BOULDER — The fact that Colorado State will be forced to use a new placekicker and new punter in Sunday night’s opener will not affect how Colorado plays across the line of scrimmage, CU special teams coach Kent Riddle said Tuesday.
“We try to pressure (kickers) anyway,” Riddle said. “That doesn’t change. We just want to be sound in what we do.”
CSU senior Jason Smith, who handles the kicking and punting duties, suffered an arm fracture on Saturday in practice. That leaves placements to Ben DeLine, a true freshman from Steamboat Springs, and punting chores to Anthony Hartz, a junior-college transfer.
“It’s easy to say, ‘Hey, we’ll just sell out and go get the punter,'” Riddle said. “But then they rip a fake up for 30 yards. That does you no good.”
DeLine has excellent bloodlines. His father, Steve, was CSU’s kicker from 1984-86 and ranks fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list (212 points). His uncle, Dave, was CU’s kicker for three seasons: 1984, 1986 and 1987.
Although CSU coaches are sure to be nervous about sending out new kickers, there is an element of the unknown that works against CU, Riddle said.
“Their field goals, we can’t control that,” Riddle said. “The harder thing for us is just where to play our guys on kickoffs. You don’t want to be standing up there at the 5 yard line and (DeLine) is kicking it to the back of the end zone. And you don’t want to be standing in the end zone and the ball is coming down at the 15, where you’re scrambling to get to it.”
Regarding DeLine, Riddle intends to consult CU senior safety Joel Adams, a Steamboat Springs native.
“Joel knows a little bit about him,” Riddle said. “But how much that will carry over, I don’t know.”
CU also has a new place-kicker. But sophomore Aric Goodman has experience as a 2006 starter at Wyoming. After moving to Boulder, Goodman sat out the necessary transfer year in 2007 but was able to practice with the Buffaloes.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
