Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 23

Denver Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw finding footing ahead of Monday Night Football

Denver Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw (16) punts during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Where Jeremy Crawshaw comes from, “Monday Night Football” is Tuesday morning football.

While guys like Nik Bonitto said playing on Monday night means more, the Broncos’ rookie punter doesn’t see it that way. Crawshaw figures that might give him a leg up when the Broncos host the Bengals at 6:15 p.m. Monday in Denver – or 10:15 a.m. Tuesday in his native New South Wales, Australia.

“Maybe I’m still coming to terms with it,” Crawshaw told the Denver Gazette of the cultural importance of Monday Night Football after Thursday’s practice at Broncos Park. “I just still think it’s another game. Whether we play Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, I don’t care. It’s all the same to me. Monday night seems like a big thing to everyone here, so it’s good for them.”

If nothing else, it’s a good chance for his family back home in Emu Plains to see a familiar face. The pre-draft process prevented the 24-year-old from going home in the offseason, so it’s been him, his wife and their one-year-old “mutt” named Moose calling Denver home.

“Recently I’ve been missing home a little bit for sure,” Crawshaw said. “I can’t wait to go back in the offseason, just see the family, enjoy some time with them, because I know it will be coming up on two years away from them now.”

When Crawshaw was at Florida some of the earlier SEC kickoffs would have his family back home waking up around 3 a.m. Sunday to watch him punt. The early Sunday kickoffs in the NFL aren’t much better, but the hope that those tuning in back home can watch the former sixth-round pick continue the strong start to his NFL career on Monday night/Tuesday morning.

Through three weeks, Crawshaw owns an NFL-best nine punts inside the 20.

“He’s done a really good job of locating the ball down when we’re near midfield,” Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said after Friday’s practice. “Locating the ball down inside the 20 has been a real strength of his. He’s had some really good hangtime punts.”

Crawshaw’s average punt of 46.8 yards ranks 23rd in the NFL. His net average, 41.7, ranks 13th and carries more significance for the rookie.

“I don’t check stats. I’m not here to rank out as the top or the best punter, I’m here to be the efficient punter. When coach asks me ‘What do I need to do in this situation to help the team win?’ that’s exactly what I do. Sometimes we can get caught up in the stats and go hit touchbacks,” Crawshaw said of a strategy that would help his average but not much else.

“That’s not helping the team.”

Denver Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw (16) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Eric Lutzens)

It wasn’t always obvious Crawshaw would be able to help the team during training camp and preseason. Part of the inconsistency was a product of working on different types of situational punts. Another curveball came when the Broncos started bringing Crawshaw onto the field at random times – instead of a dedicated punting period – during practice to maximize the reality of an in-game situation. The results have been encouraging.

“I think we all knew right from the beginning that, if you watched him at any point, you knew the talent was there. It’s a matter of bringing it to the game,” Rizzi said.

“At that position probably more than most – kicker or punter – consistency is the most important thing. We just got to keep him on par with where he’s been. He’s really helped our team through three games with field position. The last couple of weeks, we won the field-position battle. I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve been in those games. That’s got to continue.”

The first three games of Crawshaw’s career have been decided by eight, one and three points, so there haven’t been many low-stakes opportunities to start his rookie season. While the Bengals come to Denver without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, there’s still an air of excitement around most of the Broncos ahead of their big billing on Monday night.

“It’s just another game,” Crawshaw said. “Go out there and win, go punt, do my job, help the team any way I can. To me, it doesn’t make a difference what level we’re playing on. It could be in the parking lot of the hotel, I’m going to do my job when you need me to. That’s kind of my view on this week.”

Evan Engram feels ‘great’ after back injury, giving Broncos healthy tight-end room

ENGLEWOOD – Come Monday night, the Broncos are expected to have their “Joker” back in their deck.

Now we’ll find out how much they will use him. 

Tight end Evan Engram was much touted when he signed last March as a free agent and has been expected to fill the “Joker” role head coach Sean Payton has sought to provide matchup problems. But it has been a frustrating start for the nine-year veteran. 

In the 20-12 win over Tennessee in Week 1, Engram had three catches for 21 yards but played just 34.2% percent of Denver’s offensive snaps. In a 29-28 loss at Indianapolis in Week 2, he had one reception for 12 yards while playing 43.1% of the snaps. 

Engram did suffer a back injury in that game, which forced him to miss last Sunday’s 23-20 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers. But Engram returned to practice this week as a full participant and, barring a setback, will take the field on Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. 

“I feel great,’’ Engram said after Friday’s practice at Broncos Park. “I’m super grateful for our training staff here with everything that they’ve been helping me to get back on the field and get ready to go (Monday).’’ 

For the first time this season, the Broncos are expected to have all their tight ends healthy. Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull played in the first three games, and Nate Adkins returned against the Chargers after missing the first two games following ankle surgery. It remains to be seen if the Broncos could activate four tight ends against the Bengals or go with their usual three. 

Expectations have been high for Engram, 31, since he signed a two-year, $23 million contract last March. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who in 2023 for Jacksonville caught 114 passes, the second most in NFL history by a tight end, for 963 yards. 

“(I’m) just looking forward to coming in and leaving a mark as much as I can,’’ Engram said about being back for the Broncos. 

Engram declined to give details of how he was hurt against the Colts. But he said “for sure” it was frustrating to sit out against the Chargers. 

“I just want to play football, honestly,’’ he said. “I’ve had some adversity early on, but life is hard sometimes. Adversity kind of hits sometimes.” 

Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi was asked Friday about Engram’s diminished snap counts before he was injured. 

“We got a bunch of tight ends that we like, and they all do different things well, but I think we’re aware of what (Engram’s) strengths are and he’ll be getting going here real soon,’’ Lombardi said. 

Against the Titans, Trautman played 44 snaps, Engram 26 and Krull 22. Against the Colts, it was 36 for Trautman, 25 for Engram and nine for Krull. Against the Chargers, it was 22 for Krull, 19 for Trautman and 18 for Adkins. 

Engram is considered the best receiver among Denver’s tight ends. Trautman is known for his versatility. Krull is regarded more for receiving than blocking. Adkins is a top-notch blocker who did have some good moments as a receiver in 2024, catching 14 passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns. 

However, in a practice in early August, Adkins said he “rolled” his ankle. It was then recommended he have “tightrope” surgery, a newer type of procedure that provides more predictability for a player to return following a high ankle sprain. 

“It was good,’’ Adkins told The Denver Gazette about how the surgery went. “I was happy with it. At the moment, I was kind of skeptical about it because obviously you don’t really want surgery. But once I made the decision and how quickly I came back, I was pretty happy with it.” 

Adkins was pleased with how his return went against the Chargers. He wasn’t targeted for any passes but had an active blocking role. 

“Last week was good,’’ Adkins said. “And just hopefully just keep building on feeling good out there and just gaining mental success about there and being healthy.” 

Since Payton arrived in 2023, the Broncos have had plenty of receiving issues with tight ends. Last year, Denver tight ends combined for a meager 51 catches for 483 yards. 

It hasn’t been much better so far this season, with tight ends having combined for 10 catches for 63 yards and one touchdown. Engram has four receptions for 33 yards. Trautman has four grabs for 15 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown against the Colts. And Krull has two catches for 15 yards. 

But perhaps a healthy Engram can get make an impact Monday night. 

J.K. Dobbins says team identity is toughness, still learning how to win | Broncos notebook

The Broncos began team stretches at practice when a familiar song played on the loudspeaker.  

The first tune Friday to start the media viewing period at Broncos Park? The orchestral Monday Night Football theme song, of course. 

“Playing Monday Night Football is always a dream come true,” Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins told reporters after practice. “You grew up watching it as a little kid. You’ve got the Monday Night song. Everybody knows about it, and the whole world is watching.” 

The Broncos (1-2) host the Bengals (2-1) with the NFL spotlight on Empower Field at Mile High. Dobbins embraces that exposure. Because consecutive walk-off losses have created a palpable sense of urgency. 

“We came together and we’re trying to figure out how to finish games,” Dobbins said. “This week, we have a good chance to show that in front of the whole entire world. And I think we will do that.” 

Dobbins is established among the Broncos’ most explosive weapons over three games. The veteran running back averaged 7.5 yards per carry against the Chargers. Dobbins exploded for a long run of 41 yards. He scored his third touchdown this season. But the team’s lacking offensive rhythm led to Dobbins getting just 11 carries in the 23-20 defeat. 

“A loss is a loss to me. I hate it all the time. Like, I hate it more than I love winning, especially to my old team. That hurt a little bit,” Dobbins said. “But I know how it goes. I know that we have the people, and we have the talent and everything to fix that. Because we’re losing the game. The other team is not beating us. We’re just losing the game. And I think that we’re going to change that. I think that once we figure it out, we’ll know how to win.” 

The Bengals were blown out last week, 48-10, by the Vikings. Backup quarterback Jake Browning will get the start on Monday night with starter Joe Burrow on injured reserve (turf toe).  

“Their quarterback is down, of course,” Dobbins said. “But they’re a great team still overall. They’ve got talent everywhere. It’s going to be a good fight.” 

Dobbins has established himself as a team leader over a short period of time. 

“He was immediately himself. It didn’t take long to get to know him,” tight end Evan Engram said on Friday. “We’re locker mates and we’re vets running it together. He brings a lot of great energy. … It translates to the field and I’m looking forward to him being a huge part of offense going forward this year.” 

Clean injury report 

The Broncos, finally, have a healthy roster. 

Every active player on the 53-man roster and practice squad was in attendance Friday at Broncos Park. That included full participation from tight end Nate Adkins (ankle), outside linebacker Nik Bonitto (wrist), Engram (back), defensive end John Franklin-Myers (hip) and inside linebacker Alex Singleton (thumb) on the injury report. 

Inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quad) and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach (calf) remain on injured reserve.

Offense in progress 

The Broncos’ offense was stuck facing third-and-long all throughout their loss to the Chargers. They punted seven times. Denver had nine first downs and 10 penalties.  

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi addressed that lack of rhythm after Friday practice at Broncos Park. 

“I think it is mostly execution,” Lombardi said. “If you have a good run and a good pass, then that run-pass sequence looks pretty good. Seeing what happened on first down and then what situation you’re in on second down, it’s easy to say: ‘We’re going to go run here.’ If you’re second-and-11, you might want to get back on track with a high-percentage completion. So, there’s a lot that goes into it.” 

Lombardi also discussed running back usage. Dobbins has emerged as the lead back playing on 54% of all offensive snaps. Rookie RJ Harvey has played on 30% of all offensive snaps. The Broncos enter each game with a rough plan for how to distribute carries. But that can change based on which running back, including Tyler Badie, has the hot hand.  

“As we mature at the running back position, we can just kind of rotate them in,” Lombardi said. “Then there are certain plays that we feel J.K. maybe plays to his strengths a little bit more, a few plays maybe it plays to RJ Harvey’s strength a little more and then plays where we can just roll them. I think we’re getting to that point where we can rotate them in. … I think long-term, (for) the running backs’ health, it’s going to be very beneficial to those guys to be able to split the load like that.”

Briefly  

Wide receiver Trent Sherfield was named the Week 4 NFL Players Association Community MVP, the NFLPA announced on Friday. Sherfield and his family recently helped distribute diapers, wipes, baby food and formula in partnership with Colorado’s largest diaper bank (WeeCycle). … Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is focused on a common thread between consecutive Denver losses. On Friday, Joseph said: “Right now, the penalties are killing us, and it’s been two weeks of that. I have to coach that out of our players.”

No cuts to trash or snow removal, but some Denver services may slow in 2026

There will be no cuts to solid waste collection or snow removal, and active funded projects will keep moving forward, Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Director Amy Ford told the City Council on Friday as she laid out her 2026 budget.

However, Ford said, with citywide budget cuts and staff reductions underway, residents will see some impact on less critical core services such as right-of-way inspections.

Specifically, Ford said, DOTI is “going to pull back a little bit” on Saturday horizontal inspections, meaning those related to roadways and transportation, as well as evening and emergency inspections, excluding wastewater cases.

Residents may also experience longer response times for some types of 311 calls, especially those like a new stop sign that may require review by engineers and a work order to implement.

The city’s 72-hour abandoned vehicle enforcement will also be formalized.

Some new transportation and citywide infrastructure projects could be moved to a backlog list to focus on bond priorities.

“We did not lay off project delivery personnel; we did not lay off program managers; we did not lay off construction managers,” Ford said, adding that the department is employing a “cradle to grave” mindset where specific employees see a project through from beginning to end and minimize the number of “pass-offs” between team members.

DOTI reduced its staff by 102 vacant positions and 31 filled positions, among the highest in the city.

Those cuts to people and positions resulted in a savings of $16 million.

Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure by the numbers

General Fund: $115.1 million (decrease of 15.1% from 2025)
Transportation and Mobility: $12.8 million
Volume-Based Pricing: $37.9 million
Wastewater Enterprise Fund: $170.1 million
Sidewalk Enterprise Fund: $2.1 million
Grants: $67.8 million
Asphalt Plant ISF: $9.6 million

TOTAL 2026 Budget: $426.1 million

Additional efforts to manage the impact of departmental reductions may arise in the future as city officials explore modernizing regulations, such as those related to wastewater.

The department aims to complete current bond projects allocated to it by 2027 and be ready to start new projects in 2026.

Among the department’s 2026 goals is to start the construction of six critical transportation, infrastructure and wastewater projects, with 16 projects open to the public, including the first ones associated with the Colfax BRT, Weir Gulch, and I-25 and Broadway.

Additionally, DOTI plans to implement elements of the SPEED Program, which includes the installation of cameras to reduce fatalities along Federal and Alameda boulevards by the end of 2026, and along Colorado Boulevard by the end of 2027.

Level-headed Colorado State QB Jackson Brousseau ready for first career start | Rams Gameday

FORT COLLINS — Jackson Brousseau was too dialed in to even realize what was happening.

It wasn’t until after the game that the Colorado State quarterback realized he had just played the first meaningful snaps of his college career. Sure, he’d taken some snaps at the end of a few blowouts the last few years, but the redshirt sophomore entered the season as Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi’s backup for the third straight year.

The Lehi, Utah native is the backup no more, though. Rams coach Jay Norvell announced Brousseau will start this Saturday against future Pac-12 opponent Washington State (5:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network) after impressing in relief last week against UTSA, nearly leading CSU to a comeback win after the offense scored just 3 points in the first quarters.

“To be honest, no, I wish I would’ve (taken the moment in),” Brousseau said this week. “I was just super focused on the situation and trying to score points. I was all focused in (on the game).”

Brousseau finished 10-for-12 passing for 78 yards and a touchdown to Rocky Beers, orchestrating back-to-back scoring drives when the Rams needed it most. It was the kind of efficiency the CSU offense has been desperately trying to find throughout the first month of the season as Fowler-Nicolosi’s struggles under center intensified.

Colorado State redshirt sophomore quarterback Jackson Brousseau (7) attempts a pass in the second half of a game against UTSA on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins. (Courtesy of Yesenia Enriquez, CSU Athletics)

“I don’t think there’s any question that the team supports Jackson, but I think it was more about execution,” Norvell said. “He came in and he did his job and he executed, and everybody else responded. I think the big thing about our football team is there’s no panic in our kids.”

Brousseau is the epitome of that.

He came to CSU as a proven winner out of high school. A three-sport star in his hometown located between Salt Lake City and Provo, Brousseau was a three-star recruit as a quarterback but also won state championships in basketball and baseball, where he was also an all-state performer on the mound.

Brousseau first visited Fort Collins in April 2022 and never really considered another school.

“I came out here and it was really family oriented,” Brousseau said. “They also threw the ball a lot, which I liked as a quarterback. I was intrigued, and they were honest with me with everything, and so I loved it here. There was never a doubt in my mind where I was going.”

Norvell and his staff were honest about the fact that Brousseau probably wasn’t going to play for a few years. When he arrived on campus in the summer of 2023, he was buried behind returning starter Clay Millen, still just a sophomore, as well as Fowler-Nicolosi, who had made a start as a true freshman and quickly replaced Millen one game into that season.

By the end of his first year on campus, Brousseau had already become the primary backup, and it’s a role he’s served since. Thanks to a level-headed approach to not just football, but life, too, there wasn’t a time during the process that he thought about going anywhere else.

“It was always about just doing what I can and controlling what I can control and letting whatever happens happen,” Brousseau said. “That’s just how you have to life life and if you don’t live it that way then it’s gonna be frustrating and you’re gonna get down really quick. It just wasn’t worth it for me because I love the people here. I just want to be my best self at all times and if I’m living that way, I can’t be my best self.” 

Colorado State quarterback Jackson Brousseau (8) looks to throw against Texas during the second half of an NCAA football game on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

The time to be his best self on Saturdays has come for Brousseau. After a 1-2 start to the season and in desperate need of a jolt heading into Mountain West play in October, Norvell is giving Brousseau his shot. While he’s grown plenty as a player while at CSU, the person and his approach to starting are the same.

“Just sticking to the process that we do every week and trying to be as efficient as we can,” Brousseau said. “Just getting the ball out to the guys in space, that’s really the key.

“That’s something coach (Matt) Mumme, coach (Chase) Holbrook and coach Carson (Strong) really work a lot with us (on). It doesn’t have to be you. If it’s a good situation to run the ball then run the ball and let those guys work because they’re here for a reason. They’re very talented, the o-line’s great. Whatever the best football play is is the best position we need to be in.”

King’s prediction

Colorado State 23, Washington State 17

Washington State offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston, right, blocks Colorado State defensive lineman Mohamed Kamara during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Pullman, Wash. Washington State won 38-7. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

Norvell has been here before. Two years ago, after a disappointing season opener, the CSU coach benched Clay Millen in favor of Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, and it jump-started the Rams’ offense. Now, in need of an offensive reboot again early in a season with high expectations, Norvell is benching Fowler-Nicolosi for Jackson Brousseau ahead of a game against Wazzu that CSU desperately needs to win. With a simpler approach and a quarterback willing to make the simple play, the Rams will get it done and head into Mountain West play at 2-2.

King’s Players to Watch

Colorado State: WR Kojo Antwi, DE Kenyon Agurs

Somehow, after tearing his Achilles in January, Antwi already made his season debut last week vs. UTSA. The Ohio State transfer has made a miraculous recovery from a typically devastating injury and recorded his first catch in a CSU uniform in the loss. He could quickly become a big part of the Rams offense as the former 4-star recruit feels like a player new starting QB Jackson Brousseau will want to get the ball to whenever he’s on the field. Defensively, the Rams were dealt a big blow this week with the news that starting defensive end and captain Mukendi Wa-Kalonji is out for the season with an injury. That means everyone on the defensive line has to step up, particularly Agurs, a talented sophomore waiting to break out.

Washington State: QB Zevi Eckhaus, LB Parker McKenna 
Another backup-turned-starter, Eckhaus played well in his first extended action of the season, throwing for 279 yards and 2 touchdowns (2 interceptions) last week as Wazzu fell to rival Washington in the Apple Cup. On defense, McKenna continues to lead the Cougars and tackles and is coming off a game in which he recorded his first sack of the season. His presence at linebacker will be important against a CSU offense likely to lean on the run game and short, quick passes.

How to watch: Colorado State Rams football vs. Washington State

Colorado State vs. Washington State

Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. Saturday

TV: CBS Sports Network

Broadcast crew: Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Robert Turbin (color analyst), Tiffany Blackmon (sideline reporter)

Radio: 104.3 FM (Denver), 99.1 FM (Fort Collins)

Internet Radio: Sirius XM 388 or Varsity Network App

Rams broadcast crew: Brian Roth (play-by-play), Ricky Brewer (color analyst), Marty Cesario & Kevin McGlue (sideline reporter)

Lakewood never had single-family only zoning before changes, city says

Changes being made to Lakewood’s zoning code have raised questions and ire throughout the community, especially when it comes to the city’s single-family residential districts.

Residents have said they want to retain their single-family home neighborhoods.

The city never had single-family only residential zoning, according to Mayor Wendi Strom.

“The city’s current zone districts often associated mostly with single-family homes already allow several of the following uses: duplexes, group homes, accessory dwelling uses, animal care businesses, bed-and-breakfasts, etc. Lakewood doesn’t currently have a zone district where only single-family home use is allowed,” Strom said in a statement following the 9-2 approval of the zoning changes at a City Council meeting on Monday.

But some residents are miffed — and bewildered.

Resident Chris Geissbuhler wrote on the City Council’s website on Sept. 8 that any new zoning that would “force high-density developments into single-family communities would certainly adversely impact property values for residents who bought into those areas with the current and future value of their property in mind.”

The disconnect between residents’ beliefs and what city officials insist are the actual code changes comes down to misinformation, according to Lakewood spokesperson Stacie Oulton.

“Many residents have repeated the information about the city getting rid of single-family only zoning, but that doesn’t make it correct,” she said. “In some cases, the language that residents are using is inflammatory to provoke an emotional response.”

Former zoning versus new

On Monday, the Lakewood City Council approved an amended version of Article 3 of the city’s 2026 zoning code proposal — a 400-page planning document covering residential, commercial and mixed-use site design standards, parking and historic preservation.

The entirety of the new zoning proposal is set to be voted upon before the Nov. 4 election.

The proposal ultimately erases the term “single-family zoning,” which does not appear in the document. Instead, the city uses “residential dwellings.” A residential dwelling could be a single-family home, duplex, tri-plex or townhome.

The new residential districts are broken up into low-form residential and mid-form residential classifications.

Low-form residential will include single-family homes and small-scale attached and detached housing to “support compact, walkable neighborhoods with a range of housing options,” according to the proposal.

Mid-form will include medium-density housing and multi-family buildings.

The updates include combining nine residential uses into three: residential dwellings, accessory dwellings and temporary dwellings, according to Oulton.

The current code has eight different residential districts. Seven allow single-family homes and accessory dwelling units that have met specific standards. Two include permitted uses of duplexes. One includes multi-family dwelling units and attached dwelling units.

All eight districts include permitted use of group homes. Some allow bed and breakfast buildings, cemeteries, day cares and even golf courses.

None are single-family residential use only.

There are a number of group homes in several residential neighborhoods in the city, according to Oulton. There are no cemeteries that she is aware of, but the Lakewood Country Club is in a residential neighborhood in northern Lakewood and a golf course is one of the uses allowed there.

Lakewood County Club, which sits within a residential district in Lakewood under current zoning code. Courtesy of Google Maps.

Lakewood is also moving to limit the size of new residential dwellings, cutting the maximum from 18,000 square feet to 5,000 or less. In low-form residential zones, that means residential dwellings would be capped at 4,000 square feet with one or two units, such as a single-family home or a duplex, and 5,000 square feet for three or more units, such as a tri-plex.

The change is tied to a 2024 state law — House Bill 24-1007 — that supersedes Lakewood’s old rule allowing only five unrelated people to share a home. Under one reading of the state law, a very large house could be rented out room by room to dozens of people, sharply increasing neighborhood population.

There hasn’t been a market for massive homes that could be rented out to numerous people, according to Oulton, but the new restrictions will act as a guardrail to avoid the possibility.

“Zoning isn’t about dramatic changes overnight,” she said. “The proposed updates change nothing with single-family homeowners’ ability to live in their current single-family home, sell it, or pass it on. Because of the potential impacts from new state laws, we are actually making the zoning code more restrictive overall.”

A divided city

The opinion on the zoning changes appears to be split.

While there are Facebook groups like Lakewood Is for Everyone garnering petition signatures against the zoning proposal, many have shown up in support at City Council meetings.

The City Council decided in August to break the proposal down into four separate second readings, voting on each section individually to allow for more public input.

At the first meeting on Aug. 25, 33 people spoke in favor of the zoning updates. Eight people spoke against them.

During a nearly eight-hour council meeting on Sept. 8, 22 public speakers testified in favor of the updates, while 22 were against them.

At the Sept. 22 meeting, eight people spoke in favor of the zoning updates, and five people spoke against them.

“I have yet to see a bulldozer. No single-family homes are being destroyed. We are not in a war zone, like it sounds like,” Amber Varwig said during public comments on Sept. 22. “We’re going to lose our seniors and our kids because we don’t have the housing that they need to survive here.”

“Simply cramming in more townhomes or duplexes or apartments everywhere doesn’t guarantee “affordability,” a resident named Regina commented on the City Council’s website on Sept. 7. “It often pushes property values up, strains infrastructure, schools, and roads, and erodes neighborhood character. In other words, creating density in every neighborhood doesn’t magically lower prices. It just densifies chaos, traffic and competition for limited resources.”

The last section of the proposal —  the overview of the zoning map — is set to be voted on next month. A meeting regarding the map is currently scheduled for Oct. 13. If it gets final approval, the new zoning document would go into effect next year.

Colorado WR Sincere Brown growing into potential with help from childhood idol | Buffs Gameday

BOULDER — Just like a generation before him grew up idolizing Jerry Rice, ever since he stepped up on a football field, Sincere Brown wanted to be just like Randy Moss.

Only, it was much easier for Brown to compare himself to a Hall of Famer when he wound up growing to be 6-foot-5 with blazing speed.

“I idolized Randy Moss ever since I was a little kid,” Brown said this week. “That’s still to this day the best football player to ever touch a football in my life. Ever since I saw him as a young player, I always wanted to be like him in some type of way on the field.”

Former wide receiver Randy Moss before an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals in Inglewood, Calif., Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

That starts with his nickname, ‘Moss Jr.’ 

“I know it’s an expectation you gotta live up (to) when you compare yourself to him,” Brown said.

When you watch the plays Brown has made at the start of his Colorado career, a team-leading 203 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns that have gone for 71 yards and 68 yards, respectively, he’s been living up to that nickname so far — and doing it in front of Moss himself as the longtime friend of Buffs coach Deion Sanders has recently spent some time around the program.

But that hasn’t always been the case for Brown.

Now in his sixth season of college football, it hasn’t been the smoothest ride for the South Carolina native. He began his career at South Florida, where he played alongside fellow future Buffs wide receivers Jimmy Horn Jr. and Xavier Weaver. But Brown had just one catch in three years with the Bulls.

USF wide receiver Sincere Brown (7) sprints down the field during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Kelly Sheehan)

The last two years, he returned home and played at Campbell in the FCS ranks. After seeing time in one game in 2023, Brown’s breakout came in 2024 when he racked up 61 catches for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, attracting the attention of Power 4 programs all over the country.

But that was all he had done in five years in college. He still had plenty to prove.

“I got a little doubted when I got here, coming from an FCS program, because of the huge jump,” Brown said. “In my head, I kinda don’t pay attention to those things and just put my head down and work. If you’re a dawg, you can play anywhere. That’s just my identity, at the end of the day.”

Colorado wide receivers Sincere Brown, left, and Omarion Miller, center, congratulate wide receiver Joseph Williams after his touchdown catch against Wyoming in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Even though that’s shown up already with some of the big plays he’s made, including his touchdown against Wyoming, where he reached a speed of 22.3 miles per hour (per Reel Analytics) and was tracked as the fastest player in the country in Week 4, it’s what he’s done leading up to game days that has impressed his coaches.

“Him taking ownership of what he lacks and then making the corrections to get it, I think that’s the biggest thing I’ve enjoyed with him is his coachability, but more importantly, his accountability for what he lacks and then working hard to make sure he fixes it,” CU wide receivers coach Jason Phillips said. “You kinda see that he’s still learning the game. Every day he’s getting better. It’s just cool to watch him with that ability just get better and embrace learning more football.”

Even though he’s just scratching the surface of what he can grow into as a player, Brown already has the Buffs clamoring for him to be more involved. 

“Sincere’s a dawg,” Coach Prime said. “I just want him to have more opportunities to show who he is. I want him to shine like a Christmas tree because that’s how good he is.”

King’s Players to Watch

Colorado: RB Dallan Hayden, DT Amari McNeill

Colorado running back Dallan Hayden (7) in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The Buffs will be without the two running backs who have seen the majority of snaps so far this season, with DeKalon Taylor and Simeon Price both out with injuries. That means more snaps for sophomore Micah Welch, but it also opens the door for Hayden, the former Ohio State transfer, to reclaim the starting spot he had before suffering an injury of his own in the preseason. A signature performance in black and gold would do wonders for the CU offense. Defensively, the Buffs are thin again on the defensive line, and that’s not a good premonition going into a game against the best rushing offense in the Big 12. But McNeill, who started all last season, has re-emerged in recent weeks, and CU will need him at his best to win the battle at the line of scrimmage.

BYU: WR Chase Roberts, LB Isaiah Glasker

BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker (16) celebrates with his defensive play of the game trophy after the team’s win over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

While the Cougars will certainly lean on RB LJ Martin offensively, when freshman QB Bear Bachmeier is asked to take shots downfield, he’s got a pretty darn good weapon in Roberts, who had a big game against the Buffs in the Alamo Bowl. Roberts leads BYU in receptions and yards so far this season. On defense, Glasker was one of the MVPs of last year’s Alamo Bowl and is off to a hot start in 2025 as one of the early candidates for Big 12 defensive player of the year. He’s a playmaker at linebacker and will be key in trying to limit Buffs QB Kaidon Salter.

Denver area events for Sept. 26

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to  carlotta.olson@gazette.com  at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability.

Friday

Downtown Parker Wine Walk — 4:30-7:30 p.m., Chamber Office, 19751 E. Main St., Parker, $25 in advance, $30 at door. Tickets: parkerchamber.com/wine-walks.

Alestorm — 6 p.m., Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St., Denver, $41 and up. Tickets: summitdenver.com.

The Inverness Glow Show 2025 — With food trucks, drink stations, activities for kids and families and more, 6-9 p.m., The Inverness Denver, a Hilton Golf & Spa resort, 220 Inverness Drive West, Englewood, go online for prices. Tickets: theticketing.co/e/glowshow.

The Favors — With Finneas, Ashe, 8 p.m., Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, $69 and up. Tickets: axs.com.

Deathpact — With A Hundred Drums, Deadcrow, Pierce, Bernzikial, 9 p.m., Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver, $49.94-$62.77. Tickets: axs.com.

Friday-Saturday

They Might be Giants — 7 p.m., Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $50.97. Tickets: axs.com.

Gary Gulman: Grandiloquent — 8 p.m., Elaine Wolf Theatre at The Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver, $29-$69.50. Tickets: jccdenver.org.

Sept. 26-28

Denver Oktoberfest — Larimer and 21st in the Ballpark District, go online for prices. Tickets: thedenveroktoberfest.com.

Friday-Sunday

Taylor Tomlinson — 7 p.m. Friday, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday, Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, Denver, $57 and up. Tickets: ticketmaster.com.

Big Gigantic — With Maddy O’Neal, Gramatik, Cherub, Denm, Jennifer Hartswick, ProbCause, Lady Blackbird, 6 p.m., Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, $88 and up. Tickets: axs.com.

Friday-Nov. 2

“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” — Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Black Box Theatre, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, go online for prices. Tickets: arvadacenter.org.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette

How to watch Hawaii at Air Force football on Saturday

Air Force looks to halt a two-game losing streak and retake possession of the Kuter Trophy.

Hawaii (3-2, 0-1 Mountain West) at Air Force (1-2, 0-2)

Kickoff: 2 p.m. MT, Falcon Stadium

TV/Stream: FS1 – channel 11.1 in Colorado Springs on Comcast/Infinity (Channel 55/775 HD), DirecTV (Channel 219) and Dish (Channel 150). The game will also be streamed through Fox Sports website and app.

Broadcast crew: Eric Collins (play-by-play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)

Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, Varsity App SIRUS 391

Air Force broadcast crew: Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)

What I’ll be watching

The Gazette’s Brent Briggeman identifies items of intrigue he’ll be tracking during the game.

Encore?

Liam Szarka enjoyed the breakout game Air Force had been craving at the quarterback position. So what’s next? Szarka, a sophomore from Aurora, will presumably make his first start this week after throwing for 246 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 111 yards and a score. Behind him, there are question marks. Josh Johnson, who started the first three games, may be limited by injury (though he did not appear on the availability report released Thursday). If Johnson can’t go for any reason, that would push either Maguire Martin or Kemper Hodges into the backup role.

Pass defense

Hawaii is going to pass, that much is certain. Since 2023, the Rainbow Warriors have averaged at least 239 passing yards and fewer than 100 rushing yards per game, making them an almost exact inverse of Air Force. Quarterback Micah Alejado owns a career 65.2 completion percentage, has won at Stanford, and last year as a freshman against New Mexico, caught attention around the Mountain West by throwing for 469 yards and five touchdowns (and rushing for 54 yards) in a 38-30 win over New Mexico. Can Air Force make enough strides in the secondary (and/or the pass rush) to slow this attack? So far, the Falcons are near the bottom in college football in multiple pass defense categories, including passing defense (255.3 yards per game, 106th nationally), passing efficiency (172.39, 131st) and scoring defense (37.0 points per game, 126th).

Experience

Hawaii, like every non-service academy opponent Air Force will face, has a clear advantage when it comes to age and experience. But the Rainbow Warriors also have more experience this season, having already played five games – including a win at Stanford, a trip to Arizona and a thriller last week vs. Fresno State that was decided by Hawaii’s failed 2-point conversion attempt to tie with 10 seconds remaining. How might all this experience manifest itself on Saturday? In a close game, could Hawaii be more likely to find the winning play?

BY THE NUMBERS

3

Troy Calhoun’s new rank among the longest-tenured NCAA FBS head coaches at 19 years because Mike Gundy is no longer with Oklahoma State. Calhoun ranks behind only Kirk Ferentz of Iowa (27 years) and Kyle Wittingham of Utah (21)

5

Games already played this season for Hawaii, the most in the nation entering the week. The Rainbow Warriors have three open weeks on the schedule (Oct. 3, Oct. 25, Nov. 15).

8

Offensive touchdowns for Hawaii this season, all through the air.

9.1

Yards per play allowed by Air Force’s defense, which ranks last in the nation by .8 yards (Georgia Southern, 8.3)

124

Career starts among Hawaii’s cornerbacks Virdel Edwards II, Devyn King and Jaheim Wilson-Jones, nickelbacks Elijah Palmer and Delyon Freeman, and safeties Peter Manuma (who made 12 tackles and had an interception against Air Force in 2023), Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen, Justin Sinclair and Matagi Thompson. On the other side, if Air Force starts the same secondary as last week, the lineup of cornerbacks Korey Johnson and Mikhail Seiken, nickel Nick Beckwith and safeties Max Mustell and Roger Jones Jr. have a combined 12 starts.