Entering the 2024 season, every single person around the Utah football program knew that the success of the Utes in its first season in the Big 12 was directly tied to the quarterback position. Specifically, the success was tied to the health of Cam Rising.
That’s why when Rising had to leave the Utes' win last weekend over the Baylor Bears before the end of the first half, it dampened the party-like atmosphere in Rice-Eccles before the injury. Things didn’t really get better when every comment out of head coach Kyle Whittingham’s mouth seemed to indicate Rising might be out a little while.
Kyle Whittingham said Brandon Rose is QB2 right now — had a good day of practice — if Isaac Wilson, who also looked good, is QB1 Saturday. pic.twitter.com/KRZbJe85dy
— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) September 11, 2024
Whittingham won’t say for sure what the problem with Rising is. It’s thought it has to do with some fingers on his throwing hand. However the Utah football head coach won’t say what the injury is, how long Rising might be out, or whether he’ll play this weekend against Utah State.
That was still the case on Tuesday afternoon. However, Whitingham did foreshadow a possible change at QB for the game against the in-state rival.
Utah football head coach foreshadows quarterback change
After practice, the Utah head coach talked about who would be the backup if the game was played today. He spoke positively about third stringer Brandon Rose and said Rose would be QB2 if they played today.
That means freshman gunslinger Isaac Wilson appears to be QB1 for now. Hardly a surprise. However, it’s more of a tipoff than what Whittingham said he would give.
Interestingly enough, Utah football has enough talent on its roster than the Aggies that Las Vegas has still marked them down as more than a three-touchdown favorite, despite most people expecting Cam Rising to miss this weekend’s showdown.
We will of course still have to see what happens, but for now, it looks like the Utah Utes football coach has, in a roundabout way, admitted that Rising isn’t getting the snaps as the top quarterback.