Colorado’s special teams picture got a lot murkier on Thursday, and it all starts with Elliot Arnold.
The Buffaloes’ starting kicker was moved from questionable to doubtful on the injury report after taking a hit on a roughing-the-kicker penalty against Arizona State. That leaves Colorado with two jobs to sort out: placekicker and kickoff specialist.
For the kicking duties, Daniel Gerlach appears to be the next man up. He was the starter in Week 1 against Georgia Tech, where he made both of his extra points and had his only field goal try blocked. He also knocked through the extra point after Arnold went down.
Colorado has shuffled through backup options at kicker all season, with Gerlach serving as the main reserve. Cadel Ayala also handled kickoff duties in one game, and Deion Sanders has said he wants to take a look at punter Damon Greaves there as well.
The bigger concern is the kickoff specialist spot. Ayala’s turn against Baylor went badly, with two kickoffs sailing out of bounds. Gerlach saw limited work there against Georgia Tech, but the sample size is too small to know exactly what Colorado can count on from him.
That matters because the Buffaloes can’t afford to give away field position, especially against No. 14 Houston on Friday. Colorado was already losing that battle earlier in the season while sorting through its options, and the Cougars are built to punish mistakes.
Houston is putting up 35.4 points per game, which ranks fifth in the Big 12, and it’s also third in the league in total offense at 470.2 yards per game. Even when opponents win the field position fight, the Cougars have shown they can still move the ball the full length of the field.
So if Arnold can’t go, Colorado may need an unexpected answer to show up in a hurry. And even if he is available, special teams could end up carrying more weight than usual in a game that the Buffaloes need to have.
In Other News...
Colorado Faces Another Tough Home Test Against A Surging Houston Offense
Houston heads into another Big 12 road test with momentum and a quarterback playing cleaner football than he did a year ago. The No. 17 Cougars have built a 7-2 record and sit 4-2 in conference play, and Connor Weigman has been a big part of that rise with sharper passing numbers and fewer interceptions as the season has worn on.
Colorado, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in league play, which makes this matchup feel like another measuring stick for a Houston team trying to stay in the conference race. The Cougars have already shown they can travel with confidence, but this one still carries the kind of challenge that can expose a team if the offense is a step off its usual pace. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Recruiting Buzz Suddenly Centers On Deion Sanders Future
LiMarcus Jones gave Colorado a brief scare this week when he backed off his pledge to the Buffaloes, only to recommit within 24 hours. The quick turnaround kept the spotlight on a class that has continued to show public support for Deion Sanders, with several 2027 recruits, including Andre Adams and Dewey Young, using the Play for Prime hashtag as the Buffaloes try to keep momentum around the program.
Even with that buzz, the recruiting picture around Colorados next game has been quieter than the online chatter suggests. No recruits are expected to visit for the Houston matchup, and Jones has indicated that the staff around Sanders is expected to stay in place after the season, a detail that matters as much to future prospects as any social media post. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Secondary Faces A Test That Could Change Everything For Weigman
Houstons secondary has spent much of the season trying to steady itself, and the recent uptick has at least given the Cougars a fighting chance heading into a matchup with Colorado. For a team that has often needed Conner Weigman to carry too much of the load, any progress on the back end matters, because it changes the way Houston can survive against a deeper, more dangerous opponent.
Colorado brings a passing game that will keep the Cougars honest from the start, with Joseph Williams and Deandre Moore Jr. serving as the kinds of receivers that can expose any lapse in coverage. If Houston can hold up better in the secondary, it does more than just slow one opponent - it gives the Cougars a path that does not depend entirely on Weigman to be perfect. [Read more 🡒]