• The NCAA Board of Directors met Thursday and “declined to reconsider a ban on most forms of text-messaging” between coaches and recruits. The ban, which went into effect Aug. 1, means coaches can’t text prospects, a practice that had become widespread in the recruiting game. CU coach Dan Hawkins had hoped the text-messaging ban would be lifted, as Hawkins had used his Trio to communicate with prospects via text messages extensively since coming to Colorado.
Thursday, Hawkins said, “If the boss says, ‘No,’ it means no.”
The issue may not be dead, though. Hawkins predicted that NCAA coaches would come up with some reasonable proposals at a future date and present them to the NCAA board.
• Quarterback Nick Nelson took a shot when he scrambled with the ball during one play Thursday afternoon. The hit wasn’t serious, but it brought up a point about how the team handles quarterbacks in fall camp. The quarterbacks don’t wear yellow (caution) jerseys in practice, but it’s still a no-no for defenders to tee off on them — unless they run in the open field.
“If they’re gonna run the football, that’s part of it,” Hawkins said.
Still, hitting the quarterbacks during scrimmages will by and large be off limits.
• OL Erick Faatagi, WR Alvin Barnett and C Keenan Stevens have yet to practice with the team. Official word is they are carrying a larger class load this summer (classes end Friday) and have spent the first four days of practice studying. QB Bernard Jackson has missed three practices under the same circumstances.
Asked after Thursday’s late practice if any of those players were in danger of being academically ineligible, Hawkins responded, “There’s always danger. There’s danger with even guys who are out here practicing. That’s the issue that you face a little bit when you have summer school the first week of practice. It just so happens those guys are taking more classes than anybody else. That’s why we’re putting more emphasis on those guys going to school right now.”
The players may be able to practice Friday, when the team is scheduled to go from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
• Terrence Wheatley looks to be having a good camp. Hawkins said whoever ends up playing cornerback opposite the senior “better be ready to go because he’s probably going to get some action.”
Wheatley will cover the opponent’s best receiver in most situations.
• Coaches have been wincing when some players were getting Sipili’d recently, so they told sophomore linebacker Michael Sipili to let up a little. In a drill earlier in the week, before players were in pads, Sipili hit running back Byron Ellis so hard, Hawkins was sure he had broken Ellis’ collarbone. Fortunately, Ellis was OK. When players are in full pads, Sipili will have the green light again.