The only people in Colorado State’s McGraw Athletic Center running around oblivious to the new basketball coach Thursday were football players going through their final offseason conditioning. Spring drills start Saturday morning, and the Rams can’t get out on the practice field fast enough to start reversing their seven-game free fall at the end of the 2006 season.
CSU coach Sonny Lubick, entering his 15th spring, listed tight end, offensive line, blocking back and linebacker as the top priorities.
At linebacker, junior Jeff Horinek returns in the middle, but Lubick is looking for replacements on the outside for Luke Adkins and Jon Radford. Sophomore Jake Pottorff, who played extensively last season, will miss the spring because of shoulder surgery. Former Mullen standout Ricky Brewer will get a chance to show the coaches what he can do at linebacker, after redshirting last fall.
– Natalie Meisler
Charles’ TD run highlights scrimmage
A Hugh Charles 44-yard run for a touchdown highlighted Colorado’s second spring football practice and scrimmage before the team breaks for spring break. “It’s always good news, bad news in the spring,” coach Dan Hawkins said. “You have a touchdown run and you get fired up for Hugh, but you’re mad at the safeties – you go back and forth there.” The Buffs ran 32 live scrimmage plays. Charles led all rushers with six carries for 69 yards. Junior Nick Nelson and redshirt freshman Cody Hawkins saw most of the work at quarterback. Bernard Jackson took snaps at quarterback and saw time at wide receiver.
Coloradans place in U.S. freestyle event
Avon’s Taylor Seaton and Vail’s James Leonard captured top-five finishes in the halfpipe event at the U.S. Freestyle Championships in Killington, Vt.
David Wise of Reno, Nev., won the title with a score of 43.7 points. Seaton was third with 41.2. Leonard was fourth with 39.5 points. Jack Sullan of Snowmass finished sixth with 35.7 points and Tony Seibert of Edwards was seventh at 35.0.
Former Broncos VP takes Broomfield post
Rick Nichols, a former vice president with the Denver Broncos, will take over as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Broomfield Event Center, Rocky Mountain Rage hockey team and Colorado 14ers basketball team.
Nichols most recently owned a sports marketing agency, Admissions Sports Consulting.
