Tag: Alex Fontenot

Notable quotes from Mike Sanford, players following CU Buffs’ loss to Oregon

Here’s what was said following Colorado’s loss to Oregon:

No amount of planning could’ve fully prepared Colorado for how versatile No. 8 Oregon’s offense was on Saturday.

In recent weeks, it has seemed like the Buffs’ defense was either tasked with limiting a strong rushing attack or a strong group of receivers — Oregon had both. So despite Colorado’s offense totaling a season-high 367 yards, Bo Nix and the Ducks left Folsom Field with a 49-10 win.

After the game, interim head coach Mike Sanford was joined by linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo and running back Alex Fontenot, who made his long-awaited return from injury, in the postgame press conference.

Below are a few snippets of what was said:

Slew of CU Buffs dealing with injuries during Arizona week

The Buffs are a little banged up heading into Arizona

The injury bug is finally starting to hit the Colorado Buffaloes, who at 0-4 obviously don’t need any more problems.

On Monday, head coach Karl Dorrell gave updates on a few key players currently dealing with injuries. First up, running back Alex Fontenot is still down with a chest bruise that he suffered during the Air Force game. He is “probably doubtful” for Saturday’s game against Arizona. Safety Isaiah Lewis and wide receiver Chase Sowell, both of whom got banged up against UCLA, are also unlikely to play in Tucson.

Tight end Brady Russell suffered what looked like a severe ankle injury in the UCLA game, but we received some good news when Dorrell said it was a low-grade sprain. Russell is day-to-day, per Dorrell.

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UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet could be game-time decision vs. CU Buffs

Both Colorado and UCLA are dealing with injuries to their running backs

Defending the run was an issue in nonconference play for the Colorado Buffaloes. In all three of their losses, they allowed over 250 rushing yards, most of them coming in the second half.

Unfortunately, things don’t get any easier with UCLA’s duo of quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet coming to Boulder in Week 4. But according to James H. Williams of the Orange County Register, Charbonnet “could be a game-time decision.”

Williams wrote that Charbonnet, who had 13 carries for 78 yards in UCLA’s victory over South Alabama on Saturday, was a limited participant in the Bruins’ Tuesday practice. Charbonnet had previously been held out of UCLA’s Week 2 game against Alabama State due to an undisclosed injury.

We’ll continue to monitor Charbonnet’s status heading into the Buffs and Bruins’ Pac-12 opener.

Colorado, though, is also expected to be without senior running back Alex Fontenot for the second consecutive game.

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Injury update: Alex Fontenot and Chase Penry out vs. Minnesota

REPORT: Two offensive weapons are out for the Buffs

About half an hour before Colorado’s 1:30 p.m. MT kickoff against Minnesota, it was reported that the Buffs will be without two of their best offensive skill players, running back Alex Fontenot and wide receiver/punt returner Chase Penry.

BuffZone’s Brian Howell and BuffStampede’s Adam Munsterteiger both tweeted the news.

On Wednesday, Karl Dorrell told the media that Fontenot, who rushed for 53 yards against, is dealing with a chest bruise and was questionable. With Fontenot now out, Deion Smith should be the lead back. Charlie Offerdahl and Jayle Stacks are also set to get more carries.

The reason for Penry’s absence is unknown. Nikko Reed is the Buffs’ backup punt returner.

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Buffs’ seniors embracing leadership role in 2022

Leadership is key for any team and the Buffs have plenty of it

The Colorado Buffaloes aren’t expected to win very many games in 2022. They were also picked to finish last in the Pac-12 in the preseason media poll.

As such, it could be a difficult year, especially for the seniors, some of whom have been in Boulder for their entire college careers. However, they are still embracing their roles as team leaders.

Both seniors Alex Fontenot and Isaiah Lewis are enjoying their larger roles on the team, and that is a positive step for these players (h/t Brian Howell of BuffZone).

“They come in, they’re all flustered, they don’t really get how certain stuff works,” Fontenot said. “So I have to pull them to the side and explain to them, ‘No, you do this, this and that.’ They’re understanding and I just gotta keep them on the right track.”

The running back room looks much different than last season, so Alex Fontenot should be used quite frequently with Deion Smith alongside.

Lewis, who is expected to be one of the Buffs’ best players, also spoke about his new role with the team and how close the connections are between the entire roster.

“Tremendous difference (from the past),” Lewis said. “Those freshmen are relying on the seniors to give them that information and so are the coaches, because they’re not with them like we are all day. The seniors taking on that leadership role has been something that’s been working out for us.”

If the Buffs can work together, who knows? Perhaps they shock everybody and win more games than many think they will.

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Alex Fontenot finding ease in learning his fourth college playbook

Alex Fontenot is no stranger to learning a new playbook

I caught up with sixth-year senior running back Alex Fontenot on Thursday following the Buffs’ third practice of fall camp. We talked about his offseason, taking on a bigger leadership role and which new players have impressed him so far.

However, perhaps the most interesting part of our conversation was when I asked him about learning new offensive coordinator Mike Sanford’s system. Fontenot quickly reminded me that this is the fourth new playbook he has been given at Colorado. I’m not sure what the college record is, but that has to be up there.

“This is my fourth playbook, so there’s nothing new to me to learn new concepts and new plays,” Fontenot said. “It’s just a matter of getting it down and once I get it down, I got it.”

The Texas native has worked with (if I’m remembering correctly) five offensive coordinators: Brian Lindgren, Klayton Adams, Darrin Chiaverini, Jay Johnson and now Sanford. Not ideal, although we’ve been hearing good things about this 2022 system.

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Karl Dorrell calls Alex Fontenot and Deion Smith a ‘one-two punch’ at RB

Karl Dorrell called Alex Fontenot and Deion Smith a ‘one-two punch’ at RB

Even with Jarek Broussard now at Michigan State, the Buffs will likely be a run-heavy team in 2022. Sixth-year senior Alex Fontenot is Colorado’s most experienced tailback but Deion Smith, a fifth-year junior, is right there with him, according to Karl Dorrell.

Colorado’s head coach was asked about the running back competition at media day and he confirmed our Tony Cosolo’s belief that Smith is ready to produce. (h/t Adam Munsterteiger of BuffStampede):

“Those are the top two between Alex and Deion,” Dorrell said. “Both of them had great off-seasons. Both of them are over 200 pounds, which is kind of one of those mandates that I wanted them to get a little bit more muscle, girth, depth in terms of those things. They look better physically. They’ve digested the offense. They understand both of them are kind of leaders of being the 1-2 punch for us offensively.”

In 2019 and 2021 combined, Smith rushed for just 260 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came against USC last season. More snaps are now available for Smith, though.

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Alex Fontenot lands on watch list for prestigious award

Alex Fontenot was given some national respect

Alex Fontenot is no longer an under-the-radar running back, at least we hope.

The Colorado Buffaloes senior was named to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top running back. After leading the team in rushing in 2019 and then missing all of 2020 due to a hip injury, Fontenot rushed for 326 yards and five touchdowns behind Jarek Broussard last season.

But with Broussard now at Michigan State and a few other Buffs backs also gone, 2022 presents an opportunity for Fontenot to return to his 2019 prowess.

The only Buff to ever win the award was Rashaan Salaam, unsurprisingly, for his 1994 Heisman season. Phillip Lindsay was also a semifinalist in 2017.

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Ducks Wire lists Alex Fontenot in the Pac-12’s top-10 running backs

The Buffaloes should be just fine at running back with Alex Fontenot leading the charge

Losing Jarek Broussard, Ashaad Clayton and Ramon Jefferson to the transfer portal hurts — there’s no sugar coating that. But the Colorado Buffaloes’ running backs room will be just fine with Alex Fontenot.

Loyalty should be rewarded in college football and while the transfer portal snagged several of his teammates this offseason, Fontenot has stayed put and is set to reap those benefits this fall.

Fontenot is staring down his sixth season at Colorado (including a 2017 redshirt year) and should be the Buffs’ leading back come Week 1. He has already led the team once in rushing back in 2019, but a repeat in 2022 would be an excellent way to cap a rollercoaster career.

Our friend Zachary Neel at Ducks Wire recently ranked the Pac-12’s top-10 running backs and Fontenot made the list at No. 8. Here’s what Neel wrote regarding Fontenot:

While the Colorado Buffaloes were ravaged by the transfer portal this past offseason, they have a handful of really good players coming back in 2022. Fontenot is one of them. He rushed for more than 1,440 yards and 12 touchdowns in four years with the Buffs.

Former Duck turned USC Trojan Travis Dye topped the list for Neel.

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Five takeaways from the CU Buffs’ loss at Arizona State

Five things we learned from Colorado’s Pac-12 opener

Another week, another disappointing result for the Colorado Buffaloes. This time it was a 35-13 loss to Arizona State to open up Pac-12 play. Whether you agree it was a better offensive performance than what we’ve seen in previous weeks, 13 points is more than 0 points. Brendon Lewis still didn’t do much in terms of building a passing attack, but we did see a revival of the rushing game. With two 1,000 yard career rushers in Alex Fontenot and Jarek Broussard, that is likely where the bulk of CU’s offense will continue to come from.

On the defensive side of things, we saw a hard-nosed performance that was shadowed by a lack of discipline in several areas. A couple of roughing the passer penalties hurt the Buffs while Sun Devils QB Jayden Daniels’ arm and legs had several big gains. Below are five things that I took away from Colorado’s third consecutive loss.