Whitt and Cam opinings and observations

[Utopia]

I’m convinced Whitt’s plan was to ride Cam to the CFP last/this season and retire, and every decision made in the last two years was made based on this plan, i.e. he put ALL his eggs in the Cam basket. I think playing Cam last week was his desperate last ditch attempt to save CFP hopes. Wilson clearly isn’t capable yet (also exacerbated by Ludwig’s inept playcalling), so he rolled the dice with Cam thinking that was the last and only hope. Well, it has all backfired catastrophically. He must have completely lost the trust and confidence from the players at this point. With the way things are and trending, I will be very surprised if he doesn’t call it quits at the end of this season. He will be leaving the program in terrible shape for Scalley, largely due to his disastrous mishandling of the last two years. What a way to tarnish two decades of reverence.

Last night and in other games Utah was losing the last two seasons, Cam has consistently been seen on the sidelines smiling, laughing, generally in a seemingly happy mood. Not a good look. He must be thoroughly enjoying that hefty NIL payday. He’ll always be a legend for getting us to two Rose Bowls, but his seemingly detached/apathetic demeanor the last two seasons leaves a sour taste.

[Hellhound152]

The observation on Risings “demeanor” are total BS. What would you have him do. Yell at the players who are actually playing? Sit there like LaVell Edwards with a frown on his face like he ate a poopy flavored lollypop? Cry like Caleb Williams. What is a proper look for a Captain who can’t play due to injury on the sideline? Last time I checked, football is still a game, the players at the college level are still kids, and lightening the mood in a stressful situation is one of the best attributes a leader can have. Rising is not a coach, he was a player, which means “his job” when he is not playing is supporting his teammates. Also, consider the NIL a severance package for the 2 championships and move on.

[Ute Dub]

Yeah. I would have him laugh it up while Utah loses and he takes 70% of the NIl. That’s the ticket.

[Utopia]

Rising is not a coach, he was a player, which means “his job” when he is not playing is supporting his teammates.

Fair, but he didn’t seem to be doing much supporting last night. In the several times he was shown, only once was he seen interacting with players (high-fiving Bernard after the TD); he was otherwise always sitting off with the same one guy (don’t know who he was). In one case he was shown in what looked like jovial conversation with the other guy immediately after Wilson got clobbered. I saw no indication he was actively involved in supporting Wilson, which is what I would expect from a captain QB. Hey maybe it was a discussed/agreed arrangement for him to just sit back, but superficially from a fan’s persepective it didn’t look like involved/supportive engagement you would expect, especially for a captain.

[Hellhound152]

Fair point, we also know they took his “C”, and who knows what level of involvement they wanted. We also don’t know what was said in the players only. Usually in 23′ he was with the other QB’s and this season that was the case also before last night.

[Utopia]

Yeah in any case I think everyone is just ready to finally be done with and past the Cam saga, but what has happened to the team the last couple years could have devastating long-term effects on the program.

[Hellhound152]

With benefit of hindsight that is true. I don’t think anyone outside of the program (honestly it might only be Whit, Risings Camp, the AD, and some high level boosters) really knows what happened in 2023 and at this point it is water under the bridge. What I believe to be true is that Bryson and Nathan were not going to be it regardless. I believe that the coaching staff had a “healthy” Cameron Rising going into 2024 and went out and signed a 4 star HS QB and brought in a highly rated Juco transfer to fill out the room. I also believe had Cam not been thrown into a Gatorade station there is a very real possibility this team is undefeated right now and we are hold our collective breaths every time he drops back to pass. I truly believe this staff did what it needed to do to prepare for post Rising existence in 2025 at a program level. They just were not ready for that post Rising existence to come 2 games into 2024 the season. The long term effects remain to be seen but the short term impact on the field is very real.

[Yergensen]

I think this is a very good estimation of the various thought processes and plans up thru the 2024 Baylor injury to Cam.

[Trailgoat]

Solid post. Watch the last three offensive series prior to Gatorgate. Cam looked very rusty after Baylor made some adjustments on D and CR spinned through Ludwig’s 10-12 scripted play series. Once CR got into Ludwig calling plays from the box, the offense slowed down. Pre 2024 CR runs right around the Baylor DE on the injury play. High expectations were set for CR to return at his peak level, being out of football for over 600+ days coming off the knee injury is a big ask. I don’t know what is best for CRs involvement on the team at this point, but playing for Utah next year shouldn’t be an option and that needs to be made clear sooner than later. If Scalley takes over next year it’s for sure a no go.

[2008 National Champ]

He can’t stand with the other QB’s because he is in a boot and needs the cart to get around. Putting him front and center like they did last year would be dangerous.

The problem is that the TV cameras are always going to find him, even though he’s a non-entity as far as the remainder of the season. And I think it was O’Toole he was talking to all game but not sure.

[HeyyyUguyyys]

Everyone gets a pass in my mind, Cam and frustrated fans alike. Top level college NIL is simultaneously just and ridiculous. A quarterback like Cam, especially when he is leading the team to Rose bowls, is generating a ton of revenue and he deserves a piece of the pie. Then something as small as a basic finger injury happens and the optics change a lot. Now you have a college kid sitting on the sideline, not playing or contributing, taking up most of the university’s NIL pot. He is appropriately acting like a college kid- joking around, engaged at times and not at others, and his reward for that is a paycheck bigger than every professor across the street, the University president himself, and 99% of the people sitting in the stadium. It’s not Cams fault. He didn’t make up the system. He’s just taking what the market is offering him. Having said that, how could you fault any hard working fan for saying that rubs them the wrong way just a little bit? Especially when the policy is to be cryptic about his injury progress and all of the “game time decision” BS?

[pedro]

Two things.

With Whit.. What would you have done? Of course everything was planned around Cam and Whit wouldn’t been dumb not to. Any coach worth his salt would’ve and should’ve done the same. This is the strangest criticism yet.

For Cam, honestly, the way he’s been treated by Utah “Fans” who questioned his motivation, his integrity and his injuries, I would be checked out too. The fact he is even at the game is surprising to me. They kid did things at Utah no one else has ever done all while sacrificing his physical and potentially mental health all to have assclowns question his devotion. Now he’s being criticized for smiling on the sideline while in a brace from a season ending injury after playing an entire game w said injury. You don’t see the problem here?

[lgt4141]

The last two seasons with Cam were frustrating but he still won two Pac 12 championships and led Utah to two Rose Bowls. For me, he is up there as one of the best Utah qb’s of all time just for that.

For fans we thought it would continue with Cam coming back but Utah did go to four Pac 12 championships and became one of the top teams in the Pac 12. It was a fun ride. Utah is not a reload program. Utah is team that is consistently tough and will generally play hard and have a magical season every few years. At least now we know we are in rebuilding mode and can have more realistic expectations.

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