With Cam Rising at the core of the attack, Utah’s “swagger” is back…
Created quarterback runs? Ascent has appeared swift and seamless. hurling while in motion? Not a concern. He filled the void left by Utah’s injured quarterback last season by stepping up in the pocket and throwing darts for touchdowns.
The difference he makes when he’s out there has been noticed by his teammates. It’s really different, you know. Everyone on the team is confident. There is only one. Who’s going to be on the field right now to play quarterback? Because he is leading the attack, we know we have our man. Indeed, he is that person. I’m just glad to be in this situation, so it’s just steps forward from last year,” tight end Landen King remarked.
The head coach at Rising has done the same. “We have confidence every time he comes out here, which has been every single session this spring. What we were lacking last year was his bravado, which he adds to the attack. That’s why Whittingham was delighted to have him.
Following the January 2023 surgery to repair his torn ACL, meniscus, MPFL, and MCL, Rising was cleared to practice in the fall. However, he did not play in a game that season because his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache—who has operated on a number of well-known athletes, including Shohei Ohtani, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers—had not given him the go-ahead to return to real game action.
There are obvious obstacles to overcome, like running, cutting, and reacting to defenders trying to sack you in real game action. Rising is scheduled to play in his first game since the 2023 Rose Bowl Game on August 29, when Utah hosts Southern Utah.
Along with these physical attributes, Rising has made significant progress in the offseason by addressing mental toughness and arm strength, two key areas of his comeback.
His arm is strengthening, Whittingham remarked. The inability to truly step your throw and rip into it is impacted when you have an injury like the one he suffered. Moreover, he is becoming more armstrong. Almost all of the rust has been removed by him. After ten practices, he had substantially improved his game from his initial rustiness.
Ever since he injured his knee, Rising claimed to have been honing his throwing technique and stated that everything about the throw, including planting, felt “really good.”
The new group of receivers that Rising hasn’t thrown to in a game includes King, Mycah Pittman, and Dorian Singer. Rising has already played with several of his targets, including Money Parks and veteran tight end Brant Kuithe.
In the offseason, Rising worked with the rookies, and in the spring, he built on that. All winter long, they put in a lot of effort working alone, coordinating route time, and occasionally attacking the defense. Whittingham stated, “And that has really paid off.”
Rising is aiming to cherish every second of his final college season, from his fall camp experience to his spring practices and winter workouts, to his eventual return to Rice-Eccles Stadium.
It feels absurd. It’s crazy to think that I may only have five (spring) practices left. Rising remarked, “I’m just going to savor every second and spend it with my teammates.