As if embattled Colorado coach Dan Hawkins didn’t have enough problems with wins and losses, now injuries have made future wins even more difficult.
Inside linebacker Jon Major, Colorado’s leading tackler, is out indefinitely with a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee, Hawkins said Monday on the Big 12’s media conference call.
Major was hurt on Texas Tech’s final drive for the winning field goal Saturday in CU’s 27-24 loss at Folsom Field. The injury came two quarters after starting quarterback Tyler Hansen (ruptured spleen) was lost for the year.
“The plan right now is to kind of let that thing heal on its own and see if it takes,” Hawkins said of Major’s knee. “If it doesn’t, we may have to go in there and pack it back down. He’ll be out for a while.”
The injury is significant. The sophomore from Parker’s Ponderosa High is leading the Buffaloes with 57 tackles, including 32 unassisted. He will likely be replaced by redshirt freshman Liloa Nobriga.
Hawkins said Hansen remains hospitalized but is resting comfortably.
“Tyler’s doing well,” Hawkins said. “All his blood levels and all that kind of stuff are great. He’s still in the hospital and they’re monitoring him there, seeing how that whole process heals up. He’s doing as well as can be expected.”
Cody Hawkins, Dan’s son, replaces Hansen, and the new backup will be true freshman Nick Hirschman, whom the Buffs wanted to redshirt. He was all-region at Los Gatos (Calif.) High, and Dan Hawkins said it’s highly doubtful they’ll move over a position player with QB experience to spell his son and preserve Hirschman’s year of eligibility.
“I think it’s very hard to ascertain one snap or two snaps or 14 snaps,” Hawkins said. “That’s the issue. We got to get somebody in there taking some snaps. It’s always a difficult situation, a lot like with Terrel (Smith, freshman safety) getting activated last week. Sometimes you’ve got to put the team before yourself and do whatever you have to do to help the team out.”
Colorado (3-4, 0-3 Big 12) plays at 11th-ranked Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1) on Saturday night. The Buffs had no starters go down with injuries until safety Anthony Perkins was lost for the season with a knee injury at Missouri on Oct. 9.
Now the Buffs seek three wins in their last five games for bowl eligibility without their starting quarterback and their leading tackler.
“That’s football,” Hawkins said. “That’s why you’ve got to have backups. You get to this point of the season, you get a lot of guys beat up.”
Footnote.
The start time for CU’s game at Kansas on Nov. 6 has been set as noon MDT.
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
