BOULDER — The biggest smile outside Colorado’s locker room following the come-from-behind victory Saturday over Eastern Washington might have belonged to Ryan Deehan.
With a 1-yard touchdown reception with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter, Deehan became the first true freshman tight end to score a TD for the Buffaloes in a quarter of a century. Jon Embree did it in 1983 against Missouri.
“That’s pretty cool,” said Deehan, a highly recruited 6-foot-5, 245-pounder from Poway, Calif., who picked CU over Oregon and Arizona State.
More important, Deehan said, was helping to kick-start CU’s comeback. Colorado outscored Eastern Washington 24-3 after halftime. Deehan’s score pulled the Buffs within seven.
“I was really excited,” he said. “We were down, and that gave us a better chance.”
For whom the bell tolls.
With a ringing of a “Spirit Bell” for the first time Saturday, CU began what it hopes will become a tradition for home football games. The 1,800-pound bell, purchased by a booster from an Evergreen estate, is to be rung twice — 10 minutes before the team arrives on Colorado Avenue and 10 minutes before one of the school’s live buffalo mascots is set to run onto the playing field. The bell will be located at Benson Field, near the CU alumni association tent.
Footnotes.
CU linebacker Shaun Mohler, a junior college transfer, was taken to a Boulder hospital for an MRI after the game with a suspected fractured clavicle (collar bone), CU officials said. Tests were negative and he’s day-to-day. . . . Colorado is 2-0 for the first time since 2005. . . . Rodney “Speedy” Stewart became the fourth true freshman running back this decade to start a game, joining Brian Lockridge (2007), Brian Calhoun (2002) and Marcus Houston (2000). . . . Ralphie V, age 23 months, made her regular-season debut Saturday. The elder Buffalo mascot, Ralphie IV (11 years old) did the honors in the season opener against Colorado State. . . . CU is already promoting a “Black Out” for the Thursday night, Sept. 18, home game against West Virginia, asking fans to wear black.
Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
