Star Colorado transfer ‘a step slow’ after injury return

Colorado football DB Travis Hunter looked “a step slow” on the defensive side of the ball during the two-way star’s return to the field — one following a lacerated liver injury caused by a dirty hit — against Stanford in Week 7 according to Buffaloes Wire’s Tony Cosolo.

“Thanks to the bye week, the Buffs should be healthier with right tackle Savion Washington being the biggest potential returnee,” Cosolo prefaced before saying, “However, with players returning to action, there are always two big concerns: rust and the chance of re-injury. In his return to action against Stanford, Travis Hunter looked normal on offense but was a step slow on defense.”

The entire Colorado defense folded like an accordion in the second half against the Cardinal on October 13, but Hunter being burned by Stanford wideout Elic Ayomanor will be the image that the 46-43 double-overtime loss will be remembered by.

Analyst: Colorado football won’t fold like 2018 Buffs did

Within the dissection of different areas of concern Colorado has heading into the home stretch of the 2023 season, Cosolo did have a white-pilled message on the Buffs: they won’t fold like the 2018 team did after falling to 5-3 after an October 27 loss to Oregon State at home in Week 9 of that season.

“Will this season pan out like 2018 did when the Buffaloes never came back from their homecoming loss to Oregon State? Or is CU different under head coach Deion Sanders? I am going with the latter,” Cosolo wrote.

What does different look like under Deion Sanders? With five games left, the Buffs must win two to qualify for a bowl game. So instead of losing out and becoming a footnote as Mike MacIntyre’s team did, different would be upsetting one of UCLA, Oregon State, Wazzu, and Utah, and handling Arizona, the one team they’ll likely be favored against, at home.