Turning point in the game, Rising Interception as Utah is marching for a score:

[gUrthBrooks]

Not Rising’s fault, IMO. When Rising releases the ball, the play is set up correctly. He hast to get the ball over the top of 93 and drop it into a 5’7″ running back. The problem occurs because Utah O-Lineman, “Together” or the Freshman Laumeau, doesn’t make any decent contact on 99 Drake Jackson as a block. I will post the youtube video on the first comment. 

[gUrthBrooks]

https://youtu.be/jYfHfhx8gCM?t=186

[Utah]

I disagree about Rising. It was a bad throw. We saw Cam Rising in that game. Flashes of brilliance with bad TO’s. He HAS to get the TO’s under control or he won’t play much. IF he can get throws like this out of his game, he has a chance to be great. 

But you can’t have bad TO’s and that was a bad TO. You never miss high on a screen pass. If it is the convoluted, you have to throw it into the ground. Rising was trying to make a play when there was none. He has to throw it away and live to fight another day. 

[James]

I agree that was a key turning point in the game. Simply put, he overthrew his receiver. It was a mistake. Had we gone down the field and scored again, changes the whole complexion of the game. Maybe the fumble and injury never take place. Also feel like the refs missed an easy call when the USC defender shoved Rising in the face. Might have extended the drive and led to another score. Shoulda, coulda, woulda! Go Utes!!

[gUrthBrooks]

I will disagree on the overthrow. As he’s winding up the RB is on a slant, right before release the RB plants and cuts out. Perhpas the vision of the RB made him do this, or perhaps this was the designed route, but the pall placement is perfect, IMO, based on Risings vision when he winds up. 

[salty-ute]

I’m going to disagree on you disagreement. Watch the replay and the second angle. Even if Jordan knew exactly where that ball was going, there’s no way he could have caught that. He would have had to move an extra 5 yards in a fraction of a second. It was 4 feet over his head; if he had kept running downfield to get in line with the trajectory of the ball he would have been too far to the left and unable to catch the ball. Not only that, but the blocking wasn’t that far out either (i.e. Cam threw it beyond the downfield blockers). If Jordan were to somehow have gotten there and made the catch, 99 and 8 would have instantly lit him up because it was out of the way of the blockers. That wall was in the wrong place. It’s clearly an errant throw that was a product of bad footwork – thrown off the back foot while he’s jumping (backwards) in the air.

[gUrthBrooks]

It wasn’t 4 ft above nor 5 yards needed.  Jordan was at the 30 and the int happened at the 28. It was 6 inches from Jordan’s hand and he stands 5’7″.

[Rick]

You are too kind.  You NEVER throw a pass like that out in the flat.  It was a horrific throw from a rusty, inexperience QB.  I would much rather take the INT that Bentley threw 40 yards downfield than the one Rising lofted up in the flats.

[mfaulk80]

Just rewatched the game up until Rising was knocked out, looking at most plays in slow motion. 

The decision to make the throw was fine IMO. It was just a REALLY bad throw.  He didn’t set his feet, and it floated as a result…floated and went far to the outside.  If it were an accurate throw, then it had the potential to be a great gain. 

I don’t blame Rising for the fumble.  That kind of stuff happens to the best. It just sucked that it happened at the goal line right after the interception.  

Rising had one great throw, one bad throw, and a bunch of easy ones.  Even with that, I felt better about his play than Bentley’s.  Hopefully Bentley will look better this weekend. 

Bad blocking wasn’t just OL either.  TEs and RBs were just as bad, if not worse…

[gUrthBrooks]

How could it be a great gain if 99 is standing right there unblocked?

[mfaulk80]

Look at the play at 3:12 and 3:13.  He has 3 blockers to the inside, and Laumeau has position to push 99 to the outside.  If the ball was where it should’ve been, then he would’ve been catching it at 3:13 with a chance to cut it to the inside.  I only said that it had potential to be a great gain, but that’s just if Jordan reacts quick enough to cut it that way.  99 would’ve had to go back into Laumeau if that throw was on the mark.  He may have only got a little push on him, but sometimes that’s all it takes….