Brooks: Second ACL Injury Sidelines Bell For Season

BOULDER - The Colorado Buffaloes almost made it through preseason camp without a major injury, but almost doesn't count - certainly not for senior safety Jered Bell and CU's secondary.

Bell, who missed his true sophomore season with a torn ACL, suffered the same injury to the other knee on Friday and will be lost for the 2014 season. Bell's injury comes 13 days before CU opens against Colorado State at Denver's Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

A 6-1, 195-pounder from Ontario, Calif., Bell was wearing a blue (non-contact) jersey during Friday morning's practice due to a hyperextended elbow he received earlier in camp. His knee injury, according to coach Mike MacIntyre, occurred when "he ran and stopped and blew his knee out . . . it was a sad night (Friday) night for me, really sad."

Bell, a veteran playmaker who last season returned an interception and fumble recovery for touchdowns, suffered his knee injury on the next-to-last day of preseason camp. On Saturday, the Buffs wrapped up camp with special teams work and a controlled scrimmage at Folsom Field.

In Bell, the Buffs are faced with replacing a three-year letterman and two-year starter who could play both safety and cornerback. "He gave us a utility guy in case some things happened," MacIntyre said. "It hurts; it means one of the younger guys is going to have to step up and be ready to play. We have to get one of them ready to go."

Bell also was counted on for leadership, said senior corner Greg Henderson: "He's a big part of our defense . . . a good playmaker and a leader. We're definitely going to miss him. Everybody is going to have to step up. We're going to have to learn new positions and be able to be versatile and make more plays."

Bell mostly played the free (field) safety, a position that senior Terrel Smith and several other younger players find themselves battling for in the upcoming week of practice. Smith was hit particularly hard by Bell's injury.

"He's my best friend on the team," Smith said following Saturday's work. "I actually dropped a tear last night hearing the news and just being with him. It's tough losing a guy like that. You just have to go with it and get ready for CSU."

In addition to Smith, who sat out last season after opting for shoulder surgery, junior Marques Mosley and sophomores Chidobe Awuzie and Tedric Thompson will be given looks at Bell's spot. Awuzie and Mosley have experience as nickel backs and free safeties, while Thompson has played strong (boundary) safety.

"We've been moving guys around all day (Saturday)," said Smith, a captain who acknowledged Bell's absence brings a leadership void. "You definitely need that leadership back there, controlling the defense and getting guys lined up correctly. You definitely need experience back there."

Smith said Friday night "was hard" for Bell, but on Saturday Bell was "up and about . . . his spirits are always up." Bell attended the scrimmage but declined interview requests.

With his previous knee injury in August 2011 that forced a redshirt season, Bell likely would be a strong candidate for a sixth year of eligibility should he want it. Smith believes Bell will take a strong look at that option and MacIntyre noted, "I'm not the NCAA but I'm almost positive he would get a sixth year. He missed two full years . . . I would love for him to come back but I would understand if he doesn't. He's torn up both knees. We'll see what happens."

RUNNING BACK SPOT RUNNETH OVER

The Buffs will go into the 2014 season with what appears to be a promising stable of talented and diversified ball carriers. The foursome figuring to be used most often are Michael Adkins II, Christian Powell, Tony Jones and Phillip Lindsay.

"I love it," offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said. "They complement each other really well. Christian Powell had some strong runs, Phillip Lindsay had some good runs in the red zone. I think Phillip and Michael really bring that explosive element and can turn any play into a big play for us. Tony Jones has done a good job, too. Those four guys, I'm really excited about them."

CU doesn't release statistics from preseason scrimmages, but those who watched the approximately 90 minutes of work Saturday saw Lindsay, a redshirt freshman, continue to establish himself as a swift, make-you-miss back.

Of his work Saturday, Lindsay said, "It feels great. I've been basically out for two years with the knee injury and then redshirting . . . I'm glad to be out here and play football. I love what I do."

The depth at the position, Lindsay added, "helps us all. We push each other. We're all good players . . . it's the best thing to be in competition, but you look up to each other."

MacIntyre acknowledged that the styles of the foursome differs, with the 230-pound Powell cast as the bruiser, Adkins and Jones being similar and Lindsay offering a slashing style. "All four run hard . . . there's not one you're afraid to run inside," MacIntyre said. "I think we've got four guys who can run the ball in the Pac-12."

Then there's the freshness factor . . . Offered MacIntyre: "If you can put another fresh running back in and he has really fresh legs, he's going to make a linebacker who's been out there on a seven- or eight-play drive look slow. That's what I hope happens."

Adkins said Lindsay "brings a fire. That fire he has excites us all, makes us all push to get better." Some of that heat is inherent, but Lindsay admits his redshirt season in 2013 enabled his knee to mend completely and his confidence to peak.

And he doesn't lack for confidence now.

"I'm going to be a game-changer," he said. "I feel like they can put me in and people aren't going to know what I have. I'm going to be able to work with it. Whatever they want me to play I'm going to play. Special teams - I'm going to be the best special teams person there is. I'm going to run down and get the first tackle. On kick return I'm going to try to break it. That's how I feel about it."

His position coach, Klayton Adams, said the 5-8, 175-pound Lindsay runs like a 230-pounder. That's because, explained Lindsay, "I'm always looked down upon. I'm not the biggest running back, as you guys can see. But I have a big heart and I'm mean. I know when I'm out here on the field I'm not going to let nobody take me down. If you take me down you're going to have consequences. I always run hard because you're never promised tomorrow, you're never promised another down."

LIUFAU, GEHRKE HAVE PASSABLE DAY

Starting quarterback Sefo Liufau and backup Jordan Gehrke had their moments Saturday as the coaching staff mixed and matched personnel on both sides of the ball to get a better read on who might be ready to contribute against CSU.

MacIntyre said he was pleased with his top two QBs' accuracy, ball security and recognition of defenses: "I like that they were going with the right plays and made some good checks . . . I like the progress we're making."

Lindgren noted that Gehrke's performance with the second offense wasn't a good barometer "of what he is. He had a couple of short drives, a couple of penalties that set him back on some drives. I don't think you saw everything he has to bring. I've got a lot of trust in both of them."

Freshman Cade Apsay also received his first extended work in the stadium setting with a play clock. "We gave him a lot of reps because he needs them," MacIntyre said. "He was a little rusty, but he can be extremely accurate . . . he just needs to know where to go with the ball. That takes playing some more."

Liufau said his scrimmage "went pretty well. On some of the long balls there's some timing issues to work out but that's on the QBs and the receivers . . . we've still got time to work on that."

NOTABLE

MacIntyre's overall take on the scrimmage, which was the last of nine practices this week: "We were a little more leg-weary. We tried to play a lot of different people and there positives and negatives on both sides of the ball, which for a head coach is what you want to see. You don't want to see one side dominate the other completely." . . . . In addition to Bell, players who missed Saturday's work included defensive end Derek McCartney and linebacker Addison Gillam, both of whom are temporarily sidelined with AC joint (shoulder) issues . . . . The absence of McCartney and Tyler Henington's sore ankle for the past week have offered the defensive staff more game-type looks at freshmen ends Christian Shaver and Michael Mathewes. "Both of those guys are good," MacIntyre said. "But we'll see next week how they handle everything when it's 'uh-oh, we're playing for real.' That's when you see everything." . . . . Beginning with Monday's practice, MacIntyre and his staff want to identify their travel squad and begin to "double teach some guys," MacIntyre said. "We'll spend more specific time on special teams with guys who are traveling." . . . . This week will bring closed morning practices and afternoon walk-throughs as the Buffs begin focusing on CSU. Fall semester classes begin a week from Monday (Aug. 25), offering the Buffs an upcoming final "football only" week.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU