linebackers Ethan Calvert and Mason Tufaga as four-star commits. With Parks entering the portal late last week, all four of them are gone, none played a major role, and Costelli, Tufaga, and Parks never even played a snap.
Did Utah whiff here? Absolutely, but in fairness, the 2021 class has been a bit of a mess in a lot of places, specifically because in-person evaluation was impossible thanks to a 15-month NCAA-mandated dead period on recruiting activity during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also in fairness, all of those guys were waiting behind veterans inside loaded position rooms each of the last two seasons.
• As you watch the Runnin’ Utes continually struggle on offense, like they did late Thursday night at UCLA, do so while keeping in mind that Craig Smith has just one open scholarship at the moment for 2023-24. That number would of course shift if guys leave. To that point, also keep in mind that Branden Carlson and Jaxon Brenchley both have the option to return for a fifth year after the 2020-21 season was an eligibility freebie thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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