MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Colorado’s offense had to make do Thursday night against West Virginia without one of its leading leading receivers.
A fractured thumb prevented Jason Espinoza from catching passes, although the sophomore from Alamosa did return punts. Espinoza suffered the injury during practice this week.
Entering the game, Espinoza’s 13 receptions were tied with tight end Riar Geer for second place among CU players, behind leader Scotty Mc- Knight.
“It was frustrating not being out there,” Espinoza said. “It’s quite different when you’re on the sideline and can’t help out.”
Colorado opened the game in a formation with two tight ends and McKnight as the lone wide receiver. Junior college transfer Andre Simmons and true freshman Will Jefferson played on the opening possession.
Kasa plays.
CU freshman defensive end Nick Kasa, ranked as a national top-50 blue-chipper last fall at Legacy High in Broomfield, dressed for his first time as a college player and saw some playing time.
The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Kasa suffered a partially torn MCL in his left knee during an Aug. 17 pass-rush drill when an offensive lineman unintentionally rolled into him.
Scott limited.
Sophomore tailback Darrell Scott carried the ball just four times, netting 5 yards, as fellow sophomore Rodney Stewart got the bulk of the work and gained 105 yards.
CU coach Dan Hawkins said Scott had just returned to practice this week after being slowed by a bruised knee, and it was hard to get Stewart off the field because the latter was so effective.
Footnotes.
McKnight, a junior, needed only the first offensive play of the game to set a CU school record by catching a pass in his 28th consecutive game — an 8-yarder. McKnight had been tied with Charles E. Johnson, who caught passes in 27 straight games from 1991-93. . . . Thursday night’s game marked the fourth different day of the week for CU in as many games. CU previously had played on a Sunday, Friday and Saturday. The remaining schedule includes a Thursday night game at Oklahoma State (Nov. 19) and the annual day-after-Thanksgiving battle with Nebraska (Nov. 27). The Buffs host Nebraska this year.
Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
