SB Nation - Tyler Hansen

Post Game Reaction - Colorado Buffaloes Lose Season Finale to Nebraska 28 - 20

irish1611 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:33:32 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

26 days ago: After losing his helmet in the scrum, Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner (99), right, pursues Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen, left, for the sack in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Boulder, Colo., on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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The Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3, 6-2) scored 14 points via special teams and an interception to upend the Colorado Buffaloes (3-9, 2-6) 28 - 20 in the Buffs' last game of the 2009 season. On a beautiful day in Boulder, the Buffs played well at times and in other situations, they continued to be their own worst enemy, something that has become a staple for the Buffs in Dan Hawkins' four years at Colorado.

The Colorado defense only allowed 14 points and held the Cornhuskers' offense to just 217 yards, only 73 of which came through the air. Cha'pelle Brown played wonderfully in his final game as a Buff including a sack of Husker QB Zac Lee. The senior cornerback was also awarded this season's Buffalo Heart Award, presented annually to a Buffs player by fans. Colorado's defense has played relatively well since the West Virginia game but were never helped by its offensive and special teams counterparts for most of the season.

OG Ryan Miller and the offensive line did very well on DT Ndamukong Suh, even though the announcers kept making it out to be that Suh had 50 tackles and 20 sacks while being blocked by 19 players. Suh was the benefactor of a sack on a poor intentional grounding flag thrown in the third quarter that was clearly a tipped pass to Rodney Stewart. The penalty pushed the ball back to the 34 yard line and resulted in a missed field goal. That one phantom sack by Suh was the only sack given up today, a major improvement. QB Tyler Hansen still had to do some scrambling but the Buffs never were in 3rd and 20's because of a Husker sack.

Buff WR Markques Simas caught six balls for 107 yards. Although he was not featured enough tonight, he finished the month of November with 462 yards and 31 receptions. A very impressive last month for the sophomore receiver and will be a positive going into next season. Simas did not have a ball thrown his way until the 8 minute mark of the second quarter and had only one catch in the first half. Colorado forgot about him until half number two. Scotty McKnight, thanks to a 56 yard touchdown reception as time expired, also finished with over 100 yards, the second time the duo has accomplished that this year. McKnight had 7 catches for 114 yards and two scores. RB Rodney Stewart also went over the century mark with 110 yards on 21 carries as well.

Overall, the Buffs out gained Nebraska 403 to 217. They had 20 first downs to the Huskers' 14.

But, Colorado made enough mistakes to end up with their ninth loss of the season in a very winnable game.

more after the jump...

Tyler Hansen completed less than 50% of his passes and threw three interceptions as the Buffs lost the turnover battle by two. Colorado continues to struggle in the turnover margin category, often making more mistakes than the other team. One of the interceptions resulted in a Nebraska defensive touchdown.

The Buffs also gave up another non-defensive touchdown on a low line drive punt in the first quarter that WR Nebraska Niles Paul returned 59 yards for a 7 - 0 lead.

Special teams play continues to doom the Buffs. In the first quarter, the Buffs starting field position averaged the 8.5 yard line while Nebraska started at the 46. K Aric Goodman's performance continues to be abysmal as he missed two field goals in the second half that would have brought the Buffs within one point, 21 - 20, with 13:35 left in the game. The last two years, Goodman is 15 of 32 on field goal attempts, hitting only 46%. In 2009, he is 10 of 18. Essentially, the Buffs turned the ball over five times when counting the empty possessions from the missed field goals.

Colorado fielded punts inside the five yard line, dropped kickoffs and subsequently, were tackled inside the 20 yard line, kicked low line drive punts, missed field goals and of course, gave up the touchdown on a punt return.

The very next possession with 13:35 left after the second missed field goal, Nebraska had their only impressive offensive drive of the game, a 13 play, 80 yard drive for the 14 point lead. The Huskers only had to convert one third down on the drive while RB Rex Burkhead carried the ball 9 of the 13 plays. Burkhead ended up scoring, putting Nebraska up 28 - 14.

The Buffs were able to get the ball back and drive down to the Nebraska 15 yard line with about five minutes left but, once again, the team shot themselves in the foot. This drive is a microcosm of the inadequacies this team displays on a weekly basis:

Play 1 - quick zero yard pass to Simas in bounds while the Buffs are down 14 points. You have to go up field there considering your timeout situation and only five minutes on the clock. At least a play out of bounds. Before that play, the Buffs took their second timeout of the second half, leaving them with only one. The play call of a small flip pass to Simas after the timeout is mind boggling.
Play 2 - incomplete pass. Now 3rd and 10 from the 15 yard line
Play 3 - delay of game, five yard penalty. Now 3rd and 15 from the 20 yard line.
Play 4 - false start, five yard penalty. Now 3rd and 20 from the 25 yard line.
Play 5 - pass incomplete. Now 4th and 20 from the 25 yard line
Play 6 - timeout, their second of the drive without gaining a yard since having the ball 1st & 10 and last timeout of the half.
Play 7 - interception

The Buffs had 7 penalties in total. They continue to be one of the most penalized teams in the nation.

Just like the defensive drive before it, this offensive drive and the two missed field goals in the second half, the Buffs continually fail to convert and make big plays when the game is within reach. The people in charge at the University of Colorado might think and interpret this as being a very competitive outing, as their press release stated yesterday, but I believe it to be a dangerous trend that we have seen all year against a very manageable out of conference and Big 12 North schedule.

I wish we could have pulled this out for the seniors. We are certainly going to miss players like Cha'pelle Brown, Marcus Burton, Benjamin Burney, Riar Geer, Jake Behrens, Shaun Mohler, Patrick Devenny, Kevin Moyd, Jeff Smart, etc. Thanks for sticking through this mess, it probably would have been easy to quit. Best of luck in the future. I wish it would have turned out better for you in your last season.

Gameday Buff Bites - Colorado Buffaloes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

irish1611 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:30:38 -0000

Still a game to play today, hoping the guys come out and show us something. I believe Nebraska is beatable but Colorado's offensive line will have to play their best game of the year by far.

Hawkins will coach at CU in 2010 - The Denver Post
I love how "progress" and "competitive" are used by the powers at Colorado. Mike, here is the measure to determine progress, not "being" in games. The Toledo game must have been forgotten by Bohn as well:
2006: 2 - 10
2007: 6 - 7
2008: 5 -7
2009: 3 - 8

Bohn was asked what signs of progress he liked. "Our competitive spirit," he said. "Were there times that we were flat? Yes. But we never quit. We've been in every game. Did we make some mistakes? Yes. Did we make some coaching decisions that maybe could be easily criticized? Sure. "But Dan never lost the team, and we've actually improved as the season went on."

CU president: 'We're going to stay the course' with Dan Hawkins - Boulder Daily Camera
"Benson, chancellor back Hawkins; fans split on decision."

Trust me Vanessa, fans aren't split on the decision. If you want to get really, really pissed off, read the last few lines of this article and just take in some people who just don't really understand. My belief is if you want results in the classroom, hire an advisor, if you want choir boys, hire a life coach, if you want wins, hire a football coach who knows his X's and O's. We have said it before and will say it again, Dan Hawkins is the world's highest paid counselor and his bosses continue to evaluate him on him being a counselor and not a head coach.

Woelk: Start clock on CU`s 2010 season today - Boulder Daily Camera
This is the only reason Dan Hawkins is back, because of the extension given to him by Mike Bohn in 2008:

Remember, this is a school whose top officials have been preaching fiscal responsibility to every corner of every campus for months. Those same officials are in no mood to have one of those corners writing million-dollar checks to change football coaches. Neither are those officials excited at the prospect of going hat in hand to the legislature, pleading poverty and asking for more funding -- and then having those legislators read about a million-dollar check going to a former football coach.

CU says today’s game remains meaningful - The Longmont Times-Call

Turnover in Hawkins’ staff in recent seasons hasn’t been too frequent. But he did lose an offensive line coach in February and an offensive coordinator in May, changes that had an effect on the program’s continuity. The Buffs are last in the league in total yards and, barring a big day today, probably will end that way for the third time in four years.

CU sticks with Hawkins - The Longmont Times-Call

Hawkins, in his fourth season, has acknowledged that his team is younger than it should be at this point of his tenure. Attrition has been steady. Of the 28 players CU signed in February 2007, 13 aren’t on the roster today. Hawkins said he would like to have retained some who left, but not at the cost of sacrificing the program’s principles.

Asked if he was receiving offers from donors to help fund a buyout, Bohn said, "We received a lot of e-mails on both sides, positive and negative. Some expressed interest in helping if we go that direction (a buyout). "My position is we never raise money for such an effort. We put our efforts into capital projects and long-standing assets that help us with our competitive nature over the long term, like the practice bubble or the locker room or the meeting spaces."

So can we expect Dan Hawkins to be here until 2012 because of Bohn's refusal to raise money for such an effort? Such principles you have Mike, such noble principles. We only grant extensions for three more years on 11 - 19 efforts. Sorry guys, I know it is negative on the site right now but they are serving up volleyballs that need to be spiked.

Sizing up the storylines: Nebraska vs. Colorado

2. Sack attack? It’s been tough sledding for the Colorado offensive line. The Buffs are averaging 2.6 yards per rush and rank 117th in the country in sacks allowed, having given up 43. The Blackshirts, meanwhile, rank 14th in the country with 32 sacks. CU quarterback Tyler Hansen (there might be a Cody Hawkins sighting, too) has some mobility, but is similar to what Nebraska saw last week in K-State quarterback Grant Gregory. Expect the Huskers to be able to get consistent pressure.

Scout.com: Lots on the line for NU and CU...no, really

For Colorado, a win could help them sell more season tickets for next season, which might allow them to buy out Hawkins’ contract next time around, something they seem apparently unable to do right now, or how else could you justify bringing a coach back with a losing record each of his four years at the helm.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - 2-minute drill: NU vs. CU

CU PASS OFFENSE vs. NU PASS DEFENSE
Tyler Hansen has won the QB job over Cody Hawkins, though neither has been consistently productive. CU has a talented pass-catcher in Scotty McKnight, who has 69 receptions. He may not get the ball often today, though. Colorado allows an average of 3.91 sacks per game, ranking 117th nationally. Nebraska, the conference's best pass defense at 182.3 yards per game, has allowed four touchdowns through the air all year.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Three things to watch: NU vs. CU

Nebraska has trailed for just nine minutes of action during this four-game winning streak. Who knows? If Colorado can grab and maintain an early lead, maybe this thing gets interesting.

Road ahead appears daunting for Buffaloes - The Denver Post

"You wonder what chance Hawkins has to keep his job next year against that schedule?" asked Buff Club member Mike Novick, owner of Buffalo River Clothing Co. in Boulder.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Key matchup: Suh vs. the CU line

NEBRASKA DT NDAMUKONG SUH VS. COLORADO'S INTERIOR LINEMEN
For the Buffaloes’ offense to have any success, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (above) can’t be creating havoc by bottling up interior runs and by pressuring the quarterback. Obviously, it’s easier said than done. Suh can erupt at any time. He had 1½ sacks and a pass breakup in the final quarter last week.

Three-point stance: All eyes on Texas - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN

3. It could be that Colorado decided to keep Dan Hawkins for a fifth season because the university doesn’t have the money to pay him what it owes him and his staff and hire a new coach and his staff. Or it could be that athletic director Mike Bohn refused to make a knee-jerk decision and wants to give Hawkins every opportunity to succeed. I hope it’s the latter, and that the win-now-if-not-sooner mentality will lose its momentum. But I fear it’s the former.

Brooks: Future Is Now For Hawkins, Buffs - CUBuffs.com
Dan Hawkins can now peer into 2010, but Friday morning will find him focused on the here-and-now of Nebraska, CU's opponent at Folsom Field (1:30 p.m., ABC).

Colorado memories special for Watson

Buffs leave Maui more confident - Boulder Daily Camera

And, more importantly, Higgins had help from Alec Burks, Casey Crawford, Marcus Relphorde, Dufault, Tomlinson and others during the tournament. "It`s completely different," Higgins said. "This team has flipped 180 degrees. Last year I think we would have come out hoping we could compete, hoping we could stay in the game, and just see what happens after 40 minutes. This year we stepped on the court expecting to win."

No shortage of drama in NU-Colorado rivalry
Another trip to Boulder, another day of mayhem.

Ags Outscored By tu, 49-39: Postgame Reaction Thread

miketag — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:53:44 -0000

We were a couple of plays away of making that a hell of a game. Really, if our defense could tackle that could have been a hell of a win. I give credit to Colt McCoy for that long TD run because I did not know he had that kind of speed. The rest of the numbers do not impress me too much because I think Tyler Hansen put up similar numbers. Does anyone think he is a hypesman candidate? Best football player I have seen this year is still Suh from NU. Have to give credit to our WRs for making some great catches and Jerrod Johnson for playing a great game. Offense matched them score for score. An interception in the endzone and a missed chipshot FG did us in. I am excited for our future because we had a lot of sophomores and freshmen out there making big plays. We just need to shore up our OL and DL.

It will be interesting to see if NU gives tu a game. I think the NU defense will prevent tu from running the ball. The question is will Helu be able to run against the tu defense. As long as NU does not turn the ball over and sticks with the run like we did, they have a good shot. tu's defense obviously tired late in the game and we were able to run on them more. I am disappointed that we let a golden opportunity get away from us. We need to regroup and go out and win our bowl game.

College Football Predictions - Week 13

JLew — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:04:03 -0000

More photos » by JACK DEMPSEY - ASSOCIATED PRESS

You mean I have to come back and coach again next year? What does a coach have to do to get fired around here? (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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I'm barely awake after eating too much turkey, and the Green Bay-Lions game is not helping me stay awake.But I'm thinking of changing jobs...

Dear Colorado AD:

If you would like to grossly over pay someone to run your football team into the ground, I would like to apply for that opportunity. I have the ability to make outrageous claims about winning 10 games, yell about playing intramurals, and run off players, Additionally I would take a much smaller buy-out than your current head coach. For a few thousand dollars I can fail for you.

I plan on bringing in my own coaching staff. Husker Mike will be the QB's coach, Jon will be the O-Line coach, Cobby will coach the defense, and I'll coach the rest.

Please see my attached CV that shows my NCAA football skills on the 360 which demonstrates my keen football mind.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future, possibly after late Friday night.

-Your Future Coach

JLew

Average results in the picks last week. Big upset by Texas Tech, and NU not covering the spread hurt us all.

	Last week W/L	Last Week ATS	Overall W/L	Overall ATS
Husker Mike	3-2	0-5	67-27	41-52
Corn Blight	3-2	2-3	62-31	41-49
JLew	4-2	1-4	64-31	35-58

Here are the Thanksgiving picks-

Texas (-21) @ Texas A&M

Mike: When A&M can't run the ball, they get blown out. Texas is #1 in the Big XII in stopping the run. Texas continues to roll. Bovines 45, Gaggies 13

Jon J: You realize that Colt McCoy has a losing record so far against the Aggies and this one is at College Station, right? Yeah, whatever. Texas 35, Texas A&M 14

JLew: I'd really like to pick Texas A&M here, but if we are going to play fantasy we might as well have Texas lose in the championship game to Nebraska. Plus I do not see any way that A&M stops the Horn's offense. I think it'll be closer than the spread though, if only because A&M plays better at home. Texas 35 A&M 28

Missouri (-3.5) vs. Kansas @ Arrowhead

Mike: Now that it appears Dan Hawkins will survive, what about Mark Mangino. Jayhawks are in the middle of a six game losing streak, and have been blown out badly in the fourth quarter the last four games. Missouri had been experiencing second half suckage until a couple of weeks ago, until Danario Alexander picked the Tigers up and carried them on his back. Look for KU to lead early, then wilt again down the stretch. Tigers 31, Jayhawks 24

Jon J: This should be a great game to watch because of the blood match between these schools. Missouri is playing better towards the end of the year while Kansas appears to have lost everything. Can the Jayhawks get it together one more time? Reesing, Briscoe, Meier - all Seniors. Kansas doesn’t play for their embattled coach, they play for themselves. Kansas 42, Missouri 38

JLew: KU is done. Carve up the Jayhawk for leftovers. (As if there are any leftovers near Mangino). Missouri looks to be putting the season back together after a injury to Gabbert and as the schedule gets easier. Missouri fans begin to whine about losing to NU... but, but it was raining! MU 27 KU 17

Oklahoma State (+9.5) @ Oklahoma

Mike: This is a line that makes people go whoa! after watching the Sooners get demolished by Texas Tech. Zac Robinson should be back. Now, the question is: which OU squad is going to show up? Last week's Sooners or the Sooners that only lost to Texas by 3? This game is in Norman...and the Cowboys pass defense is 10th in the Big XII. OU bounces back...but doesn't cover. OU 31, OSU 28

Jon J: Oklahoma’s season has astonished me. They’ve lost a lot of good players, but that’s no excuse for the talent level they have, and in losing games they way they have. It all points to a squad full of pansy boys masquerading as young men. Several games have seen even their good players not bother. This, however, is a rivalry. They’d damn well better show up. Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 27

JLew: Bedlam is always a good time. I think that right now OSU has more to play for and really wants it more. I really didn't think that OU would lose to Tech last week. As Mike and Jon said what is up in Norman? I guess the only answer is to fire Stoops. OSU 42 OU 37

Texas Tech (-20.5) vs. Baylor @ JerryWorld

Mike: Baylor left it all in Columbia. Tech rolls. TT 49, Bad News Bears 7

Jon J: What Mike said. Baylor had so much promise. Even has some players, but apparently they can’t find enough that everyone cares at once. Prove I’m wrong, Bears. Texas Tech 42, Bears 13

JLew: When does Baylor get booted from the B12? Wouldn't they fit in better somewhere else? Why keep punishing yourself? Anyway Tech rolls. Tech 48 Baylor 10

Nebraska (-10) @ Colorado

Mike: Dan Hawkins survives the hangman's noose...because the Buffaloes can't afford any rope. This is a bad matchup for the Colorado offense, with Tyler Hansen loving sacks as much as Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick do. But we know Nebraska's offense can keep the Buffs in the game if they make mistakes. Fortunately, CU is 10th in the league defending the run...so unleash Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead. NU 24, CU 12

Jon J: They’re not rivals. They’re not because we’re so stingy with our hate. Yet they play us like rivals. Last year the game was close despite the discrepancy between the teams because of Nebraska mistakes and Colorado passion. That was in Lincoln. Why not expect the same this time in Boulder? Nebraska 28, Colorado 21.

JLew: Will Colorado fans bother to show up, or will they boycott the game? Maybe they show up and get escorted out in the second quarter? NU should be able to get the offense rolling. Especially the running game. The defense should continue to dominate. NU gets momentum going to Texas. NU 31 CU 13

Thanksgiving Buff Bites - Waiting For Mike Bohn to Give Us the Official Word On Dan Hawkins

irish1611 — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:45:23 -0000

Happy Thanksgiving Buff fans. Thanks for coming to our site and talking Colorado athletics with us. We hope you have a great holiday weekend.
Initial Reaction to the Report of Dan Hawkins Being Retained As Colorado's Head Coach - The Ralphie Report

Today, the University of Colorado had a chance to send a message that it isn't acceptable to go 2 - 18 on the road. It isn't acceptable to lose to Toledo and Colorado State. It isn't acceptable winning less games in year four than in year two or year three with a much easier schedule. The University had a chance to say we want to be successful in athletics and winning only 33% of your games is not successful just like doing your job 33% of the time for every other profession isn't acceptable. Let's get this straight, Dan Hawkins' job is to win ball games. It is every coach's job to run a clean program as well, it isn't only relegated to Colorado. But like it or not, you can say the coaching profession is full of slimy individuals but winning is the goal. But the University said, poor us. We are too poor, we don't have the facilities, we had the scandal. Translation: winning isn't the priority. Bottom line, it isn't the priority.

Woelk: Give Hawkins a fifth year - Boulder Daily Camera

Neill Woelk's article is great in theory but all of his ideas for improving the program should be done with or without Hawkins
Here is his plan: Keep Dan Hawkins for a fifth year with the following criteria:
1) Lower admission standards for athletes - "to widen the scope of their recruiting, and it will increase the number of CU students who come from varied and diverse backgrounds." Great idea, should be done regardless of Hawkins being in charge
2) University needs to provide financial assurance when ticket sales go down. Should be done regardless of Hawkins being in charge.
3) Tell Dan Hawkins his job is now based on win. Should be regardless of Hawkins being in charge.
4) Staff overhaul - something I can agree with but have zero confidence that Mike Bohn or Dan Hawkins is capable of doing a successful overhaul. Have they shown us any reason they have hired a good coach since coming to Boulder? Brian Cabral is the only holdover from ages ago that is still a good coach. Also, what coach is going to want to come to Boulder to work for a coach that is going to be on the hot seat? In all likely hood, we will be discussing this same exact thing next year.
5) Tell Hawkins he can make any pitches for a contract extension? Why was this even in the article.
6) Expect results. Again, why wasn't it expected in 2008 when we gave Dan Hawkins an extension?

Report: Hawkins to return in 2010 - The Longmont Times-Call
A few important things in this article:

-Asked to confirm the report, CU sports information director Dave Plati said KOA, "jumped the gun."
-University spokesman Bronson Hilliard said the decision to retain Hawkins is up to Bohn. Bohn is expected to "vet" it with CU-Boulder chancellor Phil DiStefano, but Hilliard stressed it’s Bohn's decision.
-On his radio show Wednesday night, Hawkins evaded a question about the report, saying only, "we are excited about playing Nebraska."
-Hawkins contract ends in January 2013, giving him three more seasons beyond 2009.
-Quarterback Tyler Hansen and running back Rodney Stewart said this month they plan to stay at CU and will not transfer.
-According to Rivals.com, no recruits are making official visits this weekend. (better word would have been to say that all official visits have been CANCELED)

Report: CU coach Hawkins to be retained for a fifth season - The Denver Post

But during the show, he entertained callers who were happy he would return. One caller congratulated him, and Hawkins said, "I don't know about that, but that's the rumor," then started to laugh.

Report: CU will keep football coach Dan Hawkins - Boulder Daily Camera

Nebraska riding its defense to revival - The Denver Post

The rebuilt defense is why Nebraska won only its second division crown in 10 years. The rebuilding offense is why it won't remind you of the Nebraska that won three national titles in the 1990s. But in the long overhaul Pelini inherited when Bill Callahan left the program with its worst record in 46 years, Nebraska is on pace. "Well, it's close," Pelini said this week. "I just know we have a long ways to go. The only thing that I say is we haven't played our best football yet. This team has not reached its potential."

Hate the Buffs? That's natural with rivalries, expert says

Today, if you ask which team Husker fans despise, the answer usually is Colorado, not Oklahoma.

Green Bay Packers rookie Brad Jones confident in NFL future | Green Bay Press-Gazette
Former Buff linebacker Brad Jones is making noise in the NFL:

And when Jones speaks about his lofty goals for his NFL career, it’s easy to believe he has a shot at accomplishing them, because he exudes a certain calm confidence not seen in every seventh-round draft pick. "Obviously, I think I can play," Jones said. "I think everybody at this level — I feel like if you’re not confident with what you’re doing, you’re going to make mistakes. I feel like if you got here, you should be confident that you can be out there and make plays and play football." Jones showed he could do that on Nov. 15, when he made his first NFL start in place of an injured Aaron Kampman and recorded eight tackles in a crucial, defense-driven victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

Hawkins will lead CU against Nebraska, and into 2010 | INDenverTimes

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Desperate Buffs set for Huskers

Starting duo to return for Colorado game Two Nebraska starters who missed most or all of last weekend's game against Kansas State should be back Friday, Pelini said. Sophomore right tackle Marcel Jones injured his right ankle on the third offensive play of the game and never returned. But Pelini said Jones did "look pretty good" during Wednesday's practice. Sophomore cornerback Alfonzo Dennard also missed Saturday's game after suffering a toe injury during practice last week. Dennard also has been battling a sore shoulder, but he should play against Colorado, Pelini said.

Seven Buffs likely in line for Heart Award - Boulder Daily Camera
Defensive player has won award last 3 years

Smith looks to extend TD string - The Denver Post
The CU cornerback has scored in last two games against the Huskers

It’s been a long, dark trip for CU seniors - The Longmont Times-Call

Surge in second half lifts Buffs to victory - The Denver Post

Marcus Relphorde and Alec Burks each scored 13 points and Colorado used a late 13-2 run to fend off pesky Chaminade in taking seventh place at the Maui Invitational with a 73-58 victory Wednesday.

CU wins despite off game for Higgins - Boulder Daily Camera

Cory Higgins only scored six points. And the Buffs won. Even though Colorado was playing a Division II opponent, that's a good sign for this young team. "It shows we have a bench, we have depth and somebody different can step up and score every night," CU associate head coach Steve McClain said after the Buffs' 73-58 victory over host Chaminade in the seventh-place game of the EA Sports Maui Invitational. "It doesn't have to be on Cory's shoulder every night. He didn't care. All he wanted to do was win. I think it was a positive."

Under The Hood: Nebraska vs. Colorado Statistical Comparison

Jon Johnston — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:28:37 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

Tyler Hansen's favorite pose this season. Hansen has taken 31 sacks, over twice as many as the Huskers total. Part of that can be explained on Colorado throwing the ball all the time. Part of it..... CU Sucks.

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Statistics are good to know before you head into a game against a team that hates your guts. If they start giving you too much crap, you can just throw statistical information back at them. Unless they've been following along, they have little choice to respond with the phrase common to losers everywhere:

"YOU SUCK!"

Some stats can be dismissed, or made to say whatever you want, but when you're ranked at the bottom of several categories across several facets of football, things aren't going well no matter how much you rationalize.

That's where Colorado is this season. Before I looked, I thought that it would be Colorado's defense near the bottom of the NCAA rankings, but it's not. It's their offense.

Offensive Statistics

	Nebraska	Colorado
Rush YPG	147.73 (62/6)	83.73 (113/11)
Rush YPC	4.18 (65/5)	2.62 (117/12)
Rush TDS	17 (54/7)	14 (81/11)

Pass YPG	197.7 (85/9)	222.5 (53/8)
Pass YPA	7.1 (63/7)	5.7 (109/12)
Pass TDS	14 (75/10)	15 (67/9)
Pass Efficiency	128.82 (62/8)	105.86 (111/12)

Total Offense	345.5 (82/10)	306.3 (108/12)
Scoring Offense	25.4 (73/8)	22.5 (91/10

If you thought our offense was bad, welcome to the Buffs. Rodney Stewart is the Buffs top running back, ranked 67th nationally in averaging 69.4 yards per game. Stewart is averaging 3.92 yards per carry. The very low team per carry average is because of all the sacks and negative plays that Colorado has had this season - Cody Hawkins has lost an average of 12 yards per game (-84 yards rushing). That's icky.

I'm not going to say much about Cody Hawkins or Tyler Hansen because you can read some incredibly in-depth stuff here. Buff receivers Scotty McKnight and Markques Simas are dangerous, but not overwhelming. McKnight averages just over 70 yards per game, and has four TD receptions. Simas has come on strong lately, with 135 and 128 yards receiving against Texas A&M and Iowa State, respectively. He dropped to 92 against Oklahoma State, but I don't think anyone is going to confuse the Blackshirt defense with any one of those teams.

The Huskers don't have a good offense any way you look at it. We're only around average in rushing, and below average everywhere else. i don't know about you, but I'm going to spend the next two games playing the "Shawn Watson has kept the real offense under wraps until the end of the season!' angle. I find it irritates opposing fans when I refuse to listen to reason, which is the only way to make a cruddy offense enjoyable.

Hate to point this out, but the Buffs have more passing touchdowns than we do despite much worse statistics in this area. That speaks volumes about our inability to get in the end zone earlier this season.

Roy Helu is ranked 29th nationally, just under 100 yards per game at 96.09. Not bad considering he's been injured.

Defensive Statistics

	Nebraska	Colorado
Rush YPG	98.09 (13/4)	162.73 (83/10)
Rush YPC	2.85 (8/3)	4.18 (75/9)
Rush TDS	6 (8/2)	15 (58/8)

Pass YPG	182.3 (17/1)	213.5 (57/4)
Pass YPA	5.3 (3/1)	7.3 (75/10)
Pass TDS	4 (1/1)	18 (81/10)

Total Defense	280.4 (8/2)	376.3 (72/9)
Scoring Defense	10.3 (3/1)	28.9 (88/11)

Look at the Huskers defensive stats. If that ain't beauty.... I don't know what you're looking for. Four passing touchdowns given up so far this season.

The Buffaloes on the other hand.... oy vey. Their defensive stats are not beautiful. They're not hideous, though, as they have not dropped to the Nebraska 2007 level (112th total defense - 476.8 yards per game, 114th scoring defense -37.9 points per game) or to Kansas State 2008 (118th total defense - 479.1 yards per game, 111th scoring defense- 35.8 points per game) so those comparisons are inappropriate.

The Huskers have given up 16 pass plays of 25+ yards, compared to the Buffs at 25 of 25+ yards. When watching Colorado football this year, they have a real problem with letting receivers get behind their deepest defenders.That explains poor passing touchdown defense.

The Details

	Nebraska	Colorado
3rd Down Conversions (Pctg)	40.13 (58/8)	35.06 (94/10)
Red Zone Conversions (Score %)	79.55 (72/9)	84.21 (43/6)

Turnover Margin	+2 (53/6)	-4 (82/10)
Sacks	32 (12/5)	24 (43/8)
Tackles for Loss	73 (33/5)	62 (63/9)
Sacks Allowed	15 (31/3)	42 (117/12)
Punting (Avg)	41.12 (51/5)	37.71 (103/11)
Punt Returns	10.15 (47/7)	2.96 (117/12)
Kickoffs (Avg)	68.20 (2/2)	64.86 (22/4)
Kickoff Returns	23.07 (39/5)	24.24 (20/3)
Penalties (Yds/G)	66 (102/7)	79.4 (117/10)

- Both of these teams are awful in picking up penalties. The Huskers haven't gotten any better in November, still ranked 102nd and averaging 64.3 yard per game. But the Buffs have gotten worse (yes, that's possible), dropping to dead last in FBS, 120th at 94.7 yards per game. Both teams have tendencies to pick up personal foul penalties at the worst possible moments. One wonders how sloppy Friday's game will be.

- 117th in sacks allowed? Wow! Insert your jokes about a Jared Crick - Ndamukong Suh feast in the comments section, while I stick with a "turkey shoot" meme. Tyler Hansen has taken 31 sacks so far this year. It'd be nice if he'd take about ten more this game.

- The Buffaloes do have a potential game-breaking weapon in kickoff returns. Brian Lockridge is 61st nationally with a 24.07 average. (By comparison, Niles Paul is 36th with an average of 25.69. 1.62 yards means a huge difference in ranking, but not an enormous difference on the field). Lockridge's sole touchdown came last week against Oklahoma State. The Huskers have done a great job of shutting down kickoffs this season (hence the #2 ranking), thanks largely to Adi Kunalic.

- Colorado's punting average is pretty hideous. There's an understatement for you.

- What did I miss?

Wednesday Buff Bites - The Talk Continues to Center Around Dan Hawkins' Job Status

irish1611 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:26 -0000

Hawkins Tells Staff He's Got One More Year - cbs4denver.com

Two sources inside the CU football progam told CBS4's Vic Lombardi that Hawkins recently met with Unversity Chancellor Phil DiStefano and came away from the meeting with the understanding that he's safe for another year no matter what happens on Friday against Nebraska.

What went wrong? - The Longmont Times-Call

The Colorado Buffaloes are already wrestling with their lack of success in 2009. Have been for weeks. But with the end coming after Friday’s Nebraska game (1:30 p.m., ABC) and expectations so far from being met, hard answers are expected soon. No one wants 2010 to resemble 2009. At all. So here’s the key question: What went wrong? Maybe coach Dan Hawkins shouldn’t have publicly said anything —– no matter what it was — about winning 10 games. Maybe changing offensive coordinators after spring drills hurt more than anyone could have expected; four offensive line coaches in five years shows. And maybe a less funky schedule will help. But the consensus is that this team’s biggest problem boiled down to one word.

Confidence.

Huskers Prep For Potent Colorado Offense
Colorado with a potent offense??? News to me.

"He is similar (to guys we've seen). He has a good arm and he's real slippery. He can find his way out of pressure and when he does he is always looking downfield. Again, you have to do a good job in coverage, but you still have to deal with him. That has kind of been the theme of the last few weeks. We've been facing quarterback after quarterback who can run and hurt you with their feet. You have to account for that all the time." Pelini noted that while they know there is a possibility of seeing quarterback Cody Hawkins, the offensive scheme as a whole does not change. He said Colorado boasts one of the biggest offensive lines they have encountered all year. "(They are) one of the better lines we've seen. They are big and athletic, too. They can move their feet really well. They get out and pull on plays and find people in space. It's a good offensive line, they've come a long way."

Much more after the jump...

What would Cody do? | All Things Colorado Sports

The player said he was positive that Cody will return to the Buffaloes for the 2010 season, even if his father, Dan Hawkins, is fired as head coach following this season. "Cody loves this place, and he loves Colorado football," the player said. "I don’t think he’d go anywhere."

Big 12 predictions, Week 13 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Nebraska 23, Colorado 10: These two teams have played some great games in recent seasons. But the Cornhuskers’ defense is too solid not to come prepared, even if it did clinch the North title last week. The Colorado team should be poised for an emotional effort in what could be Dan Hawkins’ last game. Despite Colorado’s ‘strong showing at Oklahoma State last week, the Nebraska defense will be ready to throttle Tyler Hansen and whatever offense the Buffaloes can muster. Look for Alex Henery to be a huge factor kicking in the high altitude in Boulder.

Commentary: Win or lose Friday, CU Dan Hawkins coach deserves one more year - KDVR
Stick to the telecasts, not articles...

Here is the reality, though: win or lose Friday against arch rival Nebraska, Hawkins will most likely return to coach CU next year and here is the kicker, the decision has very little to do with football. The bottom line in Boulder is this: wins and losses are secondary to the image of the program.

CU Buffs land 14 on All-Big 12 academic team - Boulder Daily Camera

Fourteen members of the Colorado football team were named to the Academic All-Big 12 team, the conference announced today. Colorado placed nine players on the first team and five on the second team. In order to qualify, a player must have maintained at least a 3.2 GPA and participated in at least 60 percent of his team's games for first-team consideration and a 3.0 GPA for second team honors. Colorado's first team members include Jake Behrens, Ben Burney, Patrick Devenny, Dustin Ebner, Will Pericak, Travis Sandersfeld, Devin Shanahan, Bret Smith and Nate Solder. Second-team Buffs were David Clark, Marquez Herrod, Jon Major, Tyler Sale and Luke Walters. The conference named a total of 170 players from all 12 programs to the team. Nick Florence of Baylor and Austin Cassidy and Sean Fisher of Nebraska were nominated with a 4.00 grade point average.

What to watch for in the Big 12, Week 13 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Dan Hawkins' possible last game in Boulder: The embattled Colorado coach’s job has been in question since a slow start after he boldly predicting his team would challenge for the Big 12 North title. Instead, the Buffaloes were the first team in the conference eliminated from bowl consideration. The Buffaloes showed some promise in last week’s narrow loss at Oklahoma State, although they repeatedly made critical mistakes and penalties that kept them from winning. Will the Colorado coach be able to circle the wagons and get his team to play one final strong performance? Or is it already too late for him to save his job after a disappointing 16-32 career record?

A little doom, a little gloom at the holidays for CU football | All Things Colorado Sports

What, you think the economy stinks? Check out what’s going on on the Front Range football front, where …
* The Broncos’ offense considers a field goal a moral touchdown. Or maybe you haven’t noticed that the Local 11 haven’t scored an offensive touchdown at home in November.
* CSU just lost to New Mexico, which hadn’t won a game since New Mexico was a territory. Or seemingly so.
* CU has lost 20 of its last 22 road games and hasn’t won a Big 12 North roadie during the Dan Hawkins era.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Beleaguered Buffs won't back down

Colorado players say the uncertainty surrounding coach Dan Hawkins' job status hasn't been a distraction. "There's a lot of stuff being said outside of the program, but you step into our locker room or in meetings or in practice and it's hardly spoken of,'' CU tight end Devenny said.

Wideout Simas gives jolt to the Buffs' offense - The Denver Post

"The chemistry between the wide receivers and tight ends and Tyler has improved over the last few weeks," Simas said. "Tyler knows that if the defense gives us this look, I'm going to be here. And if the defensive gives us that look, I'm going to be there. It's a feel thing we're developing."

Brooks: Seniors' Legacy Better Than 3-8 - CUBuffs.com

The Colorado football program's 17 seniors have so much more to their collective resumes than a disappointing 3-8 record entering Friday's final game against Nebraska (1:30 p.m., Folsom Field, ABC). The Buffaloes' three senior captains - Marcus Burton, Riar Geer, Jeff Smart - are a storyline within the tale, each having persevered through individual hardships to reach the point where their teammates recognized and honored them.

CU's Hagan wants critics to stay patient - Boulder Daily Camera

Henderson: McCartney knows the heat under Hawkins - The Denver Post

Colorado comes up short against Arizona in overtime - KansasCity.com

For the second night in a row, not-so-lowly Colorado took a perennial powerhouse the distance. For the second night in a row, the Buffaloes barely missed a statement victory.

CU`s Higgins making name for self - Boulder Daily Camera

"Great player," Wildcats guard Nick Wise, an All-American candidate, noticed. "Before watching film on him I never really heard too much about him. He`s an All-Big 12 player and that says enough about him because it`s a great conference."

Buffs Drop OT Thriller in Maui - CUBuffs.com

Both teams protected the ball after halftime as Colorado committed zero turnovers in the second half and Arizona only committed two. Arizona's hot shooting from the three-point line proved too much for the Buffaloes to overcome though. The Wildcats shot 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) from beyond the arc as a whole, including a perfect 5-of-5 from Jamelle Horne. Wise went 5-of-9 from long distance and his 30 points were a career high. Horne was Arizona's second leading scorer with 17. Arizona's 14 treys today was the most for the program in a single game since the Cats connected on 14-of-23 attempts (60.9 percent) on Jan. 17, 2004, in a 97-72 win at UCLA. That covers a span of 189 games played.

WR Markques Simas' Emergence Bodes Well for the Future

irish1611 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:20:15 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Browse more photos »

For the past two years and most of year three, we heard the rumors of redshirt sophomore WR Markques Simas' potential. Apparently, he was making the first team defense look silly on the scout team and once he dedicated himself both on and off the field, he would be something special. After Simas was ruled ineligible last year and suspended for the first two games of this season for an off-the-field incident, many Buff fans wondered if this would be another one of those players who was highly recruited that wouldn't pan out.

Simas, in his third year at Colorado, finally caught his first ball and touchdown against West Virginia. The next four games, the 6'2" 215 pound receiver never had more than three receptions in any single game. But then November rolled around...and something seemed to click between the receiver and his quarterback Tyler Hansen.

The last three weeks, Simas has been everything Buff fans dreamed for and more, turning in performances that bring back memories of top flight receivers of the past. Colorado fans have been clamoring for a bona fide number one receiver for a while now. Going back to 2004, Colorado's leading receiver has not gone over 600 yards and in two of those years, the Buffs leading receiver had 226 yards and 449 yards.

Just in the month of November, Markques Simas has 25 receptions and 355 yards. If he kept that production up over a full season, he would total 100 receptions, 1,412 yards and 8 touchdowns. Now that is a #1 receiver. It is clear Hansen and Simas have developed a nice report.

As you can see from the chart below (for optimal viewing, click the "wide view" button on the top right of the page), Simas ranks 10th in the nation for yards/game in the month of November among all receivers. He is surrounded by some pretty good company as well:

Top Receivers for the Month of November
#	Name	Team	Yr	Pos	G	Rec.	Yards	Avg.	TD	Rec./G	Yards/G
1	Danario Alexander	Missouri	SR	WR	3	34	587	17.26	5	11.3	195.7
2	Damaris Johnson	Tulsa	SO	WR	3	41	475	11.59	1	13.7	158.3
3	Antonio Brown	C Mich	JR	WR	2	24	299	12.46	2	12.0	149.5
4	Greg Salas	Hawai'i	JR	WR	3	34	435	12.79	3	11.3	145.0
5	Freddie Barnes	BGSU	SR	WR	3	30	428	14.27	5	10.0	142.7
6	Jordan Shipley	Texas	SR	WR	3	27	427	15.81	4	9.0	142.3
7	Golden Tate	Notre Dame	JR	WR	3	27	368	13.63	3	9.0	122.7
8	Emmanuel Sanders	SMU	SR	WR	3	21	364	17.33	4	7.0	121.3
9	Shay Hodge	Miss	SR	WR	3	19	363	19.11	3	6.3	121.0
10	Markques Simas	Colorado	SO	WR	3	25	355	14.2	2	8.3	118.3

It would be disrespectful not to mention the stellar play of WR Scotty McKnight. He catches a bad wrap because he is not a game breaker but McKnight has been solid and has led the Buffs in receiving yards for the past three seasons, something that should not be forgotten. McKnight has put up some amazing numbers in his three year career at Colorado. He has caught at least one pass in 34 straight games, a Colorado record, meaning he has caught a pass in every game he has played in. He ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 779 receiving yards in 2009, which is 44th in the nation.

Combine McKnight and Simas with Michigan transfer Toney Clemons and next year, this looks like a potential unit of strength. Also, don't forget 2009 signees Jarrod Darden, Terdema Ussery, Will Jefferson and Andre Simmons should be up to speed and challenging for playing time next year. It is not known whether WR/CB Anthony Wright will remain on the offensive side next year but if he does, that is another athlete that could make a difference.

Tuesday Buff Bites - Hawkins Talks About Mistakes Recruiting Son, Predicting 10 Wins

irish1611 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:11:46 -0000

CU Buffs coach Dan Hawkins says he regrets bringing son Cody to Colorado - Boulder Daily Camera
No matter how mad you are about the situation in Boulder, writing messages on Hawkin's facebook page is a pretty cowardly thing to do.

Dan Hawkins said his son has been attacked by angry fans on his Facebook page and in messages on his cell phone this season as the Buffs have produced a 3-8 record. Cody Hawkins also was booed several times by the home crowd at Folsom Field earlier this season.

Ringo: CU's Hawkins admits '10 wins' was too optimistic - Boulder Daily Camera

Guess it was just one of those days for Dan Hawkins on Monday. He has them occasionally, days when he decides to be a little more forthcoming and straightforward than usual. There weren't a lot of "We'll see," answers to questions when he met with reporters at the Dal Ward Center. Not only did Hawkins say he would not bring his son, Cody, into the Colorado program if he had it to do over, but he also acknowledged that he might have been a little too optimistic in the preseason when he challenged his team to win 10 games. Hawkins pointed to signposts that were there at the beginning of the season that he should have recognized as significant hurdles for the team just to get to the postseason, let alone win 10 games. He pointed to the overall youth of the roster and inexperience on the offensive and defensive lines as being the biggest problems that should have led him to a more cautious approach. Inexperience at wide receiver was another.

Coach, Kasa reveal conflicting plans - The Longmont Times-Call
Is this article telling at all? We have heard this before where position coaches and player have a differing take than what coach Hawkins says...

Coach Dan Hawkins said Monday that freshman defensive end Nick Kasa, the program’s highest rated recruit last February, is expected to play Friday in Colorado’s season finale against Nebraska (1:30 p.m., ABC). That was news Monday to Kasa. "I don’t know why he would say that," Kasa said following practice. "I really haven’t been practicing at all, and I’m trying to get that redshirt still. If I play, then definitely I’m not going to." Prior to the Missouri game on Oct. 31, doctors told Kasa he had mono and an enlarged spleen, and CU announced he would not play again in 2009. "(Bandison) knows I’m not playing," Kasa said.

Coach regrets recruiting son - The Longmont Times-Call

Speaking Monday during what might be one of his final days at Colorado, Dan Hawkins sounded more like a father than a head coach. Hawkins, whose future remains to be seen following CU’s finale Friday against Nebraska (1:30 p.m., ABC), discussed his program’s quarterback situation Monday. He revealed that if he had it to do over again, he would not recruit his son, Cody, to CU. His explanation was long, but it included his belief that Cody took too much of the blame when things went wrong. "It’s not fair to him," Dan Hawkins said. "Here’s a guy trying to do his best to win games and help his team, and he does everything right and he’s a good student, and he’s getting killed on Facebook and he’s getting killed on his cell phone. "The great thing about this job is, you meet some unbelievable people, great people. But you also see another side of humanity that’s not real fun.

Krieger: Father-son gig impossible to win - The Denver Post

Even Dan Hawkins now thinks it was a mistake to bring his son Cody with him to CU. That makes it pretty close to unanimous. Which is no reflection on Cody Hawkins, one of the most level-headed college kids I've met. In fact, I think he's more level-headed than his dad — and more accountable too.

Buffs Fall Short Against Gonzaga - CUBuffs.com

"I walked out of the locker room for the first time since I've been at Colorado and felt like our kids believed we were going to win that game," said Associate Head Coach Steve McClain. "I knew they'd (Gonzaga) come back and be even, and we would have to fight. But I give our kids lots of credit. I thought we showed passion. I thought we were prepared. They made a shot where we didn't."

Wisconsin defeats Arizona 65-61 in foul-plagued game | www.azstarnet.com ®
Arizona (2-1) fell into a consolation bracket game against Colorado today at 2 p.m while Wisconsin (3-0) will face Gonzaga in the semifinals.

Woelk: If Hawkins knows future he`s not showing it - Boulder Daily Camera

If you believe in numbers, history and trends, Friday`s Colorado-Nebraska game will turn out to be bad news for one of the coaches involved. It`s not hard to make an educated guess as to which one that might be. Since 2003, every Colorado-Nebraska game in Boulder has proven to be the last regular season game for one of the coaches involved: In 2003, Nebraska`s Frank Solich coached the Huskers to a 31-22 win in Boulder to improve NU`s record to 9-3. Nevertheless, he was fired soon thereafter. In 2005, Colorado`s Gary Barnett`s Buffs fell 30-3 to the Huskers at Folsom Field in the regular season finale. Barnett did coach in one more game -- a 70-3 loss to Texas in the Big 12 championship game -- but he also was fired a few days after that. And, in 2007, Bill Callahan brought the Huskers to Boulder, where they absorbed a 65-51 defeat. A couple of days later, Nebraska was again looking for a new coach. Which, of course, brings us to 2009 and another game at Folsom Field.

CU's Barringer fails in title bid - The Denver Post

CU impresses in Maui opener - Boulder Daily Camera

Bzdelik put the Buffs through some intense practices and had the game plan for Gonzaga in place before his sudden departure. CU was the sharper team and led by as many as 15 points in the first half after executing the offense to near perfection. "I thought Colorado did a phenomenal job preparing for us," Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. "Steve McClain knows us and they were ready. It was obviously a game they were pointing towards. They spread us out and made shots."

Colorado, Gonzaga Quotes - CUBuffs.com—Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado

On Colorado's performance "We love our young players. (Cory) Higgins is going to be a really good player. Alec's (Burks) going to be a very good player. Again, our young players looked like they belonged out there. They weren't intimidated by it. Alec got a couple charges that I felt could have gone either way. But you know what, I know this: you expect your team to compete and leave it all on the court and I think our kids did that. We got a nice run going early, our kids kept their composure and got up, yet you knew they'd come back. I think Cory knows he's got help out there and it probably came down to one play. We pushed it, we had Casey (Crawford) wide open here, but the ball goes in and out. If we go up three it might have changed the whole thing. But he at least shot the ball like he believed he was going to make it and you live with the misses. I'm not going to fault our effort. We played like we believed in CU today."

Players seek success for CU coach Hawkins - The Denver Post

"The only thing we can do to help him, if his job is in jeopardy, is to go out and win on Friday," senior cornerback Cha'Pelle Brown said of the Buffaloes' home game against Nebraska. "I don't think he's doing a bad job," running back Rodney Stewart said. "I think he's doing a great job. I don't think Coach should go anywhere." Added wide receiver Scotty Mc-Knight: "It's kind of crazy to think about. If we're affecting so many people, we should take it as a pride thing and say if we're going to affect people, let's affect them in a good way. So let's win football games."

Lunch with Bo: Colorado is Nebraska's rival

In part, Pelini decides what a rivalry game is based on the fans. "I know this is a special game to our fans and to Colorado fans," Pelini said Monday during his weekly news conference. "The two states are close together and this game is important to our fans in western Nebraska, and they want bragging rights. They make a lot of sacrifices driving a long way to see us play, and we’ve got to have their back this week."

Brooks: When Bo Shouts/Chews, Huskers Listen - CUBuffs.com

Bo's answer: "I don't even want to talk about that. I know what we have in front of us. I know it's going to be a challenge. I know we have to play good football. I fully expect to go win this football game. "Texas - that means nothing to me right now. The only thing that matters to this football team is Colorado. I told our people in the offices (and) the coaching staff I don't want to hear about plans, about travel plans, about tickets or anything else about the Big 12 title game. "That means nothing. That time will come. Our full focus is on Colorado."

Pelini focused on Colorado game > The Independent > Sports > Huskers Hq

If game vs. Neb. is Hawkins' last stand, Huskers' Hickman knows what Buffs going through - KDVR

Center Jacob Hickman said he remembers the turmoil well. He said there's probably a split between players who like Hawkins and those who don't. Hickman says no matter how the players feel about their coach, it'll be an emotional game for them. Hickman said CU played tough in a 31-28 loss at Oklahoma State last week and that he expects nothing less than the Buffs' best effort Friday.

Revisiting the 2009 Colorado Buffaloes

Husker Mike — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:30 -0000

The folks over at RalphieReport.com took offense last spring when I described Colorado's new offensive scheme as "Square Peg Meets Round Hole." I suggested that Colorado didn't have the running backs or the quarterbacks to run a pro-style offense, and that the "Hawk Watch would be on".

Score one for the guy who "didn't know what the hell he was talking about."

In any event, we all know how Colorado's new offense turned out. Failure. I suggested that Colorado's new offense wouldn't work if the Buffs expected to throw the ball "35 to 40" times a game. Through 11 games: 39 pass attempts a game. Last in the Big XII in passing efficiency.

Colorado's offense did improve a little bit by burning the redshirt of Tyler Hansen, who helped lead the Buffs to upsets of Kansas and Texas A&M. Colorado's struggles haven't been helped by a defense that ranks in the bottom half of the Big XII in nearly every defensive category.

RalphieReport has an interesting comparison between Hansen and Cody Hawkins, and while Hansen does rate higher statisticially, you have to be surprised by the 31 sacks Hansen has taken since taking over at midseason. Statistically, this looks like a Thanksgiving day feast for Ndamukong Suh and company.

The "X" factor in this game is the emotion that might accompany a potential final game for Dan Hawkins. Will the Buffs rally around Hawkins like the 2003 Huskers did for Frank Solich? Or will the Buffs fold like the 2005 Buffs?

Here's the rest of our preseason preview:

Dan Hawkins raised eyebrows last winter by closing out last season's team banquet by proclaiming "Ten Wins, No Excuses." I believe him when he says it wasn't a prediction, it was an expectation. Aim high, I believe. I think any coach should have high expectations for their team.

But are the Buffaloes capable of winning ten games in 2009? That's another question entirely. Colorado fans point to last season's Nebraska game as proof that the Buffs aren't far off. If it wasn't for a school record 57 yard field goal by Alex Henery, the Buffs would have finished 6-6 and gone to a bowl game. One play away from a bowl game and a chance at a winning season. That's the story in Boulder, but is that reality? Another way to look at last season's NU/CU game is to look at the difference 4 other plays had on the outcome of the game. On Colorado's first two drives, the Buffs took advantage of blown coverages by the Blackshirts to take a 14-0 lead. Three plays did the damage: a 68 yard touchdown pass to Riar Greer, followed by a 44 yard pass to Josh Smith and then a 36 yard touchdown run by Demetrius Sumler. 3 plays, 148 yards. Quite a start.

The rest of the game? 45 plays, 153 yards of offense. Add in the fourth play, that fake field goal where Jimmy Smith intercepted the pitch to Henery and raced for a game tying touchdown, and suddenly a game that Nebraska dominated on both sides of the ball - except for those four plays - is a battle all the way. So while, yes, Nebraska was lucky that Henery was able to make a 57 yarder, Colorado was even more lucky to be in a position to steal a game in Lincoln.

Colorado's hopes for a winning season in 2009 are based on the ability of touted sophomore running back Darrell Scott. A former five-star recruit, he was slowed by injuries all season long and only accumulated 343 yards rushing, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Sophomore Rodney Stewart emerged as the Buffaloes top running back last season, rushing for 622 yards before breaking his leg against Texas A&M. Sumler, who will be a junior this season, finished last season with 251 yards.

Every Husker fan loves this image of Ndamukong Suh celebrating his game-clinching interception.
via huskersgameday.com

Junior quarterback Cody Hawkins, the coach's son, will compete with sophomore Tyler Hansen for the starting position. Hawkins is the better passer of the two, for what it's worth, completing 57% of his passes last season for 1892 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Hansen completed 52% of his passes, with 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions, after pulling off his redshirt late in the season against Kansas State. Hansen did rush for 261 yards last season in limited play.

Josh Smith's departure from the Buffaloes leaves the CU with only junior Scotty McKnight as an experienced wide receiver going into this season. McKnight caught 46 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns last season. Sophomore Markques Simas sat out last season due to academic problems, and will be suspended for the first two games of 2009 for violating team rules. Senior tight end Riar Greer returns as well, his 68 yard touchdown catch against the Huskers gave him a season total of 183 yards.

The offensive line is young and inexperienced, though many experts rave about the potential. Junior left tackle Nate Solder started all 12 games last season, as did sophomore left guard Blake Behrens. Sophomore Ryan Miller started the first four games at right tackle last season, then suffered a leg injury. He's expected to move to right guard. Two newcomers, center Mike Iltis and right tackle Bryce Givens are expected to jump straight into the starting lineup after sitting out last season.

Only four starters return from the #4 defense in the Big XII last season, none up front. Junior defensive end Marquez Herrod did have 14 tackles and 4 sacks last season. At linebacker, senior middle linebacker Jeff Smart earned second team all-Big XII honors as Colorado's leading tackler. Senior weakside linebacker Shawn Mohler was second on the team with 97 tackles, earning him honorable mention all-Big XII.

In the secondary, senior cornerback Cha'pelle Brown was a standout last season and was joined late in the season by junior cornerback Jimmy Smith, who interecepted the fake field goal pitch against the Huskers. Two part-time sophomore starters return at safety in Patrick Mahnke and Anthony Perkins.

Turnover wasn't just limited to the players. Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich left for Oregon after spring practice, and wide receivers coach Eric Kiesau was promoted to replace him. Helfrich's failed spread offense is out, and Kiesau's "pro style" offense is in. What does "pro style" mean? In May, Kiesau talked about emphasizing the running game, taking advantage of the running backs and the offensive line as relative strengths. But earlier this week, Kiesau added that not only will the Buffs feature "a downhill, blue-collar run game" but also "an extensive passing game."

Say what? With Cody Hawkins, Tyler Hansen, and only one returning receiver with any experience?

"We're going to get the ball downfield, let our playmakers get vertical. If you just run the ball along the box, they're going to stop you. We're going to play action and be able to throw it, we'll be extremely multiple.

"It could change from week to week - one week we could be in a lot of two-back, the next week be empty (no backs)."

No backs? Is this all a smokescreen to obscure his actual plans, or is he really thinking about asking Colorado's quarterbacks to put the ball up thirty to fourty times a game like a typical "pro-style, NFL offense?"

Here's my take: Colorado will likely try to establish a running game first, much like the New York Giants. They will need to be able to throw the ball effectively, for fear that opposing defenses will stack the box. Effectively doesn't mean frequently, but just enough to keep defenses honest. But that's easier said than done with the Buffs personnel.

So what does that mean for Colorado in 2009? Dan Hawkins told his team that he expects "10 wins". Rock M Nation ran the numbers, and also came up with 10. Ten losses, to be more precise. What's my prediction? Well, I think Rock M is closer than Coach Hawk. I don't think CU can win 10 games with this squad, though 7 or 8 might be possible if the incoming receivers can make an impact, the defensive line solidifies, everyone stays healthy, yadda yadda yadda. (Rock M came up with 10 "if onlys".)

Truth be told, while many experts talk up Colorado, they simply point out that their "breakthrough" would merely get the Buffs to bowl eligibility. And frankly, from my perspective, even that's a reach. If it wasn't for Colorado's budget issues, I'd suggest that Hawkins was on the hot seat this season. Remember that this CU squad nearly lost to Iowa State and Kansas State at home last season. That would have made the Buffs 3-9 last season, in which case would anybody be suggesting Colorado as a breakthrough team? Maybe not, unless they also remember Colorado went 3-8 in 2000.

Poll

What's your prediction for the Nebraska/Colorado game?

47%

The Huskers score early and often, and waive goodbye to Dan Hawkins.

120 votes

41%

It's another nip-and-tuck NU/CU game, with the Huskers pulling one out in Boulder.

106 votes

Colorado finds a way to beat the Huskers at home.

16 votes

Remember 2001? It's Deja Vu all over again.

11 votes

253 votes | Poll has closed

Poll

Is this the final game for Dan Hawkins at Colorado?

Yes. He's had enough time, and he's failed miserably.

59 votes

No. Colorado can't afford to buy out Dan Hawkins; they're still trying to pay off the Gary Barnett payoff.

50 votes

No. Hawkins just needs more time.

10 votes

119 votes | Poll has closed