After suffering a torn ACL in the Utah Utes’ Rose Bowl game last season, Utes quarterback Cameron Rising has yet to take a snap this season. Is this the week of his debut when Rising makes the effort to improve his 2023 NFL Draft stock?
Cameron Rising’s Road to Recovery
Rising suffered a torn ACL late in the Utes’ 35-21 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl last season and has yet to play a game so far in 2023. Rising has returned to practice but did not suit up for Utah’s Pac-12 opener against the UCLA Bruins last week.
However, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham did say Rising looks good in practice, but he has yet to be cleared to return.
Whittingham said the plan was for Cam Rising to warmup in pads to get the full walk through, but then change to street clothes. He said he hasn't been cleared yet.
— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) September 23, 2023
While Rising is clearly getting healthier and closer to his return, ESPN’s Porter Larsen confirmed that Rising is out against the Oregon State Beavers.
Utah has a bye week before returning home to play the Cal Bears on Oct. 14, which will be a much more realistic target for Rising’s return to play.
Utah Utes Handling Rising’s Absence
In Rising’s absence, the Utes have split time between Nate Johnson and Bryson Barnes, but Johnson has played all of the reps in their last two games in wins over the Weber State Wildcats and UCLA.
Johnson is 31 of 49 passing with 398 yards and two touchdowns so far this season but has added an extra dimension as a runner with 150 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
MORE: Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
Utah is 4-0 this season, with wins over the Florida Gators, Baylor Bears, and UCLA. Although they’re undefeated, it’s clear that Rising’s presence is missed offensively. The Utes are ranked 112th in total offense so far this season after finishing 17th in 2022.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Rising has battled injuries. In 2020, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in their opener against the USC Trojans. Rising was also knocked out of the 2022 Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes with a concussion.
Despite these injuries, Rising is still a fan favorite and is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. While durability will be a question mark during his NFL Draft process, Rising’s ability as a passer and leader won’t be.
Rising led the Utes to a 10-4 record and a victory over USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game last season. He set career highs with 3,034 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and a 64.7 completion percentage in 13 games. He’s the face of the Utah program after leading the Utes to a pair of Pac-12 championships and subsequent Rose Bowl appearances.
No. 10 Utah (4-0) is set to square off against No. 19 Oregon State (3-1) this week.