Standout quarterback Cameron Rising, who has yet to play this season for No. 18 Utah, said Thursday that his injuries in last year's Rose Bowl game were more severe than reported.
Rising said that in addition to the torn anterior cruciate ligament as has been chronicled, he also tore his meniscus, medial collateral ligament and medial patellofemoral ligament in his knee.
"I wasn't really expecting to do this, but I think it's important that I just let everybody know that I didn't just tear my ACL," Rising said during an appearance on "The Bill Riley Show," a sports talk radio program and podcast in Utah.
"I tore my ACL, meniscus, MPFL and MCL," continued Rising, who has been practicing with the team. "There was a big surgery, and it's not an easy comeback. I've been working my tail off."
Rising is a senior in his fourth season at Utah, not including sitting out the 2019 campaign after transferring following a redshirt season at Texas in 2018. He became the full-time starter in 2021 and led the Utes to two straight Pac-12 championships. He was injured in a 31-25 loss to Penn State on Jan. 2 at the Rose Bowl.
Utah (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) is coming off its first defeat last week at Oregon State. The Utes' next game is Oct. 14 at home against California.
In Rising's place this season, junior Bryson Barnes is 23 of 45 for 270 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, and redshirt freshman Nate Johnson is 39 of 72 for 499 yards, three TDs and no picks.
"I've been grinding and doing everything I possibly can," Rising said in the interview. "Even the fact that I'm going out there and practicing and everything, I'm ahead of schedule. I'm trying to make sure I can be out there, because nobody wants to be out there grinding with those guys on the field more than me. But at the end of the day, it's my body, and my body has to recover. ... I'll be back as soon as I'm ready to go."
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