Nick Fisher excited for starting role with Colorado

At this time last year, Nick Fisher was a backup safety who wasn’t in line to see very much playing time. While he got some snaps as the third safety and in coverage, the season didn’t go as planned. He missed the first two games with a lingering hamstring injury suffered in training camp that inevitably hampered his performance all season.

Heading into his final year in Boulder, the senior is in line to see the most playing time he’s seen throughout his collegiate career. Rather than being someone who only sees the field in coverage downs or in the event of an injury or ejection - as was the case in the team’s huge home win over Washington State in 2016 - Fisher now see’s his name atop the depth chart at free safety.

“It feels great,” he said with a energetic sense of enthusiasm in his voice.

As the case is with other guys on the roster, Fisher also had the benefit of being able to take the entire spring and summer to recover from a injury that takes time to heal and get back to 100 percent.

“I got in the training room a lot this summer - we have a great training staff - having me stretch everyday, coming out here being able to run without fearing that the hamstring is going to come back, because hamstring’s actually stick with you for a while, and I haven’t felt anything throughout the whole camp.

Alongside Evan Worthington, the duo has a chance to become one of Colorado’s best safety tandems in recent years. Worthington split starting time between the Buff Backer and safety positions last year, and was arguably the teams most effective defensive back on a consistent basis. Both have a good body of playing experience - at both safety positions - under their belt.

Anyone who watched CSU’s opening matchup against Hawaii couldn’t help but notice the size, athleticism, and physicality of the Rams receivers. As a defensive back who is preparing to faceoff against these guys, Fisher feels practicing against his own talented wideouts all camp has gotten himself and his teammates ready for the task at hand. He also understands the importance in finishing a play until the whistle is blown.

“It helps a lot - Viska’s big, JuWann’s big, [Kabion Ento’s] big - going against those guys we know that they’ve got a couple of 6’6 receivers, and it’s going to be tough going up for that ball and finishing through the hands. Hopefully we win [more battles] than we lose.”

How Colorado’s defensive backs perform on Friday will be a big test early on for the unit, and likely an indicator on how they’ll fair going forward.