BOULDER — Ask Colorado senior defensive end Alonzo Barrett about what playing the Alabama Crimson Tide means to him, and watch a smile instantly brighten his face.
Barrett, who played high school football in Alabama, has a vested interest in CU’s Dec. 30 Independence Bowl game in Shreveport, La., against Alabama — and an immediate need for about 200 tickets.
“It means a lot,” Barrett said. “I played against a lot of those guys in high school, and I get a chance to be closer to home and play this game in Shreveport. I have a lot of family coming, and friends. I’ve got a lot of friends that go to that school. It’s icing on the cake for me, to go out playing Alabama.”
But that’s not all. The weekend is a big one for Barrett’s family. His sister is getting married the day before the bowl game, putting the pressure on him to deliver on the massive ticket request.
“The whole wedding is going to come to the game after,” Barrett said. “I doubt that I can get that many, but that’s what I’m looking at.”
It’s also an opportunity to get back to the familiar roots of football fanatics in the South.
“I don’t think people can fully understand until they go down there and really see how serious it is,” Barrett said. “Alabama-Auburn week, it’s like a state divided. Literally. Even the lunch ladies have separate lines. It’s crazy down there.”
More players available.
There was near full attendance at the Buffs’ Sunday morning practice after Saturday’s session was lightly attended because numerous players were taking final exams.
“Today was a little better that way,” CU coach Dan Hawkins said. “A few more legs.”
Practice repetitions are being split evenly among first-, second- and third-teamers, Hawkins said. Position meetings will resume Thursday.
“It’s like life: You have to keep a fine balance there,” Hawkins said. “You can’t go too hard. You can’t go too arduous. We don’t meet during this time, so you’ve got to take a little pressure off their minds, from game-planning and all those kinds of things, so they can focus on school. It’s been the formula that we’ve used and has been pretty darn successful, both for taking care of guys minds and bodies and schoolwork and keeping them fresh to play.”
Footnotes.
Hawkins said he won’t consider position changes until after the season. Colorado holds its Independence Bowl media day today.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
