Bad knees get degrees: Utah Utes QB Cam Rising granted an eighth year of eligibility

That might be all she wrote for Cam Rising in his illustrious, near-decade-long college football career. After missing three games with some messed up fingers, he played terribly vs. Arizona State last Friday night. Utah suffered its second loss of the season, putting the Utes so far behind the eight ball that it would take a miracle for them to make the College Football Playoff. Sadly, Rising is hurt again...

Rising missed all of last year after tearing his ACL during Utah's second consecutive trip to the Rose Bowl to cap off the 2022 college football season. While he returned for the Utes' first two games of the season, he hurt fingers on his throwing hand in the Baylor win, culminating in him missing nearly a month of action. Against kids far younger than him, he looked like an old man vs. Arizona State Friday.

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said that Rising will be out indefinitely with a lower leg injury and that his backup Isaac Wilson will be the Utes' starting quarterback going forward. Wilson has good bloodlines, as he is the kid brother of former No. 2 overall pick and BYU legend Zach Wilson. With Whittingham rapidly approaching retirement, this is starting to feel like the end of an era for Utah.

The Utes were my pick to win the Big 12 during their first year in the league by going undefeated.

When asked at Big 12 Media Days last summer, Rising did not seem like he wanted to return for 2025.

"That's not the plan. Seven years is more than enough."

How serious is Rising about turning pro in something other than sports? He has a LinkedIn profile!

Rising will go down as one of the best players in Utah history, but one who was ravaged by injuries.

Cam Rising has one more year of eligibility if he wants to keep on playing

I think at this point, he is probably just going to call it quits. How it ended for him two years ago in the Rose Bowl was all the more reason to come back. With him not being healthy enough to play last year, I can understand why that may have been an impetus to return for year No. 7. Conversely, it may have been a sign from above to call it a career and get ready to go pro in something other than pro football.

Let's say that Wilson plays well for the next few stretch of games, but Rising is healthy enough to start the last one or two, maybe even the bowl game? I would venture to guess that he would rather play in those two games than to save himself for one last ride. The amount of rehab and school work he has to do has to be mentally exhausting. Plus, Rising has had his time, and the time is now for Wilson, y'all.

In time, there may be college football fans who forget about the legend that is Cam "Black Smoke" Rising. Truth be told, I never will. He is a long-haired dude that gives off the kind of vibes I do. He looks like a neighbor I would meet not at Neighbor's in Virginia-Highland. Rising was the lead topic on the first episode of False Start! It was about if he would play vs. Florida, and he didn't play at all in 2023!

When it comes to guys remembering dudes, Cam "Black Smoke" Rising is the bona-fide all-star for it.