Tag: Chidozie Nwankwo

Coach Prime offers injury updates on Dallan Hayden, Chidozie Nwankwo

Two big names are expected to return from injury this weekend

Colorado football running back Dallan Hayden and defensive lineman Chidozie Nwankwo are expected to play on Saturday against the 3-0 UCF Knights.

During CU head coach Deion Sanders’ weekly press conference, he offered injury updates on the two players, starting with Nwankwo. The senior Houston transfer injured his forearm against Nebraska in Week 2.

“I think we should get Chidozie back this week as well,” Coach Prime said Tuesday. “That’s a tremendous plus because of his attitude, his leadership and the way he works. Tremendous plus.”

Hayden, a sophomore who began his college career at Ohio State, suffered a high ankle sprain in that same loss to the Cornhuskers.

“Hayden is gonna play (at UCF),” Sanders said. “He worked his butt of today, looked great, looked like he hadn’t missed a beat.”

Hayden was missed after gaining 14 total carries in the first two weeks, but true freshman Micah Welch has stepped up alongside sophomore Arkansas transfer Isaiah Augustave. The amount of talent in Colorado’s RB room creates somewhat of a mystery for Hayden’s return regarding snap distribution.

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Chidozie Nwankwo to remain sidelined against Baylor due to injury

Chidozie Nwankwo will miss his second straight game

As expected, defensive tackle Chidozie Nwankwo will miss Colorado football’s Saturday evening homecoming game against Baylor due to injury, according to multiple reports.

Nwankwo was not dressed during pregame warmups despite being labeled as questionable by head coach Deion Sanders earlier in the week. The 5-foot-11, 290-pound Houston transfer played in Colorado’s first two games, recording three total tackles.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Anquin Barnes is expected to start in Nwankwo’s place for the second straight week. In Colorado’s 28-9 win over Colorado State last Saturday, Barnes totaled two tackles.

Other Buffs slated to miss the Buffs’ Big 12 Conference opener due to injury include safety Shilo Sanders, running back Dallan Hayden and defensive tackle Taurean Carter II. Cornerback Isaiah Hardge’s status hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Colorado and Baylor are set to kick off at 6 p.m. MT on Fox.

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Last-minute injury updates for Colorado defenders Chidozie Nwankwo, LaVonta Bentley

Here’s the latest on injured Colorado defenders Chidozie Nwankwo and LaVonta Bentley:

About six hours before the 93rd Rocky Mountain Showdown kicks off in Fort Collins, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports gave encouraging injury updates on Colorado football defenders Chidozie Nwankwo and LaVonta Bentley.

As expected, Bentley is set to play against Colorado State on Saturday evening despite dealing with a foot injury, according to Zenitz. The graduate student started at inside linebacker in both of Colorado’s first two games, recording 10 total tackles and one sack.

Nwankwo, a defensive tackle transfer from Houston, suffered a shoulder injury during last week’s loss at Nebraska and is expected to be a game-time decision against the Rams. If Nwankwo remains out, Taurean Carter II and Amari McNeill are likely candidates to start in his place.

The Buffs will also be without starting safety Shilo Sanders (forearm) and running back Dallan Hayden (undisclosed).

Kickoff between the Buffs and Rams is set for 5:30 p.m. MT on CBS.

https://twitter.com/mzenitz/status/1835002422596714727

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Chidozie Nwankwo aiming to plug up the run in first season at Colorado

Chidozie Nwankwo wants to help Colorado’s run defense take a step forward

The Colorado Buffaloes’ defense was below average when it came to stopping the run last year. But with players like Houston transfer Chidozie Nwankwo now on the roster, 2024 should be a much better season on the defensive side of the ball.

Nwankwo comes to CU with an impressive resume. With the Cougars, he played in 40 games with over 30 starts, recording 94 total tackles, 12 TFLs and four sacks.

As with any player new to Colorado, we can look at his film and see what role he could potentially fill on the team. I decided to take a more straightforward route, though, and asked Nwankwo directly what he’d like to bring to the Buffs’ defense.

“Being able to stop the run,” Nwankwo told Buffaloes Wire during CU’s fall sports media day. “Everyday, (I’m focusing on) getting better at my pass rush, my ability to get after the quarterback. I keep working on that, sky’s the limit.”

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Houston transfer Chidozie Nwankwo opens up on decision to join Coach Prime’s Buffs

Former Houston defensive tackle Chidozie Nwankwo talked about why he transferred to Colorado

Colorado has been active in the transfer portal this offseason, and one of the more underrated additions is Chidozie Nwankwo, a former Houston defensive tackle who recently committed to the Buffs.

Nwankwo is ready to step in and help CU’s defense, a unit that also picked up Florida State transfer linebacker DJ Lundy on Monday.

Nwankwo admitted that Colorado’s inclusive atmosphere is a big reason why he’s on board with what head coach Deion Sanders is building (h/t Brian Howell of BuffZone).

“They treat me like family, man; like my own,” Nwankwo told BuffZone. “What more can you ask for, you know? That’s my main reason why I want to play for Colorado. And, then the connections outside of that, the connections that I can gain. That’s really what I’m most excited about. And, playing with the players on the team that has the same aspirations as me.”

On top of that, the opportunity to play and be coached by NFL legend Warren Sapp, who appears likely to officially join Colorado’s coaching staff soon, was another major selling point.

“It played a big role,” Nwankwo told BuffZone regarding Sapp. “Once I had seen on social media and stuff like that, that he might be a coach… I was more than excited, man. I was hyped about it.”

The Buffs are continuously hitting the portal and adding talent to their roster, and Nwankwo should play a big role on defense next season.

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Colorado beefs up D-line with commitment from Houston transfer Chidozie Nwankwo

Multi-year starting nose guard Chidozie Nwankwo gave his commitment to Colorado

Colorado’s quick rebuild of its offensive and defensive lines continued on Monday as head coach Deion Sanders landed a commitment from Houston transfer Chidozie Nwankwo.

Nwankwo, who chose the Buffs over Missouri, was a multi-year starting nose guard for the Cougars. This past season, the 5-foot-11, 295-pound Texas product totaled 25 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and a blocked kick.

A three-star prospect coming out of high school, Nwankwo started in six games as a true freshman in 2020 and remained a mainstay on Houston’s D-line the following three seasons.

Coach Prime’s Buffs still own 15 incoming transfers after losing former Indiana offensive lineman Matthew Bedford to Oregon on Monday.

Here’s how social media reacted to Nwankwo’s commitment:

2023 NFL Draft: 15 players to watch during the Houston vs. UTSA matchup

Fifteen 2023 NFL Draft prospects for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch during the Houston vs. UTSA matchup

The 2022-23 college football season is upon, and with the NFL season a little under a week away, the intertwining of draft talk and prospect watching will now commence.

Philadelphia has a ton of NFL draft assets for 2023 and 2024.

With Howie Roseman looking to inject even more youth into a talented roster, this college football season will provide the best overall group of talent to enter the league in years.

There are plenty of opening weekend matchups to watch, and one intriguing showcase will pit the Houston Cougars against the UTSA Roadrunners at the Alamodome.

Houston is looking towards a potential berth in the College Football Playoffs, and they’ll look to avoid a potential stumbling block in this road date against the reigning Conference USA champion Roadrunners.

Head coach Jeff Traylor has a winning formula with UTSA, and the contest could be a shootout, with two talented quarterbacks under center for both teams.

The Cougars went 12-2 last year and are ranked inside the Top 25 to open the season for the first time since 2016.

UTSA is also coming off a successful season, going undefeated in its first 11 games and finishing with a 12-2 overall record.

With the kickoff scheduled for Saturday afternoon, here are 15 prospects to watch on both teams.