FORT COLLINS — This week’s personal. Not because of Travis Hunter. Or Boulder. Or CU. Because Henry Blackburn’s had it, frankly, with the blasted trophy case at Canvas Stadium.
The one he’s walked by a million times now. The one that won’t stop staring back with emptiness. The one that mocks him, silently, reminding him what should’ve been. And wasn’t.
“I’ve only won one trophy here, so that definitely (hacks) me off,” Blackburn, the CSU Rams’ senior safety, told me earlier this year. “And it’s something that we all are aware of and definitely working to make sure that doesn’t happen in my last season. We’re all aware of our rivalry games and we’ve got two at home … so yeah, those are definitely huge games for us that we need to win.”
Once the bruises and pride start talking, they never stop. Rocky Mountain Showdown Week opens up all kinds of old wounds. Shedeur Sanders turning into Tom Brady. The Rams letting one slip away late, a recurring theme for 2023 that nobody wanted.
“Henry wants to see us win. He wants to see us do the things we need to do to win,” added third-year CSU coach Jay Norvell, who’s seeking his first rivalry win on Saturday night when the two 1-1 rivals lock horns at Canvas Stadium for the first time.
“And I think that’s probably been the biggest difference in our leaders is that they’ve been super-focused on making everybody else accountable … going to class, making sure you’re on time for workouts, finishing workouts, all the things that we ask our kids to do in our program. Our leaders have been super detailed in making them accountable. And so I just think Henry’s been dialed in with that.
“He’s one of those guys that just loves to play, whether it’s practice or a game. And he reminds me a lot of myself, to be honest, when I was in college.”
Despite some dings this past spring, Blackburn’s playing faster than ever. Counters in the chess game on the field come quicker. So does the first step.
The Boulder native says he power-cleaned 300 pounds earlier this year. He maxed out at 275-ish in spring 2023. The 225-pound bench press reps, another NFL combine test, went up to 17 this past spring after hovering in the 12 range the year before.
“Just everything, my whole game and every facet, (is) improved physically,” Blackburn said. “And then obviously, the mental side has been something I’ve been really working to improve as well.”
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This week’s special. Just not in the ways you’d think. Blackburn’s turned enough pages from last year’s Rocky Mountain Showdown to make George R.R. Martin blush.
“I mean, he’s a good dude and I wish him the best in his career,” Blackburn said of Hunter, the Buffs two-way star who left last September’s Showdown at Folsom Field after taking a blow from the CSU safety near the home sideline. “I don’t have any (ill will). We’re good.
“And obviously, we’re going to have to …read more
Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
