Kyle Whittingham: Utah’s QB Cam Rising ‘Wants To Play’ But Injury Status Still Unclear

Oct 2, 2024, 12:26 AM | Updated: 2:42 pm

Utah QB Cam Rising warming up Vs. Arizona with glove on injured hand. PHOTO by Joel Davidson

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – After five weeks, Utah Football has hit their bye week and as you’d expect, star quarterback Cam Rising has been the biggest topic of the season. Unfortunately, not for the reasons anyone wanted.

Rising has missed 3.5 games since he was shoved into water coolers by Baylor defensive lineman Trevan Ma’ae and suffered an injury to the ring finger on his throwing hand.

"With a bye next week to get healthy – we’re looking at you Rising – the Utes begin the softest part of their schedule over the next three weeks."

– @PKKinahan https://t.co/gxTGpsmsEp

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 29, 2024

Details of the injury recovery process have not been clearly stated. However, head coach Kyle Whittingham made one thing quite clear in his media availability on Tuesday.

Cam Rising wants to play

“Cam Rising wants to play worse than anybody and when he’s able to, he will,” Whittingham stated. “It’s not like he’s just been able to play and not going, I mean, that’s just not the case.”

It’s unfortunate that that even has to be stated. However, the lack of clarity around his status has created a lot of frustration for followers of Utah Football.

“I haven’t been around social media, I don’t know anything that’s going on out there,” Whittingham shared when asked about the heat Rising has received from fans. “I don’t know where that’s coming from, but I can tell you for certain that he wants to play, and as soon as he gets the go-ahead he will play, and we hope it’s this next game.”

Regrettably, Rising has been the recipient of the exasperation around this situation, which has been unfair and uncalled for. He is genuinely injured and incapable of performing at the level he needs to.

In actuality, the source of the frustration in all of this is simply the lack of clarity for Rising’s return. Coach Whittingham elects not to discuss injuries to not give away competitive advantages. That approach has created a lot of headaches for people following the program. However, Whittingham has proven to be unbothered by it.

His injury status will likely continue into next week for Utah

Regardless, one other thing stood out in Whittingham’s comments about Rising’s return: “We hope it’s this next game.”

Despite the lack of details, in piecing things together, Rising’s status genuinely could be up in the air next week but it will be close.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the week of the Oklahoma State game that Rising suffered a dislocated finger on his throwing hand. There were also stitches for a deep laceration but that’s not as important.

Typical timeline recoveries for dislocated fingers range anywhere from three to six weeks. Generally, with consistent rehab and exercise, recovery can be accomplished in four weeks. Rising has surely been rehabbing and he’s also been wearing a molded cast since early last week.

Next week’s game against Arizona State would be week five in this recovery timeline. Given that he was held out due to a lack of velocity on the ball, it seems this is a matter of getting back to a state where he can execute at a high level.