Buffs outside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski joked after practice last week that his room is like a Red Cross right now.
Given the injury bug that's targeted a number of his position players of late, Michalowski's jest rings true.
While thankfully for the Buffaloes, standout junior Carson Wells hasn't missed time this season, with a recent two-sack, three-tackle-for-loss performance against Washington this past Saturday offering ample evidence of his health, others within CU's OLBs room haven't been as fortunate.
Earlier this season, junior Guy Thomas, who had earned a starting spot at outside backer opposite Wells as the Buffs came out of fall camp, was leading the team in sacks.
Thomas' pass rush looked good and he had forced a pair of fumbles but on Oct. 23 at California, he suffered an injury that has sidelined him ever since.
In Thomas' place went redshirt freshman Joshka Gustav, who, despite seeing just 91 snaps in the 2020 condensed COVID-19 season, led the Buffs in quarterback pressures.
Gustav afforded himself well against Oregon and Oregon State, but suffered an injury himself on the road at UCLA on Nov. 13, one that prematurely ended his 2021 campaign.
When he went down, second-year freshman Devin Grant entered the game at the Rose Bowl, playing in 26 snaps on defense and recording five tackles.
A Class of 2020 signee for Colorado from San Antonio, Texas, Grant got on the field last year on special teams but saw his first defensive snaps of his college career against the Bruins.
“I felt pretty good about his performance," Karl Dorrell said. "Did he make a few mistakes early? Yes, where he attacked and got sucked down on some of the exchanges with the quarterback in the back(field), but then he did make some really good plays and settled in."
"I thought it’s going to do a world of greatness for him to get those reps in the game and get a chance to make a few plays."
Seeing reps at UCLA with Grant was junior Jamar Montgomery, who, like Thomas, came to CU via the junior college ranks (Independence Community College in Kansas).
However, as the Buffaloes began their pregame warmups last weekend at Folsom Field before taking on the Huskies, Montgomery was absent.
He was late revealed to have suffered an injury and partially as a result, Grant wound up making his first-ever collegiate start that day, a game that Colorado won, 20-17.
"I know it’s cliche, but it’s the next man up mentality," Michalowski said. "Devin certainly is ready for the opportunity. You haven’t really seen him up to this point because of the success of guys like Carson and Guy and Joshka, who were playing extremely well."
"It was unfortunate that (Gustav) went down, but Devin’s been patiently staying the course."
Following his appearance at UCLA, and as it became apparent that Gustav's 2021 season was done while Montgomery would be unavailable vs. the Huskies, Grant saw his first-team reps increase to prepare him for his start.
"I felt ready," Grant said. "Coach 'B-Mike' really emphasized me being ready. He did a really good job of putting me with the ones in practice, just being able to get those reps for when I could get in the game. Once I got in, I felt like I played confident.”
Dorrell stated earlier this week that Thomas and Montgomery have "a chance" to return to action for CU in Friday's season finale at Utah.
What Grant's role will be against the Utes remains to be seen, but at the very minimum, a prospective future key contributor for Colorado has been getting game experience as an underclassman.
"Devin’s been patiently staying the course," Michalowski said. "We talk every day within my group about, 'What’s one thing that we’re getting better at in practice?' When you have that mentality as you go through a season and not knowing when an opportunity is going to come, and when the opportunity does come, you’ve gotten that 1% better."
"There’s still things he needs to clean up, but there’s no substitute for experience. The more he gets experienced in games, the more confident he’ll feel."
