SB Nation - Ray Polk

Wednesday Buff Bites - Boycotts, Anger, Criticism...That's Colorado Football Right Now

irish1611 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:40:05 -0000

CU: Scott-free: Tailback’s exit leaves football program reeling - The Longmont Times-Call

Other Buffs responded in different ways. Some were mad, others numb, others did not want to acknowledge more bad news coming from a 2-6 program that has fans threatening boycotts and protests. While Hagan conducted interviews, several Buffs walked by the scrum telling reporters to "get over it." But Hagan, the man who recruited Scott from Ventura, Calif., to Boulder when every other program in the nation craved his signature, could not mask his anger. This might take him awhile to get over. "I don’t even want to know a reason," Hagan said. "There’s not a reason. He’ll probably say, ‘I want to get home to my mom’ or ‘I wasn’t happy here.’ He’ll make up a whole bunch of different things. "But the truth of the matter is, this is something he shouldn’t have done."

Woelk: Departure of Scott more bad news for Buffaloes - Boulder Daily Camera

But what is lost is twofold: One is potential. Scott is a physically gifted young man who could very well still blossom into a top-notch Division I running back. It would have been nice to see him reach that potential in a Buff uniform. The biggest loss, however, may come in terms of recruiting. The Buffs lost a five-star recruit on Tuesday. Guaranteed, every opposing coach recruiting a prep standout who is considering Colorado will bring Scott into the conversation. They will use it as a tool to steer players away from CU and to their program.

CU athletic director Bohn always positive, even in rough times like the present - The Denver Post

Brooks: A 'Good Fit' Goes Bad For Scott - CUBuffs.com—Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado

Losing Scott, said Hagan, will not adversely affect the chemistry at his position: "All my guys like each other, they're all competitive. We just lost a pair of legs. But like I said, I wish Darrell nothing but the best . . . life goes on; I'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be a different day."

Fed-up CU Buffs fans plan powder-blue protest at Folsom - Colorado Daily

For Buffs fans, powder blue is the color of defeat. It's the color of losing streaks, of (arguably) poor coaching, of lackluster fans. It's the color that the University of Colorado Buffaloes football team wore from 1981 to 1984, when they won a total of 10 games out of 44.

Paige: Scott free, and for CU it's costly - The Denver Post

CU owed Scott more than an excellent education. He had committed to Hawkins and given the program a significant recruiting lift when it was needed. He deserved more of an opportunity to play when he was healthy, just as Marcus Houston deserved more when he was healthy. And Houston, the last "great" running back recruited by Colorado, had to run away. Who's next? In his first practice before last season, Scott looked impressive, elusive and fast. One senior defensive lineman predicted he would win the Heisman Trophy in two years. Others predicted immediate stardom. Nobody at CU is predicting trophies or stardom for Scott anymore, and Scott is not predicting a national championship for the Buffaloes. As the knight told Indiana Jones after the bad guy grabbed the wrong goblet and his head exploded: "He chose poorly."

much more after the jump...

Dan Hawkins job is in jeopardy | The Buffzone Blog

Hawkins’ stubborn refusal to play the best players on Saturdays bothers the powers that be just as much as the average fan. The slow starts and appearance that the Buffs are unprepared to play bother the powers that be just as much as the average fan. The attrition rate in Hawkins’ program bothers the powers that be just as much as the average fan. The never-ending excuse about the youth of the team while other young teams around the country are finding success bothers the powers that be just as much as the average fan. The handling of the quarterback situation and the lack of player development atthe position over 31/2 years now bothers the powers that be just as much as the average fan. The team’s inability to win on the road under Hawkins bothers the powers that be just as much as the average fan. Seeing Dan Hawkins handle news of Darrell Scott’s decision to transfer this way on Tuesday bothered the powers that be just as much as the average fan.

Buff Darrell Scott leaving CU football team - Buffzone

Running backs coach Darian Hagan said Scott's decision caught him by surprise. But Hagan admitted he had talked with Scott on several occasions in recent months about previous rumors of a transfer. "I didn't find out the way I thought I deserved to find out," Hagan said. "It's unfortunate he decided he had to leave. He has to do what he has to do, but I just wish he did it in a different way." Scott has said that his relationship with Hagan and the fact that his uncle was a Buff were the two biggest reasons he decided to join the CU program. After making his decision to end the recruiting process, Scott said Hagan was like a father figure in his life. "I had no idea he was even thinking about it," Hagan said. "I've 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. He said, 'No, coach. I never thought about it.'"

RB Scott's interest in UCLA is 'really high' - The Daily Breeze

He said his interest in UCLA is high, "really high, really," and said despite the team's recent struggles he believes the Bruins can turn it around. "They started the year off pretty well," Scott said by phone Tuesday night. "I think they're struggling, but they can turn it around. I played football with most of the guys on that team, and I think they have a lot of potential. "A lot of talent."

CU’s Hagan will stick with what he has | All Things Colorado Sports

There has been some Internet chatter among CU fans wondering if redshirt-freshman safety Ray Polk might move back to running back, now that the stable is without Darrell Scott. Don’t look for that to happen. Defensive backs coach Greg Brown said moving Polk to the starting lineup has really solidified the secondary.

Hawkins Press Luncheon Quotes - CUBuffs.com—Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado

Head Coach Dan Hawkins held his weekly Press Luncheon Tuesday at the Dal Ward Athletic Center, the following are quotes from the session.

Ex-Buff Klatt criticizes CU over sign - Boulder Daily Camera

Klatt said the fact the sign was painted over concerns him and other former Buffs because it is an indication in their eyes that Hawkins and athletic director Mike Bohn don`t value some of the traditions in place before their arrival.

CU Buff's Nick Kasa disappointed by his season ending - Buffzone

Freshman defensive end Nick Kasa spoke at length Tuesday about his season coming to an end because of a case of mononucleosis and an enlarged spleen. "It`s really frustrating definitely," Kasa said. "I can`t catch a break. But if I get the season back, that would be even be better because I get some playing time and I still get my four years to play."

Ringo: Big 12 mulls changing North, South scheduling - Boulder Daily Camera

The proposed change would be for teams never to go more than one year without facing each other in the regular season. Colorado would play Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State this year and then play the other three South Division foes next season. In the third year, the Buffs would play Texas, Texas A&M and OSU again but at the opposite site from this season.

Teammates ‘bummed’ by departure - The Longmont Times-Call

CU's Hawkins: Buffs in must-win situation for rest of season - Boulder Daily Camera

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins returned to normal this week at his media luncheon today. There was no long, introspective opening statement, reading of letters of support or acknowledgement of mistakes made as was the case a week ago. Hawkins stayed with a business as usual approach in discussing last week's homecoming loss to Missouri and this Saturday's home game against a Texas A&M team he called "very electric."

Victoria Advocate | Miller leads nation in sacks, chasing A&M record

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Miller leads the nation with 13½ sacks as the Aggies (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) head into Saturday's game at Colorado (2-6, 1-3). He needs seven more sacks to pass the Texas A&M single-season mark of 20, set by defensive end Jacob Green in 1979.

Scout.com: Onyeali’s Broad Horizons

This coming weekend Nduka Onyeali will be taking an official visit to Arizona State. "I’ve heard a lot of good things about ASU," Onyeali said. "I’ve seen a few of their games on TV and the area looks great. It’s also a pretty good program. They seem to be doing well and I know they have great coaches." The Sun Devils were Onyeali’s first scholarship offer last spring.

A&M's offense humming along - Dallas Morning News

Texas A&M's offense put up big numbers in its first three games, but the level of competition raised doubts about how good the Aggies really were. After losing three in a row, A&M (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) has now topped 500 total yards in consecutive Big 12 victories and the offense remains one of the nation's best. The Aggies rank third in total yardage (490.5 yards per game), eighth in scoring (35.8 points per game) and fourth in third-down conversion rate (52.5 percent) heading into Saturday's game at Colorado (2-6, 1-3).

The North in 2010

Bill C. — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:00:31 -0000

The 2009 Big 12 North race is, to say the least, intriguing heading into November, but the way my brain works, I can't help but keep an eye on the future as all of this plays out. And since it's in my head, I might as well type it out too, huh? As November 2009 begins, let's take a look at...2010.

What we're going to do is simple: we're going to take the most recent two-deeps listed on each team's website, remove the seniors, and see what's left. Obviously there will be plenty more analysis to come, but this will be a nice, preliminary peek. I can't help myself.

Missouri

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Blaine Gabbert (Jr) Jimmy Costello (So)	DE	Jacquies Smith (Jr) Marcus Malbrough (So)
RB	Derrick Washington (Sr) De'Vion Moore (So)	DT	Dominique Hamilton (Jr) Marvin Foster (RSFr)
WR	Jerrell Jackson (Jr) Brandon Gerau (Jr)	DT	Terrell Resonno (Jr) Bart Coslet (Sr)
WR	T.J. Moe (So) Rolandis Woodland (So)	DE	Aldon Smith (So) Brad Madison (So)
WR	Wes Kemp (Jr) Michael Egnew (Jr)	WLB	Zaviar Gooden (So) Donovan Bonner (So)
TE	Andrew Jones (Jr) Beau Brinkley (Jr)	MLB	Will Ebner (Jr) Luke Lambert (Sr)
LT	Elvis Fisher (Jr) Justin Britt (RSFr)	SLB	Andrew Gachkar (Sr) Tyler Crane (Jr)
LG	Austin Wuebbels (Jr) Travis Ruth (So)	CB	Carl Gettis (Sr) Trey Hobson (Jr)
C	Tim Barnes (Sr) J.T. Beasley (Jr)	CB	Kevin Rutland (Sr) Robert Steeples (So)
RG	Jayson Palmgren (Jr) Travis Ruth (So)	FS	Jasper Simmons (Sr) Munir Prince (Sr)
RT	Dan Hoch (Jr) Jack Meiners (So)	SS	Jarrell Harrison (Sr) Kenji Jackson (Jr)

K	Grant Ressel (Jr)	P	Matt Grabner (Jr)
PR	Carl Gettis (Sr)	KR	Jasper Simmons (Sr)

I've got to say, this is the most complete team heading into 2010. Blaine Gabbert will be the most accomplished North QB heading into 2010 and Derrick Washington the second-most accomplished RB. The improved secondary will return just about everybody of importance, and a deep LB corps could be well-positioned to absorb the loss of Sean Weatherspoon with as little drop-off as possible.
Two major question marks: a) who replaces Danario Alexander, and b) who replaces Jaron Baston? Multiple candidates exist to replace Spoon, so that's actually less of a worry, but the WR situation is at least a bit worrisome. Wes Kemp has shown flashes, and if he continues to grow, he could be the deep threat this team needs, but what is it I always say? Until you actually prove it, it's a question mark. Beyond Kemp, guys like Jackson, T.J. Moe (remember him?), Rolandis Woodland, and one of the redshirting freshmen (L'Damian Washington, Jaleel Clark, Kerwin Stricker) will fill out the depth chart, and at least one of them will need to take a step forward.
Of course, you know who else could absorb the loss of Danario? Tight ends. Novel concept, I know.
I really like what I've seen out of Dominique Hamilton recently, but Terrell Resonno seems to have disappeared. Either he or one of the underclassmen (Marvin Foster, Jimmy Burge, George White) will need to raise their game. If somebody competent steps up at WR and DT, this team is loaded.

Colorado

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Tyler Hansen (Jr) Cody Hawkins (Sr)	DE	Marquez Herrod (Sr) Josh Hartigan (Jr)
RB	Rodney Stewart (Jr) Darrell Scott (Jr)	DT	Curtis Cunningham (Jr) Nate Bonsu (So)
FB	Ryan Deehan (Jr) ?	DT	Will Pericak (So) Conrad Obi (Jr)
WR	Scotty McKnight (Sr) Jason Espinoza (Jr)	DE	Forrest West (So) Nick Kasa (So)
WR	Markques Simas (Jr) Will Jefferson (So)	WLB	Jon Major (So) Tyler Ahles (Jr)
TE	Ryan Deehan? (Jr) ?	MLB	Michael Sipili (Sr) ?
LT	Nate Solder (Sr) Ryan Dannewitz (So)	SLB	B.J. Beatty (Sr) Doug Rippy (So)
LG	Ethan Adkins (Jr) Blake Behrens (Jr)	CB	Jimmy Smith (Sr) ?
C	Keenan Stevens (Sr) Mike Iltis (Jr)	CB	Jalil Brown (Sr) Arthur Jaffee (Jr)
RG	Matthew Bahr (Jr) Max Tuioti-Mariner? (So)	FS	Ray Polk (So) Anthony Perkins (Jr)
RT	Ryan Miller (Jr) Bryce Givens (So)	SS	Travis Sandersfeld (Jr) ?

K	Aric Goodman (Sr)	P	Aric Goodman (Sr)
PR	Jason Espinoza (Jr)	KR	Brian Lockridge (Jr)

I mentioned this past offseason that while Colorado was going to stink in 2009, they might actually be positioning themselves to actually fulfill the role of sleeper that has been foisted upon them for most of the last half-decade. Ironically, they might actually emerge as a sleeper just as everybody finally gives up on them.
Of course, there will still be some major question marks. You know I'm not at all impressed with Rodney "Another Short Gain By" Stewart, and while Scotty McKnight (how is he still an underclassman???) is a great possession guy, he'd be a helluva lot better as a #2 or #3 threat than a #1. Unless Markques Simas finally starts to live up to the potential everybody says he has, this team is still severely lacking at WR, and they're losing both of their top tight ends. (I'm going out of my way not to mention Darrell Scott here, as he...whatever. I have no expectations whatsoever for him at this point, and I'm going to let him surprise me.)
I really like Jimmy Smith at CB, but CU's going to be searching for some replacements in the secondary. Jalil Brown has potential, and Ray Polk is young, but depth could be an issue.
Same can be said for the LB corps. Luckily for CU, they should have a strong D-line to maybe deflect some of the concerns.
If CU really does live up to its annual sleeper reputation, it will be in the trenches, where a struggling O-line will at least have experience on its side, and the D-line could be strong. Then again, after watching CU's O-line attempt to handle MU's improving-but-not-amazing D-line, maybe returning a bunch of these guys might not be a good thing.

Iowa State

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Austen Arnaud (Sr) Jerome Tiller (So)	DE	Patrick Neal (Jr) ?
RB	Alexander Robinson (Sr) Beau Blankenship (So)	DT	Bailey Johnson (Jr) Stephen Ruempolhamer (Jr)
WR	Jake Williams (Sr) ?	DT	Austin Alburtis (Sr) ?
WR	Sedrick Johnson (Jr) ?	DE	Roosevelt Maggitt (So) Cleyon Lang (So)
WR	Josh Lenz (So) Darius Darks (Jr)	SLB	Jacob Lattimer (Jr) ?
TE	Collin Franklin (Sr) ?	MLB	Matt Tau'fo'ou (Sr) A.J. Klein (So)
LT	Kelechi Osmele (Jr) Brayden Burris (So)	WLB	Jake Knott (So) ?
LG	Alex Alvarez (Sr) Mike Bangston (So)	CB	Leonard Johnson (Jr) Jeremy Reeves (So)
C	Sean Smith (Sr) ?	CB	Jacques Washington (So) ?
RG	Ben Lamaak (Sr) Trey Baysinger (Jr)	FS	Michael O'Connell (Sr) ?
RT	Scott Haughton (Jr) Zack Spears (Jr)	SS	David Sims (Sr) Zac Sandvig (Sr)

K	Grant Mahoney (Jr)	P	?
PR	Leonard Johnson (Jr)	KR	Leonard Johnson (Jr)

So Paul Rhoads' second year in Ames will potentially see a downright strong offense and a thin, depleted, inexperienced defense. I don't want to overstate the offensive potential (the WR situation is iffy, to say the least), but ISU might have the best O-line in the North blocking for what is at least decent skill position talent.
Arnaud vs Tiller. Could be interesting to watch this competition.
Really, if ISU returned just a couple more decent playmakers on defense, I could talk myself into them being a darkhorse contender. But while I do like what Rhoads has done with the talent on hand this year, I just can't figure they'll be that great next year. They will need another year or two of Rhoads developing his own recruits before I feel a lot more comfortable about the potential of their program.

Kansas

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Kale Pick (So) ?	DE	Jake Laptad (Sr) ?
RB	Toben Opurum (So) ?	DT	Jamal Greene (Sr) ?
WR	Dezmon Briscoe?? (Sr) ?	DT	John Williams (So) Richard Johnson (Jr)
WR	Johnathan Wilson (Sr) Tertavian Ingram (Sr)	DE	Quintin Woods (Sr) ?
WR	Bradley McDougald (So) Chris Omigie (So)	SLB	Justin Springer (Sr) ?
TE	Tim Biere (Jr) Ted McNulty (Jr)	MLB	Drew Dudley (Sr) ?
LT	Tanner Hawkinson (So) Ian Wolfe (Sr)	WLB	Huldon Tharp (So) ?
LG	Brad Thorson (Sr) Carl Wilson (Sr)	CB	D.J. Beshears (So) Daymond Patterson (Jr)
C	Jeremiah Hatch (Jr) Brad Thorson (Sr)	CB	Chris Harris (Sr) Calvin Rubles (Sr)
RG	Sal Capra (Sr) Trevor Marrongelli (So)	FS	Lubbock Smith (So) ?
RT	Jeff Spikes (Jr) Michael Martinovich (Jr)	SS	Phil Strozier (Sr) ?

K	Jacob Branstetter (Sr)	P	Alonso Rojas (Sr)
PR	Daymond Patterson (Jr)	KR	Bradley McDougald (So)

So KU's biggest question mark (offensive line) will return completely intact next year, while most of the known skill position talent disappears. I listed Dez Briscoe on the two-deep above, but I've got to be honest: I'm about 92% sure he's going pro this year. His stats are ridiculous, he's got decent NFL size, he's been suspended for academic reasons, and supposedly he was tied to those football-vs-basketball brawls earlier in the year. That's not a recipe for someone who's going to go out of his way to stick around campus for another season.
Without Briscoe, I have to figure this is going to be a run-heavy offense next year. Kale Pick's got a lot to prove, but with Toben Opurum and an experienced line, they might (might) be able to rely on the run. Then again, they'll still need some sort of passing attack, and...who will be the #1 receiver? Johnathan Wilson, I guess? Color me unafraid.
I'm not even going to try to figure out if KU's D is going to be any good. They've improved recently, but they lose Darrell Stuckey and two linemen, and the depth from LB corps vanishes. I assume this will be a decent unit, and really you can start to maybe see the identity KU might be going with--defense first, run-heavy, grind it out.

Kansas State

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Carson Coffman (Sr) ?	DE	Brandon Harold (Jr) ?
RB	Daniel Thomas (Sr) ?	DT	Prizell Brown (Sr) ?
FB	Braden Wilson (So) Lucas Hamm (Sr)	DT	Raphael Guidry (Jr) ?
WR	Lamark Brown (Sr) ?	DE	Antonio Felder (Sr) Joseph Kassanavoid (So)
WR	Collin Klein (So) Chris Harper (So)	LB	Kevin Rohleder (Sr) ?
TE	Travis Tannahill (So) ?	LB	Alex Hrebec (Jr) ?
LT	Zach Hanson (Jr) ?	LB	Troy Butler (Sr) Thomas Ferguson (So)
LG	Zach Kendall (Sr) Trevor Viers (Sr)	CB	Joshua Moore (Sr) Darious Thomas (So)
C	Wade Weibert (Sr) ?	CB	Stephen Harrison (Sr) David Garrett (Jr)
RG	Kenneth Mayfield (Sr) Colten Freeze (Jr)	FS	Emmanuel Lamur (Jr) ?
RT	Clyde Aufner (Jr) Ethan Douglas (So)	SS	Tysyn Hartman (Jr) Torrell Miller (So)

K	Josh Cherry (Sr)	P	Ryan Doerr (So)
PR	Tysyn Hartman (Jr)	KR	Daniel Thomas (Sr)

Like Kansas, this looks to be a pretty run-heavy, can't-pass-on-them team, with Daniel Thomas running behind a super-experienced line and a well-coached defense that is iffy in the front seven but stout in the secondary. In other words, this looks like a Bill Snyder team (sans the All-American linebackers). We've made a big deal out of the fact that they're losing about 35 seniors this year (and that's only a slight exaggeration), and that will absolutely murder their depth, but if they stay reasonably healthy, the Snyder identity might be able to take shape a bit more.
Now, I say they'll have a good secondary...I'm still unsure about how good the secondary is now, but returning all four current starters certainly suggests decent improvement for next year.
I believe I heard that Chris Harper is moving to WR instead of competing at QB, right?

Nebraska

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Cody Green (So) Zac Lee (Sr)	DE	Cameron Meredith (So) Josh Williams (So)
RB	Roy Helu, Jr. (Sr) Rex Burkhead (So)	DT	Baker Steinkuhler (So) Terrence Moore (Jr)
FB	Tyler Legate (So) Mike Hays (Jr)	DT	Jared Crick (Jr) ?
WR	Niles Paul (Sr) Antonio Bell (So)	DE	Pierre Allen (Sr) ?
WR	Curenski Gilleylen (Jr) Khiry Cooper (So)	Will	Blake Lawrence (Sr) Matthew May (Jr)
TE	Mike McNeill (Sr) Dreu Young (Sr)	Mike	Will Compton (So) Micah Kreikemeier (So)
LT	Mike Smith (Sr) ?	Buck	Sean Fisher (So) Eric Martin (So)
LG	Keith Williams (Sr) ?	CB	Prince Amukamara (Sr) Dejon Gomes (Sr)
C	Mike Caputo (Jr) ?	CB	Anthony West (Sr) Alfonzo Dennard (Jr)
RG	Ricky Henry (Sr) ?	FS	Eric Hagg (Sr) Austin Cassidy (Jr)
RT	Marcel Jones (Jr) D.J. Jones (Sr)	SS	P.J. Smith (So) Courtney Osborne (So)

K	Alex Henery (Sr)	P	Alex Henery (Sr)
PR	Niles Paul (Sr)	KR	Niles Paul (Sr)

How the hell is Pierre Allen still an underclassman? I was completely convinced that both he and Barry Turner were seniors, but I guess not.
Next question: how much of Nebraska's defensive identity is grounded in Ndamukong Suh? He and Turner depart, but will Allen and the stout Jared Crick be able to keep the great D-line play coming? And how much of Crick's success is due to offenses' fear of Suh?
The shine is quickly wearing off of Roy Helu, Jr., but he does return next year (lord knows he's not going pro), and with yet another experienced O-line, NU should be able to run the ball pretty well. That will obviously take some pressure off of Cody Green if Green is not, after all, ready to be NU's savior.
I really like what NU has returning at CB, but...safety? I think I like their second-string CBs more than their first string safeties. Will be interesting to see if there's some position shifting when all is said and done.

As a Missouri fan, I look at this information and quickly conclude that Missouri will be the 2010 favorite, and really I'd say I have pretty good basis in fact for that opinion. That said, Nebraska is intriguing, and even though K-State is not a stat-friendly team (I've already accepted that they're better than the stats say--I just can't figure out how much better), Bill Snyder really might get them back into the hunt despite the youth and lack of depth. Colorado could be interesting depending on who the head coach is (ahem), Kansas has recruited well and will see plenty of talented-but-young players hitting the field, and Iowa State might have the best offensive line in the division. I'd like to think Missouri might run away with this thing, and I'm sure it could happen (the trip to Lincoln aside), but with five of six North teams (all but Kansas) looking potentially better next year than this year, we might have another fun race on our hands.

Crossfire Q&A: Colorado

RPT — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:30:35 -0000

WIth the game in Boulder inching ever closer, our colleague irish1611 from The Ralphie Report took the time to answer a few questions for us. My spot over at The Ralphie Report can be found here.

RMN: The Missouri defense is expecting Tyler Hansen to start, and I know your community has been clamoring for Hawk to start and stick with him for awhile now. Is The Cody Hawkins Experiment™ finally done? And what expectations do you have for Hansen down the stretch?

TRR: Is the Cody Hawkins experiment done...honestly, no one really knows with this staff but if Tyler Hansen is pulled this weekend in Boulder, it will be an ugly scene. Implying that Tyler Hansen was incapable of running the two minute drill so Cody needed to be inserted was a pretty ridiculous event last week that made you wonder what this staff was thinking. I am sure as a quarterback that doesn't do any favors for Tyler Hansen mentally as the staff is pretty much saying we don't think you are capable for a full game, especially in pressure situations. Bottom line, no one knows and it isn't fair to either Cody or Tyler. What is the benefit for Cody? He comes in cold, trying to lead an offense a series here and a series there? Both of these quarterbacks don't offer enough to do what a team like Michigan does where they put Denard Robinson in for a wildcat like setting. The flip flopping at quarterback doesn't make sense so we hope it is done. Hopefully that doesn't sound vindictive against Cody Hawkins, it isn't his fault he is at the center of this, it is the coaches fault. He is just doing what he is told to do, he just hasn't been a successful quarterback.

As for expectations around Tyler Hansen, one thing we would like to see is more utilization of his feet and running ability. Against Kansas, he single handidly kept plays alive and ran for first downs. Against Kansas State, the staff kept him under wraps, didn't get him involved in the running game which led Kansas State to just tee up on him. Once again, we are seeing a coaching staff trying to mold the player to the scheme rather than trying to find the best scheme to fit the player. See the spread offense experiment last year. We didn't have the players to do that but the staff tried to force our players into the scheme. Last week, we saw Kansas State run the option, the wildcat and use a quarterback with half the athletic ability of Tyler Hansen in the running game and it was wildly successful. It was frustrating because their is a first hand look at getting the ball in your playmakers' hands and trying to exploit a defense creatively with it.

RMN: How has Colorado progressed since the brutal stretch of play to open the season? Was the Kansas win a sign of improvement, an aberration, or both?

TRR: Hopefully you meant the brutal stretch to open Big 12 play! The Buffs lost to Colorado State and Toledo to start the year. The improvement of this team has been on the defensive side of the ball. They held Texas down, Kansas got most of their yards in the second half but the Buffs defense forced two turnovers that led to 14 Buff points and against Kansas State, they held them to under 300 yards. So the defense has been pretty great down the stretch. The problem has been the offense and special teams. Against Texas and Kansas State, the Buffs' offense and special teams gave up at least 31 points. Yes, Texas scored three non-offensive touchdowns and against Kansas State, 10 points was a direct result of redzone turnovers by the special teams and offense. The big problem last week is the Buffs didn't cross the 50 yard line after the first drive of the game until the middle of the fourth quarter...which makes the defensive performance more amazing in that they were always backed up and playing in Kansas State territory.

Until the special teams and offense start to help the defense, this team will continue to lose games.

RMN: Earlier in the week, you guys noted Colorado's struggles in the second half of Big 12 games. To what do you attribute that decline?

TRR: Coaching, a lack of preparation and a failure to make second half adjustments equal to the opposition. The Buffs have scored one touchdown and ten total points in the second half the last three games To me, that is poor coaching resulting in a failure to execute. Colorado was beating Texas at half. The Buffs had a 21 point lead in the second quarter against Kansas and almost lost the game if it wasn't for a 3rd and 19 conversion on the game scoring drive in the fourth quarter. The Buffs are 2 - 18 on the road in the Dan Hawkins era because of the failure to get the team prepared and make adjustments. This could easily be a one win team right now.

RMN: What's the book on the CU defense so far in conference play? It seemed like K-State was able to pile up rushing yardage with ease and Kansas was able to move the ball pretty effectively through the air. Are the numbers telling or deceiving?

TRR: They are deceiving. Yes, Kansas got some pretty good yardage throwing in the second half but for the most part, the Buffs were solid against them, especially in the first half causing a few turnovers. To me, that is just Todd Reesing getting his and Dezmon Briscoe making unbelievable plays. Against Kansas State, the Buffs defense was only accountable for 10 points and for the most part, was playing with their back to the goaline all day because of poor special teams and offensive play. I think the defense has come to play after the West Virginia game, they are blitzing from multiple areas with the linebackers and for the most part, they have stopped the big play from occuring which plagued this unit earlier in the year. They have certainly made an improvement as the year has gone on. Trust me, they are getting zero help from anyone else on this team.

RMN: If you were an opposing coach, how would you attack the CU offense and defense? Is there a specific blueprint for success for beating the Buffs?

TRR: The Buffs usually beat themselves so a great gameplan might not be needed. Attacking the CU offense - first, if the Missouri offense can get a lead, the Buffs will abandon the running game. They have done it many times this year and it is easy to make these guys one dimensional. First things first is to stop the running game. Then it is all about keeping the defense multiple and confusing Tyler Hansen. He is still very young and very inexperienced. The more you can get him second guessing what he is seeing out there, the better it will be for the defense. Colorado is not very explosive on offense, to put it mildly, so I would put eight in the box and dare the Buffs to beat me deep.

As for the CU defense, I don't think it will be as easy to dismantle them but this coming from a team that has given up over 100 points to Missouri the past two years. Who knows. For the most part, the last three games (Kansas State had some early success), the run defense has been pretty stout. If I was Missouri, I would take my shots early down the field. Ray Polk, Ben Burney and Anthony Perkins have been doing pretty well at safety but all are pretty inexperienced back there and Texas did have some luck on double move routes getting behind the defense. The Buffs have been pretty solid against the intermediate passing game and have some relatively solid corners. They have kept the Buffs in a lot of games especially the last three. The defensive line has overacheived to expectations based on the strong play of true freshman Nate Bonsu, true freshman Forrest West and true sophomore Curtis Cunningham. Junior DE Marquez Herrod has played well also.

Mizzou-Colorado: Beyond the Box Score Preview

Bill C. — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:26 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Marquez Herrod: part of a surprisingly successful CU d-line.

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Last year at this time, Missouri was coming off of a tough loss to OSU and a blowout loss to Texas, and they turned their season around with a ridiculously easy 58-0 win over Colorado. This season, a younger, hobbled, even-more-reeling Mizzou team makes the trip to Boulder, hungry for even a 1-point win, much less a 58-pointer. Will they get the job done?

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Because whatever your inclinations, the stats below have something to feed them. An optimist looks at the matchups below and sees a Missouri team with significant defensive advantages, a Colorado team with no major skill-position threat, run-blocking advantages for both the Mizzou offensive and defensive lines, and such a pronounced speed advantage in the last two years that it simply cannot have all gone away now that Jeremy Maclin is catching passes from Donovan McNabb.

If you're a pessimist, however, you've got plenty of ammo as well. You've got an immobile, inaccurate quarterback facing a solid pass rush (and a backup who has not inspired a boatload of confidence), a Mizzou secondary that suffered flashback-inducing communication breakdowns a week ago, and a rushing offense that has still underachieved significantly this season. (Oh, and of course TERRIBLE COACHING PINKEL'S TOO STUBBORN OUR PASS COVERAGE IS TOO SOFT YOST AND STECKEL SUCK!!!!!1!!!!!!!!! Can't forget that.) The projections for this game have gotten tighter as Mizzou has begun to struggle, but let's be honest--without knowing how Gabbert's ankle will respond to another week of treatment, and how such a young team (did you see where Mizzou now has 36 freshmen and sophs on the two-deep????) will respond to a three-game losing streak, projections here are rather worthless. Not that that's going to stop me from diving ahead, of course...

Offense

Colorado: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Offensive Preview

In the last three years against Missouri, Colorado has scored a total of 23 points. After a decent 373-yard output in 2006, the Buffs have not managed even 200 yards in either of the past two meetings. Missouri's defense is actually quite a bit better statistically than in 2008, while Colorado's offense has only incrementally improved. Plus, Missouri holds the ratings advantage in a vast majority of major "+" categories.

Colorado Offense vs Missouri Defense
Category	CU Offense	MU Defense
Close S&P+ (Rk)	90.3 (92)	112.4 (31)
Close Success Rate+ (Rk)	98.9 (70)	104.6 (43)
Close PPP+ (Rk)	78.2 (103)	124.0 (30)

Rushing S&P+	121.5 (25)	101.9 (64)
Passing S&P+	72.5 (108)	120.8 (25)

Standard Downs S&P+	95.4 (83)	114.1 (27)
Passing Downs S&P+	94.3 (85)	117.4 (32)

Red Zone S&P+	106.5 (60)	100.0 (68)

Q1 S&P+	105.5 (69)	96.1 (73)
Q2 S&P+	107.1 (57)	136.1 (18)
Q3 S&P+	83.0 (103)	120.9 (24)
Q4 S&P+	91.8 (93)	113.9 (40)

1st Down S&P+	95.8 (82)	110.9 (42)
2nd Down S&P+	89.9 (97)	114.1 (35)
3rd Down S&P+	98.3 (78)	115.5 (33)

Line Yards+	126.8 (5)	99.5 (64)
Close Sack Rate+	77.3 (97)	89.2 (75)
Standard Downs / Passing Downs Sack Rate+	61.8 (107) / 108.4 (61)	78.4 (87) / 96.0 (70)

When Colorado Has the Ball...
Colorado Rushing	Advantage: Colorado
Colorado Passing	Big Advantage: Missouri
Best Time for Colorado:	1st Quarter
Best Time for Missouri:	Anything after 1st Quarter

Analysis after the jump.

We'll once again start with where Missouri has the rankings advantage:

Close S&P+, Success Rate+, PPP+
Passing S&P+
Standard Downs S&P+, Passing Downs S&P+
Q2, Q3, Q4 S&P+
1st, 2nd, 3rd Down S&P+
Close, Standard Downs Sack Rate+

And for Colorado...

Rushing S&P+
Red Zone S&P+
Q1 S&P+
Line Yards+
Passing Downs S&P+

Obviously Missouri has significant advantages in most categories, but you do see where Colorado has a sliver of opportunity. They will likely try to establish the run in the first quarter, and even though Missouri has been improving quite a bit against the run, CU does still have the overall advantage there. If Rodney Stewart gets going and Missouri has to focus a bit more on the run, then CU might be able to exploit a Missouri pass defense that might or might not now be shaky. Until the Texas game, Missouri had been playing great pass defense--more than good enough to completely shut CU down. But some breakdowns against the Longhorns have caused some serious consternation, and until we see that everything's alright--that the sudden miscommunication is alleviated, that Carl Gettis' head is on straight--we don't know for sure that it will be.

Though Colorado does obviously have a road map to success, you could see things pretty quickly turn in Missouri's favor if Stewart isn't finding running lanes and Colorado isn't moving the ball early. The per-quarter advantage quickly turns in Mizzou's favor after the first 15 minutes, when CU's scripted plays have likely run their course and the game turns to adjustments, counters to counters, and athleticism. If Mizzou leads after Q1, they are in very good shape. As with Blaine Gabbert's ankle, we should pretty quickly be able to discern how the secondary is going to play, and if Missouri's speed advantage is going to be enough to shut Colorado down for the fourth straight year.

Quarterback

If the cast of characters surrounding Cody Hawkins and Tyler Hansen improves considerably, can one or both of them turn into a competent guide for the offense? Cody Hawkins earned a lot of goodwill during his redshirt freshman season in 2007, primarily because of the win over OU. Beyond that game, he didn't show a whole lot, but he was a freshman. Unfortunately, he regressed considerably in 2008, just like everybody else on the Colorado offense. Hansen was able to very briefly breathe new life into the CU offense just by offering a different style of threat--he was able to generate some offense with his legs, something Hawkins is not capable of doing.

In the end, they were both not very good, but they are still young. For better or worse, CU still has two more years of Hawkins and three of Hansen. It really wouldn't surprise me if Clark Evans were given a look if Hawkins/Hansen prove early on that they still can't get the job done, or if one or the other gets injured.

Cody Hawkins: 114-for-228 passing (50.0%), 1,208 yards (5.3 per pass), 9 TD, 11 INT
Tyler Hansen: 24-for-44 passing (54.5%), 281 yards (6.4 per pass), 1 TD, 1 INT

Last year, CU came to Columbia with uncertainty at quarterback. Cody Hawkins simply wasn't performing well at all, and Dan Hawkins tore the redshirt off of Tyler Hansen to provide some competition. This year...almost exactly the same story. Hawkins has been mostly awful once again, and after an early decision to redshirt Hansen, Dan Hawkins decided against it, bringing Don't Call Me Taylor into the Texas game and starting him against Kansas.

Hansen provided enough of a change in style that it gave CU a momentary boost. The Buffs managed just 322 yards of offense against Kansas in Hansen's first start, but they took advantage of opportunities (twice, KU handed them the ball deep in their own territory) and came away with a win. Predictably, though, the Hansen magic quickly wore off, just like it did last year. CU gained just 244 yards against K-State, with Hansen and Hawkins combining to go 17-for-37 for 184 yards (a disgusting 5.0 per pass), 0 TDs, 2 INTs and 4 sacks. Ouch.

(And that's right, Hansen's redshirt came off halfway through the season, but he's still only splitting time with Cody Hawkins.)

Hansen is elusive enough that he really might be a better option than Nolte-Hawkins (I'm not completely sure I'm not a better option than Hawkins). He is not necessarily a threat to gain a bunch of yards on the ground (he ripped off a 20-yarder against KU, but that's it), but he is constantly escaping the pocket and trying to buy time for his receivers. Of course, his receivers are terrible, so that doesn't really work. But that's not his fault.

Running Back

Beyond Darrell Scott are two guys built on misconceptions. It seems like Rodney Stewart was pretty good in 2008. Wrong. Yardage-wise, he turned out to be CU's most successful freshman last year, posting 632 yards in 132 carries before getting injured himself. Problem was, as shown by POE, most of his yards came against iffy defenses. He did well against an okay Florida State run defense (21 carries, 107 yards), but otherwise most of his yards came against West Virginia (28-for-166) and Kansas State (29-for-141), two rather awful run defenses. Against Missouri and Texas, the two best run defenses on the schedule, Stewart managed just 36 yards on 18 carries.

Rodney Stewart: 120 carries, 467 yards (3.9/carry), 6 TD; 5 catches, 28 yards (5.6/catch)
Demetrius Sumler: 29 carries, 114 yards (3.9/carry); 10 catches, 58 yards (5.8/catch)
Darrell Scott: 23 carries, 95 yards (4.1/carry), 1 TD; 4 catches, 35 yards (8.8/catch)

For the second straight year, Scott has spent a majority of the season either dinged up or out. He had arthroscopic surgery on his knee early last week and is out for another week or two. Not that his game log was fear-inducing in the first place, of course.

The main threat in the backfield, I guess, is Rodney Stewart. Stewart is once again riding a nice performance against West Virginia (21 carries, 105 yards) to prop up his numbers. In conference play, he is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry (197 yards on 61 carries), and while CU's overall rushing stats are better than last year (and therefore so are Stewart's), I want to see him do something against a fast front seven before I claim to be scared of him in any way, shape or form. He is a bit of a workhorse--until his 16-carry performance against K-State last week, he had gone over 20 carries for four straight games. Durability is a virtue, especially when you're missing your supposedly most explosive RB option (Scott), but Stewart's got to show me he can run on Missouri's defense before I believe it (last year against Mizzou: 6 carries, 9 yards). Missouri had some issues last week, but not up front.

Meanwhile, for the second straight year, I'm almost thinking that Demetrius Sumler is CU's best back.

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

[A] bad receiving corps probably got worse in terms of proven talent, but CU fans are putting a lot of hope in Markques Simas, a big-time recruit from Hawkins' first full-year recruiting class who sat out last due to (I believe) academics. With Smith, Simas could have had a nice role as the explosive #2 guy while Scotty McKnight continued to fill the "possession receiver" role, but without Smith the pressure will be on Simas to make plays from the very beginning.
Beyond Simas and McKnight (46 catches, 519 yards, 5 TDs)...oy. The seven other names I listed on the projected WR depth chart combined for...wait for it...one catch in 2008. And that one catch (from RB-turned-WR Kevin Moyd) garnered a loss of a yard. You never know when somebody will emerge out of the blue and thrive, but you certainly don't want to have to rely on that. With the level of inexperience here, the WR corps is ripe for an infusion of energy from a true freshman or two--don't be surprised if either/both Jarrod Darden (6'5, 210) and/or Terdema Ussery (6'4, 205) see the field early.

Scotty McKnight: 41 catches, 431 yards (10.5/catch), 3 TD
Jason Espinoza: 13 catches, 136 yards (10.5/catch), 1 TD
Markques Simas: 9 catches, 107 yards (11.9/catch), 1 TD
Patrick Devenny: 8 catches, 107 yards (13.4/catch), 2 TD

Riar Geer: 28 catches, 326 yards (11.6/catch), 3 TD
Ryan Deehan: 8 catches, 77 yards (11.8/catch)

I'll say this right now: when Hansen escapes the pocket and attempts to buy time, somebody better find the tight end. Not that either Riar Geer or Ryan Deehan is a threat to take a pass 50 yards or anything, but Geer appears to be the #1 safety valve option, and if somebody is going to bail Hansen (or Hawkins) out on a third-and-long, it's Geer.

Beyond that? Blech. Scotty McKnight is performing admirably in his "possession receiver" role, for seemingly the 13th consecutive year, and being that Missouri let Nebraska's possession receiver (Niles Paul, admittedly better than McKnight) go deep on them once, he's at least a bit of a threat. But McKnight and Geer are the only two players averaging more than two receptions a game. Markques Simas is the homeless man's Malcolm Williams--we've heard hype about him for a while, and he looks good in a uniform, but he just hasn't lived up to the hype yet. That said, all nine of his receptions have come in the last four games, so he's at least working his way into the offense a bit.

Offensive Line

If there truly is hope for the Colorado offense in 2009, it probably comes from the potential of the offensive line. Ryan Miller was another big-time recruit who got thrown into the deep end last year and actually acquitted himself pretty well. Blake Behrens got a lot of early experience as well. These two, combined with incoming redshirts Bryce Givens and Ryan Dannewitz, not to mention a host of sophomores (sans guard Max Tuioti-Mariner, who has suffered approximately 26 knee injuries in his brief CU career and is out at least for 2009, if not forever), should bring very solid line play to Colorado in the future.

I can't say for sure that this will happen in 2009, mind you--the line may not congeal until 2010--but there is hope here. Injuries and extreme youth decimated the line last year, so it's impossible to say exactly how much potential is here just yet (sounds like the running back corps, no?), but again, we're just talking about hope. This will still be one of the conference's younger lines in 2009, but if things click soon, the entire offense starts to look a lot better.

Possibly the most intriguing unit-vs-unit matchup in Saturday's game comes here--CU's offensive line versus MU's defensive line. I have been very impressed with Mizzou's front seven overall in conference play. Nevada gashed them up the middle, and since then nobody's gashed them at all, aside from a long Roy Helu run after the Nebraska game had been salted away. They have overachieved their rushing rankings the last 2-3 games, and that's an encouraging trend, but the pass rush still needs to improve. They have been all-pros at almost getting to the QB, but that doesn't count for a lot.

Meanwhile, the Colorado OL has seen the same type of encouraging results. Their line yardage figures have been surprisingly great (which brings about even more question marks regarding CU's actual running backs--their line yardage is great, yet they still don't have a back averaging more than 4.1 yards per carry??), but their sack rates leave something to be desired (again, this could be why Hansen is a better QB option...then again, he was sacked four times last week, so nevermind). Strength vs strength, weakness vs weakness. No matter what happens when Missouri has the ball, the game could be determined by who wins this matchup. If Missouri wins it, how exactly is Colorado supposed to score?

---

Defense

Colorado: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

Colorado Defense vs Missouri Offense
Category	CU Defense	MU Offense
Close S&P+ (Rk)	114.9 (29)	106.9 (55)
Close Success Rate+	120.4 (13)	104.4 (52)
Close PPP+	108.7 (43)	113.4 (56)

Rushing S&P+	117.7 (26)	103.4 (66)
Passing S&P+	110.9 (37)	112.5 (49)

Standard Downs S&P+	117.5 (22)	105.7 (59)
Passing Downs S&P+	97.1 (71)	115.9 (46)

Red Zone S&P+	118.3 (27)	74.4 (112)

Q1 S&P+	101.6 (58)	113.1 (58)
Q2 S&P+	120.3 (32)	99.5 (76)
Q3 S&P+	132.0 (15)	119.7 (32)
Q4 S&P+	105.9 (48)	112.4 (37)

1st Down S&P+	112.5 (34)	104.1 (64)
2nd Down S&P+	112.7 (37)	113.5 (49)
3rd Down S&P+	114.7 (36)	117.9 (35)

Line Yards+	106.4 (45)	109.5 (41)
Close Sack Rate+	168.1 (5)	161.7 (20)
Standard Downs / Passing Downs Sack Rate+	190.5 (4) / 122.1 (38)	189.8 (13) / 118.4 (51)

When Missouri Has the Ball...
Missouri Rushing	Advantage: Colorado
Missouri Passing	Advantage: Push
Best Time for Colorado:	2nd Quarter
Best Time for Missouri:	4th Quarter

Missouri's advantages:

Passing Downs S&P+
Q4 S&P+
3rd Down S&P+
Line Yards+

Colorado's advantages:

Close S&P+, Success Rate+, PPP+
Rushing, Passing S&P+
Standard Downs S&P+
Red Zone S&P+
Q2, Q3 S&P+
1st, 2nd Down S&P+
Close, Standard Downs, Passing Downs Sack Rate+

Pretty jarring to see a Missouri offense with that many disadvantages, huh? This is the world we live in. This is also why Blaine Gabbert's ankle is such a huge wildcard for the rest of this season. If Gabbert can get back to actually throwing accurate passes, then Missouri goes back to having a dangerous offense--most of the statistical regression has come in the last three games, since Donkey Kong Suh's Gabbert roll-up. Before that, Missouri had a Top 30 offense (only Top 30 instead of Top 15 because of the weakness of the non-con defenses, but better than 55th, no?). But as it stands now, CU has a majority of the advantages.

With these numbers, we can see a pretty clear picture for how both teams will succeed, if they succeed, when Missouri has the ball.

If Missouri succeeds, it will be through the improving running game (Mizzou's got the advantage in the trenches) and 3rd down passing. Anecdotally speaking, CU's safeties have been by far their weakest link, and that has led to numerous breakdowns on 3rd downs and Passing Downs. With experienced, fast route-runners like Danario Alexander and Jared Perry running around, they could wreak havoc in these situations if Gabbert can get the ball anywhere close to them.

If Colorado succeeds, you will know it quickly. Derrick Washington is stuffed on the first carry of the game, and Gabbert launches a third-down pass 17 yards over Jared Perry's head. The same thing played out in the second half of the Oklahoma State game and pretty much from the opening snap of the Texas game. If Gabbert's first pass is far off-target, it will likely be another grind-it-out performance. The good news is, Colorado's defense simply isn't as good as OSU's or Texas', but it's good enough to make stops if the running game regresses and Gabbert can't throw. Oh yeah, and CU has a solid pass rush, and they'll happily tee off if given the opportunity.

Defensive Line

Remember how I pointed out yesterday that the CU receiving corps has next to no experience whatsoever? Well they've got nothing on the CU D-line. The eight names on the [projected depth chart] combined for 27.0 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 TFL. As a reference point, Mizzou's Jacquies Smith alone had 34.0 tackles, 1 sack and 3 TFL in 2008, and he didn't really start seeing a ton of playing time until a few games into the season.

Half of the 27.0 tackles listed above (and all of the sacks) came from Herrod, who by default becomes the unquestioned veteran leader of the line. CU fans seem pretty excited about Conrad Obi, but it's all potential right now--he had exactly one tackle in 2008. If he can stay healthy, I think good things could be in store for Curtis Cunningham, but we'll see. The 7.5 tackles on his resume leave something to be desired. As we'll see, the CU LB corps and secondary have quite a bit of potential in 2009, but if the line is a sieve, it won't matter. CU had a mediocre D-line at best in 2008, and unless at least two of the people on the above list (or star recruit DE Nick Kasa) become studs, I don't see how the ranking won't fall in 2009.

DT Curtis Cunningham: 22.0 tackles, 2.0 TFL/sacks, 2 PBU, 2 3DS (3rd-Down Stop*)
DE Marquez Herrod: 18.5 tackles, 7.0 TFL/sacks, 6 QBH, 5 3DS
DT Will Pericak: 11.5 tackles, 2.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FR, 1 PBU, 4 3DS
DE Forrest West: 6.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FF, 2 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 3DS

* I really wish other schools recorded defensive stats like CU does.

The Colorado defensive line isn't asked to do a ton, but Curtis Cunningham's tackle total is impressive for a DT. He seems like the type who is rather agile for his position but can be pushed around a bit. In all, you see these individual stats and start to conclude that most of CU's solid sack rates come from blitzing linebackers. Marquez Herrod, the aforementioned "unquestioned veteran leader of the line," has performed pretty well at end, but beyond that, this isn't a highly productive line. Nick Kasa has been slowed by injuries and has managed just 2.0 tackles (1.0 TFL) thus far.

So that brings up an interesting question. Texas aside, no team has blitzed Blaine Gabbert effectively, and even they picked and chose their spots quite well. Gabbert's instincts are not at the same level as Chase Daniel's, but he's been quite effective in seeing blitzes coming and knowing where to go with the ball. Teams who have effectively defended Missouri (without Texas' overall talent advantage) have done so by dropping as many as possible into coverage, and that doesn't appear to be Colorado's style. That could work in Missouri's favor.

Linebackers

Last year, Jeff Smart, Shaun Mohler and Brad Jones combined to make up a solid-not-spectacular LB corps; this year Jones is gone, but a host of potentially capable replacements lie in wait. Jones was the big-time playmaker in the bunch (7 sacks, 7 TFL, 2 forced fumbles), and he will be missed. While Smart and Mohler aren't big-time playmakers (they combined for just six sacks/TFLs) and Jones was (7 sacks, 7 TFL, 2 forced fumbles), every team needs a tackling machine or two, right? The trick will be getting some good blitzing from one of the potential Jones replacements.

There really is a nice mix here between experience (Smart, Mohler, Burton) and guys with high ceilings (Beatty, Rippy, Major), but while I think the high-ceiling guys could be quite strong in 2010, I'm not sure where they lie for 2009. I'm going to say that this unit has a pretty good chance to remain ranked somewhere in the 30s, but I'm not going to call for significant improvement until next year.

Jeff Smart: 59.0 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF, 2 FR, 3 PBU, 2 QBH, 6 3DS
Marcus Burton: 28.5 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 1 FF, 1 PBU, 2 QBH, 4 3DS
Shaun Mohler: 15.0 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 QBH, 2 3DS
B.J. Beatty: 14.0 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 PBU, 3 QBH, 2 3DS
Tyler Ahles: 10.5 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1 QBH, 1 3DS
Michael Sipili: 10.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 2 QBH, 1 3DS
Bryan Stengal: 5.0 tackles, 1 3DS

So far in 2009, it's been a mix of the experienced and high-ceiling guys getting the job done. Jeff Smart has pretty much collected one of everything--INT, FF, FR, TFL, etc.--but is mostly the prototypical tackling machine. The worrisome guys to me are Burton (experienced) and Beatty (high-upside). They are more disruptive types than Smart is, and even though I encourage teams to blitz Gabbert--it usually works out well for Mizzou--if Colorado is going to make a game-turning play on defense, it's as likely to be from Burton and Beatty as anybody else on the team. Also look out for Ahles, who had a pretty good game against K-State. Overall, this is likely CU's best overall defensive unit.

As a whole, CU's tackle-splits (by that, I mean how many tackles each unit has made, and what kind of tackles) point to a defense similar to Nevada's--lots of tackles for loss, lots of big pass plays allowed. Granted, Gabbert had two healthy ankles against Nevada, but I'd much prefer to see that type of defense again, especially if Mizzou's running game has started to improve.

Secondary

The strength of Colorado's defense in 2008, the Buffalo secondary returns a wealth of experience at cornerback...and a wealth of unknowns at safety. If Anthony Perkins and Patrick Mahnke (or anybody else) can do well in the "last line of defense" role, the depth at corner should serve them well. Cha'pelle Brown (71.5 tackles, 1 sack, 5 TFL, 10 pass breakups, 1 FF) was quietly strong last year, and either Jimmy Smith, Benjamin Burney or Jalil Brown should serve as a solid #2 CB. But really, the performance of this unit will come down to the safeties. I wasn't just amazed by the now-graduated Ryan Walters last year, and I think he is replaceable. This isn't the biggest secondary, but it should still remain the strength of the defense and remain ranked somewhere in the teens, if not a smidge higher.

CB Cha'pelle Brown: 40.5 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 1 PBU, 2 QBH, 8 3DS
CB Jimmy Smith: 39.5 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 FR, 6 PBU, 4 3DS
S Anthony Perkins: 28.0 tackles, 1 PBU
CB Jalil Brown: 26.5 tackles, 2 INT, 2 FR, 6 PBU, 6 3DS
CB Benjamin Burney: 25.5 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 INT, 2 FF, 3 PBU, 1 QBH, 3 3DS
S Ray Polk: 22.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 2 QBH, 2 3DS
S Patrick Mahnke: 9.0 tackles, 1 PBU

Last year Colorado had a Top 20 Passing S&P+ defense, and they returned pretty much all cornerbacks who contributed to that unit. They also, however, lost both starting safeties. Against Toledo, this cost them dearly. Colorado simply didn't have the secondary speed to cope when Toledo's skill position players got to the second level of the defense. Since then, things have improved a bit, but this unit is still a big question mark. If Gabbert is throwing reasonably accurate passes, then a hungry Mizzou receiving corps should be just fast enough to give the CU pass defense fits.

Of course, if he's spraying the ball like he has been recently, the secondary is more than good enough to thank him for the charity and make some plays.

Special Teams

I didn't even know Colorado was allowed to have a bad place-kicker. I just assumed that when Mason Crosby left, his replacement would be just as good. Nope. Last year, Aric Goodman was...well, we'll politely call him "iffy." I mean, 5-for-14? Really? ... He MUST improve if Colorado wants to duplicate its strong close-game record from a year ago. They got lucky that he wasn't more of a liability last year. Meanwhile, punting was only a hair better. Matt DiLallo returns, and like Goodman, he must improve. Seriously, how did Colorado not find somebody better than at least Goodman, if not Goodman and DiLallo?

Punt Returns Rank: 115th (Jason Espinoza: 19 returns, 3.2 average)
Net Punting Rank: 109th (Matt DiLallo: 34.6 Net Avg)
Kickoff Returns Rank: 21st (Darrell Scott: 21 returns, 26.9 average; Brian Lockridge: 13 returns, 24.9 average)
Opponents' Kickoff Returns Rank: 12th

Field Goals: 6-for-10 (Long: 54)
PATs: 19-for-20

Well, the good news is, there have been improvements in some areas. Scott (who is out) and Lockridge (who is not) have combined for solid kick returning, and they have covered very well on their own kickoffs. Plus, while Colorado is still one of the worst in the country at field goals (60% is tied for 101st in the country), 60% is certainly an improvement over last year's 36%, right?

Of course, there's also the matter of the atrocious punting and non-existent punt returns threat (I guess Espinoza is the only player on the team who can reliably catch a punt?). Without a series of terrible bounces, Jake Harry should have little trouble flipping the field on punts, and assuming Carl Gettis' ankle is good to go, he could get a couple of decent return opportunities against a team that has already allowed two punt return touchdowns this year.

---

Three Keys to the Game

Field Position

For three quarters against Kansas, Colorado was almost completely listless. They were outscored in Q's 1, 3, and 4 by a combined 23-10. But in Q2, they exploded for 24 points, in part because Todd Reesing almost literally handed them the ball at the KU 3 on one possession (leading to a one-play TD drive), then later was picked off by Jalil Brown, who returned the pick to the 1 (leading to a two-play TD drive). Two drives, three plays, four yards...14 points. That's how you give a desperate team confidence. That's also how a team that manages just 322 yards for the entire game managed to score 34 points. Without easy scoring drives, this team does not score big points. They just don't.

Colorado's Scoring Drives and Sustained Drives

vs Colorado State

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 3
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 1

vs Toledo

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 6
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 1

vs Wyoming

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 4
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 1

vs West Virginia

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 4
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 1

vs Texas

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 1
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 1

vs Kansas

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 3
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 2

vs Kansas State

Sustained drives of 40 yards or more: 2
Scoring drives of 30 yards or less: 0

In conference play, they have averaged just two sustained drives per game, but they have been handed three scores on short fields. Get rid of the short fields, caused mostly by turnovers and special teams mishaps, and you only have to score about 17 points to beat them. Of course, that's easier said than done for Missouri. Coinciding perfectly with Gabbert's injury, Missouri has averaged a -9.8 turnover points differential per game in conference play. Plus, Mizzou has gotten murdered in the field position battle the last two weeks (partially due to turnovers). Hand Colorado 10 points and good field position, and they can absolutely beat you. Turnovers are always key, but never more than against Colorado.

Missouri's defensive line

Simply put, a) Colorado's running backs aren't good enough to create good rushes on their own, and b) Colorado's quarterbacks aren't good enough to make big plays with under pressure. If the Missouri defensive line wins its battles versus the Colorado offensive line, Colorado simply cannot score enough to win, even with a handicapped Missouri offense.

Derrick Washington, Kendial Lawrence, De'Vion Moore

I listed them as keys to the Oklahoma State game as well, and while they performed relatively well, they didn't make enough of a difference to swing the game in Missouri's favor. This one is also quite cut-and-dried: if Missouri can move the ball on the ground and give Blaine Gabbert as little to do as possible, Missouri will score enough points to win the game, barring major mishaps in Key #1 above. If Gabbert is throwing an accurate ball, Mizzou could kill Colorado. If he's not, Mizzou could still win if these three keys are clicking.

Prediction

As I've mentioned time and time again, I always go with what my numbers project here (even last week, when I had the distinct impression that the numbers were full of hooey). The projections say Mizzou by 3.4, so we'll go with Mizzou 24, Colorado 21. That said, I think the best odds are on one of two scenarios: Mizzou's offense finds a rhythm against a much less fast defense, and they win by 17-20 (at least), or Mizzou turns the ball over too much and loses by about 7-10.

I realize I just spent a couple of thousand words talking about Colorado above, but really this game is about Missouri. Colorado is good enough to beat a team playing poorly and bad enough to get killed by a team playing well; therefore it's up to Missouri to play well and move to 5-3. As Gary Pinkel said earlier this week, Mizzou's out of time. It's time for the senior leaders--Sean Weatherspoon, Danario Alexander, Jaron Baston, Jared Perry, Kurtis Gregory--to take over, and it's time for the younger guys--Aldon Smith, De'Vion Moore, Wes Kemp, Jasper Simmons, Will Ebner, Dominique Hamilton, Dan Hoch, Elvis Fisher, Andrew Freaking Jones--to not only make some good plays here and there, but to take over a game.

This game will define Missouri's season. We knew from the start that the NU-OSU-UT swing of games represented probably three of Mizzou's four most losable games, and Mizzou lost all three. The next four games are exceedingly winnable, but it starts with Colorado. If Mizzou wins on Saturday, a 9-3 record and third straight North title is not only conceivable, but quite realistic. If they lose, however, then the rest of this season will instead be defined by scrounging around for another couple of wins and a bowl bid. The North title and a true "eff you" to critics who predicted a major downfall in 2009 will go out the window. It's a damn shame that Gabbert got hurt when he did--if he hadn't, Mizzou might be as good as 5-1 and ranked in the teens right now. But he did, and it's time for everybody else on the team to carry him to a win the way he carried them in St. Louis and Reno. Show us what you've got, Mizzou.

Wednesday Buff Bites - Players Hope Team Only Meeting Turns the Tide

irish1611 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:28:22 -0000

CU’s Hawkins states his case - The Longmont Times-Call

According to tailback Brian Lockridge, the players-only meeting was an effort to keep everyone’s spirits up. "It’s our team," Lockridge said. "Not the coaches’ team. It’s on us to take it upon us to turn the season around." Asked how that can be done, Lockridge said having fun in practice and playing with enthusiasm. "We’re not executing and having fun," Lockridge said. Receiver Scotty McKnight said Tuesday’s practice was one of the season’s best. He said the floor at the meeting was open for anyone to discuss anything. "I think we needed it," McKnight said. Offensive linemen Ryan Miller said the meeting served to remind everyone on the team that "we need to do our own jobs." Quarterback Tyler Hansen said he missed the meeting due to a class conflict, but said he heard it reinforced belief in the notion the team is on the verge of success. "We’re there," Hansen said. "We have to believe and have the attitude that we’re an elite team."

Student Voice: CU Buffs fans deserve better than Dan Hawkins - Colorado Daily

After his most recent win, Kansas State head football coach Bill Snyder said of his team's performance: "It stinks." The goal week in and week out is for your team to get better, win or lose, preaches Snyder. Snyder was all over his team for their sloppy play, even after dominating the Buffs and holding them to zero second half points. Snyder is a good coach. Dan Hawkins... not so much. With Hawkins, all we get is excuses and no real answers to our questions. CU continues to make too many mistakes and underperform with the talent level on the field. All of the responsibility for this lies on the head coach and his staff. You could debate for hours or write a 5,000-word essay on all of the dozens of things wrong with the Buffs this year, but one thing has remained constant the last four years: Dan Hawkins is not a good coach.

Athlete of the Week: Nick Hirschman, Los Gatos - San Jose Mercury News
Buff 2010 QB commit Nick Hirschman is honored:

There has been a long line of quality quarterbacks that have come out of Los Gatos under coach Butch Cattolico, including Trent Edwards of the Buffalo Bills and Danny Sullivan, now starting at Arizona State. But none of those strong arms ever threw for 400 yards in a game, like Hirschman did in approximately two and a half quarters of play in a 47-0 win over cross-town rival Saratoga on Friday. Hirschman threw for 413 yards, completing 12 of 17 passes with five touchdowns. "I've been coaching here 34 years, and we've never had someone throw for that many yards; I believe it's a school record," Cattolico said. Hirschman had scoring strikes of 49, 52, 70, 69 and 13 yards. He hooked up with Andrew Berg seven times for a school-record 247 yards with four scores. Hirschman, who has committed to play at Colorado next season, has completed 87 of 119 passes (73 percent) for 1,719 yards with 22 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Wildcats play at Palo Alto on Friday night.

CU's Hawkins makes impassioned statement about program - The Denver Post

As of Tuesday morning, about 9,000 seats remained for Saturday's game. . . . Kickoff for CU's Nov. 7 home game against Texas A&M was set for 11:30 a.m. . . . Dan Hawkins said sophomore tailback Darrell Scott (arthroscopic knee surgery) probably will not play this weekend but a return for the Texas A&M game is targeted.

Ray Polk is having fun as the … | The Buffzone Blog

Ray Polk is having fun as the new starter at free safety for the Buffs

CU football players hold meeting - Boulder Daily Camera

Hawkins wants Hansen to run 2-minute drill - The Longmont Times-Call

Right tackle Bryce Givens is expected "back in the fold" for Saturday’s game against Missouri, Dan Hawkins said, but his return this week is not guaranteed. "Hopefully we’re getting him leveled out a bit," Hawkins said. Offensive line coach Denver Johnson said Givens has lost weight and will be worked back into the rotation slowly. Givens has missed three games, including CU’s past two, due to what’s being called "personal reasons." Johnson said Ryan Miller and Matt Bahr will start again at right tackle and right guard, respectively.

Wednesday What-if: Missouri has the power if coaches will use it | Campus Corner

So why not try it at Colorado, and make such a formation and philosphy the first option rather than throwing the football all over Folsom Field and leaving the largely immobile Gabbert back there by himself in an empty backfield? Because Gary Pinkel is a stubborn man. He believes in his way of doing things. And he likely views any suggestion that something else might work as unfair criticism. The thing is, Missouri is in a position to experiment. Colorado doesn't run very well, doesn't pass very well, doesn't play defense very well and judging from the ying and yank at quarterback isn't coached very well.

Missouri-Colorado at a glance - NewsFlash - mlive.com

Key Matchup Missouri LBs vs. Colorado RBs. Missouri's depth at linebacker will be measured after starter Luke Lambert dislocated his shoulder. Will Ebner could see more playing time in the middle. The Buffaloes will be without TB Darrell Scott for a second straight game after he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee Oct. 22. Missouri will see a steady dose of Rodney Stewart, who leads the team with 467 yards rushing.

Buffs' Hawkins cites youth, erratic play for 2-5 mark - NCAA Football - SI.com

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins turned his weekly news conference into a state of the program speech, delivering a 23-minute address on why the Buffaloes are struggling this season.

Woelk: Hansen eager to put pressure on his shoulders - Boulder Daily Camera

Scout.com: 2009 CFN Big 12 Week 9 Staff Picks

Colorado …at Kansas State 20 ... Colorado 6 ... And the disaster is back. A week after the seemingly breakthrough win over Kansas, Colorado’s offense went back into the tank as Tyler Hanson didn’t provide any of the spark he showed against the Jayhawks, and now the quarterback flip-flopping has kicked in. Cody Hawkins was a big problem before, and now he might have to be the answer to try to save his dad’s job. At 2-5, all isn’t quite lost yet, especially with home games against Missouri and Texas A&M up next, but with the way the O is playing, it’s going to take something special to get a win the rest of the way.

Missouri running game shows life against Texas - KansasCity.com

Starting Saturday at Colorado, Missouri faces a string of five straight must-win games if the Tigers hope merely to dream of winning a third straight Big 12 North title. If their 0-3 start becomes 0-4 against the 2-5 Buffaloes, even the most tenuous of connections to that dream fall away. It isn’t as if Missouri’s coaches came up with an instant cure to a running game problem that was supposed to be a plus when Pinkel praised the depth and talent of his running back corps, and the potential of the offensive line.

Tuesday Buff Bites - Colorado Has A "Tricky Passing Attack Run By A Sly Quarterback"

irish1611 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:22:00 -0000

The Times West Virginian - Brown expected to start against Colorado
I don't know what to make of this quote but I am once again amazed at what comes out of the mouth of Bill Stewart. Never has an opponent of any Dan Hawkins-led Colorado team been worried about the passing game beating them. Bill Stewart might be the only reason Colorado wins this game Thursday night:

A year ago WVU ran the ball well against Colorado and may lean more toward the run this week than it has in the first three games as they want to control the ball and keep away from what Stewart believes is a tricky passing attack run by a sly quarterback, coach Dan Hawkins’ son, Cody.

Stewart speaks as highly of the Colorado offense as the Buffaloes speak of his. "I’m very worried about Cody Hawkins," Stewart said. "He’s a tough guy. He has the ability to make three and four reads. The guy has winner written all over him. He understands exactly what his dad’s offense is all about. He was reared in it back in the Boise State days."

Rivals.com College Football - Q&A with Colorado coach Dan Hawkins
Two thumbs up to Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com for his Q&A with Dan Hawkins. He asked the difficult questions, this is definitely worth a read. Here is a piece of the interview:

Q: Because he's your son, do you think you stay with him too long when he's struggling?

A: "I don't look at it like that. I always talk about handling the quarterbacks - it doesn't matter who the guy is, in the NFL or Pop Warner - that's a unique position. And I think the last thing any quarterback needs is somebody who isn't supportive. He needs someone who will be supportive. I was the same way with Bernard [Jackson] in '06. That doesn't mean you sit down with guys and talk about throws and reads and plays. But that guy better be your guy until he is not your guy and you go with somebody else. Look at in the NFL, when they just even talk about bringing someone else in, what it does to a quarterback's confidence. All of a sudden, he goes, 'Holy smokes.' "

Road woes to confront Buffs again - The Longmont Times-Call
The Mountaineers are very tough to beat at home at night, especially on Thursday nights:

According to CU’s weekly notes, since 1988, the program has won 59 of 104 road games, which is a 57.2 winning percentage — putting the team at 13th-best nationally. The 59 wins are the 11th most in the nation and third among Big 12 programs during that span. Numbers suggest this isn’t the right spot for CU to have a breakthrough. West Virginia is 22-6-2 in night home games, 15-2 since 2000. West Virginia is 6-0 when ESPN televises a Thursday night game from the Mountaineers’ home venue in Morgantown, W. Va.

Big East, Big 12 to announce Yankee Bowl formation - NCAA Football - SI.com
This is a pretty cool announcement for a future bowl game at Yankee stadium.

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and the commissioners of the Big East and Big 12 will announce at a news conference Wednesday the formation of the Yankee Bowl, to be held at the new Yankee Stadium beginning with the 2010-11 postseason, according to sources with knowledge of the event. The game, which will seek NCAA certification next spring, would reportedly pit the Big East's fourth-place team against the Big 12's No. 7 selection. Organizers plan to hold the first edition between Dec. 29, 2010 and Jan. 2, 2011.

ISU football: Cyclone assistants’ salaries at or near Big 12 bottom | DesMoinesRegister.com
The Buffs pay their assistant coaches $1.5 million in total which is second to last in the Big 12, only ahead of Iowa State at $1.3 million.

Denver Sports Talk Radio - The Score with Armstrong & Shapiro - 1510 AM Mornings
Buffs DB Ray Polk was interviewed on the score by Jim Armstrong and Les Shapiro today.

WVU fairly healthy after off week - WVU Football - Charleston Daily Mail

West Virginia Coach Bill Stewart pledged Monday linebacker Reed Williams and quarterback Jarrett Brown will play in Thursday's 7:30 p.m. ESPN game from Mountaineer Field, but said he isn't sure defensive tackle Scooter Berry will go against the Buffaloes.

Big East: West Virginia Looks To Turn Tables On Colorado -- Courant.com
Coach Bill Stewart also felt sick after re-watching last year's game in Boulder. I hate things that put me in a bad mood too Coach:

Last year Colorado beat West Virginia in a 17-14 overtime thriller at Colorado. "I watched that thing this morning and I got sick," West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Monday on the Big East coaches weekly conference call. "I wish I wouldn't have done that. I watched it at 7:30 in the morning with the offensive staff and I've been in a bad mood ever since."

Coker, Who Won It All at Miami, Starts Over With Nothing in San Antonio - NYTimes.com
Apparently on the recommendation of current Buff offensive line coach Denver Johnson, former Miami Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker inquired about the heading coaching job at the brand new program at University of Texas-San Antonio.

But on the recommendation of Denver Johnson, a friend who is an assistant at Colorado, Coker called Hickey about U.T.S.A.’s job in January and left a message with her receptionist. Hickey said the message — "Larry Coker called and said he would be interested in the job" — left her stunned. "Do you think this is the Larry Coker?" Hickey recalled asking.

Hawkins' Monday Press Luncheon Transcript - CUBuffs.com
CU Head Football Coach Dan Hawkins had his weekly press luncheon Monday at the Dal Ward Athletic Center.

CU Buffs feel need for speed - Boulder Daily Camera

The Mountaineers (2-1), despite losing quarterback Pat White to the NFL, are the most physically gifted team the Buffs (1-2) will face to date. "They still have a ton of talent, a ton of speed, they spread you out," Hawkins said at his Monday press conference. "I don't know that they're hugely different than they were. They're still multi-dimensional and have a quarterback who can run and hurt you that way as well. They're pretty talented. ... "They definitely have juice at every spot. All their guys can run."

Scout.com: Stew's Views: Striking Quickly

"We are going to try to keep them off balance," said Bill Stewart of the defense of this week’s opponent, Colorado. I don’t want them to be able to hone in on us. I don’t want them to bend and not break. I want to see if we can break them and break them early."

Oklahoma Sooners, Oregon Ducks and Virginia Tech Hokies are back in the title mix - ESPN
Pat Forde of ESPN who picked Colorado as his Big 12 North champion this preseason takes a nice shot at the Buffs and Dan Hawkins:

(Lesson Eight Caveat: A lousy season opener can still augur a lousy season. Virginia, Maryland, Colorado and UTEP got off on the wrong foot and kept hopping on it until falling down a manhole. Perhaps taking their coaches' employment with them.)

Stewart ready for second crack at West Virginia - College Football Nation - ESPN

The Harmon Forecast - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com
Harmon predicts Colorado 17, West Virginia 30.

Tickets remain for CU vs. KU : All Things Colorado Sports Colorado
According to Colorado officials, about 7,000 tickets remain for CU’s Oct. 17 home game against Kansas.

Sunday Buff Bites - "We Ain't Going to Make No Mistakes"

irish1611 — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:07:33 -0000

Brooks: Young D-Line Determined - CUBuffs.com
Marquez Herrod, one of the few returning defensive linemen, wants all the naysayers to know that the defensive line is on a mission to prove us all wrong:

Since August camp began - and actually several weeks before - it's been difficult for Marquez Herrod to tune out, or even turn down, the noise. Here's the annoying perception: If there is a questionable sector on Colorado's defense, it's the one Herrod inhabits - the D-line. "We hear every day: 'You're not good enough, you're not big enough, you're not fast enough,'" said Herrod, an intensely competitive junior defensive end. "Everybody on the line agrees; it looks like everybody (outside) wants to see us fall," he continued. "Everybody is saying the linebackers are there to clean up our mistakes. Well, we ain't going to make no mistakes.

Colorado Losing to...Louisiana Tech - The Ralphie Report Calls Buff Fans to Pick It Up!
So the Wizard of Odds is holding their annual "Team Poster" competition. The Colorado Buffaloes have a legit poster that should make it to the final rounds but Louisiana Tech fans have rallied the troops and our poster is in danger of not making it out of the first round...to Louisiana "freaking" Tech. So do the program a favor and vote for the CU poster and while your at it, you can laugh at Colorado State's poster for producing the worst poster and portrayal of the Fort I have seen.

Injuries, lack of production push Fairchild to give receiver another shot at CSU QB job
Colorado St. Rams coach Steve Fairchild may have been sandbagging when he was talking about the quarterback situation a week ago after his comments didn't match the statistics Buff fans were seeing from scrimmages but he might have a point now. With junior college transfer Jon Eastman limited with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand, Klay Kubiak still feeling the affects of his shoulder injury and now with the starter by elimination in Grant Stucker going 3 - 11 in the most recent scrimmage, Fairchild's rants may have some validity to it. Due to the circumstances, Fairchild has now put a wide receiver at quarterback. That wide receiver is 6'4" 202 pound sophomore T.J. Borcky.

With the first game two weeks away, Colorado State is searching for a way to get the ball to two strong receivers but their may not be enough fall practices left to be confident in that.

Burton, Geer & Smart Named CU Captains - CUBuffs.com

Senior linebackers Marcus Burton and Jeff Smart along with senior tight end Riar Geer were selected as team captains by their University of Colorado teammates, head coach Dan Hawkins announced Sunday afternoon.

It is pretty safe to say that at least two of these captains need to have huge years for the Buffs to have a turn around year.

Lights Installed At Folsom Field - CUBuffs.com
Finally, the University of Colorado has permanent lights for Folsom Field.

True Freshman DE Forrest West and DT Nate Bonsu Impressing Coaches, May Not Redshirt
You heard it here first from the Ralphie Report that we thought 2009 signee DE Forrest West could be this year's Speedy Stewart. This was our review on signing day, detailing the recruiting wins and losses:

Who is the guy that no one is really talking about or not as much but you feel will be a sleeper when his career is said and done? What are the reasons?

I had a chance to talk to Forrest West's coach and watch some of his film. His coach told me some great things about him and after watching him, I think he may be the missing peice to the puzzle when it comes to a solid combo guy who can rush the passer but also has a good motor when it comes to stopping the run. He has a great physique, something that Rodney Stewart had, that allowed him to be successful early. His coach said this about him: "He was the defensive MVP of the National Underclassmen combine, the big national one they had in New Jersey. He was doing some great things before he got hurt his sophomore year... Coming off his sophomore year, though, I was talking to Florida and USC and everyone in between about him." He is my pick for a guy that will out perform that 2* rating.

It looks like we have a chance at being right. According to the Longmont Times and Denver Post, Mr. West is making quite an impression. From the DP: "He really fits the mold of the kind of player that we want. He's a good person. He's smart. He's a hard worker." And on the field? "He can run, and he's strong," Collins said. The Longmont Times quotes defensive line coach Romeo Bandison saying West has a chance to see the field if he maintains his growth in understanding the defensive schemes: "West said defensive line coach Romeo Bandison told him that if he could learn the plays, he’d have a chance to see the field right away. He said he has learned it "pretty fast" and believes he’s ahead."

Many more Buff football links after the jump including Andre Simmons' talk, the quarterback race, the emerging freshman receiver and Hawkins/Hansen talk...

CU turns tables on Big 12, set to run with power - The Denver Post

Coaches' Stay Mum But Hopeful on Andre Simmons Qualifying
From cubuffs.com, "(a)sked about the status of receiver Andre Simmons, Dan Hawkins said, "It's still on the move." An NCAA elibigility issue has kept Simmons sidelined" and the Longmont Times, "When asked if he is still holding out hope for receiver Andre Simmons to join the team this fall, Hawkins said: "Yep.""

All I know is classes start tomorrow and the time period to add/drop classes will come and go shortly after twhich usually signifies the end of the qualification period...obviously. Even if Simmons does qualify, he probably wouldn't be ready until the West Virginia game.

State's QBs wait for a signal - The Denver Post
Every major Colorado college football team is in a similar position to the Buffs: the quarterback position has not been decided.

2010 Commit Mister Jones' Littleton High School Team Poised to Breakout

Sleeper: Littleton Maybe too talented to be considered a sleeper, Littleton is ready to build on last year’s 8-3 record and potentially make a push in playoffs. Littleton’s success is not completely determined by, but greatly effected, on the legs of Mister Jones. The ultra talented Colorado running back commit is a force on the field but has fought injuries throughout his career. If he can stay healthy and post monster numbers, the Lions could have a big season. Jones is not alone, All-League TE/LB Noah Gaumer returns as a big play threat in the passing game. Up front Tristan Mosier and Josh Fliedner will try to open space for Jones. Defensively, the Lions return a nice core that includes Gaumer, Mosier on the defensive line, linebacker Ben Hranchak and defensive back Adam Singleton.

The Buffzone Blog - Players impressed with Polk, too
Converted running back Ray Polk is making waves at the safety spot and current safety Anthony Perkins believes he is on the cusp of really making some noise on the defense.

CU's Jefferson catching on quickly - Boulder Daily Camera
Many believed that wide receivers Terdema Ussery and Jarrod Darden would be the freshmen to play this season but the August signee, Will Jefferson, arrived on campus late but has made the most of every minute and has himself poised to make an appearance on the two deep depth chart come game one. The signing of Will Jefferson might be a move we look back on at the end of the year as a big, big event in giving the Buffs some much needed depth:

Asked after the scrimmage how Jefferson has separated himself, offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau credited Jefferson's study habits for his rapid advancement through the ranks. "The guy is very smart. He's very intelligent," Kiesau said. "He studies. He takes time. He doesn't go goof around and play Xbox all night. He sits there with the playbook and takes notes." Jefferson's development goes to show just how meaningless recruiting rankings become once players arrive on campus and have to earn time on the field. Jefferson didn't even have a profile on either Scout.com or Rivals.com until earlier this summer, while Ussery and Darden have been well-known prospects since midway through high school.

Championship may move to Dallas for good : Kansan.com
Coach Hawkins thinks a permanent move of the Big 12 championship to Dallas provides a competitive advantage to the South. How about the conference switches off between Denver and Dallas...problem solved.

More chances coming for CU's Espinoza : Boulder Daily Camera

Buff running back 'B-Lock' zipping through openings Boulder Daily Camera

CU Buffs' Tyler Hansen: QB battle pretty even - Colorado Daily

Wednesday Buff Bites - Just Can't Seem to Catch A Break

irish1611 — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:05:42 -0000

In arguably the two biggest weak spots on the entire football team, the Buffs have potentially lost four newcomers that were being counted on to elevate their respective positions. Most recently, blue chip commit DE Nick Kasa partially tore his MCL after being rolled up on during practice on Monday. Instead of deciding whether to use the swim or the rip move to get around the Colorado State offensive tackle, Kasa is now weighing the options of playing a shortened freshman season or redshirting. The 6'7" defensive end was the potential rush end that would not only play a role in getting to the quarterback but be a consistent mainstay of the Buffs defense.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball, the Buffs also lost another blue chip recruit in DT Edward Nuckols, who failed to academically qualify out of high school. He is expected to grey shirt but once you start down that "difficulty in qualifying" path, who knows if we will ever see him in black and gold. Nuckols says he will be back in Boulder which is good news for 2010.

Now instead of four defensive linemen in the 2009 recruiting class, the Buffs might only have two to try and sure up one of the most important tasks in all of football; getting to the quarterback.

The equivalent weakness on the offensive side as it wide receiver. Last month, good news about junior college transfer Andre Simmons qualifying was being filtered throughout the media. Well, the Buffs are two weeks into camp and still no 6'3" 210 pound sub 4.5 running receiver on the field. And the situation doesn't look like their is a happy ending. Instead of Coach Hawkins relaying the "everything is fine, we are just dealing with paperwork" scenario for Simmons, the news wire has gone silent. Who knew it would be this hard to get an answer from the different "ruling bodies" in charge? I feel for Andre Simmons who has been on one large roller coast ride in trying to jump through hoops to academically appease both the NCAA Clearinghouse and the University of Colorado Admissions office.

But, at least we have Markques Simas, right? He and Scotty McKnight teamed to together will be an upgrade over the past three years at wideout, right? Nope, Markques Simas is suspended for the first two games for violating team rules or something like that "a long time ago." Around the same time as Simas' suspension, West Virginia went the opposite route in dealing with their receiver who had an incident "a long time ago;" suspend early reinstate before impacting games. West Virginia has reinstated leading receiver Jock Sanders six months after a drunken-driving arrest in Morgantown.

As any coach would now say, he needs the players who are "able" to play at defensive line and wide receiver to step up and claim the starting spots. And as fans, that is all we can hope for. Good news out of camp is that late 2009 signee Will Jefferson has looked good at reciever and is ahead of Jarrod Darden and Terdema Ussery, two other freshman recievers. But expecting big production out of freshmen doesn't always lead to a happy ending either. As for defensive line, until they actually lineup against a different colored jersey, who knows? But now, more than ever, the Buffs will be counting on Conrad Obi, Lagrone Shields, Will Perciak, Curtis Cunningham, Tyler Sale and Marquez Herrod to he the anchors of the defense.

One thing is for sure, a lot of eyes will be on these two positions come September 6th.

Links after the jump...

The Wiz of Odds: Let the Voting Begin for Poster Primary No. 4
Vote for the great Colorado Buffaloes schedule poster and look at how horrible to Colorado State poster is. Talk about portraying the wrong message!

Brooks: Q&A With Cody H. - CUBuffs.com
Junior quarterback Cody Hawkins talks about camp, the season, the change in offensive coordinators and more.

The Longmont Times-Call -Article on Buffs' Linebacker B.J. Beatty

Bob Foster, CU’s outside linebackers coach for 2009, said it remains to be seen how good Beatty can be. "I think he has great quick feet," Foster said. "I think against certain tackles and guards, he’ll be really good. He’s still learning. "The only thing he lacks is a little bit of size when it comes to some of those big-old tackles with those long arms out there. He has great movement, great quick feet. ... He has to learn to use the tools he has — his arms and his hands and his hips, how he can move his hips to put a move on these big slow tackles. He’s not going to do a lot of power rushing."

Young Texan stands tall on D-line - The Denver Post
With Edward Nuckols out for 2009 and Nick Kasa looking to be out for a better part of season, DT Nate Bonsu might be the one from the 2009 recruiting class to solidify the Buffs defensive line:

On either side of the ball, most freshman linemen could use a year in the weight room. Bonsu, however, arrived ready to go.

"He's really strong," junior defensive end Marquez Herrod said. "He squats almost what I do (600- to 700-pound range), and I've been here three years."

The Longmont Times-Call - Tempering Wide Receiver Expecations

So the chances that Jefferson, Terdema Ussery and Jarrod Darden — a talented core of true freshmen — will somehow work themselves onto the field this season is pretty likely, although Eric Kiesau won’t admit it just yet. "We’re expecting so much out of these guys, but we’ve got to keep pinching ourselves and saying, ‘These guys were in high school four months ago, and now we’re expecting them to go out and play against some senior cornerbacks that have been in the Big 12 for a long time,’" the Buffs’ offensive coordinator said. "That’s why we have to have a ground check. These kids are still learning, and they’re still young. But they continue to get better as camp goes through." Kiesau did say Jefferson, a late arrival to Boulder after the Buffs offered him a scholarship just before camp began, is probably "a little further along" than the other two, but they’re all in the mix.

Buffs' starter not only QB in question - Colorado Daily
Third string is also a batte in fall camp. As they always say, you are just two plays away from being the starting quarterback.

Lobato finds right fit at CU — Loveland, Colo., Reporter-Herald
Walk on freshman quarterback Seth Lobato has opened eyes at Buffs camp, even garnering more attention than Clark Evans at times.

Brooks: Goodman Finds Perspective - CUBuffs.com
Placement specialist Aric Goodman believes he's put a sub-par 2008 season behind him and is on track to rebound in 2009.

The Longmont Times-Call - Ray Polk Showing Well at Safety
Healed and ready to hit Buffs’ Polk rebounds from surgeries to make mark as defensive back

Chat: Chat with Tim Griffin - SportsNation - ESPN
Tim Griffin thinks a bowl trip for the Buffs is in the cards in 2009:

Travis (Omaha, Nebraska) Colorado is getting very little talk, but I believe they are a legitimate contender for the Big 12 North. What are your thoughts on the Buffs?

Tim Griffin (2:23 PM) Travis:You are right. The Buffaloes are getting little mention behind either Kansas, Nebraska and even Missouri in the North. The quarterback situation troubles me. Don't know if Cody Hawkins has the arm to really exploit Big 12 teams. Also the loss of Josh Smith to UCLA and Markques Simas for two games will hurt. But I do like their cornerbacks, who are among the best in the conference and a real weapon in this conference. I think the Buffaloes will run the ball with a collection of running backs. And another to keep your eye out for is the fact that all of their major games against major North Division foes -- Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas -- will be at home. Add it together and I think they might surprise some people. I definitely think a bowl trip is in the offing this season.

Buffs Will Play Thursday's Scrimmage at Regis High School
The Buffs will travel Thursday afternoon to Regis High School for work that is closed to the public and media. Reason for the road trip: To get the team used to travelling and playing in an unfamiliar venue, Hawkins said

CU's Kasa mulling redshirt : Boulder Daily Camera

Colorado freshman defensive end Nick Kasa might have to undergo surgery after a magnetic resonance imaging test revealed he suffered a partially torn medial collateral ligament on Monday during two-on-two pass-rushing drills. Kasa said CU doctors and athletic trainers have told him to expect a 6-8 week recovery time, which could allow him to return prior to the beginning of conference play in early October. "Right now, they don’t really know," Kasa said. "It could heal itself or maybe not. We’re just going see what happens. Surgery could be an option or it could not be."

CSU's QB picture is getting clearer | coloradoan.com
The Colorado St. Rams QB race might be down to two participants due to injuries to the other two quarterbacks.

Grant Stucker and Jon Eastman not only are the top contenders to become CSU's starting quarterback this fall, they might be the only candidates.

Buff Bites - Colorado 10.5 Point Favorites Over Colorado State

irish1611 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:33:20 -0000

Buffs go from big foes to big friends - Boulder Daily Camera
Great story on Bryce Givens and Ryan Miller going from high school rivals to friends:

The two massive young men comprising the right side of the Colorado offensive line have come a long way to reach a point where they can depend on each other. Just a couple years ago Ryan Miller and Bryce Givens wanted to tear each other apart. They made the most of their one opportunity on the football field in the 2006 Class 5A state championship game when Miller's Columbine team defeated Givens and Mullen. "We were head up for most of the game," Givens said. "I was choking him. He was giving me clubs to the head. Yeah, we didn't like each other at all. It was a straight-up brawl the whole game." Word is they went a few rounds off the field, as well. "We would end up in the same places in high school and it was just nasty," Miller said. "It's ironic that we play right next to each other right now, and we've grown into such good buddies. But it was ugly."

NCAA College Football Power Rankings - NCAA Football - ESPN
Pat Forde puts the Buffs at #22 in his inaugural ESPN Power Rankings Poll. He is the first person I have seen have the Buffs in their Top 25.

Brooks: Polk Impressive In First Three Days Of Camp - CUBuffs.com

It looks like Ray Polk is making an impact in the defensive backfield. I have heard from a few sources that his big body presence coupled with great speed looks great out there. He has a ways to go to understand the defensive side of the ball but I guess he is getting there:

Ray Polk had no reservations last winter about making the switch from offense to defense. And after only four days of camp, his new position coach has no reservations about Polk's potential. "From Day 1 to Day 3, his improvement has been unbelievable," Colorado secondary coach Greg Brown said of Polk's transition from running back to safety. "He's still not doing everything right; he's still learning," Brown continued. "Some of his calls aren't right and he's not lining up right every time. But he's fast and strong and can hit."

College Football Odds Week 1
The early odds are out and the Buffs are 10.5 point favorites over Colorado State. Always tough to lay 10.5 points against a rival but considering the game is in Boulder against a team that losses some playmakers from a year ago, a 10.5 win should be do-able especially if we are a 10 win team.

August Plati-'Tudes - CUBuffs.com
Dave Plati put out his must read Plati-Tudes that has Dan Hawkins full transcript from the infamous December banquet when he may or may not have guaranteed 10 wins.

"But I believe one hundred percent, I put it on our team, I am going to tell you right here publically, I expect to win 10 games next year; I expect to win 10. You might say, "Geez, coach. Isn't that kind of steep?" No, it's not.

CU counting on young wideouts - The Denver Post
Like Jim Armstrong says, it would be nice if Simas could be on the field to back up these statements:

"I'm tired of hearing that word 'potential,' " Simas said. "I want to get out there and prove myself. I know what I'm capable of doing. I definitely have confidence in my ability to help us to our goal, which is 10 wins."

Simmons wouldn’t be rushed : All Things Colorado Sports Colorado

When Andre does come back, we have to put him in a situation where he can be successful," Kiesau said. "We can’t just throw the whole playbook at him and say, ‘You’ve got to know all of this stuff and then go out and do it and execute correctly.’’’

More Buff Bites after the jump...

Brooks: Buffs Raring To Run - CUBuffs.com
CU has a stable of good running backs who compete fiercely with one another, but also care for one another.

Buffs First Fall Scrimmage Open To Public - CUBuffs.com
The University of Colorado football team will partake in the squad's first scrimmage of the fall camp Thursday and it will be open to the public. The scrimmage will begin at noon and last until approximately 2:30 p.m. at Folsom Field.

Whatever happened to the Big 12's Heisman winners? - Big 12 - ESPN
1994: Rashaan Salaam (Colorado) -- Promotes martial arts fights in China. Currently resides in San Diego, Calif. (age 34).

Top 200 Quarterbacks - AthlonSports.com
Athlon sports ranks the top 200 college football quarterbacks in 2009. In a shocker, they rank Colorado State's Grant Stucker, who might not even be the starter at 71 and Cody Hawkins at 106. Huh?

The Longmont Times-Call - Colorado defensive line starts to rebuild

Bowl Projection - College Football - ESPN
ESPN thins the Buffs will play in the Independence Bowl this year, like they did two years ago against Alabama. This time they think it will be either Kentucky or Auburn. I don't know how I would feel if that were to happen. I think we are setting our sights a little higher than the Independence Bowl.

Record-breaking nine bowl teams predicted for Big 12 - Big 12 - ESPN
Tim Griffin of ESPN.com predicts the Buffs squeak into a bowl game playing in the Independence.

Colorado Buffaloes Bowl bid: Possibly. Best case: In a nod to soothsayers everywhere, the Buffaloes indeed live up to Dan Hawkins' preseason "prediction" and win 10 games, claiming a surprise Big 12 title game and ending up in the Holiday Bowl. Worst case: The Buffaloes don't settle on either quarterback and tumble out of bowl contention for the third time in the last four seasons under Hawkins, making his seat extremely toasty this winter. Prediction: Independence Bowl.

Saturday Buff Bites - It's Been More Bearish, Less Bullish For the Buffs This Week

irish1611 — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:41:35 -0000

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Offseasons definitely have their ups and downs and the 2009 one is no exception. The highlights have included signing Nick Kasa and 18 other future Buffs, receiving the pledge of former Michigan wide receiver Toney Clemons for the 2010 season, learning wide receiver Andre Simmons is progressing nicely in summer school and has a shot to be eligible, and staying relatively healthy across the board (my apologies to Max Tuioti-Mariner who suffered his third ACL tear - file under the low lights category). Optimism also formed around the additions of offensive line coach Denver Johnson (and his possible connections to Texas recruiting although that might take a year or two to bear fruit) and offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau who has been given the keys to the 95th ranked offense from a year ago. Everyone likes Kiesau now and everyone will love him if he can limit the number of end-around play calls and get the ball into the end zone, something the Buffs have done very little of the last three years.

But like any college program and especially for the Buffs in recent years, the offseason always has its challenges. The official Big 12 sports site has a cool piece up where the media ranked the top 10 games from 2008. At #10 was Colorado vs. West Virginia. Sign up for an account and you can watch the game. Check out the first two drives against West Virginia. I think former Colorado wide receiver Josh Smith touched the ball ten times. Then in the second half, he was on the bench, for any number of reasons that never made sense to me last year, but the guy had the potential. Not to go down that worm hole again of how big a loss you thought Josh Smith was but losing TE Ryan Wallace, WR Chance Blackmon, OL Devin Head, QB Matt Ballenger and Smith this offseason were definitely some of those tough moments. Missing out on potential wide receiver commits Markish Jones, Emory Blake and Diante Jackson at the time were downers. The Buffs also had turnover in the coaching staff with offensive line coach Jeff Grimes going to Auburn and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to Oregon. Although, seen as a net positive in most minds as to who we got out of the deal in Johnson and Kiesau, change is stressful and unknown.

I am sure I am forgetting some other negatives and positives but you get the point. Yesterday, we received some more troubling news that in addition to 2009 commit OL Shaun Simon not qualifying academically for the upcoming season, heralded commit DT Edward Nuckols has also been deemed ineligible for next season. Who knows if Edward will re-up with the Buffs in 2010 after gray shirting (a nice term for sitting at home, not working out with teammates in Boulder) but we do know he won't be helping the defensive line in '09, something many felt he could do from day one. Let's face it, we were bound for letdown anyway if we expected Nuckols to be all-world as a freshman and anchor the defensive line. No freshman should be counted on as a "big piece" to the puzzle and in most people's minds, he had the potential to be a big piece.

No more for Nuckols. At least for 2009. 2010, we will see. Pouring salt on an open would be if WR Andre Simmons doesn't qualify. Once again, it is troubling to have to rely on the unknown and project greatness on the field the first week against Colorado State but that is what we wanted to believe with both Simmons and Nuckols. It would be bad cap to the offseason if Simmons is told "sorry, come back next year." Again, though, the problems at wide receiver and defensive line should have been addressed in 2007 and 2008, not counted on in 2009 but as fans, it's easy to believe the unknown "highly ranked by stars" player will transition those stars on the field and go for 10 sacks and 1,000 yards receiving in year one.

Then, here comes the preseason predictions. Yes, my grandma can give a preseason prediction and because of that, their is no merit to any of this hoopla that has been sweeping the papers. But it would be nice for a little more optimism going into the season. With the exception of Phil Steele who has been called "insane" by about every Kansas Jayhawks' fan for picking them fourth in the Big 12 North (the Buffs were picked second in a tie with Kansas State, making Missouri fifth), the general consensus is Colorado will be on the bottom side of the North, a fourth place finish has been deemed. Not that it was a surprise, it's just when you look at it all on paper, this should be the Buffs year to show results. Missouri and Nebraska return the fewest starters of any team in the Big 12. They are both breaking in new quarterbacks and have holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Kansas has the gauntlet schedule. On the flip side, Colorado has it's easiest non-conference schedule in years and it's easiest for the foreseeable future. They play Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas at home in Folsom with revenge on the mind in all three: they could have beat Kansas last year, should have beat Nebraska and Missouri has used the Buffs as a stat padding game the last two years but now have to reload and look a little more vulnerable.

But not many are buying what our Buffs have to offer. I can see why based on past results, winning only twice on the road in the past three years (one legitimate against the Texas Tech Red Raiders), question marks at a few positions and an overall lack of flash, firepower, identifiable commodities like a Sam Bradford, Dez Bryant,etc. I am more bullish on Cody Hawkins than most, more bearish on the our issues at a position called play makers, wide receiver and defensive line.

Most think six wins, some think seven, plenty think five is more likely than eight and above. I have seen as low as three wins. Everyone is playing on the safe side with the Buffs and that pick is look at the past and project to the future...five to six wins. Vegas has Colorado pegged at 6.5 wins, I can't say I am drooling on either side of that line.

No one has ever won a national championship in the offseason or in the preseason media poll, every one is 0 - 0. That is the positive for the Buffs.

Stating the obvious, it's time to buck the mediocre trend that has become the expectation for Colorado outside the state of Colorado and it's fan base around the nation. This is the year to do it or is it? One can hope.

Tons of great Buff Bites after the jump including articles on why it is crazy to think Nebraska is back, how Cody Hawkins feels this upcoming season could be special, WR Terdema Ussery and WR Jarrod Darden impressing and why five years of eligibility makes sense.

Cody Hawkins feeling good about 2009 | The Buffzone Blog
Kyle Ringo had a chance to catch up with Cody Hawkins.

"So I’m excited about that. Finally, you know, when you take talent, depth and experience are really important to winning ball games, and any time you can put those three together, you’re going to have a chance to win. Last year we had a lot of talent, but, I mean, depth and experience are hard to find. This year I think we’re going to be in great shape and I’m excited about it.

Two FB Recruits' Enrollment Delayed - CUBuffs.com
Just in case you haven't read the article on Josh Moten and Edward Nuckols not making it through the clearing house yet and in Nuckols case, being deemed ineligible for the 2009 season. It looks like Moten might be okay but he cannot participate in offseason drills until the paperwork issues have been cleared up and has officially deemed eligible.

Brooks: Frosh WRs Eager, Able - CUBuffs.com
According to B.G. Brooks at cubuffs.com, true freshman wide receivers Terdema Ussery and Jarrod Darden have made a good impression on their teammates thus far in offseason camps, including Scotty McKnight who takes a shot at former Buff wide receivers when comparing them to the newbies:

"Both guys have really taken in trying to learn everything, unlike other receivers in the past. These guys are really kind of entrenched already, trying to get as much of the offense in as they can before camp. "Both of them look physically ready to be playing college football – big, strong, fast kids. The mental side usually is the toughest part, but it looks like both are taking it in stride – and we’re going to need them. Hopefully that keeps going through camp.

Hawkins Wins Accuracy Competition At Elite 11 Camp - CUBuffs.com
In some tough competition, Cody Hawkins won a pretty cool competition among quarterbacks at the Elite 11 Camp.

Media pick OU-UT tie and Nebraska to win Big 12 divisions - Big 12 - ESPN
As noted above the Buffs were picked fourth in the Big 12 North by the media.

2008 Greatest Games - Big 12 Conference
A great way to get you excited for the 2009 season is to watch the first couple of series against West Virginia. That was a good couple of minutes, going up 14 - 0 on the Mountaineers on our way to a week three victory.

Woelk: Important numbers for CU this year - Boulder Daily Camera
Neill Woelk thinks it is time for the Buffs to show results on the field, not just off the field. He also highlights a few important numbers for the 2009 season like selling out games, not losing contests by 20+ points and finding more season ticket holders.

These are the players that Big 12 teams can't afford to lose - Big 12 - ESPN
Tim Griffin of ESPN think LB Jeff Smart is a player the Buffs cannot afford to lose for the upcoming season:

Colorado: LB Jeff Smart. The Buffaloes could withstand the loss of a quarterback like Cody Hawkins or a running back like Darrell Scott because of the depth at those positions. But the Buffaloes would be hard-pressed to replace Smart, considering their lack of senior leadership on the defense.

With all due respect to Tim and Jeff, I think the Buffs have great depth at linebacker, enough to feel confident in a 3 - 4. There is even hints that Jeff Smart might be in a tough competition for a starting job due to the depth. It is a tough job to place a player under the category of "can't lose" for this team but I think better choices would have been either of our safeties (who else do we really have behind them that is ready - I don't think Ray Polk is ready), Ryan Miller, Cody Hawkins, Scotty McKnight probably would have been a better choice considering our lack of proven commodities at wide receiver.

Nebraska Isn't Back Yet | Campus Corner
Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star still thinks Nebraska has a ways to go before they should be considered the Big 12 North favorites. Here’s where I shake my head in wonder at anyone picking Nebraska over Missouri but over Kansas as well. The Cornhuskers have an inexperienced quarterback, lost just as much as Missouri on offense, don’t have a running back of the caliber of MU’s Derrick Washington. Shouting The Blackshirts Are Back! seems based more on the hope that Bo Pelini is a defensive genius rather than a first-year college head coach that was simply better than Bill Callahan.

Woelk: Five years of eligibility makes lots of sense : Top Stories : Boulder Daily Camera
I've always thought that moving to five years of eligibility was a good idea. More degrees, less confusion with medical redshirts. I'd love to see it happen. For the last couple of years, Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe has been trying to marshall support for a proposal that would give college football players a fifth year of eligibility.

Jaguars sign veteran defensive tackle, cut rookie tackle | Jacksonville.com
Former Buff DL George Hypolite was cut by the Jaguars.

The Jaguars also waived rookie defensive tackle George Hypolite, an undrafted rookie from Colorado who signed with the team following the April draft.

College Football Countdown: Nos. 51-55 - Washington Times

No. 54: COLORADO After three losing seasons, a 13-24 record and one bowl berth (an Independence Bowl loss to Alabama in 2007), just what has Dan Hawkins learned about coaching at Colorado? Well, it's Division I football. It's the Big 12. It ain't intramurals. Fun rants from coaches in the heartland aside, the Buffaloes should be better and could well be a sneaky division contender if they can survive a brutal early October stretch. The Buffaloes finally have some experience at quarterback. Their tailback tandem of Rodney Stewart and Darrell Scott is superb. And they get Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri --- the three presumptive favorites in the Big 12 North --- in Boulder. If the defense gets better --- and not having to contend with Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas Tech for the second straight year won't hurt in that regard --- Colorado might just outdistance the mediocre prognostications it is receiving.

CU releases schedules for women's, men's hoops - Boulder Daily Camera
The Buffs basketball team has released its schedule for the upcoming season. It is highlighted by a trip to the Maui Invitational, with the big boys, and 11 conference games in all slated for television so far, including eight on Big 12 Network syndication, two on ESPNU and one on ESPN2.

Rams picked sixth in Mountain West | Out of Bounds
The Colorado St. Rams were picked to finish sixth in the Mountain West.

Boise State to the Mountain West? Perhaps - ESPN