Although technically a senior in 2022, Xavier Weaver didn’t through senior day activities at South Florida. He knew he had the option to play one more year.
The Colorado receiver knows his time in college football is nearing an end now, though, and he’s looking forward to celebrating senior day on Saturday when the Buffaloes (4-5, 1-5 Pac-12) host No. 23 Arizona (6-3, 4-2) in the home finale at Folsom Field (Noon, Pac-12 Network).
“Itap gonna be cool, having my folks out here watching me walk across the field and stuff like that,” he said. “Itap gonna be a surreal moment knowing this is my last home game in college football, so I’ve just got to soak it all in and enjoy it.”
Weaver, who played four seasons at USF, didn’t officially join the Buffs until this past summer, but he’s certainly made the most of his lone season in Boulder.
Weaver leads the Buffs with 60 receptions and 783 receiving yards. Both numbers are career highs. Itap also just the 10th time in CU history that a player has posted at least 60 catches and 750 yards in one season, with Laviska Shenault (in 2018) being the last to do it before Weaver.
Along the way, Weaver had been CU’s most consistent offensive player, other than quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“I hope (the fans) give me a couple cheers, a couple smiles, claps and stuff like that,” he said. “But other than that, you get it over with and get ready to play the game.”
Weaver is also looking to make up for last week, when some off-the-field issues led to him being out of the starting lineup for the first time this season.
“It was just some things I messed up with off the field, stuff like that,” he said. “I gotta get some things back together. So just things like that hurt the team a little bit, but I got my stuff back right.”
Overall, though, Weaver has been stellar for the Buffs, but he’s aiming to keep it going for three more games – or four, if the Buffs can get to a bowl game.
“I feel like I could do better, but I’m blessed,” he said. “So far, I got past my receiving yards the last two years, so I’m just gonna keep on stacking from here.”
Itap unclear which players will go through senior day festivities, but Weaver is one of 11 scholarship players who are in their final year of eligibility.
In addition to Weaver, others in their last year who will play their final home game are: receiver Javon Antonio; running back Kavosiey Smoke; offensive linemen Landon Bebee and Reggie Young; defensive linemen Taijh Alston and Leonard Payne Jr.; linebackers Jordan Domineck, Brendan Gant and Juwan Mitchell; and safety Rodrick Ward.
Walk-ons Evan Kistler (offensive line) and Noah Young (linebacker) are also in their last year of eligibility.
Managing Shedeur
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been battling through bumps and bruises and injuries the past few weeks, but the Buffs are doing their best to get him ready each week.
Head coach Deion Sanders said that his son sits out the first half of the week before rejoining practice Wednesday.
“He really doesn’t practice until a little 7-on-7 on Wednesdays,” Coach Prime said. “Thursdays, he’ll go through everything so he can see the timing and see the new sets and make sure he has the timing of the new plays. And Friday he’ll go through everything.”
Shedeur has had to get injections of pain medication the past two games just to get through the end of the game. And, the wear and tear on his body has shown at times.
“Itap more of a mental thing right now for him,” Coach Prime said. “You saw a couple of his deep balls was short last week because he couldn’t step into the throw and that was his ankle. He couldn’t step into the throws because he’s rarely ever short on deep balls. We’d rather be long on the deep balls and not short, but we also want them to be catchable, because on the 50/50 ball, we feel like a few of our guys are gonna make the catch.”
Notable
Coach Prime said he’s hoping each of the scout team players will be in uniform for Saturday’s game because he wants to honor the work they’ve done this season. … Shedeur Sanders needs 135 passing yards to reach 10,000 for his collegiate career. He also needs six touchdown passes to reach 100.
