I hear Cam has decided to stay.

[ProudUte]

Excellent news if what I heard is true.

[The Miami Ute]

A decision like this has second and third order effects and has the potential to create a series of unintentional consequences. For example, does this prompt an exodus out of the Utah QB room? Who stays and who goes?

If Cam’s knee is sound and he’s back to his old self, then it’s great news. Utah will probably be picked to win the Big 12 in its first season in the conference.

[Charlie]

I expect that a couple of QBs stuck between the top 2 in ’24 and the 2 future commits are likely to mull over options. If this is the case, next up is determination of QB2 followed by the other.

[The Miami Ute]

I think Barnes stays, considering he’s from Utah. Rose and Johnson, I’m not sure about. Howard is another guy that’s probably wondering about his future as well.

[Xanthis]

Cam’s decision probably has no impact on HS recruits. It’s pretty rare for true freshman to start at QB in the P5.

[Larry B]

I think the coaches need to ask Johnson if he’d be willing to switch positions. I could see Rose transferring if Cam stays. Then you’ve got a couple potentially good QB’s for 2025. I think it’ll work out ok. If Cam and a few others come back and are completely healthy, we could be awesome next year. I feel like I say that every year though.

[EagleMountainUte]

Well that has gone so well for Jackson.

I am not trying to be overly critical of the offensive decisions. It is just low hanging fruit at this point. It is hard not to harshly examine the decisions that led Utah to this point on the offensive side of the ball.

I have no idea how Rising will be next year. I think you go after the best options you can find. This team is quite literally a competent Qb away from great things. The defense was loaded this year and will be absolutely beastly in 2024.

Spend some money on that Oline bring in 4-5 skill players and get that CFP spot.

[Ute2]

It’s worked out great for him. He’ll go to the league and make some millions of dollars.

[2008 National Champ]

Rising has already made more money in college than he ever will in the pros. UDFA’s don’t sign multi-million $ contracts

[UtMtBiker]

Jackson isn’t close to a daft pick at this point.

[pedro]

Johnson will not stay if he isn’t playing QB. Mark it down. He will bolt.

[The Miami Ute]

You’re probably right. He probably isn’t too keen in switching positions and is at the point in his career where he just wants to play. He might be better off going down to a G5 or FCS team. He’d probably be king at any of those stops. Won’t get him anywhere close to the next level though.

[chinngiskhaan]

Is that bad though? Do we really want him if he only wants to play a position that he isn’t good at playing?

If he isn’t good enough to help us win, he should go somewhere where he will be good enough to help a team win.

[concerned]

Cam coming back is good news for 24 and 25 recruits. It means that somebody ahead of you is not going to be starting next year, and the competition will be open season the year after, especially if you are 25 and show up in January.

[Utah]

So true. What great news for Wilson. He gets to come in, learn from Cam, redshirt, get healthy and be ready in spring ball after a fall of learning the offense and sitting in the booth with Ludwig to take over.

[22Ute22]

Rose transferring isn’t a big deal tbh. He was barely ahead of Barnes, per every reporter and even OnlyU and Ghost. So honestly, I’d rather have Barnes over Rose as a backup. Wonder how good Mack Howard is though.

[EagleMountainUte]

Glad he announced early enough. If this dragged past December I would not have liked it.

[UTE98]

Cautiously optimistic.

[Tony (admin)]

^^This

[Utes 69]

Nate Johnson sitting on the bench is a total waste of talent! train him up for some type of offense plays.

[Tony (admin)]

Seems like NJ would be a great slot back or WR.

[chinngiskhaan]

I haven’t been that impressed by his athleticism to be honest. Sure, he has good straight line speed, but he doesn’t seem particularly elusive.

[22Ute22]

I think he just hesitates and is afraid of making a mistake. He’s not playing loose. That rushing TD against Florida was an elusive play.

[RustyShackleford]

That’s literally the dumbest thing I have ever heard

[Larry B]

There’s also quite a bit of rumors on socials that he’s transferring.

[The Miami Ute]

I could definitely see that. The majority of these players are in college to try and get to the next level. You can’t do that sitting on the bench or by just having bit appearances over the course of a season. If Johnson is bound and determined to be a QB, then he needs to move on because it ain’t happening at Utah.

The question is where would he go? What P5 team would take a guy like Johnson who’s already shown in extended appearances that he’s inconsistent at best at the QB position? I’d say probably none. Jason Shelley was a better QB, moved to Logan but couldn’t win the starting QB position and it wasn’t until he transferred again to Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference (FCS) that he started playing really well. That’s the kind of the future that I envision Johnson having if he wants to continue playing QB.

[Larry B]

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. Rumors are swirling that Cam is transferring.

[UTE98]

I see four options with Cam.

1. He transfers and becomes public enemy #1 to Utah fans and boosters.

2. He stays here and plays no where near where he did in 2022.

3. He hangs up his cleats and comes on as a GA, or just goes his own way.

4. He comes back, leads Utah to a Big XII championship and we are all happy.

Obviously the last one is the best case scenario, and I’d give it less than 40% chance it happens. So I’m cautiously optimistic. But if he does come back all year I’m going to be wondering if the backup could have escaped the pocket, gotten more yards on a run, or extended a play.

Basically Cam has to become Michael Penix post injury, and the chances of that are not very good.

[2008 National Champ]

#1 – Rising won’t transfer to anyone that is playing Utah next year. So it will have no effect on Utah fan’s memories of his time on the hill.

The only way Rising enters the portal is if he already has a place to go and an agreement in principal. He’s a proven QB with a proven track record and a “minimum salary” based on his current NIL status. He isn’t going to put his name in hoping that someone takes a flyer on him. He only moves if he’s able to negotiate a better deal than he currently has, both financially and draft exposure.

[The Miami Ute]

We’ve talked about this in the past. As we discussed, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Rising transfer to USC, Oregon, or Washington and play next season for any of those teams. He’d get more exposure, more money, and the chance to play in more offense oriented systems with higher rated recruits. Of course, he’d have to weigh all of that against damaging the cult of personality he’s cultivated in Salt Lake City. Hard to see how Rising would be accepted in the future if he left for USC. But you never know. Time heals all wounds, or so they say.

[Xanthis]

Nah. Stevie Tu’ikolovatu will never be seen as a Ute again after leaving for USC for 1 year. F**k that guy.

[2008 National Champ]

Stevie got himself into the league with that move. He was only going to be a backup at Utah so it was a great move.

Utah won’t be playing SC next year so why would it matter to Utah fan if Rising went there and blew up? If anything, it would be an indictment of the Utah offensive scheme if he was able to display currently unseen skills. I think in that case, most Utah fans would be happy for him.

[ProudUte]

I have heard these rumors too.

What I heard last night (indirect source) is that local boosters put together a nice NIL package for Cam and he has decided to stay. I guess I won’t totally believe it until I hear it from Cam or Whitt.

If he does come back, it may cause some to go to the portal. I have said for weeks, if Johnson wants to play in the league, he needs to play a different position. I just don’t think he has what it takes to be a D1 QB let alone an NFL QB. Rose is another story. No one here knows what he is capable of on the field. If Rising stays, I hope Rose does too. He will likely be one hit away from seeing the field.

As far as Isaac Wilson is concerned, I think he will be our future QB. But, it won’t be next season, so there is NO reason for him to change his commitment.

Go Utes.

[chinngiskhaan]

I don’t think Cam staying or leaving changes our current QB recruiting situation. Wilson likely didn’t plan on playing at all in year 1 (he’s getting his shoulder fixed in the offseason), and Cam will be gone when Becker gets here either way.

I won’t mind if any of our current backups leave, so long as it isn’t all of them.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Cam is not leaving. NIL money.. chance to make the CFP.. knows the offense.. legendary status as a Ute. This team could be really good next year if everyone stays and commits.

Barnes and hopefully Rose stays. Gives us depth at QB. JJ and Bernard return. Pick up another big physical RB, TE, and 2 or 3 WRs. New conference and challenges would be fun to be a part of. I’ll gladly renew my season tickets for this scenario!!🤞

[UteBacker]

My totally uniformed, don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, wild-ass guess on the odds of Cam’s future:

10% transfers to another school
30% tries his luck in the NFL
60% returns to start us off right in the XII

[RoboUte]

Finally, it had been far too many hours since a lengthy Cam Rising discussion. Now I feel better

[Caliman]

the ideal 2024 QB situation for Utah would be to:
1. Bring in a couple of elite RB to help with the run game.
2. let Rose and Mac transfer out.
3. move JJ back to his natural QB position
so QB. room for 2024 would be:
QB1. CR
QB2. JJ, NJ
QB3. BB
QB4. fill in the blank.
if this happens, Utah wins out, blows the blue turds down south by 40 pts. and makes the CFP.

[NarfUte]

Phil Indablank would have graduated years ago, I don’t think he has any eligibility left to be QB4. (Probably the crowning achievement of UF.N and a real low point for 1280)

[ProudUte]

I remember Phil well. I was in my car driving home when one of the local radio hosts was talking about this amazing athlete, Phil Intheblank. He totally fell for it for about a minute before he realized he had been punked. It was hilarious.

[ProudUte]

Move JJ back to QB?

JJ is a natural at running back. He wasn’t good enough at QB to be Cam’s backup at QB. I think if JJ gets healthy, he will play in the NFL.

I have not seen Rose play outside of the Spring game, so It’s hard for me to judge his ability. I hope he stays around.

I hope Barnes goes to an FCS school where he can shine. If Cam comes back – I hope the QB room in 2024 will be:

1. Cam
2. Rose
3-4 Howard/Wilson

I hope Johnson stays at Utah and plays another position.

[Xanthis]

Barnes doesn’t even need to go to FCS. There are a ton of FBS G5 teams that would take him and he would start. Maybe even USU.

[Bob]

Is he even allowed to come back? Has the school filed a medical red shirt for him, and if so, was it approved?

[ProudUte]

I heard Whitt say that it is “almost” a slam dunk. But, he did qualify this by saying nothing is for sure.

[Caliman]

I hate to be the one to say it, because I’m most definitely not a racist, but what Utah needs in order to make it to the next level. is a BLACK QB. I mean, look at Tyler Huntley, Brian Johnson. Black athletes are insanely athletic, very durable and don’t get injured that much. Utah has Rose, Barnes, Howard, and now Wilson. Why can’t we get a 4* dual threat black QB? I know this the whitest state in the country, but common, KW and Al need to move into the 21st century football band wagon and go black; you all know what they say, once you go black, you never go back.

[Larry B]

Did you think this through before posting or is this just part of your attempt at trolling?

[Caliman]

I’m obviously just BSing, lighten up! It’s game day MOFOS.

[The Miami Ute]

LOL…I guess Nate Johnson and Steve Smedley aren’t black enough for you, huh?

[Caliman]

Smedly is not a 4* QB, so he doesn’t make the cut, and NJ is half Black, His mom is Mexican.

[prestitute]

This is racist and full of just weird logic. Also, NJ is a 4* dual threat QB, so not sure why he isn’t in your list.