BOULDER — Although Colorado defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe was transported by ambulance last week with what turned out to be a temporary neck “stinger,” it’s the durability of another highly touted sophomore, defensive back Parker Orms, that must have CU coaches more concerned.
Orms, a former Wheat Ridge High School star, acknowledged Monday that he “tweaked” his right knee during the Aug. 4 start of preseason camp — the same knee that required reconstructive ACL surgery after he blew it out during the opening minutes of CU’s 2010 season opener against Colorado State.
Slated to be a top contender for a starting job this season at cornerback or nickel back, Orms didn’t go into detail with reporters about his current knee issue but said it became swollen. There also was a problem with his calf, he said.
Orms and Uzo-Diribe returned to practice Monday morning. Both drew repetitions with the Buffaloes’ first-team defense.
“I think I’ll be fine,” Orms said. “It’s gotten progressively better every day. . . . I can’t try to be Superman. If it gets swollen, I’ll have to come out. I just have to play through the pain if it’s there.”
Orms wore a knee brace Monday but bounced around during practice and stuck his nose into contact.
“For the first day back, absolutely, Parker did a good job,” said defensive coordinator Greg Brown, who also coaches the secondary. “There didn’t appear to be much rust on him, so we were pleased about that.”
Orms missed more than a week of reps and said he is going to “work twice as hard as the other guys” to get back up to speed.
“The good news, I don’t see him riding off in a cart. So there’s a positive sign,” head coach Jon Embree said of Orms. “I think having him back and having him in the mix will help us back there.”
Uzo-Diribe, regarded as potentially the Buffs’ best pass rusher, showed no ill effects of his injury scare.
Punters disappoint.
Embree had said he was hoping to pick a starting punter by the middle of this week. That decision may be on hold.
After watching lackluster performances Monday by the two apparent finalists — sophomore incumbent Zach Grossnickle and true freshman Darragh O’Neill from Fairview High School — the coach told reporters: “Yeah, in a perfect world (a punter would be named in a couple of days). We’ll put some pressure on them tomorrow and see who asserts himself.”
Embree added: “(Monday’s punting) was average at best. No one wants it.”
Recruiting update.
According to , the Buffs received a commitment from Erich Wilson of San Mateo (Calif.) Junipero Serra in the Bay Area. A 6-foot-1, 188-pounder known for his speed, Wilson played on both sides of the ball last year as a high school junior but wants to be a cornerback at the college level, and CU is known to covet tall corners. His other top choices: Arizona and Indiana.
Footnotes.
Embree said he needs more out of senior wide receiver Toney Clemons. “I don’t know what it is; it’s something we have to keep working with him on,” Embree said Monday. “I’m sure if you talk to him, he expects more of himself than what he’s done so far.” . . . Today will mark the last of the three two-a-day practices. Scheduled from 8:30-11 a.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m., the sessions are open to the public. . . . Fans are invited to Saturday’s 2 p.m. grand opening ceremony and open house for the Buffs’ new basketball and volleyball practice facility adjacent to the Coors Events Center.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
