Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Simmons Savors Day 1
August 26, 2009 | Football, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - Receiver Andre Simmons' long and arduous wait ended Wednesday afternoon when he stepped onto Colorado's practice fields outfitted in a gold helmet and his No. 1 black jersey.
Finally, he was one of the Buffaloes - in look and feel.
After an initial struggle to meet CU's academic requirements and then satisfy NCAA eligibility issues, Simmons was cleared by athletics director Mike Bohn to begin practicing with his new teammates.
A transfer from Independence (Kan.) Community College, Simmons reported with the rest of the Buffs on Aug. 6, but had been held out of practices pending verification of his eligibility.
Simmons called his debut in black-and-gold practice gear "a pretty good first day . . . but I've got some catching up to do (and) I catch on pretty fast. It'll just be a matter of time."
CU is counting on him being a quick study. He is expected to boost the Buffs' receiving corps with his size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds), speed and athleticism.
How fast he can accomplish that is the question; he's missed 17 days of fall camp, including five days of two-a-day drills.
Coach Dan Hawkins called Simmons' missed time "huge," and said the player is "a long ways away" from being prepared for the Buffs' 2009 season-opener against Colorado State (Sept. 6 in Folsom Field).
Still, Hawkins was happy to get Simmons cleared and working toward that goal. "We've got a couple of weeks" (actually 10 days) to get Simmons game-ready for the Rams, Hawkins said.
Strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman said it was difficult to determine Simmons' physical condition, noting that most of Simmons' teammates underwent rigorous off-season training for almost eight months in preparation for fall camp.
On the flip side, though, Pitman said Simmons didn't appear spent near the conclusion of the Buffs' two-hour plus practice Wednesday.
"Maybe he's one of those guys who can run and run and never gets tired," Pitman theorized. But Simmons conceded practicing at CU's tempo at altitude was different for him.
Simmons, who initially had to complete nine courses between January and the opening of fall camp to qualify for admission to CU, also said he coped with periods of frustration after signing with the Buffs in February.
"But I stayed positive the whole time," he said.
Simmons received a round of applause from his teammates during the afternoon's position meeting, conducted by Hawkins.
"Guys, let's hear it for 'Dre' - he's good to go today," Hawkins said.
Hawkins called Simmons "a quiet kid, but a soaker - he soaks up a lot" of what he's being taught.
That will be beneficial over the next week and a half as Simmons adjusts to CU's quarterbacks, immerses himself in the playbook and runs routes against defensive backs more difficult to turn than those he faced in junior college.
He's facing a mountain of work before he plays in his first college game. But he faced at least that to get this far.
BUFF BITS: Hawkins said the move of Anthony Wright from cornerback to receiver was recommended by secondary coach Greg Brown, who currently has more depth than he's had in recent seasons at corner. Plus, said Hawkins, Wright "can run and can catch." Asked if his switch was permanent, Wright said, "That's up to the coaches." He compared learning the offensive playbook to tackling "Spanish Three," but said he and Simmons would tackle it together. "We're like the new guys here." . . . . Hawkins said running back Rodney Stewart, who is nursing a slight hamstring pull, is "getting there . . . the more time (to heal) the better for him." . . . . About 5,000 tickets remain for the CU-Colorado State opener on Sept. 6 at Folsom Field. Kickoff is at 5 p.m., with FSN televising the game nationally.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
