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Rising Named Semifinalist For Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year
12/9/2021 8:00 AM | Football
NEW YORK, N.Y. – University of Utah quarterback Cameron Rising has been named a semifinalist for the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, announced today by CoSIDA.
Rising is one of nine semifinalists in the running for the award, which is given annually to student-athletes that have overcome injury, illness or other adversity to excel on the field. Three winners and six honorable mentions will be announced on Dec. 21 with $15,000 being awarded in the names of the three winners in their schools' general scholarship funds.
Rising suffered a season-ending injury on just the fourth drive of his first college game last November against USC. Following off-season surgery and extensive rehabilitation, he secured the backup position to being the 2021 season.
With only one shortened career game and starting the season as a backup, the Ventura, Calif., native was voted a team captain by his teammates. After the Utes split their first two games of the season, he took the field with the Utes trailing San Diego State 24-10 with 5:24 left in the third quarter, leading an improbably comeback before falling 33-31 in triple overtime.
Since the San Diego State game, he has led the Utes to a 9-1 record, starting the last 10 games with the Utes winning its first-ever Pac-12 Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Rising is 187-of-298 passing (5 INT, 18 TD) for 2,279 yards, adding 63 carries for 407 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
The All-Pac-12 first-team selection is the highest rated Pac-12 quarterback on ESPN's QBR rating (81.3), ranking eighth overall. He ranks fourth in total offensive touchdowns (18), third in passing yards per game (214.1), third in passing efficiency (145.74) and second in passing yards per completion (12.7) in Pac-12 games this season.
Rising and the Utes will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. The game is set for a 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT kick on ESPN.
Rising is one of nine semifinalists in the running for the award, which is given annually to student-athletes that have overcome injury, illness or other adversity to excel on the field. Three winners and six honorable mentions will be announced on Dec. 21 with $15,000 being awarded in the names of the three winners in their schools' general scholarship funds.
Rising suffered a season-ending injury on just the fourth drive of his first college game last November against USC. Following off-season surgery and extensive rehabilitation, he secured the backup position to being the 2021 season.
With only one shortened career game and starting the season as a backup, the Ventura, Calif., native was voted a team captain by his teammates. After the Utes split their first two games of the season, he took the field with the Utes trailing San Diego State 24-10 with 5:24 left in the third quarter, leading an improbably comeback before falling 33-31 in triple overtime.
Since the San Diego State game, he has led the Utes to a 9-1 record, starting the last 10 games with the Utes winning its first-ever Pac-12 Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Rising is 187-of-298 passing (5 INT, 18 TD) for 2,279 yards, adding 63 carries for 407 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
The All-Pac-12 first-team selection is the highest rated Pac-12 quarterback on ESPN's QBR rating (81.3), ranking eighth overall. He ranks fourth in total offensive touchdowns (18), third in passing yards per game (214.1), third in passing efficiency (145.74) and second in passing yards per completion (12.7) in Pac-12 games this season.
Rising and the Utes will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. The game is set for a 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT kick on ESPN.
Players Mentioned
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