Patience pays for Roddick

B OULDER» The layoff was significant for Casey Roddick.

It basically had been three full years since he last stepped on a football field for an official game, a drought that ended when Roddick was summoned off the bench to reinforce a struggling Colorado offensive line during last week’s 30-23 overtime loss against Air Force.

Three years removed from a competitive setting is more than enough to coat any player with a few layers of rust, and it was no different for Roddick last week when offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic finally called his number against the Falcons.

“Obviously it was a blessing to get out there. It’s my first action since high school,” said Roddick, a redshirt freshman from Ventura, Calif. “It’s been a long process. Overall, we didn’t get the W, so I don’t feel like I did my job correctly. Game speed, totally different.”

The 6-foot-4, 330-pound Roddick was a part of CU’s 2017 recruiting class, but grayshirted and delayed his arrival until the spring semester in 2018.

He suffered a knee injury midway through his first spring drills with the Buffs, a setback that kept him listed as injured for the first four games of the 2018 season.

Roddick eventually dressed for seven games but didn’t play.

Roddick was expected to push for playing time this season, but he played just seven snaps in the season-opening win against Colorado State.

He didn’t play at all against Nebraska, though with starting guard Colby Pursell struggling with an injury that limited him to just 15 plays against Air Force, Roddick finally got his chance.

Roddick logged 60 snaps against the Falcons, though whatever personal satisfaction he gleaned from getting back into the trenches was offset by a struggling Buffs offense that produced season-low marks in points (23) and total yards (325).

AFA also posted two sacks of CU quarterback Steven Montez.

“Watching film, definitely have to work on a lot of things. But preparation is the same,” Roddick said. “You’ve got to prep like you’re a starter. It’s still the same mindset on the field. It’s hard work and dedication on the field. Every single play, it’s like coach Kap tells us — every play is fourthand-one. You’ve got to have that mindset every single play. Preparation is still the same. Whether I’m on the two-deep or starting, it’s still the same.”