BOULDER — Sophomore wide receiver Kendrick Celestine has quit the Colorado football team for personal reasons and is not expected to return, CU announced Tuesday.
Celestine, from Mamou, La., decided that he needed to attend to family matter, Buffaloes wide receiver coach Eric Kiesau said. Celestine had backed up senior Patrick Williams and sophomore Scott McKnight.
Kiesau said a lack of playing time “was some issue (for Celestine), but a very small amount. He had a matter he had to take care of. It’s very unfortunate. His family situation back home had been getting worse. I wish he would have stuck it out. We just wish him the best.”
Celestine informed the coaches of his decision on Sunday, Kiesau said. He caught 11 passes for 151 yards in 2007 as a true freshman. This year, Celestine had five catches for 46 yards as a reserve.
Celestine was one of CU’s fastest and most athletic wide receivers. Kiesau said Celestine’s spot in the rotation could be filled by redshirt-freshman Jason Espinoza, a 5-feet-8, 180-pound walkon from Alamosa who is expected to be available for the Oct. 4 home game against Texas. Espinoza has been sidelined since since fracturing a collar bone early in August drills.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
