The return of Rising and Kuithe, the dynamic duo, has Utah's offense back to regular form

SALT LAKE CITY — Every third pass went for a touchdown. Or if you like this one better: Every other completion was a touchdown.

In his return to the field after tearing his ACL in the 2023 Rose Bowl, veteran quarterback Cam Rising put on a show in Utah's season opener against Southern Utah.

The Ventura, California, native threw for five touchdowns — equivalent to the number of incompletions he threw — on the first five Utah drives of the game, eclipsing former Utes quarterbacks Alex Smith and Mike McCoy along the way for career passing touchdowns with 51.

"It's kind of a surreal moment," Rising said, speaking specifically about passing Smith on the day in which he was inducted into the Utah football Ring of Honor. "A guy I have just a tremendous amount of respect for. Hope I can have half the career he has had, and just honored to be in that situation."

Rising finished his night just before halftime, throwing for 254 yards on 10-of-15 passing, while also recording 25 rushing yards on four attempts — each attempt, though, was collectively a tense moment for the fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium, who bristled every time he tucked the ball and ran.

Call it PTSD from the 2023 season when Utah saw a stark difference between Rising and the players behind him.

Even head coach Kyle Whittingham was a little hesitant about the runs his starting quarterback made Thursday night.

"It was good to see him moving quick and being able to cut and do his thing, but a little too much contact tonight," Whittingham said. "We'll try to reinforce that more, if we possibly can, but he's so competitive and that's just his nature. But a little more contact than we would have liked — how about that?"

Rising's retort? "It's football, you've gotta do stuff."

Regardless of his penchant for running the ball — even in times when the coaching staff would prefer him to slide or throw away the ball — Rising returned to form as the competitor Utah hopes he can be to give the team a chance this fall in pursuit of a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth.

"I think it's the Cam of old," Whittingham said.

But for as much as Rising was the key catalyst in Utah's return to a potent offense, his fellow teammate and formerly-injured friend, Brant Kuithe, was equally a star Thursday night.

Of Rising's five touchdowns, three went to the veteran tight end who hasn't seen the field in almost two year after also suffering an ACL tear in the 2022 season.

"Yeah, it feels good, but I've been doing this — preparing for two years — and it just feels good to know I can still do it," Kuithe said. "We've still got a lot of games to go, and just can't wait for next week.

"I was a little nervous going out there at first, but after the first snap, it felt good, and I'm just glad to be back," Kuithe added.

Utah football is glad to have him back, as well.

Kuithe showed his versatility and talent on the field — and how open he can get — on his first two touchdowns of the game, and then how tough he is to contain on his final score of the night before halftime.

Rising connected with Kuithe on the 4-yard line, before the tight end denied defenders and bullied his way into the end zone for a third score. It was a score that put Kuithe in the record books as the only tight end in Big 12 history to score three touchdowns in one half of football.

"What about the oldest?" he joked after the game. "Honestly, I don't really care, but, I just want to win games. And whatever it takes — score touchdowns or it doesn't — doesn't matter. I just want to win."

Utah wants him to continue to score touchdowns, but there's several options around he and Rising — the old guard, so to speak — that can help the team get it done this season. But for at least one night, that old guard looked like a well-oiled machine.

"It's good. It's nice and easy when you've got a guy like this that's gonna go and kind of make your job easy," Rising said of Kuithe. "Just a great team win. Just got to keep it rolling and focus on next week."

Utah welcomes Baylor to Rice-Eccles Stadium next Saturday in what will be a nonconference game against a conference opponent. The matchup remains a nonconference game since it was previously scheduled before Utah joined the Big 12.

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