Midway through the second quarter of Colorado’s 23-13 loss at Baylor, wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. lay motionless on his team’s 42-yard line.
Just seconds before, the fourth-year senior bobbled a pass while running a short in route across the middle, and Baylor linebacker Travion Barnes made a devastating hit to force an incompletion. The 6-foot, 247-pound Barnes seemed to aim low. But as Moore tried to corral the football and fell to the turf, Barnes didn’t pull up, hitting him in the head and shoulder area.
After a brief moment on the ground, trainers and third-year receiver Joseph Williams helped a wobbly Moore off the field; whenever the WR duo has spoken to the media, Moore’s mentorship of Williams is obvious. Though new in Boulder after three years at Texas, coaches have named Moore as the unit’s leader.
“They came up to me after I came to. They was like, 'Dude, you scared us,’” Moore said on Tuesday of his teammates, and the initial memory of the moment. “I got to see real emotion from some of my teammates who don't necessarily show emotion. Some real tears, some real vulnerable moments.”
Ultimately, Moore didn’t return to the game, and the Buffs went on to lose their second consecutive contest.
Yet Moore said he didn’t want to sit out against Baylor after refusing the cautionary cart after the hit. And by Tuesday, before Moore spoke to the media, head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders said he wanted to practice. Coaches and trainers kept Moore off the field Tuesday, but he will be ready for No. 12 Texas Tech.
“He came up, wanted to practice today,” Sanders said. “I wouldn't let him. We wouldn't let him. But he is ready. He's ready to go.”
Moore’s return will be crucial as CU’s second-leading receiver and the WR room’s leader. The Buffs have been without another top transfer in Danny Scudero, who led the nation in receiving yards at San Jose State last year. Currently, he will likely miss playing the Red Raiders.
“It would make a lot of sense to take this week and take that bye week,” Sanders said. “That's really three weeks until the next game. So we're going to be smart with Danny.”
For the rest of the offense, everything seems to be fine.
Running back Damian Henderson II practiced on Tuesday despite missing Week 4. And while tight end Zach Atkins’ status has been back-and-forth this season, with nothing confirmed for Texas Tech, Sanders ensured CU’s abundance of TEs will lessen any potential blows.
Defensively, the Buffs may have lost linebacker Tyler Martinez for the season. After leaving Saturday’s game, he was on crutches and in a boot. After surgery, he posted on social media from the hospital that the procedure went well Wednesday morning.
“We got to find a way to make sure he demands eligibility for the next season because he may be out this season,” Sanders said. “We don't know that for certain, but he may be. And I love that kid. That kid is all heart... And I'm going to miss him tremendously."
Third-year LB Gage Goldberg will likely step in for Martinez.
Standout edge rusher Lamont Lester Jr., on the other hand, was said to be okay despite an injury scare.
And while the kicking room has dealt with injuries, as Sanders even noted an effort of not “kicking [his] kickers’ legs off” when asked about botched kickoffs, the unit may feature more than just Elliot Arnold this Saturday.
With some time before CU kicks off its Big 12 home opener against No. 12 Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at 5:30 p.m. MT on Saturday (FOX), the injury report may change by game time.
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