The Colorado Buffaloes suffered a major blow against the then-No. 11 Utah Utes in Week 7. That wasn’t just in the loss column of their record, but also in their backfield.
The Buffaloes lost running back Micah Welch to injury during that game, as he finished with just one carry for two yards and no touchdowns. With the updates that have been given on his condition early in the week, things aren’t looking good for him moving forward.
Deion Sanders’ update on Micah Welch
Colorado coach Deion Sanders took to the podium on Tuesday for his weekly press conference, where he was asked about Welch’s status after he missed most of the Utah game with his injury. The update he gave wasn’t a promising one, as he revealed that Welch’s status remains in limbo for the time being.
“He's hurting. He didn't practice today. I have no idea [if it’s long-term],” Sanders said. “He's hurting right now. I think he may have broken it. I don't know if he broke it. Yeah. I know that happened, but I don't know the severity of it.”
Welch appeared to injure his hand on his lone carry against Utah. Depending on its severity and given the fact that Colorado finds itself over halfway done with its season, this could be season-ending for Welch in the worst-case scenario.
Micah Welch’s appearance on the injury report
If Sanders’ comments didn’t worry Buffs fans enough, the initial injury report for their matchup against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Week 8 certainly did. Welch has already been ruled out of that game, and given the lengthy recoveries of offensive weapons like wide receiver Danny Scudero and tight end Zach Atkins, it's hard to help but feel like this is a bad omen.
Until the Utah game, Welch was Colorado’s leading rusher. He has 45 carries for 220 yards and two touchdowns so far this season, and he was Colorado’s go-to hybrid running back. He has proven his ability to make agile cuts in the second level to create space while still being able to run behind his pads in short-yardage situations. This injury comes as a major blow considering how well he appeared to be maturing into that role this season.
Who do the Colorado Buffaloes turn to now?
So with that missing production, the Buffaloes have to figure out a path forward in the backfield. On Saturday, that plan was sophomore Sacramento State Hornets transfer JaQuail Smith. He racked up 13 carries for 73 yards on the ground, in addition to a 68-yard touchdown catch on a screen pass. Smith was a game-changer against one of the top defenses in the country, so he’ll likely be RB1 until further notice.
However, Colorado’s run game thrives on giving defenses a mixture of looks. Seeing as Smith primarily wins with his speed and agility, not possessing much of a power run game, Colorado will need to find someone else who can fit that mold.
The obvious choice is a player who came with Smith to Boulder from Sacramento State during the offseason, Damian Henderson II. He has seen his carries steadily decrease as the season has gone along due to some issues with fumbles. However, as a 6-2, 205-pound bruiser who first displayed his powerful running style to the world in Week 1 against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, he’s poised to move back into an increased role.
While it's unfortunate for Colorado to lose Welch, seeing as he could operate in both skill sets, his injury does open the door for some of the Buffs’ other talented running backs to make an impact.
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