Shenault feeling better after huge game vs. Southern Cal

B OULDER» Going into last Friday’s game against Southern California, Colorado receiver Laviska Shenault knew it was coming.

On the second play of the third quarter, Shenault ran a slant route of about 4 yards, caught the pass from Steven Montez and exploded down the field for a 71yard touchdown.

“We were talking about running the slant against them since Day 1 of the week, and we executed it,” Shenault said Tuesday. “It was the perfect play call for the defense they were in.”

While that play — by far Shenault’s longest of the season — came in a 35-31 defeat, it was significant for the Buffaloes’ biggest star. It wasn’t just the product of a great play call. It was a product of an elite athlete feeling good physically.

“I’m starting to feel better,” said Shenault, who has battled injuries, bumps and bruises all season. “That’s definitely one of the big keys.”

CU (3-5, 1-4 Pac-12) will take a four-game losing streak into a matchup at UCLA (3-5, 3-2) on Saturday (7 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), but the Buffs’ top player is possibly hitting his stride at the right time.

Shenault caught nine passes for 172 yards against the Trojans. He was targeted a season-high 16 times in part because he was able to play more snaps. Early in

Week 4 against Arizona State, Shenault suffered a core muscle strain that caused him to miss most of that game and all of the next, against Arizona. He returned for back-to-back road games at Oregon and Washington State, but his snap totals were limited.

Against USC, Shenault looked and felt like himself again and he displayed his usual explosiveness on his long touchdown.

“It definitely felt good because I haven’t done anything like that in forever, so it felt good to finally be able to get out there run around like that,” he said.

After a heavy workload against USC, including a 17yard run out of the wildcat formation, Shenault said he has felt good this week.