BOULDER — Colorado sophomore quarterback Tyler Hansen is back throwing the ball with his teammates after spending part of the summer at home in California recuperating from thumb surgery.
Hansen had his right (throwing) thumb surgically repaired with two screws the day after CU’s spring game. He shed the cast earlier than scheduled to resume conditioning.
“I’m probably about 85, 90 percent,” Hansen said Monday.
Hansen was throwing youth-sized footballs by early June after taking May off.
“It was to get my shoulder back in shape,” he said.
He worked a CU age-group camp in June, allowing him to start testing his arm.
“Throwing the youth ball helped a lot,” Hansen said. “It was kind of fun. It brought me back to my youth and good old days in Pop Warner ball.”
He’s now participating with teammates in 7-on-7 summer workouts. He expects to be 100 percent and ready to battle Cody Hawkins when formal practices start in early August.
Hansen and Hawkins traded starting status last fall then competed all spring, with Hawkins gaining a slight edge by the end of spring camp.
Summer sessions.
CU has nearly a 100 percent turnout for summer conditioning and player organized 7-on-7 sessions. One name missing is junior college wide receiver recruit Andre Simmons. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is finishing some academic work, but Hansen has heard that Simmons will arrive soon. Hansen gave high marks to the two freshman receivers on campus, Jarrod Darden and Terdema Ussery.
Hobbled coach.
Buffs defensive backs coach Greg Brown is on crutches after having both knees scoped last week for what he described as “cleanup” work.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
