CU Buffs start spring practice after player's death

• Colorado State Patrol said preliminary evidence indicates Ponder lost control of his vehicle. Speed is being investigated as a factor in the crash.
• Ponder was a backup quarterback from Florida who appeared in two games and threw one pass in his two seasons at CU.

The latest: The Buffs players met Sunday night and decided to move forward with the scheduled start of spring practice Monday.

• "We decided as a team Dom wouldn't miss a day," senior safety Ben Finneseth said during a news conference. "He wouldn't miss a day of workouts and that's what he would have wanted for us."
• CU officials said counselors were available for players this week.

What they're saying: "We didn't coach with the same urgency as far as screaming at guys and losing our mind," CU offensive coordinator Brennan Marion said about Monday's practice. "We coached like you would coach your child … For them to go out there was amazing."

What we're watching: Spring practice will be especially crucial for the Buffs this year, as head coach Deion Sanders has brought in a revamped staff after a 3-9 season.