BOULDER — One player’s misfortune opens an opportunity for another. That’s the nature of football, in which injuries can strike at any time.
Out goes Colorado junior tight end Riar Geer, who is expected to be sidelined until at least the third game after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Moving into his spot as the expected starter Sunday against Colorado State is junior Patrick Devenny, a 6-foot-3, 240- pounder with only one career reception.
“That’s why you come here, you want to play,” said Devenny, who was originally recruited by then CU coach Gary Barnett as a quarterback.
Tight ends coach Kent Riddle said a true freshman, Ryan Deehan (6-5, 245), will play against the Rams.
“We expect Ryan will do a good job and we’ll try to manufacture that,” Riddle said Tuesday. “We’ll put him in positions . . . where he won’t be thinking too much.”
Deehan, from Poway, Calif., near San Diego, was among CU’s highest- rated signees last February, a four- star recruit who picked the Buffaloes over Oregon and Arizona State. Physically imposing, Deehan has shown soft hands in practices and the ability to get downfield.
“I’m excited,” Deehan said. “The speed of the (college) game kind of threw me off at first, but I was fine after that.”
Riddle said another true freshman, Ryan Wallace (6-5, 230) from Bowling Green, Ky., will be redshirted.
“He does a great job with the mental aspect of the game, but he just needs a year in the weight room,” Riddle said.
Footnotes.
Four guards — junior Devin Head, redshirt freshmen Shawn Daniels and Blake Behrens and true freshman Max Tuioti- Mariner — continue to battle for two starting jobs. “I want to leave it that way for a while,” CU offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said Tuesday. . . . The fact that CSU will be forced to use a new place-kicker and new punter will not change CU’s strategy Sunday, Riddle said. “We try to pressure (kickers) anyway,” he said.
Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
