CU Buffs: Liufau taking positive approach to injury

It wasn’t the way he pictured his season ending, being helped off the field after collapsing over his injured foot, but after having more than two weeks to reflect, Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau is taking an optimistic approach to his Lisfranc injury.

“I think I can, mentally, get stronger, become even more of a leader,” he told media on Tuesday. “I think that I haven’t been the best leader and it’s a good time to reflect, as well. I was talking to my girlfriend after the game and she told me, ‘maybe it’s a blessing in disguise,’ I haven’t had a break since high school. I’ve been playing for a long time.

“I had the separated shoulder at the beginning of the year so I think it’s a good time to rest the body physically and internally focus on mentally preparing myself for next year,” he added. “It’s not a chance for me to physically get better for a little bit, but I think mentally I have the opportunity to get better each and every day.”

Another blessing, as Liufau described it, is the fact that he didn’t break any bones in his foot. His injury is officially described as a “Lisfranc ligament tear,” and after successful surgery on Friday, his timeline for recovery is better than originally thought.

“Six months, the doctor said,” Liufau explained. “Knowing me, I’ll try to push that timeline, but he said six months right now.”

The Colorado quarterback, who set the all-time record for total yards before going down in the USC game, received a text from the former record holder, Kordell Stewart, congratulating him. He also spoke to another Buff afterward, as well.

“Mr. Brown actually talked to me a bunch, Chad Brown,” Liufau explained. “He talked to me about having a similar injury when he was in the NFL, how he dealt with it, what to expect in the rehab process and not to push it. Having that after the game was a comforting feeling, knowing that it wasn’t career ending or anything… It’ll take some time, but I can come back and be my normal self.”

In the meantime, Sefo is doing whatever he can to help new quarterback Cade Apsay and the rest of his teammates, but he still isn’t sure if he’ll be able to make the trip with them this week.

“I have no idea if I’m going to Utah,” he said. “It’s up in the air… If it doesn’t hurt my health I want to go to Utah but it’s all up to the doctors and  [head coach Mike MacIntyre] on that matter.”

Last week, Liufau was unable to make the trip, the game taking place just one day after his surgery. Mike MacIntyre talked all week how weird that was and Sefo echoed the sentiment.

“It was very weird, I was there with Derek [McCartney’s] mom, my mom, my brother and one of my roommates just kind of watching,” he explained. “For the most part, I tried to keep quiet. I knew the gameplan after going to meetings all week, I knew what plays we were running. It was just frustrating, you know? Kind of seeing what goes on and being the person I am I want to help any way I can and you can’t really help on the couch with your foot up. It’s just frustrating overall to just kind of watch.”

While it’s still a ways away, when Liufau is able to make the jump from the couch back to the football field, he doesn’t expect anything to be handed to him.

“I expect to compete to earn my spot back,” he said frankly.

It’s never easy for a competitor like Liufau to be sidelined for an extended period of time, but all signs point to him taking the right approach.