Itap not quite game week just yet for the Colorado football team. But game mode already is setting in for the Buffaloes.
Given the Thursday night slotting for CU’s season opener next week at Georgia Tech, the Buffs already have begun the game-week process in terms of preparing for a team that .
“Itap a great matchup. It really is,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “We’re doing primarily the same thing they’re doing. A couple guys that once played here that play over there. Itap going to be fun. I admire and respect their head coach (Brent Key) so darn much. I really do. Love the city. All the way across the board, itap a good match. It really is.”
Sanders referred to the looming reunion with former Buffs Tawfiq Thomas and Savion Riley, but of far more concern to CU’s leader is how the Buffs have gradually turned the page from preseason competition to game prep. Sanders said this week he believes his team has checked off the developmental checkpoints along the way.
“We have stages,” Sanders said. “We have deadlines. We have points that we gotta hit. We’re right where we want to be. I like where we are. We’re right where we want to be. Everything is on a timeline. We’re going to hit those marks strategically.
“We’re going to practice that morning (Tuesday) that we leave. Have another walk-through probably when we get there. So we’re gonna get our work in. And thatap the main thing. Just getting the work in and not making things too complicated where the kids gotta think too much. Just let them play football and have fun while they’re doing what they do.”
Rough ruling
Linebacker Tyler Martinez and Ezra Christensen played starring roles together last year for the New Mexico State defense. Martinez planned to reunite with Christensen at CU this year, but Christensen’s bid for an injunction that would have granted him a sixth season of college football was denied Monday.
“I shot him a text (Monday) just sending him my condolences,” Martinez said. “I know he was looking forward to playing this year. He didn’t go through the whole draft process at our former school. I know he’s hurting right now. Thatap my guy. I feel terrible for him. Not a lot of it makes sense right now, and I know he’s struggling with that. Just praying for him and hoping he’s doing all right.”
Business trip
The Atlanta Falcons picked Sanders fifth overall in the 1989 draft, and he spent the first five of his 14 NFL seasons in Atlanta. The two-sport standout also played three-plus seasons with the Atlanta Braves.
Still, asked this week if the Buffs’ trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech offered a sort of full-circle moment, Sanders said this will be a business trip and not a homecoming.
“I have no nostalgia, to me. I’m not built like that,” Sanders said. “If we went back to Fort Myers (Florida) I’d be happy, thatap my hometown. But, this game that I want to win very badly. That city had some meaningful moments, but we’re going there with one purpose, and thatap to win, whether I played there or not.”
Bednarik watch list
Bowling Green transfer Gideon Lampron was named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, which is given to the top defender in the nation. Lampron recorded 119 tackles last year with 17.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles while starting all 12 games at Bowling Green.
