Hansen Ticketed For Redshirt; Scott For More Touches

BOULDER - Quarterback Tyler Hansen is ticketed for a redshirt season and tailback Darrell Scott is ticketed for more than the pair of touches (one carry, one reception) from scrimmage he got in Colorado's dismaying 23-17 opening loss to Colorado State.

Hansen, a sophomore who spent August camp locked in a QB duel with incumbent starter Cody Hawkins, disclosed Monday the possibility of having him sit out this season was discussed "about three weeks back."

"I pretty much thought me and Cody would split time and I'd get some 'reps,'" he said. "But then the plan to try and redshirt me came around. It's probably the best for the future. Coach is looking out for my future a couple of years down the road."

Hawkins, a junior, took every offensive snap Sunday against the Rams. He finished 24-of-40 passing for 222 yards and a touchdown, with one deflected interception. If the proposal to redshirt Hansen works, Hawkins will start the remaining 11 regular-season games.

But keeping Hansen in a redshirt through late November and beyond could be dicey. Behind Hansen and Hawkins, now a three-year starter, at quarterback are three freshmen, only one of whom (Clark Evans) is on scholarship. The other two are in-state walk-ons Seth Lobato and Jerry Slota.

"It could be (dicey)," Hansen said. "It's a real tough situation right now. If something happens to Cody, then my redshirt is blown again. It's a little messed up situation, but hopefully nothing happens (to Hawkins)."

If Hawkins is injured and must miss significant playing time, Hansen said he and the team know his situation changes immediately: "If anything happens (to Cody) I understand and the rest of the team understands that I'd be going in and burn the redshirt."

However, if Hawkins is "dinged" and forced to miss a play or a series, either Evans or Lobato likely would run the offense until Hawkins returns.

Offensive coordinator/QB coach Eric Kiesau has not yet settled on a No. 3 quarterback, saying that decision could come four or five games into the season. Both Evans and Lobato likely will travel to Friday's game at Toledo (7 p.m. MDT, ESPN).

Also, if the Buffs either are comfortably ahead or hopelessly behind late in the game, either freshman could spell Hawkins.

Said Hansen, who believed he would redshirt last season until he was used in Game 7: "Yeah, I think if we get up a lot or are down by a lot, and we don't want Cody in there because of the possibility of injury when the game isn't on the line, I think maybe that was the thought - that Seth or Clark will go in and hand the ball off."

When the idea of him redshirting this season was initially proposed, Hansen said, "It was a mutual thing. Me and Kiesau talked about it - if Cody ended up winning the job. We talked about the possibilities."

A possible downside in Hansen not playing this season comes in spring practice, when he again competes against an incumbent No. 1 (Hawkins) who will have three seasons of starting experience.

That would make him "work that much harder," Hansen said, but acknowledging that "three years starting is a lot of years, a lot of experience. And now with me redshirting, there's the possibility of me not getting any experience this year.

"It's going to be hard, but then again, I'll be one year older, one year smarter, I guess you could say."

On the upside, the situation will keep him engaged weekly in the game plan, and "being the main guy signaling in plays, you're really in the game," he said.

Meanwhile, running backs coach Darian Hagan said Scott's lack of playing time against CSU was not because of injury (Scott tweaked a hamstring in camp), but rather because of "just how the game was going . . . he's not hurt at all.

"We had to throw the ball and go away from our game plan. But in order for us to be successful, that guy's got to get the ball."

Scott, who signed with CU two winters ago and was viewed as the nation's top tailback prospect by most recruiting services, carried once for a yard and ran for 14 yards after making a one-handed catch of a Hawkins screen pass.

However, Scott returned five kickoffs for 138 yards, giving him a game-high total (153) in all-purpose yardage.

Hagan said it wasn't necessary to have a postgame conversation with Scott, but added, "We just made eye contact and I knew what that meant."

What?

Said Hagan: "Give me the ball . . . let me help out."

Scott "definitely" had a more prominent role in the game plan had the Buffs been able to stick to it, Hagan said. But CSU fashioned a 20-3 halftime lead, forcing CU into a catch-up mode after intermission.

"We had a lot of stuff for him . . . it was just the way the game was dictated," Hagan said. "We can't allow ourselves to just be a running team when we're playing against the clock."

CU's running game, viewed as a probable offensive strength in August, netted 29 yards (minus 38 yards in QB sacks) against a CSU defense breaking in a new linebacking corps. The Buffs were held to 17 rushing yards in the first half.

"When we get our chances we've got to execute," Hagan said. "We've got to play and have a little more confidence in our O-line. I don't think we have to be afraid to do anything in our package. We can line up and play football and be successful."

Sophomore Rodney Stewart was CU's leading rusher (six carries, 38 yards), with junior Demetrius Sumler (eight carries, 20 yards) second.

Hagan said Stewart, who was bothered by a slight hamstring pull in camp, should be fine for Toledo: "He's all right, he's just got to get treatment and finish up. He's a guy who anytime he gets sore in his legs, he tends to think he's hurt more than he really is.

"It's just a deal that he's got to fight through. But like I told him, the only way you're going to get better is to dedicate yourself to treatment."

BUFF BITS: Safety Patrick Mahnke (sprained ankle) wore a protective boot on his left ankle Monday. He said he was "getting better day-by-day," but was unsure about his status for Friday's game. He injured the ankle in Friday's final practice before the opener . . . . Center Mike Iltis (sprained ankle) said X-rays of his ankle were negative, but an MRI also was scheduled as a precaution. He remains hopeful of playing in Game 2 . . . . Asked if having a short week of preparation might be a blessing in disguise (the Buffs won't have to wait long to purge the opener), coach Dan Hawkins said there were "positives and negatives" with that theory. "You just have to deal with it as it comes."

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU