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Buffaloes hit hard by latest players' exodus

B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 30, 2007 at midnight

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BOULDER - Two scholarship offensive linemen, a third who was being switched to defense and a walk-on center are among seven players who have left the University of Colorado football team, making the Buffaloes precariously thin up front for a second consecutive spring.

CU coach Dan Hawkins on Monday confirmed the departures of 2006 true freshman Quinton Borders and redshirt freshmen Paul Backowski and Jeremy Hauck, of Niwot. Walk-on center Tom Grubin also has quit.

Other scholarship players leaving include redshirt freshman tight end Steve Fendry (Douglas County) and senior safety Dominique Brooks and redshirt freshman receiver Clayton Cammon, a walk-on from Ralston Valley High School. Senior kicker Isaac Garden and senior receiver Reggie Joseph previously left.

Hawkins said only Borders asked for a release with the intention to transfer. Hawkins believes Backowski might want to play elsewhere, but he was uncertain about Hauck, who was scheduled to move to defense during spring drills.

Their reasons for leaving, said Hawkins, ranged from Backowski "missing home" in Foley, Minn., to "a distance thing" from Lexington, Ky., for Borders to Hauck "maybe not seeing it in the cards" to play.

Hawkins said offseason work with new strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman has been difficult.

"For those who want to succeed, want a better season, they welcome it," he said. "For those who are not into it, it's been harder, I'll put it like that."

On CU's final 2006 depth chart, Hauck backed up starting left tackle Tyler Polumbus, a senior-to-be. Backowski was No. 3 behind graduated starter Jack Tipton and senior-to-be Edwin Harrison, who started nine games.

CU will begin spring drills in mid- March with six scholarship offensive linemen, including returning starters Daniel Sanders, Polumbus and Harrison, and one walk-on. Also included among the six on scholarship is 2006 junior college signee Erick Faatagi, whose knee rehabilitation makes his spring status uncertain.

Even before the recent departures, Hawkins said CU was "going pretty hard" to recruit linemen.

"You don't want to be thin there," he said.

Of 24 high school prospects expected to sign Feb. 7, seven are offensive linemen. The Buffaloes apparently have lost Monetta, S.C., athlete Devonne Quattlebaum to South Carolina State.

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