Frustrated Kyle Whittingham awaits return of Cam Rising amid offensive woes

SALT LAKE CITY — The frustrating tone in Kyle Whittingham's voice after practice late Tuesday afternoon was palpable, but it's hard to blame him.

The University of Utah head coach was four days removed from a frustrating 21-7 loss at Oregon State in which his offense looked completely out of sync for a second straight week. He said coaching and execution have to be better, while a boatload of injuries preceded more injuries in Corvallis, making continuity tough to accomplish.

Whittingham was also sure to mention that waiting on his starting quarterback every week is, as he put it, "very unique."

For an offense that netted all of 198 total yards at Oregon State, including 141 passing, and now ranks last in the Pac-12 and 126th nationally in total offense, the potential return of Cam Rising when the Utes host Cal on Oct. 14 will not cure all that ails this offense; however, given his experience and deep understanding of offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig's scheme, it stands to reason things will get markedly better at the most important position on the field once Rising debuts this fall.

That is all well and good, but at this point, when Rising will return, let alone what is keeping him off the field at this point, has remained the No. 1 storyline hanging over the program — just as it was in the spring, just as it was during fall camp, just as it was throughout the month of September as Utah started 4-0.

"You have to ask his doctor," Whittingham deadpanned Tuesday when asked what specifically is keeping Rising from playing in a game.

The doctor Whittingham is referring to is Rising's Los Angeles-based orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache. In conjunction with Utah's own athletic department medical personnel, ElAttrache has overseen Rising's recovery and rehabilitation process, but ElAttrache has the final say over when Rising can play in a game.

Whittingham has said as much for months now, that the medical personnel decide when Rising can play — not he, nor Ludwig, nor anyone inside the Eccles Football Center. When broached on the subject of Rising late last month, Whittingham made it clear he would not override anything ElAttrache says.

For what it's worth, ElAttrache was also Brant Kuithe's surgeon for his knee injury suffered a year ago. Like Rising, Kuithe, too, has yet to debut, but his first game is thought to be nearing, potentially right out of the bye against Cal.

So, with Utah's offense flailing, one Pac-12 loss already absorbed, and a second doing potentially irreparable damage to its hopes of a three-peat as conference champion, the Utes wait for Rising, probably impatiently as the process has drawn out weeks longer than everyone had hoped.

"We hope to know early next week, rather than later in the week what the situation is," Whittingham said. "I think one of the problems is we've been waiting until the end of the week, but we're going to get an answer early next week as to who's going to go."

If Rising cannot go, the depth situation behind the sixth-year senior is messier than it has been in recent memory after Nate Johnson was pulled at Oregon State in the second half in favor of Bryson Barnes.

Whittingham indicated that if Rising cannot play against the Golden Bears, Johnson would start, with Brandon Rose and walk-on Luke Bottari battling to be the backup.

Rose and Bottari fighting for QB2 is a clear indication at this point that Barnes will not be available for Cal. Barnes was speared during the Oregon State game and was later checked out at a local hospital. Per an athletic department spokesperson on Saturday morning, Barnes was discharged Friday night and flew home with the team.

Rose has yet to take a collegiate snap but was deep in the mix to start the season-opener vs. Florida before suffering an injury during fall camp. Rose has since returned and is getting work in with the scout team, but he may be put in a position where he is one snap away from playing, whether or not he's ready to.

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