A week ago, the quarterback on the opposing sideline was a difference maker against the Colorado Buffaloes.
As CU prepares for a new opponent Saturday, it is once again the quarterback who stands out. The Buffs will host Delaware on Saturday (1:30 p.m., Fox) at Folsom Field, with junior Nick Minicucci leading the Blue Hens.
Minicucci didn’t win the starting job out of camp, but when Zach Marker went down with a likely season-ending injury on the second series last week against Delaware State, Minicucci was ready. He completed 28-of-36 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 44 yards and a touchdown in a 35-17 win.
“He played well, man,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “First of all, for a kid to come off the bench and do what he did is phenomenal. Love him. Love the opportunity that he sees. It’s not like he’s a stranger to being out on the field getting reps. This kid is a baller. He just was prepared for his opportunity, so hats off to him.”
Minicucci has been in this position before, because Delaware has had a tough time keeping quarterbacks healthy. The Blue Hens used three quarterbacks last year, including Marker and Minicucci.
Coming into Saturday, Minicucci has 16 career games (six starts) under his belt, throwing for 1,569 yards, 18 touchdowns and an interception. He’s also rushed for 341 yards and four touchdowns.
“They got a dual threat quarterback,” CU linebacker Reggie Hughes said. “He’s mobile, he can move, extend plays.”
CU had a tough time against Georgia Tech’s dual threat, Haynes King, last week. King torched the Buffs for 156 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, as well as 143 passing yards in a 27-20 victory against CU.
Hughes said Delaware’s offense isn’t complicated, but it will take discipline from the Buffs.
“It’s more so getting our cleats in the ground this week and playing fast, dominating,” Hughes said.
Delaware has some other weapons on offense, as well, but the attack starts with Minicucci.
“We’re going to try to make it tough for him,” Sanders said. “He’s going to try to make it tough for us. I love what they’re doing. I really do. … On film, they do some nice things. They got some people that can make things happen offensively, as well as them getting to the ball defensively.”
Getting better
Hughes led the Buffs with 11 tackles last week against Georgia Tech, but said he wasn’t feeling 100% healthy. Hughes dealt with a hyperextended triceps late in August camp and said he was still feeling it a bit last week.
“The first week I was coming off a little minor injury coming out of fall camp,” he said. “I really couldn’t just strike blocks the way I wanted to. So I feel like this week I’ll be able to play way more physical than I was last week. Just playing more confident, playing more confident in our assignment, not overthinking it. Flying to the rock and playing fast defense.”
Eyeing McKinney
Delaware head coach Ryan Carty was asked about which Buffs might be a challenge this week and the only player he singled out was cornerback DJ McKinney.
“The person that you can see flash a little bit more than anybody else, is No. 8, McKinney, their one corner,” Carty said. “Great football player, talented.”
Overall, though, Carty and his players said they’re impressed with CU’s speed, including its “makeup speed” on defense and some explosion on offense.
“Their speed is one thing that really jumps off the screen when you’re watching them,” Delaware defensive lineman Jack Hall said.
Hall added that CU’s offensive line is “big and physical.”
“The defensive line is really looking forward to stepping up to that challenge because we think we’re pretty big and physical, as well,” Hall said. “We’re just really looking forward to it.”
Notable
CU will pay Delaware $750,000 for making the trip to Boulder this week. … As of Thursday afternoon, CU had sold roughly 44,000 tickets for Saturday’s game, with a BuffZone source adding that sales are “going strong” leading up to game day. CU has sold out 11 of 13 home games during Sanders’ tenure, with only one game falling under the 50,000 mark (49,438 for North Dakota State on Aug. 29, 2024).
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