Travis Hunter leaves Colorado game with apparent shoulder injury

Travis Hunter, Colorado’s two-way Heisman football candidate, left Saturday’s game against Kansas State with an apparent shoulder injury.

Accordingly Brian Howell from BuffzoneHunter walked off the field twice with shoulder soreness, the second time leaving the stadium and going to the nearby Champions Center Medical Center in Colorado.

Hunter left the game in the second quarter and did not return until halftime, after which Kansas State led 14-7. His return was considered questionable at the start of the third quarter, but he was soon seen on the sideline in uniform.

That was just part of the problem for Colorado, where its top two remaining receivers, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Omarion Miller, left the field with apparent injuries. Horn was also declared questionable after halftime, while Miller left the third quarter after his soccer cleat appeared to get caught in the field during a tackle.

Travis Hunter shoulders an enormous burden

Hunter was part of the Heisman conversation due to his outstanding play on both sides of the ball. On offense entering Saturday, he ranked 10th in the country with 561 receiving yards and was sixth with six receiving touchdowns. On defense, he is a lockdown cornerback with three passes defended and two interceptions this year.

That unique ability makes him one of the hardest players in the country to replace, which is something Colorado may have to do if it wants to come out with a win on Saturday. This injury could also put Hunter’s workload at risk, which saw him play a total of 620 snaps in his first five games this season.

On Saturday, Hunter played 44 of the first 45 offensive and defensive snaps of the game.

Football is a notoriously punishing game and Hunter essentially tries to play two games a week. He missed three games last season after being injured by a dirty hit last season and could now face another issue.