Joel Klatt believes Colorado should have better managed Travis Hunter's snaps in Week 7

Even Travis Hunter isn’t invincible. On Monday, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt criticized the way Colorado utilized its star two-way player in the team’s 46-43 double-overtime loss to Stanford.

“Travis Hunter played 157 total snaps on offense and defense,” Klatt said on his show. “He had 13 catches for 140 yards, two touchdowns on offense. He was dominant. He was dynamic. He was fantastic. He was targeted as a corner 19 times in the game. But here’s where it gets more interesting.

“This is where we’ve got to have a little least a little bit of conversation about freshness of what Travis Hunter was being asked to do late in the game. He was targeted 19 times. However, Stanford only completed one of the first six passes when they threw it at Travis Hunter. Then, the rest of the way, they were 10 of 13 for 153 yards and two touchdowns.”

Hunter had a target on his back in Week 7, and Stanford’s strategy was successful. Stanford tallied 399 passing yards in the contest. After running a 40-yard go route on offense, Hunter would immediately be forced to defend Stanford standout Elic Ayomanor.

Hunter’s heart was stronger than his legs. Ayomanor took advantage. The sophomore wide receiver exploded for 13 receptions, 294 yards and three touchdowns in the comeback victory. In fact, Ayomanor’s most impressive play came with Hunter across from him.

The 6-foot-2 wideout pinned a ball to Hunter’s helmet to match the Buffaloes’ touchdown in overtime. The incredible catch ultimately boosted Stanford to the largest comeback in program history. Klatt believes Hunter’s fatigue could have been due to lingering effects from his lacerated liver.

Travis Hunter still hurting?

“He just had a lacerated liver,” Klatt said. “I highly doubt that he’s been conditioning at a high level for the last four weeks… There is no way that his cardiovascular system was at the point [against Stanford] night that it was against TCU early in the year when he was dominant throughout the whole 150 snaps that he played.

“Remember, he chased down a TCU running back in that [Week 1] game. He could not catch Ayomanor in this game. Why? He wasn’t in shape for this game because of the injury. I could see it. Even if he were to tell me like ‘No, no, you’re wrong. I was in shape.’ No, we saw it. I know what it looked like against TCU, and I know what I saw on on Friday night against Stanford.

“This begs the question from Colorado perspective: in that game, should you have managed his snaps? And the answer is probably yes.”

Colorado will have time to reexamine Hunter’s snap count this weekend as the team enjoys its bye week. The Buffaloes will hit the field again on Oct. 28 against UCLA.