Boulder – Someday Colorado cornerback Terrence Wheatley will move off the sports pages and into the medical journals. The orthopedic marvel can’t bend his right wrist. He has undergone three surgeries, had nerve endings cut to end the pain, a bone transplant from his hip and enough hardware to stock an aisle at Home Depot.
“Actually it’s surprised me how much you don’t move your wrist during the day,” Wheatley said. “Either that, or I’m just used to it. I caught the ball fine today.”
After interrupting a promising career with a medical redshirt last season, Wheatley finally showed himself some gains from all the pain during CU’s first scrimmage of spring drills Thursday. He returned two interceptions, one for 13 yards and one for 47 yards and a touchdown.
He earned a bellow from Dan Hawkins after practice
“T. Wheatley in the house,” the new coach said.
The biggest plays – offense and defense – pumped up the team, but that wasn’t Hawkins’ main concern.
“It’s not a question of this guy had X number of catches and yards, but how does he respond when things don’t go too well?” he said. “Now it’s a question of polishing up, and that’s hard to do for us in spring. … We’re a long ways away from the polishing.”
Overall Hawkins assessed the scrimmage this way: “I think they competed. … I think they had fun. It was a typical first scrimmage, when you have some sloppiness. I liked their mentality. When bad things happened, guys rallied around.”
Hawkins said there was nothing to read into Bernard Jackson getting the first snaps at quarterback while Brian White took over next. James Cox continues to mend a thumb injury.
“We can move this offense any way we want to,” Hawkins said. “If (Jackson) is the best guy at what he does, we have a lot of funk in the trunk if we go with him.”
White, who came off the bench in CU’s Champ Sports Bowl loss to Clemson to give the offense its only signs of life, had a good scrimmage, showing his mobility and hitting Patrick Williams for a touchdown.
“We’re going to launch it,” said Hawkins, who admitted to being a little antsy when the offense wasn’t going deep too often.
The offense was inconsistent, but Hawkins attributed that to the standard theme of the defense being ahead of the offense this early in the spring.
“They run one blitz, and if we have one guy do something wrong, the protection breaks down,” he said.
Footnotes
The Buffs will take spring break off and don’t practice again until April 3. That’s the date Hawkins wants everyone to check back – if he’s still around. His spring break plans include skydiving with his daughters in California next week. … All-America place-kicker Mason Crosby is taking some turns at punter. “I think he can be more than just a guy who does it on the side,” Hawkins said. … Cornerback Gerett Burl will return to practice after spring break. He sat out for an undisclosed team rules violation.
