Jon Embree has made it crystal clear that, in his first year as Colorado’s head coach, every starting job up and down the depth chart is up for grabs. Included in that edict is the quarterback position, where Tyler Hansen has held down the starting job since the middle of the 2009 season.
Hansen, who suffered a season-ending ruptured spleen in late October of 2010, is “competing” with junior transfer Brent Burnette and redshirt freshman Nick Hirschman for the starting job, a process that began last week with the start of spring practice.
Five days into the open competition, the Boulder Daily Camera writes, “Hansen is going to make it tough on his Colorado teammates to take his job as the starting quarterback.” While far removed from an official decision on a starter, the new coaching staff appears to be more than mildly impressed with the incumbent.
“I think Tyler, he has game experience, game maturity. I’ve been really pleased with him,” quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer said. “Some of the things I saw on tape that were bad habits that I thought he needed to correct right away, he has taken to heart and improved on right off the bat. I like his leadership. I like his huddle demeanor. And he’s done a good job playing within the pocket.”
A decision on a winner of the QB battle is not expected by the end of the 15 spring practice sessions, and likely won’t be made until mid-August give or take a few days on either side.
Still, regardless of when the decision is made, it would more than a mild upset if Hansen weren’t the one under center when the Buffaloes open the 2011 season at Hawaii Sept. 3.