BOULDER — Still trying to limp out the soreness of a high ankle sprain that won’t seem to go away, Colorado junior defensive end Josh Hartigan emerged from the locker room with a smile rather than a grimace Saturday after Colorado’s 44-36 victory over Kansas State.
Hartigan clinched the win by sacking Kansas State quarterback Carson Coffman on fourth down with 1:01 remaining, his third sack of the afternoon. Hartigan did not play in losses to Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas and saw limited time against Iowa State. He was missed.
“He just keeps coming up with big plays,” CU interim coach Brian Cabral said. “That dude, you can’t keep him down. He comes out, he’ll go back in and give you all that he has.”
Limp and all, Hartigan became the first Colorado player to record three sacks since Abraham Wright had a trio against Colorado State in 2006.
“If the offense puts up 44 points, you have to win,” Hartigan said of his third sack. “We knew that we had to make plays.”
Names return.
For the first time this season, CU players had names on their jerseys. Cabral restored them after learning that fans had been displeased over their absence.
“Getting our names on the jerseys was a gift to us,” junior wideout Toney Clemons said. “He said we’d earned it (with the 34-14 victory over Iowa State). And we appreciate it.”
Footnotes.
Cody Hawkins became the first player in school history to throw three touchdown passes in three consecutive games. He needs 129 yards passing against Nebraska to match Joel Klatt’s CU career passing yardage record of 7,375. . . . CU senior wideout Scotty McKnight, on setting the school record for career touchdown receptions (22) with two Saturday: “The biggest thing for me was leaving (Folsom Field) with a win. . . . I have truly loved every minute of playing at this school.” . . . CU had a season-low two penalties.
