By PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

BOULDER, Colo.(AP) -- Sophomore tailback Darrell Scott, the
biggest recruiting prize in coach Dan Hawkins' four-year tenure
at Colorado, is leaving the program after 1 1/2 season filled
with injuries and frustration.

Scott told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he's planning to
finish out the semester in Boulder as he decides on where he'll
transfer, but he acknowledged UCLA remains a strong possibility.

Before this season, Scott's uncle, wide receiver Josh Smith,
transferred from the Buffaloes to UCLA, where he is sitting out
the year.

"They have a really good program," Scott said of the Bruins.
"I've been watching them for a while."

Scott was considered a coup for the Buffaloes when he selected
them over Big 12 rival Texas and other big-time suitors two
years ago.

But the 6-foot-1, 220-pound tailback never lived up to the hype
in Boulder, in large part because of injuries. He had
arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 22 to clean up cartilage after
getting hurt in the second game of the season at Toledo.

Injuries also forced him to miss playing time as a freshman,
when he was slow to grasp the college game after a stellar stint
at St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, Calif., which he led
to a state championship as a senior.

Scott said he has no regrets about picking Colorado, however.

"You can't turn back the hands of time," explained Scott, who
said he plans to meet with CU athletic director Mike Bohn on
Wednesday. "You've got to do what you do. I chose to come here."

Scott, a dynamic kick returner even while he was fighting for
snaps in the backfield, declined to say whether he was
dissatisfied with his role in the Buffaloes' offense.

"I think it's the professional thing to do," Scott said.

Scott was contending with Rodney Stewart and Demetrius Sumler
for playing time this season. He had just one carry in the
season opener against Colorado State but showed flashes of his
ability at Toledo when he gained 85 yards on 12 carries. He also
set a school record for the most yards on kickoff returns in a
game, finishing with 204 on eight returns.

But he dinged up his knee in the Toledo game and didn't play the
next week against Wyoming when he aggravated the injury during
pregame warmups.

Scott had a combined 10 carries over the next three games before
undergoing surgery.

He said his knee is "healing up really good" as he progresses
through rehabilitation. Scott was looking at an outside chance
of a return Saturday against Texas A&M.

That is, before his announcement.

Running backs coach Darian Hagan was disappointed by the
decision, finding out through a text message that Scott had sent
him Tuesday morning. Hagan was instrumental in recruiting Scott
to Boulder, then served as his mentor.

"It's unfortunate that he decided he had to leave," Hagan said
after practice Tuesday night. "He has to do what he has to do,
but I just wish he had done it a different way ... I had no idea
he was even thinking about it. I'd asked him on different
occasions, was he OK, was he thinking about transferring because
I heard people saying stuff. I told him to be a man about it and
look me in the eye, and he said, 'Nah, coach, I've never thought
about it.' So today was a total surprise for me."

The same goes for his teammates, who were completely caught off
guard.

"He never said anything," receiver Scotty McKnight said. "If he
did, I would have tried to keep him here ... Maybe he felt this
is the best thing for him and that's the way it goes."

The Buffaloes are off to a rough start this season, slipping to
2-6 after a loss to Missouri last weekend. Hawkins is on the hot
seat and now a once coveted recruit is leaving town.

But football goes on.

"He's just one of the guys who jumped off the bus," Stewart said
of Scott. "We just have to keep moving, the bus don't stop."

As for sitting out the rest of the season, Scott said it will be
a difficult assignment.

"But at the same time it will motivate me to do what I have to
get done, which is finish strong on the grades, get this knee
right and hit the weight room," Scott said. "I made a lot of
friends over here. Buff nation is amazing. I'm going to miss it
- I can tell you that much."

---

AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton in Denver contributed to this
report.