Colorado players are especially “fired up” about playing in today’s intrasquad scrimmage, junior quarterback Cody Hawkins said, because it could be the last time the first-team offense and the first-team defense get to hit each other in gamelike conditions.
“After that, we’ll be (working on) all Colorado State, game preparation, stuff like that,” he said. “The scrimmage will be good for the entire offense, the entire team.”
The scrimmage, closed to spectators and the media, has been moved back to campus. Head coach Dan Hawkins, believing that his team could use a change of pace, wanted to scrimmage at Regis High School in Aurora. The scrimmage was moved back to campus for compliance reasons, according to CU.
• Players will have Sunday and Monday off — the first full days off since camp began Aug. 6. Monday is the first day of classes. Saturday will be the last of two-a-day practices.
Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
Rams QB job still up for grabs.
CSU coach Steve Fairchild remains no closer to naming a starting quarterback, but several defensive linemen had a good afternoon practice in Fort Collins batting down passes at the line of scrimmage.
Freshman defensive end C.J. James, redshirt freshman end Ben Tedford and junior end/tackle Ty Whittier took turns breaking up passes.
If not at today’s scrimmage, then QB candidates Grant Stucker and Jon Eastman have a chance to pull ahead Saturday. Both practices are closed to the public.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
Falcons’ search for kicker continues.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun isn’t ready to issue a call to the student body to find a place-kicker.
But he does want to solve one of his priorities soon.
With the season opener against Nicholls State 16 days away, sophomore Erik Soderberg and freshman Danny Compton have tried to nail down the kicker spot.
Neither has gained Calhoun’s nod. And to make matters worse, sophomore kicking option Garrett Jack left the team, and junior Zack Bell hasn’t kicked since early in practice because of a hamstring injury.
“We have guys who have talent, but talent isn’t worth squat if you can’t do it on a consistent basis,” Calhoun said.
As for Bell, who was on top of the depth chart coming out of spring practice, he is running out of time to compete for the job, Calhoun said.
Ryan Harrison, who led the Falcons in scoring as a kicker last year with 108 points, graduated.
