Back near the end of September, Tad Boyle's Buffaloes took a preseason hit when news, broken by the Boulder Daily Camera's Pat Rooney, surfaced that freshman guard/forward Quincy Allen would miss the entirety of the 2021-2022 campaign following hip surgery.

Allen, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound prospect from Washington, D.C., was a former four-star standout at the Maret School, earning Washington, D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year honors his senior season after averaging 22.3 points and 10.3 boards per game.

One of three blue chip recruits, along with center Lawson Lovering and guard K.J. Simpson, to sign with CU's Class of 2021, Allen saw his practice time over the summer limited due to the hip ailment that eventually required surgery.

His absence this upcoming season, combined with the abrupt departure of graduate transfer Mason Faulkner earlier in the summer, who de-committed from Colorado and ultimately joined Louisville, leaves Boyle with 11 healthy scholarship players (four freshmen, five sophomores, two seniors).

As the Buffaloes inch closer to their season-opener Nov. 9 at home vs. Montana State, Allen has been splitting his time between observing practices at the CU Events Center and rehabbing his hip at the UCHealth Champions Center.

With Allen set to take a redshirt this season, Boyle hopes he can make the most of it by being observant and learning what he can, despite being unable to suit up.

"I think that’s the challenge that Quincy has for himself but it’s also a challenge that we have to take on as coaches, to keep him mentally engaged," Boyle said. "Because the physical reps, he can’t get those right now — we know that — for the next eight months."

"But he can get mental reps and that’s what he has to do. That’s a combination of Quincy taking that on as a challenge individually but it’s also up to us as coaches and trainers to keep him engaged.”

For Allen himself, accepting the news that he'd be unable to play this season was expectedly disappointing.

But echoing his head coach's thoughts, Allen does understand that all is not lost and work remains to be done on his part.

“At first, when I learned I wasn’t going to play this year, I was crushed," he said. "But as it went on, I kind of just looked at this year as more of a beneficial year to see the game from a different perspective, watch a bunch of film, get in the weight room with (director of strength & conditioning for Olympic sports) Steve (Englehart) and work on my body and what I can.”

Englehart and head athletic trainer Rawley Klingsmith have both been playing key roles in Allen's rehabilitation.

Klingsmith, who served as a trainer at UNC when Boyle was head coach there prior to taking over in Boulder, is in his sixth season with the University of Colorado sports medicine staff, while Englehart has helped train CU men's hoops since 2016.

Allen's morale has been something Boyle and his staff have made a point to keep a pulse on, and contributing considerably in that regard, in addition to everything physically pertinent to his rehabilitation, have been Englehart and Klingsmith.

"Steve is doing a great job, not just with the physical aspect, but kind of just keeping me busy, always cracking jokes — same thing with Rawley," Allen said. "It is lonely just me being over there (on the sidelines) but Steve and Rawley definitely help."

"When I get down, I try to find other things to keep me going. I can’t hoop but...I just try to find different aspects of life that can keep me motivated because I can’t get on the court right now.”

Even with Englehart and Klingsmith there to keep him even-keeled, Allen admitted that the slow process of returning to full health is frustrating.

That said, Allen has resolved to let things run their course and focus on his rehab one day at a time.

"I try to just stay positive overall and take it step by step," he said. "I just got off of crutches last week, so I see that as an achievement and I’m going to start to gradually get better, (and) eventually (I’m) going to start running and jumping."

"I’m taking it one step at a time and looking at it like, ‘I’m hurt, I can’t really do anything about it. I’ve got to take it slow and heal over time.'”