MONTEZ’S CHANCE

CU QB Apsay, S White off team

boulder » It appears promising young quarterback StevenMontez will get more spring reps.

University of Colorado football coach MikeMacIntyre announced Tuesday that sophomore quarterbackCade Apsay and junior safety Evan Whitewere dismissed from the squad “for violating team policies.”

MacIntyre did not go into details about Apsay and White, but both had been disciplined before. Apsay was suspended for the first two games of last season, and White was suspended for two games in the middle of the season. In both cases, MacIntyre said the players violated team rules.

Apsay was the Buffs’ secondteam quarterback last season and started the final two games after Sefo Liufau went down with a seasonending foot injury. Apsay would have been CU’smost experienced quarterback this spring.

It is expected that seniors Liufau and DavisWebb will be the top quarterbacks this season, but Liufau will miss the spring with a foot injury and Webb, a transfer from Texas Tech, will not arrive until the summer.

Now the spotlight will shine on redshirt freshman Montez and senior Jordan Gehrke as the Buffs open spring practices Wednesday. Senior Jaleel Awini, who will split time at wide receiver, also will play quarterback this spring.

With Awini viewed as more of an all- purpose threat and Gehrke having spent his CU career as a backup, Montez is the oddson favorite to emerge from spring atop the depth chart.

“The one good thing is it gives Steven Montez, who hasn’t had as many reps as Jordan and Jaleel at the quarterback position, he’ll get a lot more reps this spring,” MacIntyre said. “I think he has a bright future in front of him. He just needs to get more reps.”

CU loves the potential of the 6- foot- 5, 230- pound Montez, who has a strong arm and good mobility.

The departure of White, primarily a backup last season, leavesCUwith just four scholarship safeties this spring, only three of whom have game experience.