Did you hear about this? This is crazy! It's just like the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan fiasco, except this time, it involves some football players right here in Colorado.
GREELEY - University of Northern Colorado starting punter Rafael Mendoza is recovering after police say he was stabbed in his kicking leg by a teammate earlier this week.
Greeley Police say the back-up punter, Mitch Cozad, who wanted the starting job, attacked Mendoza in a parking lot Monday night in Evans. Cozad faces second-degree assault charges in the alleged attack.
UNC Athletic Director Jay Henrichs says Cozad has been suspended from school and football coach Scott Downing says he is off the football team.
Mendoza was treated at the North Colorado Medical Center on Monday night and has been released. Downing says he doesn't know how long he'll be out.
Downing says Mendoza had out-patient surgery. He said he talked to the injured player Wednesday and that Mendoza is "doing fine."
Mendoza has averaged more than 37 yards-per-punt on nine tries in two games this season.
He, Cozad and Zak Bigelow had been in a three-way race for the starting punter's job in pre-season training.
Cozad was a walk-on to the team after he transferred from the University of Wyoming; Mendoza is on a partial scholarship.
Downing says he never saw any confrontations between Cozad and Mendoza and says there were no signs of any problems.
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