We talked to a Utah expert about the many dimensions of the Utes’ season heading into the big showdown against USC this Saturday.
We talked to Matt Nigbur of the No Truck Stops Pac-12 podcast.
We asked Nigbur how he would evaluate Cam Rising’s season.
Nigbur’s response:
“The context surrounding Cam Rising’s 2022 evaluation is long and muddy at best. Part of it is due to the performance of 2021. Coming off a season-ending injury and surgery in 2020, Cam was never fully healthy and had to compete for, and ultimately lost, the competition to Charlie Brewer (shudders).
“Despite no spring practice, split time in fall camp, and not being 100% healthy, Cam came in and immediately lifted the offense to the best in the conference.
“Do I think he was elite? No. But anything less than an A-/B+ grade for 2021 would just be hating. Fast forward to 2022, and we have heard quotes of Cam being 100% compared to 80%, he can now throw deep more and the offense can expand the playbook.
“Throw in a full offseason of practice, the entire offense returning except for WR Britain Covey and TE Cole Fotheringham, and the expectations for the offense have only increased.
“How forgetful the fan brain is. By most traditional metrics the Utah offense, and specifically the passing offense, is largely the same as last season.
“The rushing offense is way down, 33rd nationally compared to 4th in 2021 per Sharp College Football, but the pass offense is about the same at 43rd compared to 39th in 2021.
“The biggest difference is in the explosiveness. Utah is 6th in the Pac-12 in plays of 10+ yards, 7th in plays 20+ yards, tied for last with Colorado (big yikes!) in 30+ yard plays and dead last in 40+ plays with only one. The explosiveness just isn’t there, and a lot of that blame is simply going to lie on the QB and the pass game.
“Cam Rising is probably still performing at a B+/A- range this season. Passing is still relatively efficient and he has been absolutely incredible with his legs, comparable to Caleb Williams in that skill. But this B+/A- grade is the one that the kid that has never had to try in school got.
“He just got his car taken away, can’t go to the game, and just had to call and apologize to the teacher for not applying himself more and disrespecting the teacher’s tireless work.”
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