The upcoming season will be different from what you’ve seen in Utah in recent years. “Over 50% of the roster will be new faces,” Kyle Whittingham stated. “We feel like we’re able to hang on to the nucleus of a roster with a few exceptions.” Sure, people are curious about what’s going on with the Utes’ QB Cameron Rising. He seems to have just disappeared. But for a program that’s long thrived on gritty consistency, the longtime HC doesn’t sound worried. 

Kyle Whittingham hopped on the Unafraid Show with George Wrighster on May 1 to drop a hammer of a claim. First, he points to the Utes’ physicality as the play card they rely on. “Our players are very gritty, they’re tough, they don’t quit, they’re going to come at you for the full 60 minutes,” he said. “And maybe above all, for sure above anything else is we’ve had a great deal of talent come through this program.” And then came the bold draft claim….

“When you look at the last 10 years, we have put more people in the NFL than anybody in the Big 12 right now,” he said. “I know we weren’t in the Big 12 that whole time obviously. But if you just go back, we have a higher number of players on NFL rosters that have been drafted than anybody in the league.” And he’s not wrong.

While Texas and Oklahoma moved to the SEC, Kyle Whittingham made it clear. Utah’s physical brand of football has churned out pros like a factory. Over 30 players since 2015, including first-rounders LB Devin Lloyd in 2022, CB Jaylon Johnson in 2020, and TE Dalton Kincaid in 2023. In the 2025 NFL draft, TE Caleb Lohner sneaked into the seventh round to the Denver Broncos. The Utes may not be flashy, but they’re football tough. But amid all these NFL glory talk, there’s one name the HC didn’t really bring up—Cam Rising.

The once beloved QB who led Utah to two Pac-12 championships is just gone. Not on the roster. Not in the portal. Not drafted. Not coming back. 

Kyle Whittingham didn’t say much beyond a telling silence—“We’ve certainly had communication, and you don’t see him on the roster right now, so that should tell you some things there.” Cam Rising was a 2018 redshirt freshman at Texas. Transferred to Utah and sat out in 2019 because of transfer rules. Then, he got injured in 2020. And finally, the peak in 2021 and 2022, the Pac-12 championship years.  As the Utes’ starting QB, he went 20-7 with 6,000+ yards and 65 TDs. But his body paid the price.

He missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL. In 2024, he played only two games before a brutal hand injury. And then the man who brought Utah to the mountaintop exited like a ghost. And now, with Rising fading into the background, the Utes are flipping the script. 

Kyle Whittingham is pumped up for the new era in 2025

Utah’s new OC, Jason Beck, comes in with a philosophy that suits the modern game— spread it out and keep it balanced for a strong run game. For Kyle Whittingham, the ideal offensive numbers are “3,500+ passing yards and 2,500+ rushing yards” in 2025. At QB, Isaac Wilson is back, but all eyes are on Devon Dampier, a dual-threat weapon from New Mexico. The HC’s already high on him, saying “he’s obviously the perfect fit for this offense.”

With over half the roster turning over and new faces everywhere, Utah isn’t rebuilding. They’re reloading. Cam Rising may be gone, but the program isn’t slowing down. If anything, Kyle Whittingham’s comments show they’re doubling down on their identity—toughness, development, and NFL pipelines. 

The Cam Rising era has ended quietly. But Kyle Whittingham is here hyping what’s about to come. And yeah, Utah is about to get loud again.