TEMPE, Ariz. – The much-anticipated return of starting quarterback Cam Rising didn't go as planned for Utah in Friday night's 27-19 loss to Arizona State.

At his best, Rising led the Utes to consecutive Pac-12 championships, threw for over 6,000 career yards and breathed new life into offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig's offense.

There's a reason Utah coach Kyle Whittingham often refers to Rising as “the ultimate leader.” The veteran signal caller may not be on NFL draft boards, but he was a good college quarterback, was the difference-maker in some of the biggest victories in school history and helped develop his teammates.

After missing the 2023 season due to a knee injury rehab, Rising returned to his old self in four combined quarters in Utah's first two games against Southern Utah and Baylor, throwing for 346 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions.

But a reported dislocated finger and laceration in Week 2 forced Rising to the bench for the next three weeks, with freshman Isaac Wilson going 3-1 in his absence.

Heading into his return against Arizona State, the big question was what Rising would look like in its first game action in a month. He looked good in pregame warmups, but on Utah's first drive of the game, he was hit by Arizona State defensive lineman Jeff Clark, who landed on Rising's right leg.

Rising immediately grabbed his leg and hobbled up, and from that point on he was never the same. Rather than a triumphant return, it was just another injury for a player who has had more than his fair share of it to deal with.

“He was rolled up. Really a lower leg injury that limited his mobility for the rest of the game and of course he's wearing the glove so he can improve the grip and improve the grip on the football. So, yeah, it’s broken,” Whittingham said.

It was clear that Rising was not right, be it the leg, hand or both that prevented him from playing 100%. He did his best to push through the pain, but his mobility was severely limited, his passes often missed the target, and it was clear he couldn't plant his leg the way he needed to.

This was not the uprising of 2022 – or even early 2024 – it was just a shell of its usual self.

Rising finished his career with a 43% completion rate and threw three interceptions in one of the worst games of his career. He threw for 209 yards and had some good moments at times, such as a 35-yard pass to Dorian Singer late in the second quarter, but those moments were few and far between.

At halftime, with the team trailing by four points, was there any talk of pulling Rising, who clearly wasn't healthy and effective, and using Wilson?

“NO. He wanted to play and was adamant that he wanted to stay in the game. He won a number of ball games for us. It was very obvious that he is not at 100% but it is a coaching decision to decide “Whoever gives you the best chance of winning the game and you use that,” Whittingham said.

To be fair, there's no guarantee Wilson would have won Utah in this game either – he had his fair share of interceptions and inefficiency in the red zone – but Rising clearly wasn't able to carry the Utes to a win He's done it so many times, that night in Tempe.

“I just didn’t play well. “I think the guys did a great job of getting open and stuff and I just wasn't able to throw the ball and get it to them accurately and (we) just couldn't move it because of that.” said Rising said.

As Arizona State fans stormed the field after the game, a dejected Utah team headed to the locker room. The second straight loss in the Big 12 Conference felt like a blow to a team that had high preseason expectations of winning its new conference and securing the program's first appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Depending on how the league plays out, there may be a slim chance that the two-loss Utes will reach the Big 12 Championship, but after watching this team the last two games, who could seriously believe they will Will the rest survive? the season without another defeat?

Utah's problems go deeper than just the quarterback. The Utes were outplayed in the trenches, their offensive play was puzzling at times, they were ineffective in the red zone, they looked lost in coverage at points, and their run defense and tackling were straight-up soft.

The end result? This team doesn't play the type of football that Utah is known for.

Of course, Utah won't give up its hopes of winning the conference until it's mathematically eliminated and will let the quarterback play that gives it the best chance of winning every game the rest of the way.

That quarterback could be Wilson, depending on the extent of Rising's leg injury.

“We will have a lot more information and a lot more idea of ​​how Cam is doing tomorrow and the day after. Normally you can play through things like this in the heat of the moment with adrenaline pumping, but it's only the next day or the day after that that really starts to show how important it is or not, so the decision will be made “We keep going as we go,” said Whittingham on a possible quarterback change.

Even if the leg injury isn't serious and Rising is healthy or near healthy, playing Wilson is still something to consider, especially if the Utes suffer another loss.

Rising's legacy is enshrined in Utah's history as the quarterback who finally lifted the program in the Pac-12, but after six games (seven with a bowl game), his time in Salt Lake City will be up.

Is it time to look to the future and give Wilson more valuable playing experience, which could pay off for the 2025 season?