As a true freshman last season, Quanell Farrakhan Jr. was limited in his opportunities to make an impact for the Colorado Buffaloes.
He’s hoping to change that this year.
Part of a deep and talented group of receivers for the Buffs, Farrakhan doesn’t have much experience, but has plenty of potential. There’s work to do to maximize it, however.
“(He is) a guy thatap got to continue to work on his game and get better,” CU receivers coach Jason Phillips said. “A guy that has to take coaching and apply the coaching, apply the technical stuff that we’re teaching here, apply those things and become the player that we expect him to be.”
A four-star prospect coming out of North Shore High School in Houston last year, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Farrakhan played just 133 snaps last season. He participated in 10 games overall, making one catch for 17 yards and running the ball once for four yards.
He came away with some good experience and lessons, though.
“Just looking up to the older guys, seeing how they went about things, the way they trained, the way they did things; like, what time they woke up, what time they got to the facility, and really just reciprocating everything that they did,” he said of his freshman season.
A couple of those veterans are back this year, with Joseph Williams and Hykeem Williams.
The Buffs boosted the group with four highly productive transfers, as well: Ernest Campbell (Sacramento State), DeAndre Moore (Texas), Kam Perry (Miami-Ohio) and Danny Scudero (San Jose State).
CU also returns fellow sophomore Quentin Gibson and brought in freshman brothers Alexander and Christian Ward. Another freshman, Jacob Swain, will arrive this summer.
Breaking through to get playing time won’t be easy, but Farrakhan is challenged often by Phillips.
“Sometimes, coach Phillips really gets on me real hard but I really appreciate that because I need somebody thatap going to really dig in and get on me and really just make me better at the end of the day,” he said.
Farrakhan is soaking it all in and learning as much as he can.
“I’ve been responding to it well, really just paying attention to everything that (Phillips) says and really just soak it in and applying it on the field,” he said.
This spring, Moore and Joseph Williams have been out with injuries and Hykeem Williams recently went down with an injury. That provides more reps in practice for others.
“I just look at it like as an opportunity just for me to get better and just get some more reps,” he said. “I feel like just taking advantage of everything that I can and just making the most plays count.”
This spring, Farrakhan said he is working on, “my route running, just getting open and getting separation from the (defensive backs). That way I’m able to do my thing while I’m on the field.”
In CU’s new Go-Go offense, directed by coordinator Brennan Marion, Farrakhan and his fellow receivers should have plenty of opportunities to shine. Especially with the versatility required of the position.
“Oh yeah, with coach Marion’s offense, we almost have like the whole nine,” Farrakhan said. “He gives us the leeway to get open; thatap what our motto is. And his offense is very creative and thatap what I really love about it, and I feel like I could really shine in our offense.”
