Joel Klatt delivers strong expectations for Utah, despite Cam Rising uncertainty

Regardless if Cam Rising plays or not, Joel Klatt has strong expectations for Utah this season and it starts Thursday at home against Florida.

Rising’s status is uncertain as he recovers from a torn ACL last season. Heck, head coach Kyle Whittingham didn’t tip his hand either.

But Klatt expects nothing less from Utah beginning this week.

“Now I don’t expect him to play,” Klatt said on his podcast. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t expect him to play in this game. With that being said, Utah needs and the Pac-12 needs them to believe that they are the better program. Don’t worry about what logo is out there, what conference is out there, Utah is at home. They are better in terms of overall roster. 

“They’re tougher at the line of scrimmage. They can run the ball, they can play defense, and that’s a tough place to play. They’ve got to take care of business against Florida.” 

Klatt made the argument there’s also pressure on Utah, regardless of Rising’s status, to get things done this season. The Pac-12 is deep in its final year as we know it.

“The Pac 12 desperately needs them to take care of business against Florida,” Klatt said. “This is a game that will resonate throughout the rest of the season in terms of how we view not only Utah but the rest of the Pac-12. And there’s a few of those games by the way in the non-conference.

“Utah’s got this game they’ve also got Baylor, I believe you got Oregon and TCU, you’ve got Washington and Michigan State, USC is going to have to play Notre Dame. These are the games that I’m looking at this Pac-12 and I’m like, I think highly of the Pac-12.”

Utah and Rising, maybe, can only take of its own business this year, whoever’s in front of them.

“Every one of those games that I just mentioned, the Pac-12 team should be favored to win,” Klatt said. “You’ve got to go win those games. If this conference is finally going to get a breakthrough playoff appearance here in the last year of its existence and the four-team playoff existence, they’ve got to start winning these games and it starts Thursday night with Utah over Florida.”

*Click HERE for coach Kyle Whittingham’s conversation with On3 from spring practice*

Rising suffered a torn ACL on Jan. 1 in the team’s Rose Bowl loss to Penn State, immediately casting into doubt his potential availability for the 2023 season opener against Florida. We’ll have to wait for kickoff at this point.