BOULDER — La Jara is a speck on the map in the southwestern part of Colorado. Jason Espinoza knew early on he wanted to get away from an isolated rural life. First, he left La Jara’s area school, Class 1A Centauri, for a 20-minute drive to then-Class 3A Alamosa.
Then, despite the temptation of playing basketball and football for hometown NCAA Division II Adams State, the point guard/cornerback/wide receiver/running back wanted to see the world through football.
“I thought about (playing basketball at Adams State), but I’d been in a small town 18 years. I came and visited here,” Espinoza said of CU. “I loved the place and wanted to walk on.”
The walk-on played wide receiver in anonymity until injuries and suspensions forced a switch to cornerback in fall camp this year. Now he’s getting major playing time in a depleted CU secondary.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound fifth-year senior was tested immediately by Washington State last week, then settled down and played 76 snaps, making four unassisted stops.
This week, the Buffs go to Stanford for a “tell the grandchildren” moment. The cornerback from Nowhere, Colorado, with one game on defense to his credit, will stare down the barrel of the best quarterback in the nation, Andrew Luck.
“Definitely it will be a challenge,” Espinoza said. “We’ve played against a lot of other great teams, as well, and quarterbacks. I think the biggest thing is us executing. A lot of times, we’re hurting ourselves.”
Such as the blown coverage on Washington State’s game-winning pass play last Saturday. It wasn’t Espinoza who was beaten on that play, however.
“He competed well,” CU coach Jon Embree said. “They went at him right away. I thought he competed well and did a nice job.”
Espinoza’s former high school coach, Manny Wasinger, is now Adams State’s assistant head coach and would love to have Espinoza on his squad. He knew back during Alamosa’s 2006 state championship year that Espinoza had bigger dreams.
“A lot of local kids born and raised here want out,” Wasinger said. “They want to play Division I athletics.”
The odds are astronomical, but Wasinger said that only pushed Espinoza.
“A lot of naysayers said he would fail because of his height and size,” Wasinger said. “They stereotype kids. But they can’t measure his work ethic.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
