CSU

Easing into it

Coach Sonny Lubick said he doesn't want to get his players too excited about the game too early in the week.

"There's no sense in giving a fiery speech (Monday or today)," Lubick said. "They know the significance. It's our first game, plus it's CU at Invesco Field with 75,000 people or more.

"I think when we get on the bus to go down to Denver on Friday, that's when reality will strike. No matter how many times you've gone through it, when you're taking that bus ride to the stadium there's going to be a lump in everybody's throat."

New and ready

Lubick prefers to redshirt true freshmen, but he said one who could see action against CU is Eric Peitz, a tight end from Crofton, Neb. Peitz has impressed the coaching staff with his intelligence and ability to comprehend schemes.

Peitz, who also starred in basketball and track in high school, is listed as the No. 4 tight end on the depth chart after Kory Sperry, Chris Kawulok and Adam Seymore.

"I thought we were pretty good at tight end, but Adam Seymore has missed some time with an injury, so Peitz is in there right now as our third tight end," Lubick said. "We really got lucky with him. He's a 4.0 student who's very intelligent, and he's been very impressive since Day 1. He should play."

Injury report

The most significant injury that could affect Colorado State on Saturday is the sore knee of starting middle linebacker Jeff Horinek.

The third-year starter is listed as questionable for the game after tweaking a knee last week in practice.

CSU coaches will determine his status as the week goes on.

Also iffy are receiver/returner Damon Morton (shoulder) and defensive end Wade Landers (knee). Defensive end Bob Vomhof is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery and probably won't play.

CU

Surprise party?

No, that was last season.

Colorado caught Colorado State off-guard in the 2006 Rocky Mountain Showdown by starting junior Bernard Jackson at quarterback instead of senior James Cox.

Jackson promptly directed an opening touchdown drive for a 7-0 Buffaloes lead that didn't hold up. In what hardly was a show of firepower, CSU won 14-10.

The Buffs will start another new quarterback Saturday, and although redshirt freshman Cody Hawkins is an unknown commodity making his first college start, his coach/father doesn't believe the shock value will duplicate that of last season.

"That's not to say some of those elements aren't there," coach Dan Hawkins said. "But (the two quarterbacks) are not exactly in the same mode."

Jackson offered more of a running presence at quarterback. CU coaches hope Cody Hawkins will bring more balance to the offense.

No act, real drama

Monday was the first day of fall semester classes for CU students, and sophomore Nate Solder won't soon forget it.

The 6-foot-8, 270-pound tight end from Buena Vista witnessed a man grab a student, then slash at the student's throat with what appeared to be a 6- or 7-inch steak knife.

"It looked like a Shakespeare act; it seemed so randomly weird," Solder told the Boulder Daily Camera.

The incident occurred in the University Memorial Center. The student was not seriously injured; the unidentified assailant, said to be in his 50s, was arrested.

Injury report

Preseason camp produced only one major injury to a CU starter.

Freshman receiver Josh Smith is out indefinitely after suffering a bruised kidney in the second scrimmage. Defensive lineman Jason Brace (concussion) missed several practices for precautionary reasons but is expected to be available Saturday.

Tip for Texas A&M

Dan Hawkins' CU debut was nightmarish; the Buffs lost 19-10 to Montana State, a Division I-AA opponent that visits Texas A&M on Saturday.

Hawkins was asked during Monday's Big 12 Conference media call what tips he might offer the Aggies on their opening opponent.

After a long laugh, Hawkins advised Texas A&M not to show up with a new coach, new staff, new system and new starting quarterback.

He said those factors offset the upset being the "shocker" it seemed to most people but added, "There's no way to calculate the kind of hit we took."

THEY SAID IT

"It's interesting. After all the stuff that goes on in practice, (the media) still want to talk to the quarterback. I guess having my dad as head coach hasn't really helped out that too much."

Cody Hawkins, CU quarterback, No. 12 above, on being a media focal point

"All the extracurricular things might be a distraction, but (Cody) is good with that. But he's still a freshman, and there are freshman mistakes to be made."

Dan Hawkins, CU coach, on his son, the starter

Air Force

Offensive unveiling

Air Force senior cornerback Carson Bird can't hardly wait for the opener Saturday against South Carolina State to show off the Falcons' aggressive, 3-4 defensive scheme, which will feature lots of blitzing.

"It's taken me back to the peewee mind frame of just let loose and go play," he said. "You're going to (mess) up and give up plays but just do it 100 mph. It makes it a lot more fun to play. Instead of playing 8 yards off the line of scrimmage, cornerbacks will be playing tighter on receivers.

"When we're 10 to 15 yards off the ball, they run these free routes and the timing was perfect. Now we get in their face and throw their timing off, they don't get the perfect route or perfect release."

Senior free safety Bobby Giannini feels more appreciated.

"Last year, I felt like I didn't contribute much to the defense," he said. "I was just back there doing nothing. This year, I'm real excited about the different coverages we have and things that are going to happen."

Positive vibes

Air Force has had three consecutive losing seasons, which the seniors have focused on.

"All of us are really anxious to start the season on a good note and go out as winners," tailback Kip McCarthy said. "Air Force football has had a great tradition, going to bowl games, being the Commander-in- Chief's Trophy winners, and everyone is ready to put these past three years behind us and make coach (Troy) Calhoun's first season be a success."

Injury report

Senior backup tailback Chad Smith will be out four to six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Freshman Savier Stephens, one of five freshmen on the Falcons' two-deep depth chart, is listed as second team to McCarthy. Senior fullback Ryan Williams still is bothered by his surgically repaired shoulder and won't be ready to play for a few weeks.

Northern Colorado

Numbers game

59.5 points is how much online oddsmaker BetUs.com expects Northern Colorado to lose by Saturday at Hawaii. Most oddsmakers don't set lines for regular-season games involving Division I-AA teams such as UNC. But Keith Glantz, whose Glantz-Culver Line appears in the Rocky Mountain News, says Bears fans shouldn't set their hopes too high for the game. "Unless they call off the troops, Hawaii should be able to score in the 70s," Glantz said. "It's just a practice game for them, like a preseason game in the NFL, but it counts in the standings. If they score 30 points in the first half they might call off the dogs and end up in the 50s, but I can also see them scoring in the 70s to send a message."

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