Colorado’s injury picture keeps getting worse, and the Buffaloes head into their Week 8 matchup with Oklahoma State carrying another long list of questions.
What Colorado hoped might be a cleaner week after the bye never really materialized. The Buffs were still short-handed against Utah, and the injury report for this week only added more names to the mix.
The biggest new concerns are running back Micah Welch and offensive lineman Jayven Richardson. Both were hurt in the Utah game, and neither is trending in a reassuring direction. Coach Deion Sanders addressed Welch on Tuesday and made clear the situation is still murky.
“He's hurting. He didn't practice today.
I have no idea [if it’s long-term],” Sanders said. “He's hurting right now.
I think he may have broken it. I don't know if he broke it.
Yeah. I know that happened, but I don't know the severity of it.”
Colorado is also still dealing with the continued uncertainty around Perry and Danny Scudero. Scudero’s situation stands out most, especially after he was at the Utah game in a boot and on crutches. Sanders stopped short of giving a firm update on Perry, but his comments on Scudero made it sound like the staff is prioritizing the bigger picture.
“We want what's best for Danny. We don't want to push Danny out there, and he does something and sets himself back,” Sanders said.
“We care about the whole person, not just the person for this season. You're talking about a great kid that everyone on the team and staff admires, and we want to see him successful beyond Colorado.
So we're doing what's best for him, and Danny keeps a smile on his face. He's passionate about getting back out there, and he's doing everything he can to progress that.”
There is at least one encouraging note in the latest report: Sam Gadie is now listed, which suggests he is moving toward a possible return. The JUCO transfer still hasn’t played this season, but his appearance on the report means Colorado will start evaluating him on a week-to-week basis.
Lamont Lester’s status is another one to watch closely. He looked ready to go before the Utah game, suiting up and going through pregame warmups without any obvious issues.
But once the game started, he logged only a handful of snaps and barely factored in. Sanders wasn’t thrilled with that outcome on Tuesday.
“We don't want that because that's not helping him or helping us. Like, if you're gonna dress out, you got to play, or just don't dress,” Sanders said.
“I'd rather him get the proper treatment so he can get back and be who he is. The kid is phenomenal.
He can really play this game of football, but you don't want half of Lamont. You want the whole.
So hopefully, he’ll take his time. And I know he practiced a little bit today, but I don't want a little bit.”
As for the players listed as probable, none were dealing with injuries a week ago. That points to minor knocks either from the Utah game or from the first part of practice this week. The expectation is that those players should be available Saturday, and that most of them should disappear from the injury report by Thursday or Friday.
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Utah's Undefeated Start Faces A Sloppy Reality Check Saturday
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For Utah, the issue is less about pedigree than about how cleanly it can function against a sharper opponent. The Utes have been sturdy enough to stay perfect, but the sloppier stretches in recent weeks suggest there is room for a reality check, especially against a Houston team that has already seen the kind of tight, tense games that reveal what a group really is. Saturday should say plenty about whether Utahs start is sustainable or simply still waiting for a tougher truth. [Read more 🡒]