March 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nThe accident is under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol, which said in a statement that the preliminary investigation showed speed was suspected as a factor in the crash. Ponder spent the last two seasons at Colorado after beginning his career at Bethune-Cookman. He appeared in two games last season as the Buffaloes\u2019 fourth-string quarterback.<\/p>\n
Sanders said Friday the walk-on was a \u201cbona fide leader\u201d and noted that years ago, he had worked with Ponder at a camp in their home state of Florida. \u201cHe will be appreciated, and you will understand his presence this season,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cBecause he was a vital part of this team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we send our kids to college, you send a kid to mature, progress, learn who he or she is. And come back with something they glean from that college,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t send a kid to college not to come back. That\u2019s the most painful thing that I\u2019m dealing with. The family is wonderful. They\u2019ve been strong, courageous, charming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colorado began spring practice on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe gotta keep going,\u201d Sanders said, adding he\u2019s loved how his program has reacted to the tragedy and that crying doesn\u2019t make a man soft. He noted that he told his coaching staff that many of the players were dealing with the loss of a peer for the first time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe gotta respect that,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cWe gonna push them on the field, but we\u2019re gonna love them just as hard.\u201d<\/p>\n