What’s next for Cam Rising and Brant Kuithe?
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In the jubilant aftermath of Saturday’s win over USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham slipped in some big news.
Quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe, along with linebacker Lander Barton, are out for the rest of the season.
Rising and Kuithe never were able to play in the 2023 season for the Utes after Rising underwent surgery in January to repair his torn ACL, meniscus, MPFL and MCL and Kuithe had surgery to repair a torn ACL last October.
“We certainly wish they could have been with us. I mean, they’re really good players. They’re two guys that really add to what we’re doing and two of the best players in the Pac-12,” Whittingham said on Monday.
The conversations about their futures will begin soon enough. Will Rising and/or Kuithe decide to return to Utah for their seventh season of college football?
Because they never played this season, they are eligible for a medical redshirt. Whittingham called it a “slam dunk” that they would get the redshirt if they applied.
“Obviously that is going to be completely their decision, but there’s things you got to weigh there,” Whittingham said.
“What is the opportunity in the draft not having played this year, that’s going to obviously impact things. Being able to come back for another year of college with NIL, and that changes the picture as well because before you’d come back and still eat Top Ramen every week, but now with NIL, you’ve got a chance to live a pretty good lifestyle,” Whittingham said.
The decision hasn’t been made yet, and it is ultimately up to each player, but Whittingham will put in his two cents.
“Those are two really smart guys. They’re going to do their homework and talk to all the right people, and the key is not only talking to the right people, but not talking to the wrong people,” he said.
“You got people that you don’t want their input because it’s worthless, and so you got to make sure you talk to the right people.”
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With the weekly will-he-won’t-he-play saga over, things are clear at the quarterback position.
Bryson Barnes remains the starter going forward. The junior quarterback has just refused to quit, bouncing back after being benched in the Baylor game in September.
“But the uncertainty, I don’t want to say it was distraction, but it seems to be things are settled now. More of a settled feeling and knowing exactly going forward that they’re not going to be available helps us operate and plan in a little different way,” Whittingham said.
Since the team went back to Barnes — and importantly, started giving him all the QB1 reps in practice starting with the week before the Cal game — Utah’s offense has put together its two best performances of the season.
A lot of that is the emergence of Sione Vaki on offense, Ja’Quinden Jackson getting healthier and an improved offensive line, but Barnes has had a big impact, too.
He was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after a career-high 235 yards passing, three touchdown and one interception performance through the air, plus 57 yards — including the 27-yard run that set up the game-winning field goal — on the ground in the win.
Looking back, would Whittingham have done anything different with the quarterback reps in practice, not splitting them 50/50 with Rising?
“Knowing what we know now, obviously, but we didn’t know. I mean, I don’t think we could have done it any differently given the circumstances, but if we had known then what we know now, yeah, I think we would’ve operated a little differently,” Whittingham said.
Perhaps the messaging and practice rep implementation could have been better, but all of No. 13 Utah’s goals are still in front of it as No. 8 Oregon comes to town for a massive matchup.
“But we’re sitting here at 6-1, so we’re doing some things right and coming away with wins,” Whittingham said.
Can’t argue with that.
