This was supposed to be a satisfying send-off season for Colorado running back Alex Fontenot, but instead he's spent two months sidelined by injury, helpless to make an impact as the Buffaloes' season fell apart.
Former head coach Karl Dorrell had encouraged him to use his sixth and final year of eligibility (made possible by the shortened 2020 pandemic season), and with Jarek Broussard transferring to Michigan State there looked to be a big role in the plans for Fontenot.
But during the game against Air Force on Sept. 10, Fontenot’s chest didn’t feel quite right after falling hard on the football in the second quarter. He continued playing into the fourth quarter, but after the game, the medical staff concluded that he was a bit more “banged up” than Dorrell described, causing him to miss the majority of his final season.
Fontenot spent the last month and a half healing and reconditioning his body as the season grew more tumultuous. Anthony Hankerson, Charlie Offerdahl, Jayle Stacks and Deion Smith all had their moments at running back while Fontenot was absent, but the position group (and Colorado’s offense as a whole) took weeks to find its rhythm.
Along the way, Hankerson went down briefly during the Oregon State game and Smith needed a two-week rehabilitation period after being carted off during the Cal game.
Finally, on Saturday against Oregon, the unit was full healthy -- including Fontenot's return.
“We’re really close in that room,” Fontenot said after the 49-10 loss to Oregon. “We just feed off of each other so even though one of us may go down, we know that the dude behind us can do, maybe even better.”
Interim head coach Mike Sanford was “pleased” with the returns of Hankerson and Fontenot, but a healthy return for the entirety of the group didn’t last long after an Ducks’ defender collided with Smith in the first quarter.
“Deion [Smith] was a little dinged up,” Sanford said after the game. On Sunday, Sanford reported that taking him out was precautionary and that he would be back in practice this week. (Also, safety Trevor Woods will practice this week after experience his own 'ding').
The Ducks’ formidable run defense put pressure on Fontenot, but in his first game back since Sept. 10, he still played as the quick, veteran back that he is. His best play was a 27-yard run to put the Buffs in scoring position. Per usual, an offensive personal foul brought the Buffs’ back 15 yards after that nice gain. He finished Saturday averaging 5.9 yards per carry -- 7 attempts for 41 yards -- while catching all three of his targets for 31 yards.
“I feel the same; I feel like I’m still explosive, still have that weight, Fontenot said. “But I feel like today, it was easier moving people, which was a plus. It made my confidence go up.”
After an extensive recovery, Fontenot was able to make the most out of his first game back.
“Really just rehab every day,” Fontenot said of the recovery process. “Just getting back at it, and just trying to get my body back to 100% so I could be back on the field 100%. But yeah, it was tough that whole time. I’m just glad that I could go out there and do my thing.”
Fontenot only has three games left in his college football career. Another win may not be in the cards for Fontenot and the Buffs with a tough closing schedule, but at least he will play under Folsom’s lights one last time and conclude his journey in the stadium, and with the team, that shaped his last six years.
