Rising, Kuithe star in Utes home opener

University of Utah superstars Cam Rising and Brant Kuithe were expected back during the 2023 season. Both suffered ACL tears during the 2022 season (game four for Kuithe, Rose Bowl for Rising), and their recoveries became complicated and unfortunately dragged into 2023. 

As Utah’s 2023 squad was trudging to a 8-5 record with their backups in place, head ball coach Kyle Whittingham declared them out for the remainder of the season. He wasn’t sure whether they’d return or test the NFL waters. Thankfully for the program and possibly because of NIL dollars, the two returned for their seventh years of college football. 

Thursday night, both Rising and Kuithe suited up in the red, white and black and took the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium again. Both starred as the Utes thumped their in-state, FCS opponent Southern Utah University 49-0. The tandem combined for 279 yards of offense and 3 touchdowns, before the starters were subbed out with seconds to go in the first half. 

Utah moves to 3-0 against SUU, having also defeated them in 2022 73-7 with Rising and Kuithe at the helm. 

The two players’ performances were good enough for some individual accolades, Rising’s five touchdowns his career-high and Kuithe’s three a Big 12 tight end single half record. Rising also passed Alex Smith and Mike McCoy on the program’s all-time passing touchdowns list with his 50th. 

Smith was inducted into Utah’s Ring of Honor at the halftime break, having starred in the program from 2002-04, passing for 5,203 yards, 47 touchdowns and becoming a Heisman finalist in 2004. 

“Just a great team win,” said Rising. “It’s nice and easy when you got a guy like this (Kuithe). … Just have to keep it rolling and focus on next week.”

Rising received a thunderous applause on Utah’s first offensive series, when his nerves finally calmed, he said. 

The seventh-year signal caller took some shots on four scrambles, of which Whittingham and his staff weren’t big fans. 

Kuithe, too, felt some nerves in his comeback, which he admitted felt like an extremely long time coming. He felt them going up for two of his three touchdown grabs, which were wide-open go routes. 

Sophomore Dijon Stanley, who contributed sparsely last season as a back and on special teams, also found himself wide open, screaming up the right sideline twice on wheel routes. Stanley caught three balls for 150 yards and 2 scores, also adding 34 more yards on the ground on six carries. 

The former Baylor and BYU basketball-turned-Utes tight-end player even got in on the receiving action against the gashed SUU secondary, going up for a contested touchdown grab in the fourth quarter from Isaac Wilson, who is Deseret’s 2023 Mr. Football for Corner Canyon and NFL QB Zach Wilson’s younger brother. Wiilson played the majority of the second half with the second-teamers. 

Wilson’s development this year will be critical for the Utes should Rising decide to turn pro. 

“I’ve been preparing for two years, and it feels good to know I can still do it,” said Kuithe. “We still have a lot of games to go, and I can’t wait for next week.”

Kuithe took some shots Thursday that Whittingham is sure to worry less about. He also sent Rice-Eccles into a frenzy following his third touchdown with about a minute to go in the first half, when he battled past four Utah defenders. 

Stanley considered his first touchdown, the first of his collegiate career, the biggest moment of his young life, he said. 

Utah’s running back room is currently operating by committee, with Micah Bernard and Mike Mitchell also seeing five and six touches each for 33 and 21 yards, respectively. 

Wilson ended his night 7-11 with 74 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. 

Rising opened up about his mentorship role with Wilson, saying the pair talks through the good, the bad and the ugly throughout each game. 

Utah will have an additional two days of rest this week, with Baylor coming to town Sept. 7. The Bears open up their season Saturday at home with Tarleton State. 

“We definitely have room for improvement,” said Kuithe. “But Baylor’s coming here, too, which is a lot better, and we just have to get to work.”

The Utes will look to correct some mistakes, including penalties and fumbles, when they get back to the practice field Monday. 

Utah will also be hoping for good injury news as it relates to senior corner Kenan Johnson, who went down with what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the first half. The Georgia Tech transfer was on crutches and with a brace on behind the end zone as the game’s final seconds ticked off the clock. Whittingham floated moving Teo Johnson back to corner from safety if Kenan is to miss significant time. 

Whittingham knows Baylor will come as a huge step up next week. Despite their struggles over the last two seasons (3-9 in 2023), head coach Dave Aranda had them 12-2 with Big 12 and Sugar Bowl victories in 2021. 

Whittingham will hope his team can use Thursday’s win as a springboard for Baylor and the season. He knows the role confidence plays, especially for players who have missed significant time like Rising and Kuithe. 

“Competition obviously steps up quite a bit next week,” said Whittingham. “Baylor is going to come in here. They’ve got good players. They’re physical. They played us right down to the wire last year. … They’re a good football team.”

The Baylor contest will kickoff at 1:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles, and Fox will broadcast it.

Gallery of images from the night: