Injured tailback and wide receiver return to practice this week
The CU football team practiced this week with the return of two key offensive players.
The Buffs lost senior tailback Hugh Charles to a strained hamstring on the first drive of the Colorado State University game Sept. 1, and freshman wide receiver Josh Smith to a bruised kidney during the second scrimmage this season.
Both players returned to practice this week and are expected to play in Saturday’s game against Florida State University.
“I think he is going to have a good game, a breakout game and he has got fresh legs under him so I am looking forward to seeing what he does,” said Charles on Smith.
While Smith has not played in a college game, he has played well in practice. Head coach Dan Hawkins said Smith is running fast and making plays without signs of a prior injury.
This week, the team has been practicing harder than usual to prepare for a preseason top 25 team.
“We’ve been working hard these last few days wearing full pads. We had a little longer practices just to get extra reps in and we appreciate this,” senior linebacker Jordon Dizon said. “We’re not grumbling at all, we like it. We know Florida State is a big and fast team and we know they can hit, so we’re just you know trying to get ready for the contact.”
Senior cornerback Terrence Wheatley noticed an improvement in the team’s overall play this week.
“I definitely think we are making more plays on offense and defense, that we’re running the ball a lot better, and that we’re a lot more consistent overall,” Wheatley said. “We’re not dropping balls or blowing coverage or missing tackles this week.”
His abstaining from practice and game play because of injury helped Charles notice an overall improvement in the defense.
“We’re making progress. I mean the defense from CSU to Arizona, they progressed a lot and they got a lot better,” Charles said.
Along with the defensive advances, the newcomers to the team are improving as well.
“Our young guys are awesome. They have matured so quickly,” Dizon said. “It has to do with coach Hawkins.”
With two games now under its belt, the team is significantly closer to being ready to take on Florida State.
“You know, we are catching the ball well and running the ball, and the offensive line is doing well,” freshman wide receiver Scotty McKnight said. “Everything is kind of coming together.”
The team will face the Florida State Seminoles (1-1) at Folsom Field Sept. 15 at 8 p.m.
“It’s Florida State – it doesn’t really get any better than that,” Wheatley said. “We’ve got them at home, on ESPN, at night so everybody can see it. You can’t really ask for anything more than that.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Margot Schneider at margot.schneider@thecampuspress.com.
