Fort Collins — Tight end Kory Sperry’s first recruiting contact with Colorado State came as a basketball player at Pueblo County High School.
His last recruiting pitch from the school also might come from the basketball office.
Attrition-wracked first-year basketball coach Tim Miles mentioned recently he might need to pick up a few bodies from the football roster if his numbers don’t miraculously improve.
But just like first-round NBA pick Jason Smith, Sperry looks to be playing professionally instead of using his last year of basketball eligibility. The difference is that Sperry, a four-year football player who theoretically can play basketball as a fifth-year senior, figures to be preparing for the NFL scouting combine just about the time the Mountain West basketball race gets started.
Sperry said he had the intention of playing both sports as a true freshman, but a minor football knee injury doused that plan.
It’s not as if Sperry and CSU defensive end Jesse Nading left all their hoop skills back in high school.
“Kory and I won our intramural league two years in a row,” said Nading, who played for a ThunderRidge state basketball champion. “We’re a little more physical than we used to be but we can pull rebounds and do some fouling.”
Sperry, 6-feet-6, 260 pounds, estimates his hard-court playing days were 95 pounds ago. “We play intramurals. I don’t know about Division I basketball,” he said.
It’s early, but Sperry is catching everything Caleb Hanie throws in his direction. He takes more pride in his blocking and sees a big change with new offensive co-coordinator Dave Lay working with the tight ends.
“He’s working us hard, he’s working us good,” Sperry said. “Going against our defense every day, there’s no one better.”
Much was expected out of Sperry last season, but the hype drew extra coverage, and in the Rams’ one-dimensional passing game, he was the obvious target. He still finished third in receptions with 36 for 380 yards and five TD receptions.
“I’m not a fan of overhype,” Sperry said. “I’d rather just go play because you do not want to disappoint anyone.”
He rededicated himself in the offseason, with CSU coach Sonny Lubick noting that Sperry didn’t miss a workout. He also impressed Lay, who returned to CSU after a decade-long absence.
“He’s going to make you a good coach in a hurry,” Lay said.
Footnotes
Junior safety Klint Kubiak, recuperating from arthroscopic hip surgery after a groin tear in the offseason, said he’s fine at straight ahead running but wants to get more flexibility in his hips. Matt Yemm, who quarterbacked Fort Collins to the state playoffs has been moved to wide receiver.
Staff writer Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
