Depth at tight end is tested with loss of soph Poplawski

BOULDER» CU coach Mike MacIntyre announced Tuesday that tight end Jared Poplawski suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder last week in practice and will miss this season. Poplawski had surgery Tuesday.

“His knee is fine, but he tore his shoulder,” MacIntyre said. “It’s a shame.”

Poplawski was injured on the final play of a practice last week, during a field goal, MacIntyre said. Poplawski suffered a torn ACL warming up for the Buffs’ game against Southern Cal last year, but he still played in the game.

A true sophomore from Scottsdale, Ariz., Poplawski was one of only three scholarship tight ends on the roster before walk-on Brady Russell was awarded a scholarship Friday.

Junior Chris Bounds is the Buffs’ top tight end, but Poplawski’s injury highlights the importance of Russell’s emergence and the rapid growth of junior college transfer Darrion Jones.

A redshirt freshman from Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Russell has had a great camp for the Buffs and figures to play a key role on special teams and at tight end.

“It’s very important,” MacIntyre said of Russell’s emergence. “We’d love to have “Pop,: but we’re glad we have Brady and Darrion Jones and Chris Bounds. They’re doing a good job.”

Jones’ development could be the key to the group. A junior who came to CU from Los Angeles Harbor College in January, Jones has exceptional size (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) and skill, but he is still learning the offense. CU asks more of its tight ends than Jones was asked to do at LAHC.

“He’s doing really well,” MacIntyre said of Jones. “He was a little bit behind when he first got here in the spring, but ... what happens a lot of times, the junior college kids or high school kids that come in January, they’re kind of lost. But, he’s made some big catches, he’s blocked well, he’s moving around better. He’s really kept improving.”

Still battling at QB.

Sophomore Sam Noyer and redshirt freshman Tyler Lytle are still fighting for the No. 2 quarterback job behind junior starter Steven Montez.

“They’re all still battling,” MacIntyre said. “Both Tyler and Sam have done a good job. We’ve been pleased with (true freshman Blake Stenstrom), also. That’s all been a good competition, and they’re all doing well.”

The Buffs like the talent in all their quarterbacks, but MacIntyre said the pecking order behind Montez “hasn’t been solidified completely yet.”