Boulder — During a two-hour morning practice today, Colorado began installing its game plan for the Sept. 1 season opener against Colorado State.
Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins wasn’t exactly ready to turn cartwheels afterward.
“It was sluggish,” Hawkins said.
And to some degree that’s to be expected, he added.
“It becomes difficult when you start throwing some game-plan stuff at players,” Hawkins explained. “They go through another wave of the anxiety curve.
“That’s something again that, when you have a veteran team, they brace themselves for that.
“You get into that heavy dose of, ‘I’ve got to think a lot again.” And you have to get ready physically as well.”
Hawkins said components of the game plan had already been introduced to the team. But now the fine-tuning has begun.
“It’s really when you start talking about the little details – that’s where they have to heighten their awareness,” Hawkins said.
Footnotes
Hawkins said he expects freshman receiver Josh Smith to be released from Boulder Community Hospital sometime today. Smith bruised a kidney in the Saturday morning scrimmage. Hawkins said he didn’t know when Smith will be cleared to do anything physical.
… Hawkins evidently has kept up on reports of Colorado State running back Kyle Bell returning to top form after missing the 2006 season with a knee injury.
“He’s a great football player,” Hawkins said. “When you have a player on your team like that, it means a lot, not only from a production standpoint, but (also) from a psychological standpoint and a mentality standpoint. When you have proven players on your club, it gives you confidence.”
Staff Writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
