It appears that Cam Rising will be leaving

[ProudUte]

He said that it is his intention to leave.  He did say that there is a chance he could stay.  However, it sounds like his heart and head are gone.

I would love to have an experienced QB to help us with our challenging starting games against Florida and Baylor.  However, Cam needs to do what is best for him  Whatever he decides, I support him.

 

[The Miami Ute]

I can see why he would want to leave (he’ll be 24 well before the start of the 2023 football season) but nothing is guaranteed. If he was to come back next season and lead the Utes to the CFP, his legacy in Utah would be secured and he really can parlay that into a comfortable life.

[Tednab]

If his intentions are to leave, then I would like to see Johnson get some notable game time in the bowl game regardless of redshirt status.. experience is much more valuable ; goal should be the playoffs in the next couple of years with him in the drivers seat

[X723]

I think NJ needs to play about 2 qtrs. of the RB he will be great.. imho

[EagleMountainUte]

Excluding a Ute blowout(not likely) Rising will play majority of the snaps. If this is his last game as a Ute he deserves 99% of the snaps.

[UteFanatic]

Back to back conference championships. His legacy in Utah is already secured. 

[The Miami Ute]

I’m talking about money…

[Ghost of the HEB]

Yeah, his tone in that interview was very much one of someone who’s moving on. I’d be surprised at this point if he comes back. Best guess for QB next year (if this holds) is a fall competition between Johnson, Barnes, and a transfer.

[Xtreme Ute]

Is Rose still on campus?

[Jake]

Replace Barnes with Rose. Barnes is not a P5 starter.

[Ghost of the HEB]

He has his limitations, but we wouldn’t be headed to a rose bowl right now without the road W versus a P5 team which Barnes was starter for.

[Jake]

I mean no disrespect to him, and he filled in well. But he is not a player that starts for us for a whole season if we want to win 9+ games.

[prestitute]

I agree. Barnes deserves all the accolades and then some for what he has done for the team. That said, NJ is the future, imo. If you look at the offense without Barnes, we put up 21 on a pretty bad defense. In sloppy games with Cam while he was injured and against similar competition, we tended to be scoring in the 40s. Cam is just much more of a threat, and while we say the playbook doesn’t change with Barnes in there, the results sure do!   

[UtesRule]

“Barnes is not a P5 starter!”

Tell that to Washington State! 😎

[prestitute]

We scored 21 points. We should have beaten them with our backups and did. We scored 42 against a much better OSU defense, 43 against USC, 32 against UCLA in what I would say was cams worst game as a starter, and 26 against UF (much better personell and defense, and that should have been 29 or 33 if not for a pick, probably CAM’s 2nd worst game as a starter). Barnes is a great backup. He should be on schollie and all of that, but he doesn’t have the upside of NJ or even JJ, imo. He gave us way better talent and experience and opportunity to win if we had to win this year, and he is a total stud regardless. 

[SalUteopia]

I’m not ready for this 😔

[McBride of Frankenstein]

He said that it is his intention to leave.  He did say that there is a chance he could stay.  However, it sounds like his heart and head are gone.

I would love to have an experienced QB to help us with our challenging starting games against Florida and Baylor.  However, Cam needs to do what is best for him  Whatever he decides, I support him.

 

My response…

[UteFanatic]

Not surprised. He’s been pretty consistent in his desire to leave after this year for a while now. I’m sure he has entertained the idea of coming back, but the odds were always low.

[EagleMountainUte]

I haven’t listened to the interview. Not a fan of indecision when it comes to these type of decisions. Specifically because it concerns teammates and the program as a whole. At least how you are describing it makes it seem like indecision.
We all know Utah is preparing for the Rose Bowl. The extra practices and recruiting is preparing for 2023 though and this delicate balance is going on obviously.
Although a possibility occured to me while writing this. Coaches are probably working to retain him as much as if not more than working on the replacement for 2023.

[cj13]

Are you referring to his comments after the last home game, or is there a more recent interview in the last couple days?

[EagleMountainUte]

It was broadcast on 700 today. Episode 26 it is already up on ESPN 700. I prefer to listen on apple podcasts, just search for Bill Riley.

[Larry B]

If Cam doesn’t come back, I imagine Vele and Kuithe choose to leave also.

[tgi56slc]

IMO …Cam stating he is “leaning” towards leaving sweetens his potential NIL deal to stay.
I think he knows the game.
I hope he stays and the UTES go to the CFP next year.

[EagleMountainUte]

He seemed pretty uncomfortable talking about it. I think he is still 50/50. I could hear a lot of apprehension in his tone.
Which I think if he has been speaking to people he isn’t grading out well.

Riley gave him the line of you are leaning towards leaving. Rising answers quickly and twice Yes sir yes sir.
The second question was in regards to making a decision before the bowl game.
Rising is kind of all over. He says it would be great to know right now. He talks about being patient but it seems like he is saying that to himself as a mantra more than to fans.

Explain what is going into this decision and the process. (RILEY LOVES TO RAMBLE ON HIS QUESTIONS)
Rising he has a group. Family and his dad was an agent. Rising was talking to his agency. Take it for what it is. More mantra and talking to himself.

Riley asks another question about NFL decisions:
Rising says yeah making that right decisions. Riley goes back to decision by Rose Bowl. Rising sounded very indifferent and weird here. Rising says I have until January 15th.

Riley mentions teammates. Rising says he talks to his teammates. Rising says he has to wait until he gets the info.

Riley asks another uncomfortable question and Rising says yeah could be.

[The Miami Ute]

Which I think if he has been speaking to people he isn’t grading out well.

It’s an unfortunate fact that Cam Rising isn’t even on the radar to be drafted of any scouting service of note. I mean, there are guys that haven’t accomplished a tenth of what Rising had done at Utah that are going to get drafted solely based on their physical measurables.

[EagleMountainUte]

The comment about his Dad being an agent long ago is interesting to me. I have to assume as a Father you give it to your kids straight at his age.

[MTUTE]

I can get behind this! 😁

[tanute3]

OnlyU, you have an opinion on which way Cam is leaning? You’ve mentioned before that he was strongly considering sticking around for another year

[J Rocksville]

It seems like he’ll make more money here than getting picked up on a training camp roster, right?

What…. If….. He has some back room deal to go back to LA to take dtr’s place at ucla for a fat nil check?

I’m not saying he does, but wouldn’t that be a crazy end to the saga ha ha

[Trailgoat]

A lot of good takes here. Agree with Eagle, interview impression is CR’s ready to move on. The Riley interview came off awkward with Riley not letting up on the questioning about CR’s future. CR’s played football more than half his life, maybe he’s done playing football all together. If getting drafted was a sure bet he would probably be more decisive about opting out for the draft. NFL draft projections have CR as a free agent. KW’s going to give CR all the time he needs to decide, even at the expense of missing out on higher level portal QBs and WRs. If CR’s heart and head are not into playing college football anymore best option is to move on with life after football. Either way, Cam in his two short years as Utah’s starting QB has become a Utah football legend.