Rising… Leader of Leaders… maybe not.

[HATUman]

I keep seeing people throwing around Rising being the “leader of leaders” like it’s gospel, sure, that’s what Whitt said, but that doesn’t square with what was actually going on inside the program. Yeah, injuries happen—we get that. But Rising wasn’t just injured. He was checked out. Anyone paying attention could see it: cracking jokes on the sideline, arms crossed, vibe was way too casual for someone who was supposedly the heart of the team.

If he was truly that guy—the guy—he would’ve been in Isaac’s ear constantly, mentoring, coaching, doing everything he could to help stabilize a crumbling season. Instead? From someone close to the program, the word is he showed up for what was mandatory and that was about it. Bare minimum presence. Didn’t spend time with the team, didn’t pour into the younger guys. And yeah—the players noticed. A lot of guys in that locker room felt abandoned. That’s not leadership. That’s cashing checks and dipping.

Same story with Kuithe. These two were the highest-paid players on the roster thanks to NIL, and they weren’t even suiting up. Meanwhile, younger guys grinding every day saw that and started asking real questions. Why bust your tail for guys who aren’t around? It created a divide in the locker room—don’t let the PR machine fool you. A couple of highlight reels and mic’d-up videos don’t undo the fact that Utah’s locker room felt the absence of its supposed leaders every single week.

This wasn’t just about bad luck or injuries. The culture slipped. The accountability slipped. And when your captains vanish into rehab mode with no mentorship, the whole team feels it. That’s what really derailed the season.

[UTE98]

I was not in favor of Rising coming back last year. And IMO Rising’s poor decision to hold onto the ball way too close to the sideline hoping to make a miracle play is just as much the reason for his injury as the latish hit. He has always been a gambler, and he went all in on one play and lost. Not monetarily he robbed the Utah casino house blind. That’s my opinion. May not be popular but that is how i see it. After the debacle of 2023 and game time decisions I was ready to move on from him before last season. Rising and Whitt both mishandled the past two years. Luckily Rising is gone. Whitt’s move.

Do NOT think i am taking anything away Rising in 2021 or 2022, I’m not but if the pig farmer can beat Caleb William’s and USC in 2023, last year should never have happened.

[Central Coast Ute]

It wasn’t latish, it was late. But everything else you said I agree with

[UTE98]

Duplicate

[Tednab]

Rising is human with all the human failings that come with it. Can’t be so critical on him.. I hold whit more responsible than Cam. This year is pivotal and will likely show the trajectory of this program.

[Holladay Ute]

I love Rising for what he did those two years. He seemed like an incredible leader and an awesome team player those two years. I try to remember him for leading us to two of the most memorable and successful seasons we’ve ever had.

In my opinion, the injuries were the biggest problem. If those had never happened, I think he probably would’ve remained the same leader and led us to one more good season. In hindsight, it feels like money might’ve changed Rising over the course of his time at Utah. And I think the injuries opened that door.

At this point, it’s in the past. Mistakes were made. Bad luck manifested itself. I’m sure lessons have been learned. I think we should move on entirely and look to the future.

[HATUman]

I completely agree with your take. I’m not trying to slander Cam—he gave us some of the best seasons we’ve ever had. But after reading yet another thread gushing about his leadership, I hesitantly offered some insider perspective that didn’t align with the fairytale. Some people can’t handle that.

You nailed it: the money changed things. It changed the expectations. It changed the dynamics. We saw the same thing happen with Tavion Thomas—another guy who had a breakout year and then let NIL and outside noise go straight to his head. Fans didn’t hesitate to call that out, and most of us have already forgotten him. No one threw a fit when he got sidelined.

But with Cam, it’s like any critique—even mild, grounded, firsthand insight—is seen as blasphemy. That’s the double standard. I’m not saying he was a bad guy. I’m saying the ending was complicated. And pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone—least of all the program going forward.

That said, the cat’s out of the bag. I’ve said what I needed to say. Now I’m ready to move forward. I cannot wait for the season to get going and to see what Jason Beck’s offense looks like with Dampier at the helm. I’m as excited as ever for Utah football. Go Utes.

[pedro]

So he was supposed to look depressed and mournful the entire time? Give the kid a break. Anyone with eyes could see he was a leader.

[HATUman]

When he was on the field? No argument—Cam was elite. A gamer. A warrior. I was all-in like the rest of you. But it’s not what he did on the field I’m talking about. It’s what we didn’t see—on the sidelines and behind the scenes—where the leadership piece fell apart.

And that’s the thing: what you don’t know, you don’t know. Sorry to burst your bubble. Some of you want to worship the image, but I got a glimpse behind the curtain. It’s like they say—never meet your heroes.

Doesn’t mean I hate the guy. Doesn’t mean I’m trying to erase what he did for the program. I’m just not gonna pretend the ending wasn’t messy, or that NIL didn’t play a role in shifting the dynamic.

If hearing that offends you, maybe take a minute and ask yourself why.

[pedro]

All I’m saying is that he was clearly a leader. Hell he didn’t even go to half the games last year. It was his 2nd year of having hardly played at all and you expect him to still be invested?

I’m not worshiping the guy, but he deserves his due. He broke a lot of barriers at Utah that most QB’s haven’t been able to do (earn Whit’s trust for example).

Furthermore, I have yet to see anyone reference last year or even the year before for Cam’s leaderships skills.

BTW are you going to say the same about Damuni? Of course not, because his injury situation was so controversial. I’m ok if you don’t like him, but give him his due.

[UteBrook]

This may have one of the most bulls**t posts to ever show up on this site. You have no clue and probably bl ed blue. Cam is a warrior who had his opportunity stolen by trying too hard. You are not a Ute fan and should not post here again as you are not only a fool but an asshole.

[HATUman]

One of the biggest frustrations I have with the Utah program lately is the lack of transparency. Years ago, I had the privilege of being close to the program. I was on the sidelines during games and practices, connected with players and staff. I saw how things really worked. It was a special time, and I’ll always be grateful for it. Utah Football was, and in many ways still is, a huge part of my life (so don’t ever associate me with the team down south again).

But since stepping away, it’s been tough watching from the outside. The communication has dried up. Fans are left piecing things together from cryptic interviews and sanitized sound bites. So when a close friend of mine—someone now working directly with the team—shared what was actually happening behind the scenes last year, it helped make sense of a lot. You don’t have to like it, and you’re welcome to hit the thumbs down. But it’s the truth.

Let me be clear: I don’t want to take anything away from Cam Rising. I’m genuinely grateful for what he did for the program. The guy gave his body for this team and left us with memories we’ll talk about for years—back-to-back Pac-12 titles, Rose Bowl appearances, the grit, the energy… all of it. He was electric.

But I also had some insider perspective that I thought a few of you might find interesting. And to be honest, it’s been hard to read all the praise calling him a “leader of leaders” in some of these threads, knowing what I know. Because what I saw—and what I’ve heard from people still in that building—doesn’t match that narrative.

Whitt publicly stood by Cam. And when asked why, he said, “What do you do with a kid who won you that much?” That loyalty means something. And I love that about Whitt—he modeled exactly what he demands from his players. He didn’t throw Cam under the bus, even when things got tense. He felt like he owed it to him. That’s leadership too.

But behind closed doors, the situation with Cam soured. Whitt was visibly upset with how it played out. And players in that locker room? They felt it too. From what I was told, Cam wasn’t present. Once he was ruled out, he showed up for what was required—but he wasn’t involved. He wasn’t mentoring the younger guys. Wasn’t lifting the offense from the sideline. Wasn’t leading.

That’s not just me talking. Go back and watch the games. Look at the body language. Cam looked disengaged. Joking on the sideline during a 7-loss season while a young QB was drowning. That’s not the energy of a guy trying to steer the ship from the bench. That’s the energy of someone who clocked out. And yeah, it caused friction.

Micah Bernard was asked directly about the locker room divide last year. He said he knew exactly what it was about—but chose not to say. Well, I just did. You can ignore it if it makes you uncomfortable. But don’t pretend the players didn’t feel it. Don’t pretend it didn’t affect the season.

I’m still grateful for Cam. I’ll never take away what he accomplished here. But leadership isn’t just about highlights and postgame quotes—it’s about what you do when things fall apart. And last year, when the team needed him most, the leadership we needed wasn’t there.

You can downvote it—but it doesn’t make it any less true.

[pedro]

So…. you’re mixing facts with different situations. AND your insider knowledge is either made up by you or your friend.

Whit believed Cam could come back and play right up until the game where Cam looked like a 12 year old throwing the ball.

At the time Cam signed the high dollar NIL deals, he was playing. Whit had nothing to do with those deals and would’ve felt no obligation. Whit had to walk a fine line between putting Cam’s health at risk, trusting Cam\and his medical team, and winning games. Could Whit have handled it better? Yes. But given what we know now about how Wilson’s game was, I see why he did what he did.

Finally, Bernards comments were NOT directed at Cam. Everyone in the program knew who they were directed at and it was another QB in the system. Furthermore, these comments came after Cam was out 2-3 games; when everyone thought he still had a chance to come back and be effective.

Your arguments are an example of the BYU syndrome. I’m fine with people having other opinions. I respect that. But keep it on the level.

[Holladay Ute]

You can disagree w/out being a complete jerk.

[BeachUte]

I will never understand how some Utah fans have such a hate-boner for Rising. Without Rising, Utah has zero Pac-12 titles, no Rose Bowl appearance and Whittingham is probably long gone with how that 2021 season was shaping out. He literally stepped in and elevated Utah football unlike any other quarterback sans two: Alex Smith and Brian Johnson. And even then, only Smith was able to do what Rising did here: win two conference titles.

Rising was a powerhouse in the locker room and still remains best friends with a ton of players (many still on the team). None of what you said has any level of truthfulness.

The culture slipping? Look at the Head Man. He was the one who downplayed the severity of Rising’s injury in 2023, letting Rising take a lot of heat from ungrateful fans who spread rumors that he was sitting his chubby ass out and collecting a cool million in NIL incentive. It wasn’t until Rising finally called Whitt’s bluff and went on Bill O’Reilly discussing his injury and how bad it actually was – which was not sanctioned by Whitt – that led him to swallow his pride and finally admit Rising was out for the season (like a week later, or maybe even days later, I can’t recall, Whitt officially declared he was done for the season). And that’s not to say Rising’s relationship with Whitt soured (though he was always closer to Ludwig since Lud recruited him). But Whitt played games all year in 2023, and then again in 2024 and Rising’s image took a hit – not within the locker room, mind you, but with fans like you.

Beyond that, Rising was not game-ready for that ASU game. He had no business taking the field but because he’s a competitor and wanted to get out there, and Whitt saw the season going down the tube, he played. Whitt should have firmly said no and ended the charade instead of putting Rising at risk for further injury (and well…).

Rising led Utah to arguably the two most impressive seasons in school history (cumulative, when you factor in winning the Pac-f**king-12 twice). He’s a legend and never once lost the team or the locker room.

[HATUman]

Not a hate boner. Learning this information was pretty shocking to me when I first heard it too. I’ll always appreciate what Cam did in 2021 and 2022. No sane fan would take away his impact—two Pac-12 titles, two Rose Bowl trips, and a culture shift. That version of Cam? Legendary.

But that doesn’t mean he’s beyond critique. I’m not making stuff up—I sat on this for a while before saying anything. The info came from someone inside the program, and I figured a few of you might actually want to know what really went down behind the scenes.

Instead, I get accused of “hating”? Please. Grow up.

I didn’t say he was lazy. I said he checked out after the injury. He cashed big NIL checks, barely engaged with the team, and it rubbed guys the wrong way. That’s not slander—it’s what happened. You don’t have to like it, but don’t pretend it didn’t affect the locker room.

Cam will always have a place in Utah football history. But just because a guy balled out two years ago doesn’t mean you turn a blind eye when the leadership falls off a cliff. I’m not the one who’s too sensitive here—you are, if you can’t handle a little truth.

[BeachUte]

What you’re saying is just not true. You tell me to grow up and you’re over here spreading baseless rumors like a 16 year old girl in the back of class.

Cam never once lost the locker room. If the culture dipped, it’s on Whitt – not Cam.

[HATUman]

Mmmkay punkin’

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Very few college athletes have the “it” factor. Rising had it. His injuries isolated him from the team the past two years and he wasn’t able to lead the way he had in the past by being on the field. Last year would have been different with a healthy Rising. Great player better leader and competitor.

[EagleMountainUte]

It reminds me of the ole innocent until proven guilty cliche we use in our society. Then people actually see someone accused and make up all of the ways they think they are guilty.

They should look this way or that way. They should be sad or stoic. Why are they smiling when they know they are accused of this crime? Instead of looking at facts.

I have always disagreed with the decision to bring back Rising but I don’t need to over analyze what I think he should look like on a sideline.

You make up straw men to start your post then act as if you watched Rising like a hawk. I do recall times he was in people’s ears. I saw it several times. I don’t think that had anything to do with why I think it was a bad decision. It was mainly that the guy has rehabbed too many injuries and moving is and always will be a big part of his game.

[wally]

There is a an adage named “Hanlon’s Razor” which essentially suggests that “one should not attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. In simpler terms, it’s a reminder to avoid assuming malicious intent when someone’s actions can be reasonably explained by incompetence, carelessness, or a lack of understanding.

I think that the many decisions made by Cam and Coaches toward the end of Risings career, were made with good intentions, but obviously in hindsight were probably far from the best decisions. When a season ends in disappointment, everyone has their opinion on what made it fail and who was to blame.

It’s kind of like the opening line of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” Nobody worries about who gets all the credit for a championship season, because there is plenty of credit to go around and everyone is pretty happy.

[ProudUte]

Rising, more than any former Utah player, generates the full range of emotions among die-hard Utah fans. He led us to two PAC12 championships and two Rose Bowls. Who will ever forget his gutsy performance against USC in 2022. He was then the true leader of this team.

On the other side of the coin, Rising and his injuries caused angst and frustration among Utah fans. Some of this is because Whitt and how he handled things. I don’t know what went on in the locker room during the 2023/2024 seasons. The locker room was a disaster last season for sure. How much of this is on Rising? Any answer would be subjective at best. Personally, I blame Whitt. Yrt, admittedly – I was not in the locker room, so this is just one man’s subjective opinion.

[HATUman]

The information I provided was feedback from the players, from a trusted source. All I did was tell you how some of them said they felt. Did every player feel that way? Clearly that wasn’t the case, but some did, and that’s why the locker room was divided. I see and read about what Dampier has been doing to gain the trust of his teammates, the locker room sounds like it’s in a great place, I’m excited to see how it all plays out.

[ProudUte]

I was not trying to argue with your initial post. As I said, Rising (more than any Ute) brings out the best and the worst of Ute Fans’ emotions.

I hate what has happened the last two seasons. But, I will try to remember Cam for what he did in the previous two seasons.

[Uteanooga]

I really don’t see the point of rehashing this out again. No one has to worry about whether Rising will start for Utah again.

Every single Utah fan loved the P12 title runs that Rising led. Tip your hat to him and move on.

[Uteanooga]

I really don’t see the point of rehashing this out again. No one has to worry about whether Rising will start for Utah again.

Every single Utah fan loved the P12 title runs that Rising led. Tip your hat to him and move on.

[Author]

Posts