Curtis Cornelson, a junior college transfer parked behind the either/or position battle between Ricky Brewer and Sedric Patterson, has emerged as Colorado State’s starting strongside linebacker.
“He’s smart. He picked it up fast,” defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Steve Stanard said Wednesday. “Every day we could see improvement. This week there was separation, at least a little but not a lot.”
Stanard said all three are ready to play and probably will get on the field.
It was the most contested position battle in CSU’s camp and Stanard rated the starting status at 90 percent. The staff had high expectations for the 6-foot-1, 235-pound Cornelson, but he didn’t start learning the system until he showed up for camp.
Meanwhile, CSU backup middle linebacker Matt Hendrick (knee) has been ruled out of Saturday’s game. Senior linebacker Nathan Pauly, who missed the spring and most of camp rehabbing from shoulder surgery, was cleared this week to return to practice. Wide receiver Damon Morton (shoulder) has been held out of contact work but said he expects to play Saturday.
Who’s that?
CSU will see a different Colorado team, both offensively and defensively, the Buffs say. Last fall, there was a whole lot of adjusting going on, they explained.
“We’re just a lot more comfortable with ourselves on offense this year,” CU junior wide receiver Patrick Williams said Wednesday. “We feel we’re a lot more confident in the assignments we’re doing.
“If we go to the sideline and our position coach says maybe three quick words, we know what he means. That’s all he has to say. Last year, the coaches would have to spend time explaining the whole thing.”
Jackson out Saturday
CU coach Dan Hawkins said senior Bernard Jackson will not play Saturday. But Hawkins did say Jackson’s academic eligibility for the season still has not been determined and he has not been ruled out for the season.
“We’re waiting on a class,” Hawkins said Wednesday.
Jackson did not practice Wednesday.
Footnotes
CSU has 4,000 tickets remaining, and CU has 3,200 available. … CU true freshman defensive tackle Eugene Goree will turn 18 on Saturday. It appears Goree, a 6-2, 285-pounder from Murfreesboro, Tenn., will play this season rather than redshirt. … The only time CU has played a game on Sept. 1 was in 2001, a 41-14 victory over CSU in the first regular- season game (college or pro) at Invesco Field at Mile High.
