Richard Yates II

Wyoming

Sep 20 (Sat)

8:15 p.m.

Position:
Defensive Back
Height:
6-2
Weight:
190
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Lakewood, Colo.
High School:
Kent Denver

AT COLORADO: Note - He decided to forego his senior of eligibility and graduate on schedule.

2014 (Jr.) - He saw action in all 12 games, all on special teams and in two on defense (Arizona, Oregon). He was called upon for the first time to see scrimmage action at Arizona, as he replaced an injured Evan White at free safety; he responded with five tackles (all solo, including two touchdown saves) in 38 plays. He was in for nine plays in the next game at Oregon (no stats). He finished seventh on the team in special team points with 16, as he had four tackles (two solo, one inside-the-20) and 11 knockdown blocks on return unit duty. He was the co-recipient of the Tom McMahon Award as selected by the coaches; the honor is for great dedication and work. He had a very active spring, recording nine tackles (seven solo, including a quarterback sack and a tackle for zero), along with a third down stop and a forced fumble in the four main scrimmages.

2013 (Soph.) - He saw action in all 12 games, all on special teams; he tied for third on the team with 15 points in CU’s elaborate special teams scoring system. He was in on four tackles (one solo) and had 11 knockdown blocks on the kickoff return unit which helped clear the path for additional yardage.

2012 (Fr.-RS) - He saw action in 10 games on special teams, but did not get in on defense. He recorded six knockdown blocks on return unit duty to help clear the way for the return man. He had seven tackles (three solo) in the main spring scrimmages but missed the spring game with a mild knee sprain.

2011 (Fr.) - Redshirted; practiced the entire fall in the secondary. An invited walk-on, he joined team for August camp.

HIGH SCHOOL - As a senior, he earned first-team All-State honors from the Denver Post at defensive back, along with earning first-team All-2A Colorado League accolades at both quarterback and safety; he was the league’s offensive and defensive player of the year. He recorded 143 tackles, which included 101 solo, to go with five interceptions, nine passes broken up, six forced fumbles and three recoveries. On offense, he completed 98-of-160 passes (61.3 percent) for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns, while throwing just four interceptions. Two of his top games his senior year came in the playoffs: in a 21-14 quarterfinal win over Aspen, he scored from a yard out to put his team ahead in overtime, and then intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the game. Then in a 29-25 loss to Brush in the semifinals a week later, he set a school record with 32 tackles, which also included a record 24 unassisted; however, Brush won the game on the last play. He did not play his junior season until the state playoffs, as he suffered a torn ACL playing in summer league basketball; when he returned, he saw action solely on defense and special teams in four playoff games, making 10 tackles with an interception, a forced fumble and the recovery (all three of the later against Erie). As a sophomore, when he was honorable mention All-League at quarterback, he threw for 905 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for 106 yards and another two scores. Kent Denver was 10-3 his senior season, claiming the 2A Colorado League title, was 11-3 his junior season (the 2A state runner-up), 10-2 his sophomore year and 6-4 his freshman campaign (6-0 in league play and Colorado League champs) under coach Scott Yates, his father. He also lettered three times in basketball (guard/forward), with KDS the Metro League champions his sophomore and junior seasons, and four times in baseball (catcher/outfielder). As a senior, he was a first-team All-3A/2A Metro League performer as an outfielder, batting .354.

ACADEMICS - He is majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Colorado and is the owner of a 3.55 grade point average. He earned second-team Pac-12 All-Academic Team honors both as a sophomore and redshirt freshman. He earned first-team Academic All-Colorado honors from the state’s chapter of the National Football Foundation as a junior (the group’s inaugural team); the NFF (national) also honored him as a 2015 Hampshire Society team member. As a senior at Kent Denver School, he was a finalist for two of the most prestigious prep awards that combine athletic and academic achievement in the state of Colorado, the Freddie Steinmark Award and the John Lynch Scholarship Award.

PERSONAL - He was born September 8, 1992 in Lakewood, Colo. His hobbies include fishing, hunting and playing guitar, and he also has earned his black belt in Taekwondo. His father, Scott, lettered at safety for the Buffs as a senior in 1979, and an uncle, Shannon Yates lettered in football at the Air Force Academy.