Colorado's Sanders condemns death threats
Deion Sanders stood up for Henry Blackburn on Tuesday after the Colorado State safety received death threats for a late hit that sent Colorado's twoway star Travis Hunter to the hospital with a lacerated liver.
“That's absurd for people to be threatened,” the Colorado coach said at his weekly news conference. “I don't mind getting death threats. I get them every week. But a kid, it's not good . ... He does not deserve a death threat over a game. At the end of the day, this is a game — someone must win, someone must lose. Everybody continues their life the next day. Very unfortunate.”
Blackburn delivered a late blow to Hunter's midsection on an incomplete pass in the first quarter of the Rocky Mountain Showdown last weekend. The Rams' senior drew a flag for unnecessary roughness, one of 17 penalties the Rams committed in the 4335 double-overtime loss to the Buffaloes. Hunter went to the hospital for further evaluation.
Sanders said he has forgiven Blackburn and so has Hunter, who doesn't have a definitive timeline for a return. Sanders said there is no place for the threats directed toward Blackburn and his family.
“Henry Blackburn is a good player who played a phenomenal game,” said Sanders, whose 19thranked Buffaloes (3-0) travel to No. 10 Oregon on Saturday before hosting No. 5 USC next week. “He made a tremendous hit on Travis on the sideline. You could call it dirty, you could call it he was just playing the game of football. But whatever it was, it does not constitute that he should be receiving death threats.”
Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said Monday that Blackburn, who's from Boulder, and his family had their address posted on social media. Norvell also added that police were involved given the nature of the comments.
“I'm saddened if there's any of our fans, that's on the other side of those threats,” Sanders said. “I would hope and pray not, but that kid was just playing (to) the best of his ability. And he made a mistake. ... Let's move on. That kid does not deserve that.”
In his online streaming show, Hunter said of Blackburn's hit: “He did what he was supposed to do. It's football. Something bad is going to happen on the field sooner or later. You've got to get up and fight again.”
Buffs safety Shilo Sanders isn't quite over the hit. Hunter is one of his good friends and they trade off ordering food for each other before games.
“I really wanted to whoop that dude that did that to him, for real, after the game or something,” he said. “If I see him just around here somewhere, he got to watch out. But that really made me mad, just seeing him try to play dirty like that. That was crazy.”
Hunter rarely came off the field for the Buffaloes in wins over TCU and Nebraska. He has an interception and nine tackles on defense. He's also caught 16 passes for 213 yards from quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“I absolutely hate that for Travis. He's a dynamic kid,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “He's got a special personality and obviously is tremendous on the football field. He certainly gave them an edge. I hope he gets healthy soon. I hate to not get to see him play in this game because he's meant for a stage like this, the stage that we're going to have this Saturday.”
CLEMSON LOOKS TO REBOUND » Clemson coach Dabo Swinney isn't worried about his team's early loss or its damaged reputation — only about the opportunity ahead against No. 4 Florida State.
“This is Clemson-Florida State, none of that matters,” Swinney said Tuesday, “what the record is, what you did last year, where you're ranked. You just better show up.”
A successful effort against the Seminoles (30, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) by the Tigers (21, 0-1) on Saturday may restore talk of championships both in the ACC and the College Football Playoff.
“We've got a lot to prove because people don't think we've done anything yet,” safety R.J. Mickens said. “It's going to be a great opportunity for us.”
And one Clemson believes it can take advantage of after its bumpy start.
The defending ACC champions were picked to win the league for an eighth time in nine seasons and began the year ranked No. 9. But a mistake-filled showing in a 28-7 loss at Duke in Week 1 sent Clemson sliding down the rankings — and set off warning bells about the team's viability as a title contender.
“They don't give out trophies after three games,” Swinney said.