Colorado has added some expertise to its backfield.
On Wednesday, former Kentucky operating again Kavosiey Smoke introduced that he’ll switch to CU to play his sixth and remaining season of faculty soccer. The 5-foot-9, 209-pound Smoke rushed for 1,583 yards and 12 touchdowns throughout his time at Kentucky.
With the commencement of Alex Fontenot, Smoke turns into essentially the most skilled operating again on the Buffs’ roster.
A 3-star recruit popping out of Wetumpka (Ala.) Excessive College in 2018, Smoke performed in 46 video games, together with 5 begins at Kentucky. He began the primary 4 video games this previous season, ending the 12 months with 277 yards and a landing on 59 carries.
Smoke’s had the seventh-best yards-per-carry common (5.42) in Kentucky historical past. His finest season got here in 2019 when he rushed for 616 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Deion Smith, who led CU with 393 dashing yards this previous season, is slated to return for his sixth season, as nicely. Smith has 653 yards and 4 touchdowns throughout his profession.
Sophomore Anthony Hankerson (274 yards, team-best three TDs final season), junior Jayle Stacks (114 yards, 1 TD) and freshman Victor Venn, who redshirted, are additionally slated to return for the Buffs.
CU can also be including true freshman Dylan Edwards, a four-star recruit, to the operating again room.
No Week 0 recreation
Colorado received’t be beginning its 2023 soccer season early. This week, CU head coach Deion Sanders sparked rumors of the Buffs seeking to play convention rival Arizona State in a Week 0 matchup in August.
CU received’t be taking part in that week, nevertheless, in keeping with a supply. Brandon Marcello of 247Sports.com first reported that plans for a CU-ASU recreation in Week 0 have been halted after the NCAA’s Soccer Oversight Committee denied a waiver request from the Pac-12 to play a recreation that week.
Sanders was on the set of ESPN’s pregame present earlier than Monday’s nationwide title recreation between TCU and Georgia. CU has been scheduled to open subsequent season on Sept. 2 at TCU, however when requested about that, Sanders mentioned on air, “Which will change.” He later mentioned, “Arizona State might occur.”
Switch pointers
The NCAA Division I Council unanimously voted Wednesday to replace pointers within the waiver course of for undergraduate student-athletes seeking to switch for a second time. Two years in the past, the NCAA voted to permit student-athletes to switch one time as undergraduates with out having to take a seat out a 12 months of competitors. Many student-athletes have transferred a second time, nevertheless, and acquired a waiver to play immediately.
The Council said that athletics causes, corresponding to an absence of taking part in time, shouldn’t permit for a waiver.
Now, to receiver a waiver, a student-athlete will need to have documentation to help they’re transferring due to an damage, sickness or psychological well being situation; or have “exigent circumstances” unrelated to athletics participation – corresponding to sexual assault or abuse – that necessitate a switch.
Round 2,000 soccer gamers from the FBS have put their names into the switch portal this winter, a few of them transferring a second time and in search of a waiver.