Cam Rising in 2023

[ProudUte]

I read an article recently that did not have Cam Rising as a top-25 QB prospect going into the 2024 NFL draft. Last year he was a consistent top-10 prospect. I know he suffered a serious injury in the Rose Bowl. But, I am surprised that he has fallen so far.
Very few national talking heads seem to be giving Cam much of a chance of getting back to where he was in the 2021 season. In 2021 he took over a 1-2 team and led them to the PAC12 championship and the Rose Bowl. Can he prove everyone wrong and lead the Utes to a third straight conference championship? It won’t be easy because the PAC12 is loaded this season. I believe there are five teams that could win the championship in 2023.
If Cam can play at the level he was playing in 2021 – I believe we indeed can win the conference championship. What do you guys think?
Go Utes!!!

[EagleMountainUte]

No Kincaid and a post rehab year for Kuithe. I have obviously been very transparent about my concerns. 
I was revisiting the Oregon game in 2022 and Risings lack of mobility was the killer in this game. 

[ProudUte]

I completely agree with you about Cam’s performance in the Oregon game.  It is his worst game as a Ute.  I have always said that Cam is just a good QB when running the ball is not part of his game.

As I said, I would like to see Cam back to where he was in 2021.  He needs to be able to run the RPO to be truly effective IMO.

I think/hope that Kuithe is back to 100%.  If he is, he is an amazing weapon.  I think Yassmin will be a key component of our offense too.

 

[Tednab]

More weapons you put on the field the harder to defend against .. Utah was pretty much a TE QB show last year .. add the improved RB and some decent WRs with our TE this year we’ll be tough to defend against .. If we’re limited to Cam’s running .. we’re screwed, he won’t last the season .. Cam’s health dictates this teams success, unless one of our Backups really steps up. Cam has a lot of faults about him .. but he’s a gamer and leader ; Caleb vs Cam demonstrates this twice .

[Rick]

I love Rising – gamer is a great descriptor for him – but he must rid himself of tunnel vision this season. Tednab mentions we were basically a TE/QB show last year and while it makes some sense given the talent of Kincaid, some of Rising’s biggest mistakes were because he seemed to decide where he was going regardless of the defense. The end of Florida is a terrific example. I forget who was open on Rising’s left in the corner of the endzone but a fake to Kincaid and throw left would have won the game (assuming the receiver catches the ball). I also think about a few throws in the UCLA game that I’m sure Cam wishes he had back. I can’t recall if it was Kincaid or Yassmin but he had a throw in the redzone into triple coverage where receivers were open on both sides of the field.

I’m reading way too critical. I think Cam is terrific and I think he reads the field well at times. He’ll have the offensive weapons to do more of it this year and I hope he does. That said, I think Kuithe and Pittman are both go to weapons that need to get the ball often.

Cam’s going to have a helluva year.

[chinngiskhaan]

If he could just learn to make defenders think he’s going to Kuithe only to go to someone else over the top of him that would be great.

[Redblood]

Rewatched the CO game and saw Yassmmin leap over the defender and score. Incredible athleticism, the question will be can Lud get him the ball often in space. If he can, Yass will do serious damage. But he is not a Kincaid who Will consistently make the catch in important moments.

Just doesn’t have the hands. But again, Lud’s job is to get the ball to playmakers in space. Hoping he finds the right way to do that because it will be a sight to behold!

[The Miami Ute]

Do you have any links? I follow sites like PFF religiously and I’ve never seen Rising ever even being mentioned as a marginal NFL prospect. I firmly believe that if there was the slightest possibility of him getting drafted and making it to some roster, he would have departed this year to the NFL, injured or not.

[D T]

I suspect NIL factored into his decision, which he’d already made before our RB.

[The Miami Ute]

Absolutely. Of that, I have zero doubt. I mean, the only realistic option was to get the surgery, stay in school, and collect what, anywhere between $500K to $1M? I have sincere reservations about whether a recovering Rising would even garner a training camp invitation from any NFL team.

[chinngiskhaan]

If The Oklahoma transfer kid pans out, and Pittman is healthy this team is better than last year’s team on both sides of the ball IMO… But only if Cam can get out of the habit of relying on one guy almost exclusively. If he spreads the ball around and hits open receivers instead of always looking to Kuithe first we will be good.

Our RB room will be better this year. Our WR room will be better this year (even if Okla kid doesn’t make it), our OL will be similar (possibly a slight step down) and our TE room will be a step down (though this won’t matter much unless Kuithe gets hurt, which is possible if not likely).

On defense we will be more experienced across the board and we should be able to get more pressure on the QB with less blitzing, which means our relatively inexperienced CBs should be good enough.

[Onlyu]

Cam has always had the intangibles. He doesn’t wow you with his arm strength but his competitive desire, leadership and ability to make plays will win out in the end. I’ve always thought of him as a mid to late rounder who ends up making the team because he’s smart, leads and works hard…taking a similar path as Huntley did with the Ravens. Be it the practice squad or as the #3 I’ll almost guarantee he sticks in the league for a few years minimum and likely carves out a backup role with a chance here and there to show what he can do.

I get the concern about the readiness of Brant and Cam but for those of you that like to worry I’d recommend picking something else to fret about…they’ll be ready and very effective in the opener. I can’t be any more clear than that.

I also personally believe the O-line will be bigger, deeper and better than last year and I think it has the potential to be the most improved position group on the team. We have never had more quality, playable depth there and we’ll have true size at all 5 spots and I don’t think I’ve been able to say that at any point in our history. I also believe the WR’s will be improved as well (especially with the final add).
The RB’s have more experience and versatility so if protection against an athletic front is an issue we should be able to adjust in max protect and keep Cam clean.

Cam in his 4th year in the offense will get the ball out quickly and with experienced guys like Vele, Kuithe, Parks, Yassmin, Cope, a veteran, physical guy in Pittman and a back out like Bernard it’s gonna be really difficult to defend with pressure. If JJ is able to catch the ball in space (I believe he will) he’s a top 10 back in CFB. Good luck to the corners trying to bring him down on the edge!! Throw in X factors like Trejan and Mikey and it’s going to be tough to get pressure on Cam.
That said, I don’t particularly think he’ll struggle to run. He’s going to need to move in space and may avoid some contact that he normally accepts but the knee will handle that fairly easily imo.

The FAI surgery that Pittman underwent is typically 3-6 months for a non athlete without the quality daily rehab and treatment he gets in our program so he’ll be 100% as well.

My concerns today…Keeping Kuithe healthy, FS playable depth and our back up QB. If Brant and Cam play the whole year we’ll have double digit wins again.

[Ute Dub]

Stop teasing me about the o-line!!! They do have some guys and some depth. It was telling to me to see Tyler Knaak get pushed so far down the depth chart and then transfer to Nebraska of all places. Tell me that 15 years ago that we’d have guys getting pushed down the depth chart and transferring to Nebraska and I’d of thought you were nuts. But also, I think he has some holes in his game technique wise and athletecism wise. Thanks for the insight. 

[Charlie]

I think We have answers for those that left and weaker points moving into next year. But I am anxious to see the improved depth. As we go game to game the ability to play options at key positions to create matchup problems or to respond to matchup problems created by the other team, can be effective. It feels like we don’t just have a guy at key spots, we may have multiple options that force other teams to win matchups against quality in game adjustments instead of simply winning individual matchups. Some games may feature new personnel going off as the coordinators identify these opportunities.

[ProudUte]

I like, “I get the concern about the readiness of Brant and Cam but for those of you that like to worry I’d recommend picking something else to fret about…they’ll be ready and very effective in the opener. I can’t be any more clear than that.”

[Redblood]

@OnlyU I Agree with the playable depth at OL but do you honestly expect our left tackle to outperform Daniels? And a new Center… Playable depth is huge but will the starters really be better year over year? I’m not sure.

I also agree the intangibles with Cam are off the charts and he makes plays but am I off that he sometimes struggles to make those plays that aren’t runs in the clutch? The Fl. pick was devastating and looked like a panic throw, the little screen pass at Oregon on 4th down was an absolute choke. Threw it straight at his feet in an incredibly important moment. Probably being way too harsh, because he has been so, so good. He’ll need to get a little better in the clutch imo for us to take the next step.

[Ute Dub]

SATAOA LAUMEA JUST KILLED A GUY

— Steve Bartle (@SBartle247) October 31, 2021

[D T]

Why would you question Center? You don’t think Maile transferred for a reason? When he was out last year it wasn’t even noticeable, except of course for the lack of high snaps.

And we can certainly match Daniels’ production & be deeper at that position simultaneously.

Relax, we’ll be better overall AND deeper.

[Onlyu]

No question at Center. Writing was on the wall for Maile. Good player…don’t want to take anything away from him, but undersized and limited in certain ways that are crucial for the next step we need to take.

We will be better at center no doubt in my mind. And yes I believe we will be much better as a unit. Daniels was/is a stud but we have the skill set in the room to come close to his production and at the same time be a stronger 5 man unit if that makes sense.

Experience and physicality will surpass last years unit imo. I don’t think we’ve ever had a line that can both run block and pass protect as well as this line can. We’ve had a bunch of guys who are better individually but this will be the strongest 5 we’ve put on the field if healthy.

[Ute Dub]

Whenever I hear someone say no doubt in my mind: 

[krindor]

I didn’t see a lot of Cam as a top NFL QB prospect in 2022 either to be honest.  Reality is that he’s probably not going to be drafted high because he lacks the projectables and the tools that teams want.  Anthony Richardson just went #4 based almost entirely on tools and projected upside.  That’s not Cam’s game.

He’s a leader, a gamer, someone who comes in and gets the job done.  Which is valuable and I think he can be drafted late and stick around… but I don’t think he’s what teams are looking for early. But he does have the tools to stick and have an extended time and occasionally surprise when he gets the chance

[Dallas]

Cam reminds me of Tom Brady in college. Not flashy, but just seems to be able to get it done.

[UteBrook]

Let’s not forget that Cam has another year of strengthening and increasing mobility in his surgically repaired shoulder. His arm should be better and if he gets the quad strength back from the ACL repair, he should actually be better in the throw game which may take additional pressure off his need to run as much and help keep him from getting injured again.

[radioUte]

I think Utah getting to the Rose Bowl again last year has tainted your memory of Cam’s draft prospects. He was never a top draft prospect either going into last season or even toward the end of the season prior to his injury. He wasn’t going to get drafted last year regardless of his health. Cam is a gamer, but he doesn’t fit the NFL mold.

Hopefully he does everything to change minds on that this season, but even if he doesn’t, that’s not a knock on him as a great college QB.

[Author]

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