COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado State quarterback Collin Hill, a redshirt sophomore who re-tore his right ACL in March AND required surgery, is on pace to be healthy enough to play this season and as early as Week 1, Rams’ coach Mike Bobo told reporters Tuesday at the annual Alert Sports Corp college football kick-off luncheon.

“Yesterday on the ninth was his four-month checkup and he’s ahead of schedule with everything,” Bobo said. “We’re going to pick up the treatment aggressively, keep pushing and we start practice in basically three weeks. We’ll have to still take it slow, but we’re not ruling out game one … he’ll definitely be ready at some point this season.”

Bobo clarified that Hill is about “five-to-six weeks” ahead of schedule after re-tearing his ACL playing basketball.

Before the injury, Hill entered last spring as the front-runner to start for the Rams this fall following an impressive true freshman stint in 2016. Over five games with four starts, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound passer completed 58.1 percent of his attempts (75-129) for 1,096 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions before his first ACL tear against Utah State.

“Last time was really tough. It’s kind of different,” Hill told the Reporter-Herald in April. “I tasted the field as a freshman, had a little bit of success, then it was kind of taken away. This time, you kind of wait your turn, it’s kind of like my time. That’s not to say it still isn’t my time, but it definitely hurt. I know God has a plan, and I know whatever is happening, there is a bigger purpose for this.”

Hill’s quick progression through a second rehab suggests he might be in position to challenge senior K.J. Carta Samuels, a Washington graduate transfer, for the starting role this fall. Bobo added that he has not yet entertained the idea that Hill might attempt to gain a medical hardship waiver should he be unable to play this fall.

“As camp gets closer, we’ll have to judge how well (Hill) is and how much he’ll be able to compete,” Bobo said. “He’ll get reps to get ready. At the same time, if he’s not ready to compete, we’re going to put the guys out there who are ready.”

CSU begins the season Aug. 25 at home against Hawaii.