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SALT LAKE CITY — From "really close" to now "we'll see" in the span of the last nine days further muddies Cam Rising's playing status.
In the postgame press conference after Utah's loss to Arizona on Sept. 28, coach Kyle Whittingham indicated that the seventh-year senior quarterback was nearing a return to play for the first time since he suffered injuries to his fingers against Baylor on Sept. 7.
The statement seemed to infer Rising would play the next game, which is Friday against Arizona State in Tempe.
All Utah fans are collectively crossing their fingers that Rising has healed sufficiently enough to finally play. Yet, here we are, the same old story in the seemingly never-ending saga.
The situation is clear as mud, with Whittingham continuing to speculate on Rising's return as both await medical clearance. For all you youngsters, the old-school phrase that applies here is it sounds like a broken record.
"We'll see what happens this week, but there's a chance he plays," Whittingham said at Monday's press conference. "I can tell you that, and it's still early in the week, but we're crossing our fingers and hoping for the best, as is Cam.
"And so we're just seeing how things play out, but again, we follow all the medical recommendations. ... I'm not a doctor, Cam's not a doctor, we're not going to go against that. So that's where we're at."
Got it.
Say what?
To summarize, despite initial anticipation that Rising would return in a game or two after the injury, don't count on him playing any time soon. To think otherwise, no matter how bad he and the fans want it, is foolish.
As much as we'd like to forget, think back to last year at this same time. The Utes played out a similar dog and pony show with Rising, saying he could return to each week after suffering a serious knee injury in the Rose Bowl the prior January.
Finally, as the season wore on, Whittingham announced Rising wouldn't play at all. Don't expect another announcement just yet.
"Since there is no mandate, why would you tip your hand in any way, shape or form with injuries," Whittingham said. "It doesn't make any sense to give the opponent any more knowledge than they have.
"And so that's the only reason; it's no other reason other than it's a competitive advantage, even though it might be just slight, it's still an advantage. The less they know, the more we know – that type of deal."
Pssst, Sun Devils, expect freshman Isaac Wilson to make his fourth consecutive start at quarterback for Utah. Keeping it a mystery until game day doesn't change anything.
Here's the problem: As we wait, many fear the season is slipping away. Another loss over the final seven games could doom the once-promising season that many experts predicted would include making the new 12-team national playoff.
The constant doubt at quarterback already may be taking its toll on the team. It might be time for stability at the game's most important position.
"The solution is you move on — you're moving on. Isaac Wilson is your quarterback," former Utah quarterback Frank Dolce said during his weekly appearance on The Zone.
Even as frustration among the fan base grows, there's no point in criticizing Whittingham's penchant for secrecy. If he thinks the cat-and-mouse game works, then keep doing the same.
Every team has plenty of game film to study on which quarterback plays, anyway. The Arizona State coaches have studied Wilson for years by now, going back to their time recruiting him in high school.
"He's just a very confident guy back there," said coach Kenny Dillingham. "He extends plays. He can make all the throws. That's why we recruited him."
