The Utah football program announced today that starting quarterback Cam Rising suffered a season-ending lower leg injury in the loss to Arizona State this past Friday. Rising, who looked like a shell of himself during the game, has had three season-ending injuries in his career. While the news of missing the season is disheartening, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham announced that there is a genuine possibility that Rising seeks a medical redshirt, opening the door for an EIGHTH season of college football.
Rising entered college at the University of Texas in 2018 and redshirted there before transferring in 2019 to Utah. All collegiate players received an extra year of eligibility in 2020 due to COVID while Rising also suffered a knee injury at the Rose Bowl in 2022 forcing him to miss the entire 2023 season. After playing in 3 games this year, Rising will qualify for another medical redshirt due to being under the 4 game limit.
While my sympathies are for the guy, we’re talking about a 26-year-old man playing college football next year. Let’s run through some NFL QBs that are younger or the same age as Rising.
There are dudes on this list that have had whole NFL careers start and end (looking at you Tua) before Rising has even finished his college career. Not to even mention Rising started his college career the same year Kyler Murray won the Heisman.
Look, I'm all for helping kids out in certain situations who suffer season-ending injuries. College players should have ONE redshirt available, whether for a developmental year or to recoup a year of playing time lost to injury.
But now we're talking about a 26-year-old playing with and against 18-year-olds next year. In what universe is that fair from a safety or competitive standpoint?
Hell, let’s take it further. If the NCAA and powers at be think that's fair, then why is there the arcane rule that college players need to spend 3 years in college before turning pro? The age-old excuse has always been that regardless of how talented an 18-year-old kid is, their bodies aren't ready for the daily beating that occurs at the professional level.
Well, that argument is now shot to hell by the Cam Rising situation. How can you claim to protect 18 to 20-year-olds from older, more physical competition while exposing them to the same exact situation as the professional level?
It’s not just a Cam Rising problem either. Miami TE Cam McCormick is in his NINTH year of college football having started in 2016. So the argument that younger kids aren't exposed to the physicality of an older player because he plays quarterback is shot as well.
I'm sorry to come at a college player like this because from all accounts Rising and McCormick are good people but the facts are the facts. 26-year-olds were not meant to be at the collegiate level.
This unique scenario has been exacerbated by the confusion of the COVID year and with this being the last year of players having “COVID eligibility” it should be less and less of a problem moving forward. However, in the future, this is something the NCAA has to step in and correct. Again, 26-year-olds shouldn't be playing collegiate sports under any circumstance. Point blank period.
