Hansen was thrown to the fire in the middle of his true freshman season, learning a week before facing Kansas State that his redshirt was coming off and he would play that season.

I asked Hansen what he thinks will be going through the head of CSU true freshman quarterback Pete Thomas this week and what advice he would give Thomas.

“It’s exciting for him,” Hansen said. “It will be something new. For me, it was a little nervous. It was kind of fun. The week was a little hectic, but it will be fun for him. I look forward to talking to him after the game and kind of picking his brain a little bit and seeing what he thought about it.”

And advice for Thomas?

“Enjoy it. I mean there is only one first college football game of your life. You’re only going to have one first one. I’d say whatever happens win or lose, enjoy it. Smile and have fun.”

Could this be his final year in Boulder?

“Oh geez, I don’t have a clue,” Miller said.  “Im going week to week right now.”

If Miller plays well this season and continues to develop as he did last year, there is little doubt he would be drafted next April. He caught the eye of NFL scouts at the end of the 2009 season when he held his own against Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was taken with the second overall pick in this year’s draft.

Miller will graduate in May so getting a degree will no longer be a big factor in his decision and there is always the possibility (insert cringe here) of an injury if he did return for a fifth season in 2011.

“I’ve got two more seasons here,” he said. “It would be great to play two more.”