The QB dilemma returns for the Utes as Cam Rising's status remains uncertain

SALT LAKE CITY – Call it PTSD or whatever you want, but the 2023 season just isn't over for the Utah football team.

Just reading these lines has probably sent shivers down your spine.

Yes, it's 2024, but it's starting to feel like the 2023 season again – at least in one respect. Utah suddenly has to wait and see if starting quarterback Cam Rising will return to the field soon.

Is it this week against Utah State? What about Oklahoma State? Maybe he'll be back before the UCLA game (that's for those who want to go back and relive the drama of the 2023 season).

This much is clear: Rising has sustained an injury to his throwing hand, which Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham described as “not really serious.” But the longtime head coach is not revealing what this means for the future.

Does this sound familiar?

Since this is not a season-ending injury for Rising – which should at least provide some relief – Whittingham will not discuss the matter further.

“As far as an update, just a reminder, we don't give updates on injuries unless they're season-ending, so we're not going to say who's going to play quarterback even if we know. That's just not how we do it,” Whittingham said Monday. “So we'll see what happens. But other than Cam being out, we seemed to stay pretty healthy in this game and we're excited to face Logan.”

That last line is a good sign, but Rising is – basically – all that matters for Utah football right now.

As evidenced by the speed with which the energy in Rice-Eccles Stadium “disappeared,” as Whittingham described it when Rising left the game, Utah is relying heavily on its health to secure a position for a possible playoff berth.

For this reason, Whittingham said there were “no concerns at all” as long as Rising was in the game, but beyond that there were questions.

Utah has entrusted the running of the offense twice this season to an 18-year-old quarterback who is still new to the system and learning what it takes to play at the college level.

To this point, Whittingham is confident – sometimes almost defiantly – that Isaac Wilson is the one they trust most to step in in Rising's absence, even if he needs more reps and more experience.

Because of the hierarchy in the quarterback room, there is no question that Wilson should take on these tasks, Whittingham said.

The former Corner Canyon star quarterback is the one who should start if Rising is unavailable Saturday – his first career start – and the game plan would be tailored to his skillset.

If he's the starter, he'll be taking the majority of the reps this week, which will benefit his game far more than what he's seen so far in mostly cleanup work.

“When you split the reps in training between the ones and the twos, it's not 50/50, it's more like 80/20 or 70/30,” Whittingham said of the mix. “You get the one, the first, all in shape and do as many reps for the second as you can. I think it would definitely help Isaac if he did those 80% or 70% reps all week long. I know he'd be more advanced and just more experienced.”

“He's only played one college football game total — half last week, half last week — and I think he's going to continue to improve,” he added. “We certainly believe that and have a lot of confidence in him. He's just not ready to go out there and throw the ball 45 times, especially against a team like Baylor. He's not quite there yet in his development.”

He may not be quite there yet, but the coaching staff believes he has the skills to run the offense efficiently and effectively. And while some of that comes through his passing, Wilson opens up a different dynamic with his legs that Whittingham said will likely be a factor in his game plan.

It's a game plan, Whittingham said, that will be very similar to Rising's – assuming Wilson is the starter.

“If we feel he's not ready and Isaac is doing the lion's share of training, then he's pretty much got the entire game plan,” Whittingham said. “That's still to be decided, but that's how it would be decided if he ends up being the right guy.”

Wilson is approaching the game as if he were QB1, but this is no different than any other week, he said.

“I have to prepare the same every week whether I'm on the first, second or third line,” Wilson said. “I have to go into this game like I'm the starter 100% of the time and just prepare. I mean, I could have prepared a little better last game. I felt like I did a good job, but there's always more to improve.”

“Repetitions are important,” he added. “Repetitions are important and managing the game is important too. I have to be a game manager. I mean, I'll have those opportunities to score a goal, but I want to be a game manager first and foremost.”

That element of game management was what Whittingham liked most about Utah's win over Baylor on Saturday. The offense largely went into conservation mode — essentially playing not to lose — and kept the game plan fairly monotonous.

Wilson executed the plan well, didn't lose a turnover and led Utah to an attack that took up a significant amount of time late in the game. If he's the starter on Saturday, he'll need to be more involved in the offense — if he wants to be — but there's optimism he's up for the task.

A move up would still be the preferred option, but Wilson showed in fall camp that he has the talent and ability to lead Utah to victory. Now he just needs to show it during a game as he becomes more comfortable with the college speed.

“I'm getting pretty good at it,” Wilson said of the offense. “For me, it's going to be easy. Like I said, it was complicated a while back, but I'm getting over that hump and it's going to be easier. I think everything is settling down and it's going to be great.”