BOULDER — Malcolm Creer logged so many miles on a bicycle to strengthen a surgically repaired knee during the offseason, Colorado coaches nicknamed the sophomore tailback “Tour de France.”
“Malcolm stopped at my house a few times,” CU offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “That’s not too far away, but he was on his way back in from a ride.”
The “Tour de Creer” would stretch as far as Longmont and back. Like many in Boulder, the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder really took to cycling. A native Southern Californian, Creer calls cycling his “second love” next to football, and he intends someday to enter races.
For now, the goal is to get that left knee feeling 100 percent again. In a cruel case of rotten luck, Creer discarded a redshirt year two-thirds into the 2011 season and played for the first time in the eighth game of the season, against Oregon. The following week, he blew out his knee at Arizona State.
Creer’s freshman season lasted just 15 carries. But there are no regrets, he said this week during preparations for Saturday’s home game against Sacramento State (0-1).
“I just wanted to play,” he said of his abbreviated first year. “Everybody wants to play and help the team.”
In addition to pedaling around Boulder County, Creer spent long hours with the CU training staff. His goal was to make it back by the beginning of August drills. He did, although the knee swelled early in camp and he was held out of some two-a-day practices.
But coaches had enough confidence in Creer in the season opener against Colorado State to run him three times during a key red-zone series late in the third quarter. Creer almost scored on his third carry, gaining 2 yards on third-and-goal from the 3, but he slipped before he could break the plane.
“I learned that I’m not back to where I was last year (before the injury),” Creer said. “But I’m progressing. The knee felt great. As the season goes on, it’s going to get better.”
Creer finished the game with four carries for 17 yards, his 4.3 yards per attempt the team’s best among running backs in what was a tough day on the ground for the Buffaloes. His 10-yard gain in the fourth quarter was bettered only by a 17-yard run with a backward-pass lateral by receiver Gerald Thomas.
“Is Malcolm back to where we want him to be? No,” Bieniemy said. “But the attitude, the heart and the desire is there. He made tremendous strides to get to this point. That’s all you can ask of a kid. He wants it.”
Creer is one of CU’s bigger backs. And with his strong base and thick shoulders, he packs the kind of punch that one might expect from an even bigger tailback.
“Malcolm is a cerebral kid who cares,” Bieniemy added. “He puts it out on the table each and every day that he gets an opportunity.”
More touches figure to be forthcoming.
With his north-south running style between the tackles, Creer can complement starter Tony Jones (5-7, 190), who needs space to become effective. Jones averaged just 2.7 yards per carry against Colorado State.
“Malcolm is strong,” CU center Gus Handler said. “I think with him and Tony, it’s a little bit ‘Thunder and Lightning.’ “
Colorado (0-1) hopes Creer can return to full strength and become, well, a “tour de force” to the offense. Perhaps that begins Saturday.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280, tkensler@denverpost.com or
