BOULDER — Cody Hawkins and Tyler Hansen combined to throw 10 touchdown passes during Saturday’s scrimmage, which is a good sign if you followed Colorado last fall.
Then again, this is spring, and spring football is rife with howevers. Such as . . . how-ever, only two scholarship players played from a wideout corps that’s as shallow as Boulder Creek. And . . . however, a running attack that was mediocre last year did very little behind another patchwork offensive line.
So there were only a few signs of improving a Buffaloes offense that was 100th nationally in scoring (20.2 points per game) on a 5-7 team that missed a bowl game for the second time in three years. Fortunately, one of those areas that looked sharp was the most important position on the field.
Hawkins completed 18-of-28 passes for 328 yards and seven touchdowns, and Hansen connected on 13-of-23 for 207 and three touchdowns. Most important, the offense didn’t commit a turnover during the 125-play scrimmage on a crisp 50-degree day.
Only 13 hours after third-string quarterback Matt Ballenger announced his decision to transfer, the two top returnees lit it up.
“They played pretty efficient,” coach Dan Hawkins said. “They didn’t turn the ball over. For the most part, they moved the club.”
Cody Hawkins and Hansen split playing time last year, with Hansen debuting at midseason. Unless one really explodes or another falters, expect them to split time this season, not that it bothers Cody’s dad much.
“You can have a role depending on how it goes,” Hawkins said. “I think we want to end up having a starting quarterback, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do other funky stuff.”
They both looked sharp. At one point Cody Hawkins hit Jason Espinoza on three consecutive touchdown passes. If you have never heard of Espinoza, he’s a sophomore walk-on who was an all-stater at Alamosa High School in 2006. Colorado has only three wideouts on scholarship, and junior Scotty McKnight, last year’s leading receiver, didn’t practice because of a muscle strain in his arm.
They threw to Josh Smith only once. Instead, the leading receivers were Espinoza with seven catches for 154 yards and senior tight end Patrick Devenny with four for 138 yards and two scores.
“I avoided turning the ball over, and obviously we were able to move the ball pretty well,” Hawkins said. “We need to run the ball a little better.”
Colorado didn’t have a 700-yard rusher last year because of a line that lost former prep All-American Ryan Miller to a blown knee and played two freshmen and a converted tight end. It didn’t help Saturday with guard Matthew Bahr, one of those freshmen, out with a sprained shoulder and Miller rolling his ankle on Saturday’s fifth play.
That’s one reason the two quarterbacks suffered six sacks and tailbacks Darrell Scott and Rodney Stewart combined for only 72 yards on 21 carries.
“We have a young line,” Scott said. “We’re trying to read everything, but everything will come together in the end. We have a lot of potential.”
Ballenger, who hit 8-of-12 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown last year, may consider playing basketball. He was a two-time state basketball player of the year at Skyview High School in Nampa, Idaho.
jhenderson@denverpost.com or 303-954-1299
