Home › Football
CU receiver tries to catch up
Sophomore needs to regain his academic eligibility
The Colorado football team hoped to go into the 2008 season with a deep and talented pool of players at wide receiver for the first time in five years, but that group might take a hit before training camp starts.
More Football 
Share and Enjoy Sophomore Kendrick Celestine said Friday he finished the spring semester academically ineligible and is fighting this summer to regain the right to play.
Celestine said he needs to get a B in the summer course he is taking in order to be eligible this fall. He said he was encouraged by a midterm test he recently took, earning a B.
"To tell the truth, I don't know if I can be excited about this year because I don't know if I'll get to play yet," Celestine said. "I'm just focusing on school right now and trying to get eligible."
Celestine was held out of some of spring practices to focus on his studies. He said he had trouble focusing on school during the spring semester and admitted there was talk among a handful of players on the team about possibly transferring. But he said he never seriously considered leaving CU and is committed to remaining in Boulder.
"That's just been a big rumor," the speedy wideout from Mamou, La., said. "I'm not going to leave the program no time soon. Not at all."
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said this week no players have asked for releases from their scholarships since former lineman/fullback Kai Maiava left the program at the end of the spring semester. Maiava transferred to UCLA.
Celestine said making the mental adjustment from high school to college was a challenge last season because of complicated play calls players were required to memorize. At times, his lack of productivity was frustrating.
Celestine played in 11 games as a true freshman but caught only 11 passes for 151yards. He also ran six times for 27 yards. He is still looking for his first touchdown.
"I think I have to, like, understand the concepts and understand, like, really what's going on," Celestine said. "I do believe I have a better understanding of what's going on already.
"Basically, last year I couldn't get on the playing field because I didn't understand the concepts, and it was like kind of hard for me to memorize the plays and things like that. That's basically what I'm working on, memorizing the plays and getting a good grip on the offense."
Celestine said the hurry-up offense coaches installed during spring practices has helped him with the problem because wide receivers are now required to memorize hand signals instead of having to listen to lengthy play calls in the huddle.
"I'm only paying attention to like two or three hand signals and I can like blank out the rest of it because it doesn't apply to me," he said.
While he has buckled down in the classroom this summer, it hasn't prevented him from near 100-percent attendance rate at seven-on-seven sessions and team workouts. He missed his first day all summer on Thursday because he was visiting the doctor to undergo heart tests.
Celestine first discovered he has a heart murmur when he was 12 years old playing basketball. He said there are times when he is running where he feels his heart skip a beat then speed up before slowing back down once again.
He said the condition doesn't scare him anymore because he has been dealing with it for years and never has had a negative report from doctors, who perform ultra sound and EKG tests to make sure all the valves in his heart are functioning properly.
Celestine said it had been several years since he noticed the murmur, but he felt it during a recent workout and decided to have it checked as a precaution.
"I just listen to the trainer," he said. "Whenever I feel it, I tell him and I'll go get it checked up again."
Posted by Saheeb on June 21, 2008 at 12:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"...and admitted there was talk among a handful of players on the team about possibly transferring." Shoot, that's alarming! Why? I bet some of the players don't like how Hawkins brings players in and out of games more often than most coaches based on their skill set for a given play. I bet some don't like it because it's harder to get in the flow of a game that way. That and the complicated schemes have probably frustrated some of them. Coupled with the fact our receivers didn't have the chance to score or catch a bunch and I would speculate that's the crux. But, more scoring and winning next year and the following will solve the problem, if it ever really was seriously brewing. Something for the coaching staff to stay attuned to, though, I would hope.
Posted by SnowBuff on June 21, 2008 at 1:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The guys coming in and out of every play was not just due to their "skill set". It was also due to the fact that a vast majority of the players (especially the Wide receivers) with athletic ability were young, while the older guys didn't have the ability Hawkins wanted. Add in the fact that the offense was basically still brand new, and you have a lot of players who really couldn't handle more than a few formations/plays.
It seems like the new offense is simpler, especially for the wide receivers who only have to understand hand signals now. Add that to the fact of a maturing WR corps (sort of funny to think about a wide receiver corps that is mostly sophomores or below as "mature" - But it IS compared to last year), and I think we should (hopefully) see less damn substitution with every package.
A hurry up offense means less subsitition anyways, so I think that problem is DONE! Thank god, it was annoying.
Posted by flabuff on June 21, 2008 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the talk a transfering might have more to do with academics than with playing time and subsitions. All spring players were missing practice to study or work. There are other colleges where academics are less of an issue. One of the reasons CU can never get a JC player on the field.
Posted by archalon on June 21, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Academics first - get it straightened out. If not, someone else will step up. No reason to be ineligible. Its a privilege to play, a requirement to attend class
good luck Kendrick
Posted by NorCalLovesDaBuffs on June 21, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It really seems to me like Hawkins and the staff are not on top of situations like this. I have been in the athlete only study hall in Dal Ward and it is a great building with great tutors. The coaching staff needs to make sure the players are stydying there butts off. Its a waste of time to recruit a player, (try to) teach him the system and then lose him to grades.
Hawk is def one of the those "lead a horse to water".... type of guys, but things like this make our program look foolish.
Posted by bufffan8 on June 21, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hawk help him out of spring practice to focus on academics. What more can do?
Posted by JohnCronin on June 21, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you people are insane. I mean if you can't pass the minimum at CU then, like, you should not be on an NCAA football field. It's not Duke people..
Otherwise, you should be happy that any players who do not want to be at CU transfer and get away. Let them discuss leaving, I welcome it. Every human should have freedom. Go ahead and go if you want. I mean you dont want to play for Dan Hawkins? Give me a break. Its time to go now, time to have that Boise State Offense, and start gunning for the national championship. I have seen the light people, it CAN happen. Anyone that wants out, or is too dumb to pass at CU, let em off.
Posted by IABUFF on June 21, 2008 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not everyone can be a college student! Prove you can be one Celestine. It's not all about football. Get your "B" and get on the field.
Posted by Mousterian on June 22, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OK folks, give the kid a break he only needs a B in one class. I don't think some of you have your priorities staraight.
All Coach Hawk can do is give the kid time to study, which he has done and encourage him which I'm sure he's done.
I'm sure this kid will be fine.
Posted by mifrfi on June 22, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If getting the "B" was in doubt he probably wouldn't be participating in seven on seven drills. What percentage of students flunk out or end up on academic probation after their freshmen year? I think its a relatively large percentage, and that without the rigors of D1 football. We're pulling for you Kendrick!
Go Buffs!!
Posted by mifrfi on June 22, 2008 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We need all the speed we can get/keep
Posted by rodrigo on June 22, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A bit off topic, but still in the neighborhood: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/...
Posted by DCBuff on June 23, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for the article rodrigo...hopefully Josh Smith does have a break through year this year.
Posted by buffalo_flyer on June 23, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Duke? give me a break, CU standards are easily as high and in most cases extrmely difficult for football players to pass due to entrenched faculty bias against football. Duke b-ball players don't even attend class.
This isn't K-State or OU. At CU you have to earn it and this story proves nothing has changed
Posted by BuffNut99 on June 23, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Celestine needs to crank up his zest for the ball as well, just as in his studies. The guy dropped a HUGE pass at Arizona St. that would have made the game 21-0 Buffs at the time. I was underwhelmed by his on the field performance, given his potential.
(Requires free registration.)
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.