Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Tuesday Tidbits
September 15, 2015 | Football, B.G. Brooks
NO MORE HAPPY RETURNS: CU kickoff specialist Chris Graham has done a commendable job of KO placement and the Buffs' coverage teams have improved. Two opponents' average starting position on eight returned kickoffs (six touchbacks) has been the 24-yard line. CU is sixth in the Pac-12 in kick coverage.
That phase will be critical for the Buffs on Saturday. They were burned in 2013 by Joe Hansley, who had a 74-yard kick return for a TD. Last season Delonte Gaines returned three kickoffs for 87 yards, including a long of 43 yards.
Hansley, now a senior, and Gaines, a sophomore, have returned punts in CSU's first two games. Jordon Vaden, a redshirt junior, returned a kickoff 99 yards against Savannah State.
KEEP ON PUNTING, LEARNING: Freshman Alex Kinney is averaging 33.3 yards net on 11 punts. His first college attempt at Hawai'i was blocked, and last weekend he hit a 16-yarder. Said MacIntyre: "I thought he would have some growing pains, all freshmen do. But he's got a strong leg and is getting more comfortable."
MacIntyre's best-case scenario would have been to redshirt Kinney, but that wasn't feasible. "Alex is going to be an excellent kicker; we have to keep working with him," MacIntyre said . . .
CONGRATS, NELLIE, IT'S SCOTTY: With six receptions last weekend, Spruce became CU's career-leader in receptions (219). He surpassed Scotty McKnight, who caught 215 passes during his Buffs career. Spruce said he received a congratulatory text from McKnight as well as former CU head coach Jon Embree, who signed Spruce in 2011.
NOTEWORTHY: WR Donovan Lee will return this week but will have to work his way back into the rotation, according to MacIntyre . . . . In a worst-case scenario, if the Buffs need more depth at left tackle after Jeromy Irwin's season-ending knee injury, MacIntyre said Stephane Nembot could move from the right to left side and John Lisella would spell Nembot on the right side . . . . With Irwin suffering a second season-ending injury, MacIntyre believes a sixth season of eligibility is nearly certain. Safety Jered Bell was in a similar situation this season and was granted an extra year by the NCAA.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
