Cameron Rising injury update: Utah 7th-year QB is out 'indefinitely'

Utah’s once-promising 2024 college football season has encountered some unexpected obstacles, with a 1-2 conference record three games into its first season in the Big 12, a league it was picked to win back in July.

At least some of the Utes’ early issues have centered around the health of quarterback Cameron Rising, who has missed the majority of the season while dealing with injuries. It has become a maddeningly familiar tale for the seventh-year signal caller, whose college career has gone on that long because of various ailments.

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This season, Rising missed three of his team’s first five games after suffering a lacerated finger on his throwing hand early in a 23-12 win against Baylor on Sept. 7.

Even after he returned for Utah’s game last Friday at Arizona State, he was hit with another setback. Here’s what you need to know about Rising’s injury and his playing status moving forward:

Cameron Rising injury update

Update, 9:35 p.m. ET: After saying earlier in the day that Rising was out "indefinitely," Utah announced Monday night that after further evaluation from medical staff, Rising's injury has "unfortunately been deemed season-ending."

"During his time at Utah, Cam has been both a great player and leader for our program, and he will obviously be missed," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement. "Any future developments concerning his collegiate eligibility will be addressed at a later date."

Rising will be out “indefinitely” with a lower-leg injury, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Rising suffered the injury early in the Utes’ 27-19 loss last Saturday at Arizona State, a game that dropped them to 4-2 overall this season. He was tackled by an Arizona State defender shortly after he released a pass and was brought down at an awkward- and painful-looking angle.

In his first game back since lacerating his finger, Rising looked uncharacteristically poor, completing only 16 of 37 passes (43.2%) for 209 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.

Rising’s college career has been marred by injuries, perhaps none more impactful than a torn ACL in the Rose Bowl against Penn State that kept him out for the entirety of the 2023 season.

With Rising out, Utah will turn to freshman Isaac Wilson at quarterback. Wilson was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class and is the younger brother of former BYU star and No. 2 overall NFL draft pick Zach Wilson, now a backup with the Denver Broncos.

Cameron Rising years of eligibility

If Monday’s news indeed marks the end of the 2024 season for Rising, it doesn’t necessarily mean his college career is over. For all the college football he has played, Rising is technically eligible to return for more.

Under NCAA rules, a player can play in up to four games in a season and still be eligible for a redshirt. Rising has played in just three games this season, opening the proverbial door to an eighth season.

Whittingham said Monday that Utah will “have to consider” a potential redshirt for Rising, though he added that he’s “not sure if Cam has considered it.”

For his part, Rising said to Brett McMurphy of the Action Network at Big 12 media days in July that he was not planning on coming back for an eighth college season.

"Seven years is more than enough,” Rising said.

How, exactly, has Rising been in college for so long?

As a four-star recruit in the 2018 class, Rising committed to Texas and spent his first year with the Longhorns as a redshirt. After that 2018 season, he transferred to Utah, where, based on NCAA rules at the time, he had to sit out the 2019 season before being eligible to play.

He played in one game for Utah in 2020 before suffering a shoulder injury that kept him out of the rest of the season. After leading the Utes to Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022, he missed the 2023 season with a medical redshirt after tearing his ACL in the 2023 Rose Bowl Game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cam Rising injury update: Utah 7th-year QB is out 'indefinitely'