Joel Klatt Raises Alarming Concern Over Travis Hunter Ahead of Colorado-Nebraska

As Colorado prepares to face off against Nebraska in one of college football’s most storied rivalries, former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback and unapologetic Buffs supporter Joel Klatt provided his take on the upcoming game during his weekly podcast, The Joel Klatt Show .

For those unfamiliar, the Colorado-Nebraska matchup dates back to 1898 and is steeped in history and bad blood, especially from the Buffaloes' perspective. While Nebraska leads the all-time series 49-21-2, Colorado has won the last three meetings, and Coach Deion Sanders aims to make it four straight on Saturday.

In his preview, Klatt praised the Buffaloes' two standout stars, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, calling them two of the best athletes who will take the field this weekend. Confident in their abilities, Klatt went as far as to pick Colorado to beat Nebraska outright in Lincoln. However, he also raised significant concerns regarding Hunter's usage and the sustainability of his current workload.

Looking back at Week 1, Klatt referenced Colorado’s narrow victory over North Dakota State, a game in which Hunter played an astonishing 136 snaps, including both offense and defense, plus special teams. Hunter caught seven passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns, showing off his rare versatility. However, Klatt argued that such heavy usage could lead to burnout or injury, pointing out that no other player in college football plays like Hunter, who is often referred to as a "unicorn" due to his unique skill set.

“Travis Hunter playing both ways. I know we all love to see it. We love to see it, and I’m not suggesting that they don’t play him both ways, but the plan for Travis Hunter has to change. It has to change,” Klatt emphasized. He went on to detail Hunter’s snaps, noting that while playing 136 out of 180 snaps in a game might be acceptable, playing 136 out of 140 is unsustainable and suggests wasted effort.

Klatt’s concern isn't without precedent. During his time at Jackson State, Hunter battled a nagging ankle injury that sidelined him for several games. More recently, last year, he missed time after suffering a lacerated liver from a hard hit playing against Colorado State.

Klatt didn’t go so far as to suggest that Coach Prime should limit Hunter to just one side of the ball. However, he did call for a reduction in his snaps to ensure Hunter's longevity throughout the season.

“I make the contention that you need to take 10-15% of Travis Hunter’s snaps away from him,” Klatt suggested. “Right now, when you redline like that the entire year, he will break down. And if he breaks down after what I saw on Thursday night, they don’t have anything else. So, it’s incumbent on the coaching staff to build a game plan that allows him to be sustainable.”

As the Buffaloes gear up for Saturday’s game against the Cornhuskers, it's clear that this matchup could be pivotal for Sanders and his team, especially after a lackluster 4-8 season and a shaky start against an FCS opponent. Hunter is expected to be heavily involved once again, but as Klatt warns, the key will be whether he can stay healthy with such a demanding workload. If not, Colorado could find themselves struggling against a formidable FBS opponent like Nebraska.