BOULDER — At 5-feet-8 and 180 pounds, true freshman safety Terrel Smith is one of the smallest players on the Colorado football roster, yet he’s showing signs of ranking among the team’s big hitters. The New Jersey native was a late commitment but has made a head-turning early impression.
Smith’s blowup tackle of junior wide receiver Jason Espinoza was the biggest hit of Thursday’s scrimmage. Smith led the defense with 10 tackles.
“I love hitting. I love laying out people,” Smith said Saturday after a two-hour practice.
CU coaches discovered Smith while viewing tape of eventual tailback signee Tony Jones. Jones played for Don Bosco Prep (N.J.), which was rated the nation’s top high school team by USA Today. Smith, playing for rival Passaic County Tech, had a big game in a losing effort against Don Bosco.
“Terrel brings high energy. He’s a Bob Sanders type guy,” CU coach Dan Hawkins said, comparing Smith to the Indianapolis Colts’ 5-8, 205-pound all-pro safety. “He’s not as big as most safeties, but he can run and hit. . . . He brings that blue-collar toughness.”
Making impact.
Linebackers coach Brian Cabral said redshirt freshman Derrick Webb “is having a great camp” and is “definitely in the mix” to be in the regular rotation of middle linebackers.
Webb (6-0, 220) recorded four tackles in the Thursday scrimmage and performed like a veteran. He took advantage of additional playing time as senior Michael Sipili sat out with a minor injury.
Footnotes.
Hawkins confirmed that tests showed sophomore safety Vince Ewing suffered a season-ending tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Thursday’s scrimmage. Ewing made nine tackles before the injury. . . . Senior linebacker B.J. Beatty (leg) and sophomore defensive end Forrest West (knee) returned to full-speed drills Saturday. That marked West’s first full practice of camp. The projected starter underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in late July.
