Carsen Ryan Never Allowed Injury To Hurt Him In His Move To Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Football has been hard at work in fall camp for the last two weeks. The players are competing at a high level and coming together as a team.

There are a lot of familiar faces and plenty of new ones on the roster. One of the more familiar new faces is American Fork product and UCLA transfer tight end Carsen Ryan.

Tight End U is alive and well 😤😤😤@CarsenRyan pic.twitter.com/fIZWAMSpxB

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 9, 2024

Carsen Ryan didn’t allow his injury to hurt him

After transferring to Utah in January, Ryan suffered an injury that kept him out of most off-season work. After a couple of months without football, his return to the field for camp has been a rather positive experience.

“It’s been really good, it’s been really nice to be back playing again,” Ryan said. “It’s been a while coming off the injury but I’m just excited to be out here, excited to be with this new team, and just excited to get the season started.”

The injury was particularly unfortunate for Ryan as he was making the transition to a new program. Despite not being able to play, he wanted to stay engaged and prepare as best he could for his return.

“It was a little different, I’ve had injuries before but coming to a new team, I was trying to find my place on the team,” Ryan said. “I was doing all that I could to make myself known, learn the playbook, and just be a good teammate- to always be there for my guys.”

Working his way back into the mix

“I’ve felt pretty good, it’s always going to be a little difficult after not practicing,” Ryan said of his conditioning. “They say the best way to get into football shape is to play football. After not being able to do that, it takes a second. I feel great now, I’m feeling as athletic as ever, and just ready to go.”

For as much as this process is about being physically in shape, Ryan knows he needs to mentally progress too.  Especially with the season fast approaching, his primary focus is on the playbook to become more familiar with all he’ll be asked to do.

“My mindset right now is just trying to pick up the plays and get used to this offense, get comfortable with it,” Ryan said. “I just want to keep learning, keep getting in better shape, and to keep getting ready for the season opener against SUU.”

Utah tight end room is full of NFL talent

After two seasons at UCLA, Ryan has proven himself to be a rather capable tight end. As a Bruin, Ryan tallied 13 receptions for 205 yards and three touchdowns in 19 games.

He’s been in a talented tight end room at UCLA but this group at Utah is particularly noteworthy according to Ryan.

“This is a room with a lot of great talent and great guys, future NFL Draft picks in my opinion,” Ryan shared. “We’re there to make each other better and this is a great place to grow, especially as a tight end.”

And it’s not just about the talent and competition in the room, the camaraderie is what makes the group special.

“It’s great to be in the room because it brings a lot of competition but we’re all great friends and brothers,” Ryan said. “We all hang out, we push each other, and we want to see each other perform at our best.”

Isaac Wilson is impressing

Isaac Wilson was named the backup quarterback to Cameron Rising on Monday. And according to Ryan, the true freshman has genuinely impressed.

“I’m really excited about Isaac, he’s shown a lot of great talent here,” Ryan shared. “A lot of the time you get a young quarterback and you expect a lot of those freshman mistakes but I don’t really feel like I see that from Isaac. He’s very smart, good head on his shoulders, and he makes the right read a lot of the time. I’m excited for the future with Isaac, I think he’s going to be a really good quarterback.”

Utah Football Schedule

Utah will kick off the season against Southern Utah on August 29. You can find Utah football’s conference schedule here.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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