BOULDER — Colorado must do without its special teams captain for the remainder of the season.
Colorado coach Dan Hawkins announced earlier today during his weekly media luncheon that junior middle linebacker R.J. Brown has been ruled out for 2007. Brown has not played since suffering a concussion against Florida State in the third game of the season.
A former walk-on, Brown was elected special teams captain in the spring by his teammates. In September, he was promoted to starting middle linebacker when Michael Sipili was suspended for the season by the school’s judicial council for participating in a brawling incident in June.
Hawkins said doctors have not yet determined whether Brown will be cleared for spring drills or if his football career has ended. Brown has a history of concussions.
“We’ll see what his prognosis (for 2008) will be,” Hawkins said. “(Doctors) will sit down at some point and evaluate it further. He’s been working with some specialists on that.”
Another former walk-on, sophomore Jeff Smart, has become the starter at middle linebacker. He is backed up by sophomore Jake Duren, a transfer from Northern Colorado.
“We’re very thin there,” Hawkins said. “It’s interesting because, sometimes what you lose, you gain (in other ways). (Replacements) become a little more chiseled that way. They know they can’t go down.
“Injuries are always part of football. You just have to deal with it, roll with it. I’m always amazed when guys will rise up and shine. Or it forces you to be creative in other ways, with other people or other packages.”
Although Brown has missed the past six games, he still is tied for third in a special-teams points system used by Colorado.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
