BOULDER — Colorado junior quarterback Tyler Hansen approaches third-down situations with a new outlook this season. If it’s third-and-short, he will run for the first down if he must. If it’s third-and-longer, he will just get it done, whatever it takes.
“In the huddle I’ll say it’s third-and-4, and we have to get this first down,” Hansen said after Tuesday’s practice. “I’ll just be emphasizing third downs. If it’s third-and-2, I can run for it.”
The Buffs, 2-1, rank 17th in the country on third-down conversions, having made good on 23-of-45 attempts for 51 percent.
A year ago, CU converted just 35.8 percent of its third-down plays, 89th in the Division I ranks. That was among the reasons CU finished 3-9.
Even with the slow start against Hawaii last Saturday, Hansen was 9-for-10 for 147 yards passing in third-down situations.
“Isn’t that the best stat ever?” Hansen said. “We had a real good game plan going in on third-down stuff.”
Moving on up.
Hansen, a part- time starter his first two years, had absolutely no idea that with 2,278 career yards, he passed four players on the CU passing charts this past week — Jeff Knapple, Bill Solomon, Ken Johnson and Bobby Anderson — to crack the school’s top 15. Johnson, while directing a run-oriented option offense, quarterbacked CU to the nation’s No. 3 spot as a sophomore in 1971. Anderson earned All-America honors after switching to tailback.
“I didn’t know this,” Hansen said. “That’s unbelievable.”
Bye week plans.
CU is off this week and plays host to Georgia next week. “This bye comes perfectly because Georgia is a real physical team in the SEC, so they are going to have athletes,” Hansen said.
Redshirt candidates and third- teamers are getting extra work this week while the top of the depth chart gets a chance to heal.
“We’re working on some fundamentals and some little stuff,” CU coach Dan Hawkins said. “We’re doing some Georgia stuff.”
Hawkins had mixed feelings about the timing of the bye week. “There’s pros and cons. We finished on a good note (Saturday). Maybe you just like to keep playing.”
Footnote.
Freshman cornerback Paul Vigo, who cracked a nonweight-bearing bone in his lower leg, will be out four to six weeks.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
