University of Colorado Football: Countdown to Fall Camp

July 10th 

“Best summer/off-season ever” – for the 30th consecutive year …

Wednesday, August 4, marks the official start of the 2010 University of Colorado Fall Football camp, but the off-season conditioning has been going on since December.

Morning conditioning and twice-a-week 7-on-7 work is continuing and will go on until the end of July. The Buff players will then get four days of rest before reporting for duty.

So, has the 2010 off-season been the “best ever”…again?

Senior linebacker B.J. Beatty on the subject: “It’s been good, the best I think since I’ve been here as far as attendance, effort, everything,” said Beatty. “I think I’ve learned a lot about my weaknesses, where I can improve as a player and a leader—mainly in effort and technique.”  Last season, Beatty played in ten games, recording 30 tackles, but is expected to be a starter this fall.

Senior quarterback Cody Hawkins, who has seen starts in all three of his previous years, agrees with Beatty about how the summer has gone. “It’s a lot more structured…we’ve got some things scripted that have helped us in individual group work,” said Hawkins. “Functionally, I think it’s gone a lot better. It’s been good, solid mental work.”

Most freshmen already in Boulder

Chip Marks, Colorado director of football administration, has indicated that all but four of Colorado’s incoming scholarship freshman are in Boulder. The missing four are linebacker Lowell Williams, Jr., from Missouri City, Texas; tight end Harold Mobley, from Corona, California; running back Justin Torres, from LaMirada, California; and wide receiver Donnie Duncan, from Cerritos, California.

Of the four, only one for certain will not be in camp come August. Duncan will have to grey-shirt this fall as he is academically ineligible. “My ACT score is actually pretty good, I scored a 23,″ said Duncan. “It was an issue with my grades. I graduated with a 2.0 (GPA), and I needed a 2.2 to qualify.” This fall, Duncan plans to take three classes at a local community college and try to re-qualify for the spring semester. “I have to get all B's, but I plan on getting all A’s,” said Duncan. “I can turn this into a positive situation. There is nothing I can do about it now.”

Other colleges will be allowed to recruit Duncan this fall, but the 2009 Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year says he is not interested. “I still want to be a Buff,” said Duncan.

[Note: there is a report on BuffStampede.com that tight end Harold Mobley has reported and that Lowell Thomas and Justin Torres are expected to be on campus before the start of fall camp.]

Labato gone

Seth Labato, a redshirt freshman walk-on, has left the program. Labato, a quarterback from Eaton, Colorado, had requested a tryout at safety after spring drills.

Labato becomes the fifth quarterback to leave the position in the past two years. Scholarship recruit Matt Ballenger and walk-on Jerry Slota transferred while two 2009 quarterback recruits are working at different positions—Clark Evans is currently listed as a tight end while Josh Moten can be found as a defensive back on the roster.

The move by Labato leaves the Buffs with three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster: senior Cody Hawkins, junior Tyler Hansen, and true freshman Nick Hirschman.