The Colorado Buffaloes will be without leading receiver Brenden Rice in their final game of the season against on Utah on Friday. Rice suffered an apparent lower-body injury in the second quarter of CU’s win over Washington and did not return.
In his postgame presser after Washington, Karl Dorrell was hopeful Rice could return vs. Utah. But on Monday, Dorrell said the second-year freshman will not play in the season finale. Rice will end his 2021 campaign with 21 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
With Montana Lemonious-Craig’s season-ending injury and La’Vontae Shenault entering the transfer portal, the Buffs’ are now somewhat thin at wide receiver.
Coming into the season, Colorado’s top receivers were projected to be La’Vontae Shenault, Brenden Rice, Dimitri Stanley, Daniel Arias, Maurice Bell and Montana Lemonious-Craig.
The #cubuffs will finish the season with only two of those guys – Stanley and Arias – available.— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) November 22, 2021
I asked Dorrell if freshmen wide receivers Chris Carpenter and Ty Robinson will play a bigger role in Friday’s finale. He confirmed that and expressed confidence in his other healthy wideouts.
“We still have a very capable group, a very confident group,” Dorrell said. “They know they can make plays and we just got to put them in positions to make plays and execute some good offense, but we feel we have the capabilities to do that.”
Dorrell also added that freshman Nikko Reed will return kickoffs in place of Rice on Friday.