A bunch of serious information got here tumbling out of the Eccles Soccer Middle on Monday morning, none extra vital than College of Utah quarterback Cam Rising intending to return again in 2023 for a sixth and remaining season.
Rising’s impending return brings with it a number of offseason storylines, to not point out questions, nearly all of them linked to the actual fact he left the Rose Bowl halfway by means of the third quarter and didn’t return with what Kyle Whittingham later termed a “leg damage.”
We’re going to start out the primary Utah Utes mailbag of 2023 proper there.
Do you might have a query for Utes beat reporter Josh Newman? Ship it to him through a tweet, direct message him on Twitter, e mail him at jnewman@sltrib.com, or depart it within the feedback part on the finish of this text and he’ll reply them in his weekly mailbag.
Q: “How does Cam’s damage influence his availability subsequent season?” – @JacobAJensen
A: Good query, actually the one query that issues in the intervening time because the offseason begins to unfold. We’ll begin with what Whittingham mentioned after the Rose Bowl. The Utah head coach has not spoken publicly since.
“The damage to Cam is a leg damage and it doesn’t look good, I can inform you that. We’ll anticipate affirmation from the medical folks at a later date, both tonight or tomorrow. It appears to be like prefer it could possibly be one thing that takes some time to get well from. That’s not optimistic proper now.”
Utah has not launched any info on Rising’s standing, however the perception is that this can be a knee damage with a months-long timetable for a return. For what it’s price, it’s the identical knee that Rising performed harm on for lots of the season, whereas lacking the Washington State recreation in late October.
With the knowledge accessible by means of again channels, I wouldn’t count on Rising to be prepared for spring observe. So the query then would turn out to be whether or not or not he will likely be prepared for the beginning of camp in early August, adopted by the Sept. 2 opener vs. Florida.
Being prepared for camp in eight months is vital, however being prepared for the opener in 9 months is extra vital in the event you imagine Utah can do one thing vital subsequent fall. I do count on Rising to be prepared and in a position to play in 2023, it’s only a matter of when and to what extent.
Rehab is clearly going to play a big function in dictating when Rising will likely be accessible. Rising has sadly been down this street earlier than with the best shoulder damage that price him the majority of 2020, however in the event you’re on the lookout for optimism, give this piece from Oct. 2021 a learn. It leads off with how Rising attacked the rehab course of the best manner.
Q: “In the event you needed to rank the QB room because it stands now, how would you rank it? Zero being DEFCON ranges of hassle and 10 that means we might win double-digit video games subsequent yr.” – @ShortStackUte
A: If that’s the dimensions I’m pressured to work with, my intuition with Rising might be approaching a ten.
If Rising is prepared for the common season, the ceiling is double-digit wins, though the schedule he would face off the damage is kind of gnarly. Florida at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Baylor in Waco, Pac-12 journeys to USC, Washington, and Oregon State. Not straightforward, however a veteran quarterback with veteran items and what initiatives as an elite protection makes the schedule barely much less daunting, however I say that with out having seen a schedule with dates but.
If Rising’s restoration bleeds into September, I don’t assume your remaining choices lead you into DEFCON ranges of hassle, however I do have questions. Is there a switch portal commit coming sooner or later as an insurance coverage coverage? Regardless, how prepared is Nate Johnson to take the reins? Earlier than answering that, are we assuming Johnson beats out Bryson Barnes for the job? Personally, I’m assuming that on this case, however all we’ve seen from Johnson are just a few snaps, though a few of these snaps had been electrical.
I’ve questioned quietly for months whether or not or not Whittingham and Ludwig imagine Johnson is the long run starter. What I at all times come again to is, possibly, however actually, how can they make sure proper now? Johnson has had a selected play package deal, nevertheless it stands to purpose he has minimal, if any, first-team reps in observe at quarterback, so who’s to say what he would love if he had been thrust into that place vs. Florida?
Q: “Do you assume Cam’s announcement sends Nate Johnson to the switch portal on the lookout for a shot to play subsequent yr? Assuming Cam’s damage isn’t extreme sufficient to maintain him out of the beginning of the yr.” – @dudepals1
A: I perceive this sentiment, and nothing actually surprises me anymore, however Johnson choosing the portal would strike me as odd.
If Rising is prepared for the opener, Johnson continues to be going to have a task and will likely be a risk to see the sector each week. His function in 2022 as a real freshman was certainly not in depth, however he had one. He was on the sector, taking part in, making an influence. The belief in Johnson from Whittingham and Ludwig is barely going to develop as he continues working throughout the system.
For the sake of arguing, let’s say Rising is prepared for the opener, stays wholesome, and is the unquestioned starter for 12-15 video games. Let’s additionally say Johnson wrestles QB2 from Bryson Barnes, whereas additionally persevering with with the Wildcat-type stuff right here and there.
Beneath that situation, with Whittingham going portal-diving for a QB at all times an possibility, Johnson goes into spring observe in 2024 with two years underneath his belt and doubtlessly the within observe to start out that fall’s opener.
In the event you’re Johnson, you keep the course. Leaving now, or within the spring, within the wake of Rising’s return could be shortsighted in my view.
Q: “What share likelihood would you place at Nate Johnson being the starter in opposition to Florida for Week 1, similar for Barnes and another person altogether?” – @bradonliddle
A: I want to reply this query after spring observe, as soon as we see how a three-way deal between Johnson, Barnes, and Brandon Rose shakes out.
Whittingham is unlikely to formally put a QB2 label on any of these guys popping out of spring, nevertheless it’s going to be clear by the top of the Crimson-White Sport the place it’s going. Whoever emerges from that’s in line to be the backup and will rationally be thought of the opening day starter if Rising is just not prepared.
I feel Johnson goes to overhaul Barnes sooner or later and begin getting these reps, so to reply your query, with out having all the knowledge or perception but, I’ll put Rising at 50%, Johnson at 20%, and Barnes 10% with the remaining 20% going to the sector, which on this case contains Rose, early enrollee freshman true Mack Howard, and a TBD switch portal dedication.
As you possibly can see, there may be nonetheless numerous guesswork 10 days faraway from Rising’s damage.
Q: “I do know it’s too early to have a look at the 2023-24 Runnin’ Utes, however only for a minute. If discovering a manner (participant?) to interchange Branden Carlson’s manufacturing at middle is job No. 1, what’s the second-biggest want for Craig & Crew? Can that want be met by recruiting or switch?” – @VegasUte
A: For starters, Carlson is in his fourth season, however he has one other yr of eligibility in 2023-24. Bear in mind, the 2020-21 season was a freebie for everybody due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Carlson has the choice to return, however we’re not fairly as much as worrying about that but with no less than 15 video games nonetheless to play.
Carlson has been an efficient No. 1 possibility for many of this season, however the absolute major goal this offseason must be to search out extra scoring, particularly on the perimeter. Utah merely doesn’t have sufficient of it, a indisputable fact that has been obtrusive when Carlson and Gabe Madsen are each having powerful nights (See: BYU, Oregon). Lazar Stefanovic has had loads of good nights this season, but in addition sufficient spotty ones that he’s not sufficient to get you over the hump if Madsen is taking pictures poorly.
I don’t know {that a} man like Utah wants is presently on the roster. There stays heavy optimism that freshman wing Wil Exacte will ultimately flip into that, however that’s no assure.
Smith’s roster as presently constructed, which is probably going sure for the postseason in some type two months from now, has typically been an elite defensive outfit. If he can discover an 18-per-game participant out of the switch portal, it will be huge, however the issue there may be, everybody needs guys like that.
Backside line, I stay bullish on the lads’s basketball workforce. I don’t assume Smith is that far-off from one thing vital taking place.
Q: “With the majority of the offense returning, is it secure to say Kyle Whittingham is a lock to remain for 2023?” – @801Ute
A: I name only a few issues in faculty athletics a real lock, however there was no indication from anybody that’s presupposed to know this stuff, both within the weeks main as much as the Rose Bowl or within the days since, that Whittingham intends to retire.
Throughout some in-season Monday press conferences, personally, I assumed Whittingham began leaving some easter eggs on the market, indicating he could be on the brink of name it a profession, however I apparently over-thought that.
Sure, he is aware of what he has coming again, he is aware of Utah will be superb once more in 2023, so there’s that to contemplate. I’m informed he’s completely effective well being on the age of 63, in order that’s one other factor, as is the truth that he’s making a ton of cash.
Don’t low cost that as a motivating issue to maintain going. I don’t assume Whittingham retains going by means of the ultimate 5 years of his present deal, but when he had been to try this, he’s assured $32 million in base pay. In 2023 alone, Whittingham’s base pay is ready at $4.7 million.
In the event you imagine what Whittingham mentioned years in the past, that he’s unlikely to educate previous the age of 65, properly, that ticking is beginning to get a bit of louder.
Q: “With Braeden Daniels and Paul Maile gone from the o-line, do you’re feeling this can be a place hurting greater than the WR place?” – @jniels16
A: The huge receiver place at Utah is hurting, seemingly in perpetuity, however no less than a few of that has to do with the tight ends being reliable pass-catching choices.
On this specific case, I feel the offensive line is in higher form than the huge receivers, largely as a result of I feel there’s depth to beat Daniels and Maile leaving.
Daniels is an even bigger gap to fill, an All-Pac-12 man with 49 video games performed, together with 43 begins. Will that spot go to Zereoue Williams? Do you slide Falcon Kaumatule over from proper deal with? Can Jaren Kump, as soon as considered as presumably the perfect deal with on the roster, reemerge as a pressure?
To interchange Maile, possibly Kump is within the combine there, however Whittingham was complimentary of the restricted reps redshirt freshman Koli Faaiu, whereas Johnny Maea may be an possibility.
One spot on the sector nobody must be terribly frightened about is the offensive line. There may be an excessive amount of depth throughout the 5 spots to be frightened about it.
Editor’s observe • This story is accessible to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers solely. Thanks for supporting native journalism.