SB Nation - Jon Major

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

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

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

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

What went wrong? - The Longmont Times-Call

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

Confidence.

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

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

Much more after the jump...

What would Cody do? | All Things Colorado Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buffs Drop OT Thriller in Maui - CUBuffs.com

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

Thursday Buff Bites - Kasa's Medical Redshirt Up in the Air

irish1611 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:49:13 -0000

ISU football: Buffaloes will gladly take game on road | desmoinesregister.com | The Des Moines Register
Tyler Hansen thinks getting away from the Colorado fans who wore powder blue last week will be a good thing. Think whatever you want Tyler, as long as it motivates the team against Iowa State:

"Some of our fans are against us," quarterback Tyler Hansen said. "Because of everything that's gone on, we really won't mind going on the road. "In a way, it'll be good to get away." Even with an 11-game losing streak away from home, Hansen said going on the road for a game significant to bowl hopes of both teams won't be all that bad. Upset with the direction of the program, including losing six of the first eight games this season, some fans wore the same powder blue that Colorado football teams wore while winning 10 games in four seasons between 1981 and 1984. "A group of fans chose to wear blue to disrespect the players and to protest the coaching staff and the program as a whole," Hansen said. "It ticked us off."

Buffaloes try to fix road woes -- again - The Longmont Times-Call

KASA UPDATE: CU reported Wednesday the chances are not good for freshman defensive end Nick Kasa to receive a medical hardship in 2009, and the extra year of eligibility that accompanies it. He meets one of the criteria players must meet to receive the hardship year. He played in a maximum of 30 percent of the games, four of 12. Rounding up is allowed. Kasa does not meet the second piece of criteria. Kasa played in game No. 7, at Kansas State on Oct. 24. The injury or illness that ends the player’s year must occur in the first half of the season. Game 7 occurred in the second half of CU’s season.

Brooks: O-Line LooksTo Refocus - CUBuffs.com

At Iowa State Saturday (noon MST, no TV), CU expects to encounter a defense that has featured four down linemen and zone blitzes, with pressure brought off the edges. Linebacker Jesse Smith averages a conference-best 11.0 tackles a game (56 solo, 54 assists), but the Cyclones are last in the league in sacks (12 in 10 games)

09 week 11 picks - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN

Iowa State 24, Colorado 21: The Cyclones are playing for a bowl berth and Colorado is trying to keep its flickering bowl hopes and North title aspirations alive. ISU’s key will be to get its running game going and let Austen Arnaud have some success throwing play-action passes. The home team has claimed the victory in this series in each of the past five seasons. I’m looking for that streak to hit six.

Under Armour All-American RB Jordon James picks UCLA - ESPN
Here is another reason UCLA doesn't want to accept Darrell Scott's transfer:

After narrowing his choices to Arizona, Cal and UCLA, Under Armour All-American running back Jordon James (Corona, Calif./Corona) announced on ESPNU Thursday night that he'll play for the Bruins. James, who's earned a four-star rating, is ranked 19th in the ESPNU 150 and is the fourth-ranked running back in the country

MBB to Begin Season Friday - CUBuffs.com

ABOUT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF: Head Coach George Ivory enters his second season (13-18 last year) and the Lions return all five starters from a year ago. The Lions won 11 SWAC games and finished fourth overall. Point-guard Terrance Calvin (12.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 3.6 apg) and power forward Tyree Glass (8.3 ppg., 4.4 rpg.) top the team in returners. CU defeated Ark.-Pine Bluff in the season opener for both schools last year, 76-56. In that game, returning forward Lebaron Weathers (7.3 ppg., 5.5 rpg.) recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Cabral pleased with Major's development - The Denver Post

Those who think Colorado redshirt freshman linebacker Jon Major has been a disappointment this season do not see his potential, CU linebackers coach Brian Cabral said. Although Major, a former Ponderosa High standout and 2007 Parade All-American, has played in just four games, Cabral said he is "very pleased with where Jon is at and very excited about his future." Cabral said Major is still playing catch-up. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder missed the 2008 season after undergoing knee surgery for a torn ACL. He sat out 2009 spring drills and was held out of some contact work early in August camp. "Early this season, it was just a matter of Jon getting physically healthy and getting more confidence in that leg," Cabral said. "Now, it's a matter of getting experience."

CU's McKnight doesn`t fit typical wide receiver mold - Boulder Daily Camera
Heart, mental fortitude make up for CU junior`s size

Hirschman Named Kelly-Moore Paints HS Player of the Week
Buffs' commit Nick Hirschman has been given an award by the San Francisco 49ers.com

What to watch in the Big 12, Week 11 - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN

8. Can Iowa State get its running game back against Colorado? The Cyclones were leading the league in rushing before producing a season-low 54 yards against Oklahoma State last week. They shouldn’t be as challenged against a Colorado defense that ranks 72nd nationally and ninth in the conference against the run. The Cyclones desperately need to get Alexander Robinson involved early to help boost a struggling offense that has produced only three touchdowns in its last 13 quarters. Bowl hopes might be riding on it.

Higgins & Thorne Named Captains - CUBuffs.com

University of Colorado men's basketball head coach Jeff Bzdelik announced Wednesday that senior Dwight Thorne II and junior Cory Higgins were named captains for the upcoming 2009-10 season. Both earned the honor for the second straight year.

Four-star viewers guide for Saturday's games - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Colorado at Iowa State (1 p.m.): Something has to give in this game. Iowa State needs a victory to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2005. Colorado needs a victory to keep its flickering championship and bowl hopes alive. A Buffalo loss ends all of that. The Buffaloes looked like they got a spark in the passing game with Tyler Hansen throwing to Markques Simas, they might be able to thrive against the smallish Cyclone secondary. But the Cyclones will be looking to dominate the clock with their running game, which struggled last week.

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.

SB Nation Big 12 Preview: Colorado Buffaloes Team Capsule

irish1611 — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:36:59 -0000

If the Buffs are to realize their goals for 2009, Cody Hawkins' and the entire offenses' performance much improve from their 95th total offense ranking a year ago.

View full size photo »

Coach: Dan Hawkins enters his third season at Colorado (13-24, 0 - 1 in postseason).
Coaching Changes: Offensive Coordinator Eric Kiesau (replaces Mark Helfrich - Oregon), Offensive Line Coach Denver Johnson (replaces Jeff Grimes - Auburn), Defensive Consultant/Linebackers Bob Foster added to roster, Dan Hawkins to coach Wide Receivers.
2008 Record: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in Big 12
Players Returning with '08 Starts:
- Offense: 15 - WR Scotty McKnight, LT Nate Solder, LG Blake Behrens, RT Matthew Bahr, TE Riar Geer, TE Ryan Deehan, QB Cody Hawkins, QB Tyler Hansen, RB Rodney Stewart, RB Demetrius Sumler, QB Tyler Hansen, RB Darrell Scott, FB Jack Behrens, OG Ryan Miller, OG Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner.
  - 64% (85 out of 132 player starts) of 2008 starts return in 2009.
- Defense: 9 - DE Marquez Herrod, LB Jeff Smart, LB Shaun Mohler, CB Cha'pelle Brown, S Anthony Perkins, S Patrick Mahnke, CB Jimmy Smith, CB Jalil Brown, LB Michael Sipili
  - 39% (51 out of 132 player starts) of 2008 starts return in 2009.
- Special teams: 2 - P Matt DiLallo, PK Aric Goodman.
Key Positions to Replace From 2008 - Defensive Line, Center, Safety
Key Losses from 2008: LB Brad Jones, S Ryan Walters, DT George Hypolite, DT Brandon Nicolas, C Daniel Sanders, OG Devin Head.
Newcomers Who Might See Time in 2009: DE Nick Kasa, DT Nate Bonsu, LB Forrest West, WR Jarrod Darden, WR Will Jefferson, WR Terdema Ussery, WR Andre Simmons, K Zach Grossnickle.

OFFENSE

2008 OFFENSIVE STATISTICS - Rushing Offense: 86^th overall, 10^th in Big 12 / Passing Offense: 81^st overall, 11^th in Big 12 / Total Offense: 95^th overall, 12^th in Big 12 / Scoring Offense: 100^th overall, 12^th in Big 12.

The 2008 season was an offensive performance to forget. A rash of injuries, inexperienced players at important positions and a lack of a consistent identity spelt trouble for the Colorado Buffaloes. With the 2009 season just around the corner, a more experienced unit overall plus a healthy group of linemen up front has many hoping that the Buffs will reverse the lackluster offensive performance of the past few years. That being said, there are still plenty of question marks that still need to be answered.

the rest of the offensive, defensive, Q&A and win/loss predictions after the jump....

NEW FACES BRINGS NEW SCHEMES: One of the headlines coming into the 2009 season was the changes to the offensive staff. Joining the Colorado Buffaloes this offseason was offensive line coach Denver Johnson, who previously held the Illinois State head coaching job. Replacing Jeff Grimes, Johnson has seemed to endear himself to the fan base, preaching to bring back a more smash mouth style of football, playing on the opposition's side of the ball and putting the five linemen on the field. Such was displayed with Johnson's decision to move Ryan Miller to guard to make way for OT Blake Behrens. Johnson inherits a unit with no seniors but full of talent and a reason to be optimistic about the program's future. If Johnson can quickly& successfully implement his system with this young but relatively experienced offensive line, Buff fans should brace for a much improved offensive performance in 2009. The good news for the new coach is, unlike last year, his unit looks much healthier. Back from injury/off the field issues is Miller, OG Ethan Adkins, OG Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner (mid season return expected) and C Mike Iltis; all of whom will be battling for a starting spot.

Their was also a shake up at the top with former wide receivers and assistant head coach, Eric Kiesau, taking over as offensive coordinator for Mark Helfrich. The season opener against Colorado State will mark the first game which Eric Kiesau has owned the game plan and called the plays on game day. Last season, the Buffs failed to establish any sort of identity, attempting to run the spread with a youthful, injured team that lacked game changing playmakers. Kiesau has said to want to bring back a more "pro-style" offense that allows for more power football, the use of tight ends and a progression based passing game, three traits that bode well for the strengths of CU's offense.

Head coach Dan Hawkins will take over the wide receiver coaching duties replacing Kiesau. Ashley Ambrose will assist Hawkins with the wide receivers and should take over in the near future.

THREE PLAYERS WHO NEED TO PLAY BIG IN 2009: With WR Markques Simas suspended for the first two games of the season, junior college transfer WR Andre Simmons qualifying status up the air as of Thursday, August 18^th, the lone remaining experienced receiver on the Buffs' roster is Scotty McKnight. Not labeled as an explosive receiver, the Buffs need him to continue to be the steady force and over achieve on his prior two seasons considering the Buffs might not have a lot elsewhere to provide production. Colorado might get some production out of true freshman Will Jefferson, Jarrod Darden and Terdema Ussery but McKnight might be the best and only experienced option in 2009.

In an obvious choice, QB Cody Hawkins, who looks to have the edge in the quarterback race, needs to improve from 2008. The lack of playmakers currently at wide receiver does not bode well for increased production from Hawkins but tight end, running back and offensive line look to be improved from a year ago. If Hawkins can make better decisions and manage the offense through a strong running game, the passing game should open up. The key for Hawkins this year is to increase his completion percentage which was 57.2% in 2008, about 5% below the average junior quarterback % in 2008. Sustaining drives, keeping the defense off the field and converting on third downs will all improve with an increase in completions.

You could go running back here but with a stable of four in the backfield, the production looks to be there. Most Buff fans will look at the offensive line and hope that their health leads to more points. That being said, look to the tackle spots as players who need to play big in 2009. LT Nate Solder and RT Blake Behrens have the inside track at the two starting positions with the prospects of a bright future ahead of them. Solder, the athletically gifted converted tight end, has all the intangibles to be a dominant tackle while Behrens has similar intangibles and great footwork. Solder, due to his position change, and Behrens, due to being a redshirt freshman, will still have growing pains but if they are able to work through those early in the season, the offensive line has the makings to be special.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Hands down this was going to be WR Markques Simas or WR Andre Simmons before the former was suspended two games and the latter is still sitting on the sideline well into week two of fall ball due to admissions issues. The new impact newcomer may be WR Will Jefferson, who was an August 2009 signee. He has seen time with the first and second teams this fall and has impressed the coaches. The safe pick here, though, is Givens, who quickly inserted himself into the starting rotation this spring after gaining 20+ pounds to his true freshman frame. Givens has the ability to grow into a great one.

THE STRENGTH(S) OF THE OFFENSE: Running Back and Offensive Line. The Buffs boast one of the more loaded backfields in the Big 12 with sophomores Darrell Scott, Rodney Stewart and Brian Lockridge along with junior Demetrius Sumler. Stewart led the Buffs in rushing yards as a freshman and Sumler led the team in rushing touchdowns in 2008. Lockridge, a speedster, returns from injury after a serviceable 2007 freshman campaign and looks to be an added weapon that can be useful as a third down back and in the slot. But Darrell Scott still leads the ranks in the hype category. Supposedly in the best shape of his life at 220 pounds and fully recovered from his 2008 injury-plagued season, Scott looks to take a mulligan in 2009 and become an elite Big 12 back. Still, don't count out the other three, especially Rodney Stewart, who continues to impress. We do know one thing; running backs coach Darian Hagan will play the best man for the job regardless of preseason hype.

The offensive line has all the potential you could ask for to build a team around. They are big, fast, athletic, and will be around for a long time. Nate Solder is the veteran on the offensive line, sort of, checking in as a junior with all other players vying for starting spots coming in as either sophomores or redshirt freshmen. Solder and Ryan Miller lead the way in the size category coming at 6'9" 305 pounds and 6'8" 320 pounds respectively with Solder considered to be one of the most athletic players on the team, running a sub 5.0 second forty this offseason. C Mike Iltis looks to have the center spot locked down replacing Daniel Sanders from a year ago while Givens will man the right tackle spot. The only position that looks to be up for grabs at this point in time is the other guard spot. Ethan Adkins looks to have the upper hand but watch out for Blake Behrens and Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner, once he returns from his ACL injury, to push for time there. This unit is big, athletic, has depth and should be a bright spot in 2009 if they can protect the quarterback.

THE WEAKNESS(ES) OF THE OFFENSE: Wide Receiver and Quarterback. Wide receiver takes spots #1 and #2 in our weakness review. With Scotty McKnight the only player active who has caught a pass in a division one football game, the Buffs lack known quantities at the flanker spot. Markques Simas will hopefully return against Wyoming from suspension but with his academic ineligibility in 2008 coupled with the most current infraction, Buff fans should not count on anything. Andre Simmons, if admitted, should not be expected to be ready for the Colorado State game considering he has been sitting on the sideline for the last two weeks. Hopefully the Buffs can have both Simmons and Simas ready by the Wyoming game and can get production from one of the true freshman. Walk-on WR Jason Espinoza will also play a part in the offense. There are just not a lot of options at wide receiver this year.

Playmaking ability still remains a big concern on both sides of the ball. In 2008, the Buffs lacked explosiveness and with former WR Josh Smith transferring to UCLA, many players will be counted on to be a game changer that have not necessarily produced game changing results in the past. If the Buffs want to get to 7, 8 or 9 wins, Darrell Scott, Markques Simas, Rodney Stewart, Brian Lockridge, potentially Andre Simmons, one of the tight ends need to evolve into consistent threats on the offensive side of the ball.

DEFENSE

2008 DEFENSIVE STATISTICS - Rushing Defense: 86^th overall, 9^th in Big 12 / Passing Efficiency Defense: 73rd overall, 5^th in Big 12 / Total Defense: 78^th overall, 4^th in Big 12 / Scoring Defense: 86^th overall, 8^th in Big 12.

2008 provided some surprises on the defensive side of the ball. A senior-laden defensive line was supposed to be the strength of the team with the cornerbacks the weak spot. Roles reversed and relatively speaking, the cornerback play exceeded expectations while the defensive line failed to meet expectations. Often thought of as "solid but not spectacular" last season, the defense is considered to be strong to very strong in the back seven in 2009 but inexperienced up front. Colorado's defense has the opportunity to be a top tier Big 12 squad if they can get solid play from the front four.

ADJUSTING AND MULTIPLE: No one knows really what the Buffs are going to do on defense this year. Dan Hawkins has kept the defense on the far side of the practice field this offseason out of the public eye, shut down practices because of the leaking of defensive formations on the internet and has even brought in Bob Foster, his past mentor at Cal-Davis, to add his defensive knowledge. As noted above and from what observers have seen, the Buffs look like they won't be afraid to mix up the base sets. The lack of known commodities up front might force Colorado to become more multiple, switching between the 3 - 4, 4 - 3 and even 3 - 3 - 5 defensive schemes. Such defensive looks are possible due to some exceptional depth at the linebacker and cornerback spots.

Defensive coordinator Ron Collins has preached this offseason that his goal is to get the 11 best players on the field and that might mean three down linemen. If the Buffs lineup with three, Collins will have to be creative in his blitz packages and cover schemes. Establishing quarterback pressure is the name of the game this year as last year the Buffs ranked 7^th in the conference in sacks, averaging on 2.0 a game.

THREE PLAYERS WHO NEED TO PLAY BIG IN 2009: The Buffs need to replace 17 ½ sacks which is well over half of their total sack production from a year ago. Most are hoping that LB B.J. Beatty can replace last year's production of LB Brad Jones. Beatty showed, when healthy, that he has a nose for the football. If Colorado opts for a 3 - 4 defense, Beatty figures to play a prominent role as a rush end/stand-up outsider backer similar to what Brad Jones did for the '08 team. Again, with the major concern over who is going to get to the quarterback, players like B.J. Beatty are going to have to produce.

Marcus Burton is another player who is being counted on for a big year. An afterthought last year, Burton has rededicated himself to football and the 260 pound middle linebacker made his presence known this spring. Even though he was the biggest linebacker during offseason testing, Burton still produced the fastest forty time and showed great sideline to sideline range. Burton, considering with inexperience up front, will have a difficult job sifting through offensive linemen and being productive. Burton will have to be the anchor of the defense, especially in the early going of the season as the coaches try to figure out who will produce up front.

CB Jimmy Smith is the final player who needs to have a big year. With two inexperienced safeties in the Colorado secondary and a defensive line that is unproven, pass coverage will be at a premier this season. CB Cha'pelle Brown proved his worth last season. With CB Ben Burney returning from injury and CB Jalil Brown back from a successful 2008 campaign, the Buffs have plenty of depth at the position. But Jimmy Smith has the ability to change the game and shut down a side of the field on his own, making S Patrick Mahnke and S Anthony Perkin's life a lot easier. Smith, the 6'3" 200 pound NFL prototype cornerback, has the ability to be the best corner in the Big 12.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Early money was on DE Nick Kasa and DT Edward Nuckols due to the inexperience on the defensive line but with Kasa partially tearing his MCL and Nuckols failing to academically qualify, the Buffs will have to look elsewhere for immediate help. The most logical choice is now DT Nate Bonsu. The 6'1" 295 pound Allen, Texas product may just be forced into some early action.

THE STRENGTH(S) OF THE DEFENSE: Linebacker and Cornerback. Ask Shaun Mohler and Jeff Smart about how strong the linebacker group is. Mohler and Smart were both starters a year ago and all conference awarded players. This year, they might be battling for one spot; and the Buffs may even add another linebacker position to run the 3 - 4. Marcus Burton impressed this offseason as did Michael Sipili, who will be competing for the middle linebacker job. Throw in the young but physically gifted Douglas Rippy and the potential of B.J. Beatty and this may be the deepest position on the Buffs team. And we didn't even mention Jon Major, a heavily recruited player from Colorado who tore his ACL last season as a true freshman.

A similar story at cornerback with 2007 starter Ben Burney returning to team up with Cha'pelle Brown, Jalil Brown and Jimmy Smith, all of whom started at least one game in 2008. Who starts against Colorado State will be fun to watch.

THE WEAKNESS(ES) OF THE DEFENSE: Defensive line, based purely on inexperience, not poor past performance. Gone are three seniors from a year ago and in are unproven players like DT Curtis Cunningham, DE Conrad Obi, DE Marquez Herrod, DT Eugene Goree, DT Tyler Sale, DT Will Pericak, DE Forrest West and DT Nate Bonsu. Nick Kasa may be in the mix after he recovers from the partial MCL tear.

Marquez Herrod will probably be a starter at defensive end but after that, it's anyone's guess. Curtis Cunningham played as a true freshman last season and made a few plays but he is still considered raw.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Last year's special team's performance was abysmal and should be a big point of emphasis this season if the Buffs' plan to be a player in the North. The departure of Josh Smith leaves a hole in the return game and 1,987 all purpose yards lost. The top candidates to fill the return role are Jason Espinoza, Rodney Stewart, Andre Simmons and Darrell Scott. K Aric Goodman returns, but he was just 5 for 14 on field goal attempts last season. The Buffs also return P Matt DiLallo who averaged 40.49 yards/punt last season while splitting time with Tom Suazo.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN AND QUICK HIT PREDICTIONS

Sept 5^th - Colorado St. Rams: The rivalry game is in Boulder, not in Denver, giving the Buffs a home field advantage. CSU will be breaking in a new quarterback and looks to have a weak front seven returning on defense. If CSU can get any quarterback play, it could be a dangerous game but expect the Buffs to load the box on defense. Prediction: W (1-0)
Sept 11^th - @ Toledo Rockets: the proverbial trap game with only five days rest. It is a Friday night game on the road against a team with a new coach; yes, a little scary. Like Colorado State, Toledo returns a lot of offensive line experience. Couple all of that with the dismal road record under Dan Hawkins (only 2 wins in three years) and the Buffs could be in more trouble than we would like to believe. That being said, Colorado has the more talented team and should win by double digits. Prediction: W (2-0)
Sept 19^th - Wyoming Cowboys: If the Buffs can start 2 - 0, they will have a nice eight day rest before hosting Wyoming at home who has little offensive identity even though former Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen takes over the helm as new coach. Missouri has used Colorado as its punching bag the past two years but the Wyoming offense won't resemble Chase Coffman, Chase Daniel, Derrick Washington and Jeremy Maclin. Buffs need to win this one big. Prediction: W (3-0)
Oct 1^st - @West Virginia Mountaineers: This is a coin toss game. Both teams have 12 days to prepare with West Virginia coming off a tough game at Auburn the week before. West Virginia will be favored by 3 - 7 points so this is certainly a winnable game but on a Thursday night in Morgantown with the Buffs past lack of success on the road, I see a 3 - 1 start. Ask me again after week 2. Prediction: L (3-1)
Oct 10^th - @ Texas Longhorns: There are two "more than likely" road losses on the schedule which makes Dan Hawkins' "10 win expectation, not a guarantee" phrase possible. This is one of those games. Prediction: L (3-2)
Oct 17^th - Kansas Jayhawks: The Buffs should have three home games circled this year; Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Three games that will dictate the degree of success in 2009. Win 2 or 3 of these games, expect Colorado football to be playing in strong bowl game. Lose all three, Colorado may once again be home for the holidays once again. Kansas QB Todd Reesing has been a Buff killer and the Jayhawks are expected to be a top 25 team when it is all said and done. Kansas has to replace some offensive linemen and linebackers so the Buffs should be in the game. Prediction: L (3-3)
Oct 24^th - @ Kansas St. Wildcats: Coming off three losses, this is a trap game that should be a Buff win. At 3 - 3, this game's outcome could determine if CU goes on to a winning record in the last half of the season or underachieves. If this is truly the year that we see changes in Boulder, Dan Hawkins' team should go into Manhattan and win. Since it is the offseason, let's be optimistic. Prediction: W (4-3)
Oct 31^st - Missouri Tigers: Halloween day in Boulder should be a wild scene. Mizzou could come into this game with a 3 - 4 record with both teams will have a lot riding on the game. The Buffs will have revenge on their mind after being utterly embarrassed the past two years losing by a combined score of 113 - 10. Many of the pieces from those two games are gone from Columbia and while Missouri fans are pushing the "Blaine Gabbert for Heisman" campaign already, this is the year for revenge. And one other thing, Missouri returns the fewest starters from a year ago in the Big 12 along with Nebraska Prediction: W (5-3)
Nov 7^th - Texas A&M Aggies: I believe most Colorado fans would take 5 - 3 at this point in the year considering Texas A&M and Iowa State are still on the schedule with Nebraska being an important swing game. Most will admit Colorado should have beaten A&M a year ago in College Station outplaying them for all but 5 or so minutes of that game. At home in Folsom, the Buffs should be on a roll coming off two wins. Could be a let down candidate if they don't respond after a big Missouri victory but this team is more experienced than prior teams. Prediction: W (6-3)
Nov 14^th - @ Iowa St. Cyclones: Last time the Buffs went to Ames, they laid an egg which once again makes predicting any road games as a win a risky prospect. Trust me, Buff fans won't be laying a lot of action on the first road game to Toledo. Hawkins will remind his team of how poorly they played a year ago at Folsom and the bad loss two years ago. Colorado has a chance to win four in a row heading into the last two weeks of the season. Prediction: W (7-3)
Nov 19^th - @ Oklahoma St. Cowboys: Even if the Buffs did have a full week's rest, this would be a loss but on the road with a short week against a top 10 contender, the Buffs' win streak ends here. Prediction: L (7-4)
Nov 27^th - Nebraska Cornhuskers: Eight wins sounds like paradise with the potential for nine in a bowl game. The Buffs will get more rest than the Huskers due to playing on a Thursday night against Oklahoma State and the Huskers have to travel to Boulder. Right now, this game is a toss-up but it is hard for me to see this Buffs team finishing with eight wins and it is equally hard to see the Huskers as a top 25 team. That being said, seven wins was my number for the Buffs all along. Eight is do-able as you can tell, nine is a stretch. You can also make a case for five or six wins. Prediction: L (7-5)

SB NATION BIG 12 BLOGGER'S ROUNDTABLE Q&A

1) Predicted Finish

Big 12 North

Kansas

Nebraska

Colorado

Missouri

Kansas State

Iowa State

Big 12 South

Oklahoma

Texas

Oklahoma State

Baylor

Texas Tech

Texas A&M

2) Who wins the Big 12 North?

~~Colorado Buffaloes Nebraska Cornhuskers~~ The Kansas Jayhawks...who knows, its wide open? Go get'em Buffs!

3) Who wins the Big 12 South?

The Oklahoma Sooners

4) How many Big 12 teams will be bowl eligible?

7 - Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State

5) Which conference team do you think will show the most improvement from last season (in record only)?

Baylor

6) Who is your Non-QB conference player of the year?

DL Gerald McCoy

7) Do you believe any Big 12 coaches will be gone (fired or hired elsewhere) after this season?

The ones I could see happening are Coach Hawk or Mike Gundy (but only with 5 wins or less and that won't happen for either.

8) What would you prefer as the Big 12's 3rd "best" bowl game? The Holiday or Alamo Bowl?

Holiday - San Diego is better than San Antonio in every way imaginable

9) Better D-Lineman, Suh or McCoy?

Gerald McCoy

10) Better Wide Receiver, Bryant or Briscoe?

Dez Bryant

11) Predict the worst non-conference loss (an upset) that the Big 12 will suffer.

Have to say Nevada upsetting Mizzou.

12) Predict the MNC participants and champion.

Florida def. Penn State (an embarrassment of a schedule)

Poll

What is your regular season win prediction for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2009?

10 wins +: Gotta go with Coach Hawkins, he set the bar, anything less would be a disappointment

18 votes

8 - 9 wins: very solid year, outside chance at the Big 12 North, top tier bowl game

185 votes

7 wins: an improvement, still too many holes to challenge for a North title but still bowling

86 votes

6 wins: squeak into a bowl game but with an empty feeling, still have a ways to go to be competitive each week

18 votes

5 or less wins: not enough playmakers, too many holes, more of the same in Boulder. 2010 here we come

9 votes

316 votes | Poll has closed

'Twas the Night Before Camp

irish1611 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:13:09 -0000

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At last, let the journey begin. Finally, no more to talk about than "10 wins, no excuses," preseason rankings, and trying to rationalize the experience of your second team quarterback divided by the factor of 3 to figure out upcoming win potential. It's tough trying to get through the minutia, rehashing on subjects that never seem to go away. Last year it was the off-the-field issues, the year before was the "intramurals" comment and we all know what the offseason of 2009 will be famous for. Hopefully, 2010's offseason will be known for the talk about the resurrection of the Colorado Buffaloes football program.

Hopefully, the 2009 season is about quieting the snickering and the under-the-breath-laughing that most of the nation is displaying towards the "I didn't guarantee 10 wins" by coach Hawkins.

Boy is it good to have actual football back.

Everyone has things they hope to hear about coming out of camp that will make them feel better about the upcoming season, especially this year, as pivotal as it is surrounded by the perpetual statement : "if." The time to answer the "ifs" starts tomorrow!

There are many things to be excited about as camp kicks off but here are five that should get the juices flowing

-The Emergence of a new No. 1 - Yep, it looks like Andre Simmons might be wearing the number 1 this season based on the most recent release of the 2009 roster. Let's hope that it actually comes to fruition. In somewhat of a heroic effort to finish nine classes this spring and summer just to possibly qualify, Andre Simmons will try to pull off another amazing feat to get into "playing shape" and digest the playbook in one month to become a key playmaker. Talk about a whirlwind last few months for Simmons who probably had no idea what he was in for when he committed to the Buffs on February 4^th. I am excited to see the big #1 out there, standing 6'3" weighing in at 210 pounds, showing off his 4.46...something that trumps any Buffs' receiver by almost two tenths of a second. Whether he will be ready to make an immediate impact from week one or even week four against West Virginia remains to be seen but there is excitement around the prospects of such an impact. Still with all the hoopla about Simmons, the real key to gain offensive balance will be the growth of Markques Simas as a true number 1 receiver. Similar to Andre Simmons, Simas has never played in a division one game so the Buffs are counting on a lot of production from the unknown. That being said, the unknowns have talent and the potential to be the best duo at receiver the Buffs have had in a while.

-Eric Kiesau at the Helm - 95^th, 72^nd, 102^nd...that has been the Buffs' total offense ranking the last three years. With the departure of former offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to Oregon in the offseason and the promotion of the popular Eric Kiesau, Buff fans are hoping that the new man in charge can maximize the strengths of the offense. The good news is that the pieces seem to be in a better place than they ever were under Helfrich and let's face it, the numbers can't get much worse. I am excited to see if Kiesau can pump some life into the offense, something he has already done on the recruiting front. Dan Hawkins takes over Kiesau's wide receiver duties with Hawkins stating that Kiesau will be given total autonomy on the X's and O's. It will be fun to watch the impact Hawkins has on one of the biggest question mark positions and at the same time, the game plans Kiesau comes up with.

-One, Two, Three, Four... That's A Stable - the Buffs seem to have four running backs who are all capable of carrying the load. Of course the headliner is Darrell Scott who is still the player most fans will go and see this fall. #2 will be a different player than people will remember seeing last fall. Gone is the 230 pound back and supposedly in is the 210 pound speedster that still has the power that we saw last fall. The newest roster lists Scott at a surprising 225 pounds, though, which is a surprise if it is true due to the statements from many parties, including himself, saying Scott's best playing weight is in the 210 range. Don't forget about Rodney Stewart who is still playing the underdog role after outplaying Darrell Scott a year ago and leading the Buffs in rushing. Stewart and Scott should have a great battle all camp and I think running backs coach Darian Hagan loves pinning the players against each other to breed competition. Don't forget about Demetrius Sumler, who led the Buffs in rushing touchdowns last year, and Brian Lockridge, whose speed quickly catches the eye. Running back drills ought to be highly competitive this fall.

-The Newbies - One of the best things about the first few days of camp is getting a look at the newcomers. Most of us have had to rely on the scouting services' height and weight measurements, 3 minute YouTube highlights and MaxPreps statistics. Yeah, Edward Nuckols, the highly rated defensive tackle from California, didn't qualify but there are still plenty of other players that everyone should get a look at to see if they pass the eyeball test. Nick Kasa, the defensive end from Colorado, should bring in a crowd of onlookers as the Buffs badly need the 6'7" pass rusher to get to the quarterback, preferably in year one. All of the neophytes will be good to see out there but I am especially excited to see Kasa, Forrest West, Terdema Ussery, Nate Bonsu and Liloa Nobriga. Also, I have heard not many newcomers have impressed more this summer than CB Deji Olatoye, the lowest rated recruit in last year's class but possess great athleticism and measurables. Oh yeah, make sure you watch out for that 6'5" quarterback as well.

-Position Battles Galore - There are probably only a handful of players who have starting jobs locked up: OG Ryan Miller, OT Nate Solder, C Mike Iltis, OT Bryce Givens, S Anthony Perkins, P Matt DiLallo, S Patrick Mahnke, FB Jake Behrens and possibly CB Jimmy Smith. Other than that, let the battles begin. Running backs & the quarterback spot will get the most attention this fall but to me, the most exciting is at linebacker. Throw in a bunch of talented players, the possible need for a 3 - 4 defense and coach Brian Cabral's history of producing great units and you have, to me, one of the more intriguing battles. Returning starters Shaun Mohler and Jeff Smart were thought to be shoe-ins for a repeat on top of the depth chart but in spring ball, both were in deep competition with Douglas Rippy, B.J. Beatty, Marcus Burton and Michael Sipili. Throw in a healthy Jon Major from the 2008 recruiting class and the Buffs look to have seven players who will be fighting for the three to four spots. Plus, who knows what Forrest West (3 - 4 purposes), Derrick Webb and Liloa Nobriga have to offer. Marcus Burton was lights out in spring ball, showing great range and putting up impressive workout numbers. Who would have thought the 260 pounder would be the fastest backer?

Poll

What position battle are you most excited to see play out this fall?

Quarterback

38 votes

Wide Receiver

59 votes

Linebacker

18 votes

Running Back

77 votes

Defensive Line

25 votes

217 votes | Poll has closed

Colorado: Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

Bill C. — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:00:10 -0000

Yesterday we took at look at what really was an impressively bad offense that Colorado put on the field in 2008. That the Buffs came within a game of bowl eligibility must speak volumes of their defense, right?

Defense

Overall Stats

S&P+: 110.1 (#33)
Success Rate+: 105.3 (#45)
PPP+: 116.1 (#34)

Standard Downs S&P+: 108.6 (#36)
Passing Downs S&P+: 124.0 (#15)

Redzone S&P+: 109.5 (#37)

Q1 S&P+: 107.0 (#43)
Q2 S&P+: 122.7 (#20)
Q3 S&P+: 98.4 (#62)
Q4 S&P+: 123.1 (#15)

1st Down S&P+: 108.7 (#37)
2nd Down S&P+: 102.3 (#52)
3rd Down S&P+: 135.5 (#8)

Rushing Stats

Rushing S&P+: 103.1 (#56)
Rushing SR+: 102.6 (#53)
Rushing PPP+: 103.8 (#55)

Standard Downs: 101.7 (#58)
Passing Downs: 104.4 (#57)

Redzone: 96.2 (#76)

Line Yards+: 98.3 (#64)

Passing Stats

Passing S&P+: 115.3 (#18)
Passing SR+: 107.1 (#34)
Passing PPP+: 125.0 (#18)

Standard Downs: 116.0 (#14)
Passing Downs: 129.9 (#15)

Redzone: 129.8 (#13)

Adj. Sack Rate: 5.9% (#61)

While the offense was almost universally bad in every category, the defense was a lot more interesting to analyze--quite a few ups and downs.

They were decent on Standard Downs and excellent on Passing Downs. When I see a team better on Passing Downs, I assume that their LB corps must be pretty good at blitzing, but that's a bit of a generalization.
This is reflected in the per-down numbers as well--they were mediocre on 2nd downs and great on 3rd downs.
Their best quarter: Q4. Makes sense if you think about it. A) They lost four games by 16 points or more, and in "non-close" situations, the trailing team usually has the advantage while the leading team is running the ball and killing the clock. B) When they were in close games down the stretch, they usually thrived. As mentioned yesterday, they were 4-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less, and while that ignores the Nebraska game--they were leading by one with two minutes left before Nebraska scored a quick 10 points that deceptively boosted the scoring margin--clearly they were still pretty good when the game was close.
While their success rates (efficiency) and PPP (explosiveness) were roughly the same in rushing defense, Colorado did see a decent split between their passing defense success rates (34th) and PPP (18th). That usually suggests relatively loose coverage and good tackling--you can get efficient, short gains against them, but you're not necessarily going to burn them deep a lot.
Neither line play measure was particularly impressive.

Defensive Line

Herrod (#90) is about the only returner who has made any plays whatsoever.

2008 Unit Ranking: #58 in the nation (#7 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
DE Marquez Herrod (6'2, 265, Jr.)
DT Eugene Goree (6'1, 295, So.)
DT Taj Kaynor (6'5, 265, Sr.)
DE Conrad Obi (6'3, 265, So.)
DT Curtis Cunningham (6'1, 275, So.)
DE Lagrone Shields (6'3, 270, So.)
DT Will Pericak (6'4, 265, RSFr.)
DE Tony Poremba (6'1, 230, So.)

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 list above 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.

Linebackers

Smart (#45)

2008 Unit Ranking: #36 in the nation (#7 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Jeff Smart (6'0, 220, Sr.)
Shaun Mohler (6'3, 220, Sr.)
BJ Beatty (6'2, 220, Jr.)
Doug Rippy (6'1, 230, RSFr.)
Michael Sipili (6'1, 240, Jr.)
Jon Major (6'2, 225, RSFr.)
Marcus Burton (6'0, 260, Sr.)

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.

Secondary

Mighty mite Cha'pelle Brown is a rock-solid corner.

2008 Unit Ranking: #13 in the nation (#4 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
CB Cha'pelle Brown (5'7, 170, Sr.)
CB Jimmy Smith (6'2, 200, Jr.)
S Anthony Perkins (5'10, 200, So.)
S Patrick Mahnke (6'1, 205, So.)
CB Benjamin Burney (5'11, 190, Sr.)
CB Jalil Brown (6'1, 205, Jr.)
S Travis Sandersfeld (6'0, 205, So.)
S Ray Polk (6'1, 190, RSFr.)

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.

Special Teams

Aric Goodman MUST improve in 2009.

2008 Unit Rankings: #80 Net Punting, #56 Punt Returns, #38 Kickoff Returns

Projected Starters
K Aric Goodman (5'10, 185, Jr.) - 30-for-31 PAT, 5-for-14 FG
P Matt DiLallo (6'1, 200, Sr.) - 34.0 Net Avg
KR - Rodney Stewart (5'7, 170, So.)
PR - Jason Espinoza (5'8, 175, So.)

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? I could probably manage to go about 2- or 3-for-14*, so he was only about six points better than me as a kicker. 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?

* Okay, maybe 1-for-14. Fine, 0-for-14. I'd have kicked every ball directly into the ass of a lineman seven yards ahead of me.

Meanwhile, here's where Josh Smith's loss could possibly hit the hardest. Again, Smith wasn't all-conference material or anything, but while he averaged a decent 13.3 yards per catch (best among CU receivers), he was quite good in the return game, averaging 10.4 yards per punt return (point of reference: Jeremy Maclin averaged 11.0) and 25.5 per kick return (Maclin: 24.0) with 1 TD. Assuming he doesn't get coerced into staying in Boulder, then it looks like the early leaders to replace him are Rodney Stewart at KR and Jason Espinoza at PR. I have nothing valuable about whether they're any good at returning kicks, so instead I'll just point out that they're very little. So there you go.

Summary

As I mentioned in yesterday's intro, I'm trying as hard as I can not to be biased about Colorado. I think they're young enough that they really could be solid in 2010 and maybe 2011, but it's really annoying me that it appears writers are once again jumping the gun too early on them, picking them as a North sleeper for what I think is the fourth straight year. They've got a solid-not-flashy LB corps and potentially very good secondary. They've also got a lot of unproven potential at RB and on the O-line. But that's about it. They have nothing proven at WR or on the D-line, and unfortunately I think Cody Hawkins has proven a bit too much at QB. They would be better served floating under the radar for another year and figuring out what they have, particularly at WR. But instead, people are once again ranking them in the Top 40 and calling them a sleeper, meaning they'll be expected to produce a little earlier than I think they're capable of producing. Not that I'm losing sleep over these preseason picks or anything, but it's not fair to Colorado to expect anything major from them just yet--I've been wrong plenty of times before, but I think they're still a year away.

---

Projections on Friday. And I'm warning you now--as down as I appear to be on CU, the BTBS projections are infinitely more down on them. Shockingly down on them...to the point where I almost want to stick up for them a bit.

Monday Buff Bites - Colorado Ranked 43rd, Vegas Says 6.5 wins...Who Knows?

irish1611 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:28:22 -0000

The Quad Countdown: No. 43 Colorado - The Quad Blog
Paul Myerberg places the Buffs at #43 in the New York Times "The Quad Blog" annual countdown of every FBS team in the country. It's a pretty decent read, so head over and check it out. Other than getting Jon Major's name wrong, Myerberg seems excited about the right things: the offensive line, linebackers and the running backs. Basically, what it all comes down to in most people's mind is consistent and decent quarterback play. Overall a pretty optimistic preview of the Buffs. Would seven wins be enough for you, 3rd in the Big 12 North?

Season breakdown & prediction: Could this be it? Could this be the year when Dan Hawkins and the Buffaloes break through and win the Big 12 North? Will Colorado win 10 games, as Hawkins so brazenly predicted at the tail end of last fall’s five-win finish? So many questions. First things first: Colorado is not winning 10 games, not in the Big 12 and not with this schedule. (In the team’s defense, it does get Kansas and Nebraska at home.) However, that doesn’t mean the Buffaloes can’t be very good, especially if they can overcome the debilitating injury bug that has plagued the program in each of the last two seasons. Some groups – offensive and defensive line, for instance – remain enigmas, but each has the potential to be very good, especially the young and talented offensive front. The big question revolving around the C.U. offense is what type of play the Buffaloes will get from the quarterback position: if the team gets good – not spectacular, just good – play and consistency, the offense will be much, much better. So I expect an improvement from this team in 2009; however, to be honest, I can’t justify placing Colorado any higher than at this spot. But I could see the Buffaloes, with some luck, the development of their young players and a largely injury-free campaign, being a dark horse Top 25 candidate. A lot would have go right, however. My prediction is a little more guarded: I believe Colorado will finish 7-5, 4-4 in the Big 12, third in the North.

"'6.5 wins and no excuses" doesn't have the same ring" by The Newell Post / LJWorld.com
The Lawrence Journal World pokes fun at Dan Hawkins and his 10 win proclamation by saying the folks from VegasInsider think otherwise. 6.5 wins is a little hard to swallow but it is probably right based on the preseason thinking.

The college football future odds have been released by Vegasinsider.com, and, not surprisingly, sports books have slightly lower expectations for the Buffs. Vegas Insider's predicted win total for Colorado this season is 6.5. So even if Hawkins's team falls three wins short of his prediction, his friends would still be rolling in the dough if they bet the over. For fun, here are the predicted regular-season win totals for the Big 12 teams*: Baylor 5 Kansas State 5.5 Texas A&M 5.5 Missouri 6.5 Colorado 6.5 Texas Tech 8 Nebraska 8 Kansas 8 Oklahoma State 9 Oklahoma 9.5 Texas 10.5 * — Iowa State was not listed.

Player commitments shaping up for Big 12 media days - Big 12 - ESPN
Big 12 media days start next week...a great time for college football news. The Buffs will be represented by the following coaches and seniors:

Colorado: Coach Dan Hawkins, linebackers coach Brian Cabral, TE Riar Geer, LB Marcus Burton, LB Jeff Smart.

Kasa, Orms get taste of life on CU campus - Boulder Daily Camera
Welcome to Boulder fellas...Nick Kasa and Parker Orms' bikes were already stolen in the first month and a half, but according to them, that is the only thing that has gone bad. Orms has added 10 pounds already and hopes to be 200 pounds by the start of camp. That is impressive. Nick Kasa seems to be getting some good reps in but should be in line for more when camp starts in August.

The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports - WVU - WVU opponent: Colorado
Something I didn't totally realize until I read it from The Charleston Gazette:

Colorado's first four games are all on different days of the week, from a Thursday to a Sunday. The worst stretch, at least from a preparation standpoint, is right at the start when the Buffs open at home against Colorado State on a Sunday evening and then play four days later on the road at Toledo. So if Monday is more or less a recovery day and Wednesday a travel day, that essentially reduces practice to just Tuesday

The Longmont Times-Call - WR Andre Simmon Expects to be on Campus

Simmons, a junior college recruit from Independence Community College in Kansas, said Saturday during a phone conversation that he’s "on the road to getting it done." Simmons has had to complete six spring courses and three on-line courses this summer. He said he has all passing grades. He thinks he’ll be in Boulder the week before camp starts. Players are due to report by Aug. 6; the first practice is Aug. 7. He said he expects to be admitted to the university.

Time for Nebraska to embrace CU as a rival - Mark Knudson

Current Colorado Buffaloes' Defensive and Special Teams Roster

irish1611 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:38:30 -0000

Following our offensive roster chart, below is the 2009 Colorado Buffaloes' defensive and special team players. Compared to the offensive piece, this chart has a little more distribution between years of each position as well as depth oming down the 2010 pipeline unlike tight end and fullback on the offensive side of the ball.

Position		SENIORS	JUNIORS	SOPHOMORES	FRESHMEN	INCOMING Fr
DT		Taj Kaynor	Eric Lawson	C Cunningham	Will Pericak	Nate Bonsu
DT		Tyler Sale*	Eric Lawson	Eugene Goree	Will Pericak	Edward Nuckols
Sch	7	1	1	2	1	2
NSch	1	1
DE			M Herrod	Kevin Cooney*	Nick O'Neill*	Nick Kasa
			Joe Silipo*	David Goldberg*		J. Forrest West
				Conrad Obi		Sc Fernandez*
				Tony Poremba*
				Lagrone Shields
Sch	5		1	2		2
NSch	6		1	3	1	1
LB		Marcus Burton	Michael Sipili	Tyler Ahles	Jon Major	Liloa Nobriga
		Shaun Mohler	B.J. Beatty	*Brandon Gouin	Doug Rippy	Derrick Webb
		Jeff Smart		*Zackary Farley	*Guy Sergent	Geoff Sissom*
		*Bryan Stengel		Josh Hartigan
Sch	11	3	2	2	2	2
NSch	5	1		2	1	1
CB		Cha Brown	Jalil Brown	Jon Hawkins	Stephen Hicks	Deji Olatoye
		Ben Burney	Jimmy Smith	*Arthur Jaffee	Paul Vigo	Cody McAninch*
				Anthony Wright
Sch	9	2	2	2	2	1
NSch	2			1		1
S			*Bret Smith	Patrick Mahnke	Vince Ewing	Parker Orms
				*Erik Manarino	Ray Polk
				*Matt Meyer
				Anthony Perkins
				*T Sandersfeld
Sch	5			2	2	1
NSch	4		1	3		0
K			Aric Goodman	Jameson Davis		Z Grossnickle
P		Matt DiLallo
SN		J Drescher	Austin Bisnow
Sch	5	2	1	1		1
NSch	1	0	1
DEFENSIVE AND SPECIAL TEAMS TOTAL
Sch	42	8	7	11	7	9
NSch	19	2	3	9	2	3
Total	61	10	10	20	9	12
TEAM TOTAL
Sch	78	12	14	24	10	18
NSch	37	5	5	13	5	9
Total	115	17	19	37	15	27
*italics - transfer / - non-scholarship player**

The linebacking and cornerback spots are the class of the defense. The Buffs will have solid depth for many years at linebacker, assuming Jon Major recovers from his ACL injury and Doug Rippy continues to develop. I would expect the Buffs to take a couple more 'backers in the 2010 class to keep the continuity going. The linebacking depth is exactly what you want as a coach when you look at your group of players; a great mix of experience as well as young talent who are pushing the veterans. As for cornerback, the next two years look very solid as long as Jimmy Smith doesn't jump for the NFL early. I think he is still in need of all four years of college but if he has the year that I expect him to have, he may be tempted by the NFL scouts who would be drooling over a sub 4.5, 6'3" physical cornerback. After the next two years, the Buffs will need to get help at corner as you will be looking at all new starters after 2010 with not much known about the players behind the juniors and seniors.

The rest of the defensive positions, youth prevails. There are only three scholarship upperclassmen at defensive line and safety. The Buffs are young at safety with potential starters Patrick Mahnke and Anthony Perkins both sophomores but they gained valuable experience as freshmen. Defensive line continues to be the main question mark on the defense mostly because we don't know what we are going to get from the underclassmen, who will be forced to play this year. Guys like Eugene Goree, Conrad Obi, Lagrone Shields, Curtis Cunningham, Nick Kasa, Edward Nuckols, Nate Bonsu, Will Pericak, Lagrone Sheilds, etc. haven't showed us a lot because they are all first or second year players. They might be great but the doubt surrouding them is one reasons many Buff fans wonder if the team will turn the corner and get to that 8+ win mark.

On special teams, the Buffs had to take a kicker in the 2009 class in Zach Grossnickle after the dismal performance last year. Grossnickle (both a placekicker and punter) may technically be the only punter on the team after this season with starter Matt DiLallo graduating. Special teams is another part of the equation that most Buff fans forget about but shouldn't in evaluating the possible success next year. You name it, it went wrong in 2008 so improved play is a must.

WR Josh Smith and TE Ryan Wallance Leaving Colorado

irish1611 — Sun, 31 May 2009 04:35:37 -0000

Colorado WR/KR Josh Smith - picture by Phil Coale

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All I can really say is "wow." I am in disbelief. Thanks to our loyal reader mam2jd, most of you have read about the decision of WR Josh Smith and TE Ryan Wallace to leave the football program. Wallace, the 6'5" 235 pound redshirt freshman, decided to go his separate way because he was homesick and wanted to be closer to his family in Kentucky. Wallace was currently fifth on the depth chart but three seniors were in front of him so he was in line to have a good chance at seeing time in two years as a sophomore. He never played a down for the Buffs so it is hard to judge the impact he would have had. It's definitely a loss of a player with great size but we never learned what we had on the field.

As for Josh Smith, the junior all purpose player, we saw glimpses and imagined greatness. That ability to achieve new heights on the offensive side of the ball will not be realized with the Buffs. His own self comparisons to former Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin will be left incomplete. Smith has decided to leave Boulder and pursue a music degree in California or Arizona that the University of Colorado does not offer. He was honorable mention All Big 12 last year for his special teams work, something that was indeed special. No matter what you thought of Smith here are the facts: last year he was 9th in the nation in all purpose yards with 1,987. Yes, the 2008 sophomore fumbled, he dropped a few touchdowns, was injured and made some poor judgment plays but losing a guy who contributed 165 yards a game is never a good thing. Couple that with now only two scholarship receivers on the roster in Scotty McKnight and Markques Simas, the situation is now bordering ridiculous. I hope Terdema Ussery and Jarrod Darden, both true freshman who might be at prom or graduating from high school right now, are ready to play.

Smith was most definitely a polarizing figure for the Buffs. I am not going to lie, I loved watching Smith play and figured he might be the type that had a revelation one day & became a complete player. There will always be that question whether Smith really wanted or had the desire to become that complete player. Either way, he won't be competing on Folsom Field. I am shocked. Flat out, he was a playmaker, you can't deny that and the Buffs haven't shown they have a lot of those. He was not a great wide receiver yet but he had the potential to be. If the Buffs had four or five receivers above Smith on the depth chart, this may not be as big of a deal as most are making it but because of the current depth at wideout, it is.

Moving on now and assessing the situation objectively, a few things come to mind right away:

1) I find it hard to believe that pursuing a music career is the only reason for a transfer of this magnitude. If your an outsider looking in at the Colorado Buffaloes, you once again start to wonder what is considered the "normal attrition" that goes on within a program or if their is a deeper issue? Perception effects recruiting, donor gifts, season ticket buyers, etc.

2) This was my first thought when I heard of the news and what guys like Tim Griffin of ESPN will ponder is in regards to the future of RB Darrell Scott and even if he does stay at Colorado, how will this impact his football career at Colorado? A big reason Scott came to Colorado was his uncle Josh Smith and although Kyle Ringo said in his column that this shouldn't have an impact on Scott's status, he is a 19 year old young man who lost his best friend/family member in school. It might not be a big deal now but what about when school starts? Either way, this isn't good for what needs to be our best player in '09. I wouldn't worry about this one too much yet as it might be the first overreaction on this story but a year from now, what if the Buffs don't turn it around to a satisfactory level? What will be the first question most will ask?

You just have to hope their isn't more to the story on this one.

3) Special teams, obviously, takes an immediate hit. Smith had 1,276 yards on kick returns, second in the nation last season. The Buffs already have major questions in every other facet of special teams play, something that probably cost them or severely impacted the results of a game or two last year. The Buffs won't get to 10, 9, 8 or even 7 wins if this part of team doesn't improve.

4) What do the Buffs do now about wide receiver? Probably nothing can be done this summer from an outside perspective. Smith was a starting receiver on the most current depth chart. Kendrick Celestine is supposedly ineligible from his return to the program so he looks to be out of the question. Right now, the Buffs have one receiver who has ever caught a pass in a division one football game. ONE. I don't think bringing in another player right now is going to do anything other than add depth with an athlete that might not be "scholarship worthy." There is pretty much nothing that the staff can do other than hope JUCO transfer Andre Simmons (still not completely qualified for admission), Darden, Ussery, Simas, Jason Espinoza and even Ryan Maxwell are ready to be superior receivers. It was something Colorado was going to have to deal with anyway but this news magnifies it. Can anything else possibly happen to the receiver position?

5) How does all of this effect the team? This was supposed to be the no excuses campaign. The way the players and coaches were talking, this was the "all or nothing" year. The year the turn around takes place. Gone is LB Lynn Katoa, WR Chance Blackmon, Wallace and Smith. Players like S Ray Polk, LB Jon Major, QB Tyler Hansen, DL Curtis Cunningham, OL Blake Behrens, OG Max Tuioti-Mariner are a few who were out or injured this spring. You have two coaches leave the program in Jeff Grimes and Mark Helfrich. Most are happy with the replacements but still, its a change, its a rocking of the boat, something we keep seeing with this program. Last year it was all about injuries and off-the-field issues. I wonder what the moral will be like in the fall time?

I find myself asking what's next? I didn't see this one coming. I wish Josh Smith and Ryan Wallace the best of luck in their future endeavors, wherever they may be. I enjoyed watching Smith with the football in his hands.

Just shocked...I guess I shouldn't be anymore especially with this hidden statement in Ringo's column:

The athletic department has planned several announcements concerning the football program for Monday. The updates will include the status of Hawkins' efforts to fill his coaching staff in the wake of Mark Helfrich's departure to Oregon and player personnel changes, including Smith and Wallace.

That including word might not mean this is over...stay tuned.

Spring Recap - Linebackers

irish1611 — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:34:35 -0000

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Pre-Spring Thoughts:

Coming into spring ball, the Buffs only had to replace one linebacker in Brad Jones. Not an easy task considering Jones was the only Buff selected in the 2009 NFL draft but most importantly, Jones was the Buffs only consistent pass rusher from a year ago. Couple that with an inexperienced defensive line, many think getting to the opposition's quarterback will be the main reason the Buffs won't be able to take the next step and win the Big 12 North. Jones was 5^th in tackles from a year ago with 78 total (3^rd among the linebackers), lead the team in sacks (7), TFL (7) and quarterback pressures (14).

Although Jones the pass rusher will be hard to replace, the initial thought going into camp was the linebacker positions would be one of the deepest on the team with a healthy mix of experience and youth. The experienced portion begins with returning starters; MLB Jeff Smart and OLB Shaun Mohler, who finished first and second, respectively, in total tackles in 2008. Mohler started the year as a sub but quickly worked his way into the starting lineup and was selected Honorable Mention in the Big 12 by the AP. Smart was named Second Team All-Big 12 by the AP in '08, as he led the Buffs with 118 tackles, good for fourth in the Big 12. Most Buff fans would have probably slotted these two players in the starting linebacker spot for 2009 and been perfectly content.

Next comes an interesting trio of veterans in B.J. Beatty, Michael Sipili and Marcus Burton. BJ Beatty may be able to fill "the Brad Jones role" in 2009 as he was often a rush end last year. Beatty's propensity to make plays and stand out makes him a player that will be hard to keep off the field. He was slowed by injury at the beginning of 2008 but with him healthy, he was expected to be a leading candidate for a starting spot this spring. Sipili and Burton were sort of unknowns coming into spring. They are bigger, "Levon Kirkland" style linebackers. Many thought Sipili might be the next great linebacker at Colorado but with off the field problems and injuries, Sipili never hit full stride in '08. With Mohler and Smart both gone in 2010, Sipili, along with Beatty, will be in a position to play a big role in the defense for the next two years if he can show consistency. Same desire to see consistency would also describe senior MLB Marcus Burton. You look at this guy from the sideline and you see a big athlete who passes the eye test. He wasn't really a factor in 2008 and for the most part, thought we would have to wait and see after spring as to what role he will play in '09. Most figured that Beatty would emerge as the Brad Jones replacement and the starting three linebackers would be set with a few of the younger guys challenging for time.

Then comes the youth and the guys that get people excited about the future of Buff linebacking: Jon Major, Doug Rippy and Lynn Katoa. All three redshirted last year with Major and Katoa being highly touted recruits and Rippy having the "most ready college body" of the trio. Major's freshman campaign was cut short by a torn ACL in fall camp while Lynn Katoa ran into trouble off-the-field and in the classroom. We knew going into camp that Major was going to be very limited if not out this spring as he was still recovering from the ACL injury. As for Lynn, rumors were swirling before camp, whether he would ever play a down for the Buffs. He was once again held out of spring practice for academic reasons and at one time, Natalie Meisler of the Denver Post had a story that LB coach Brian Cabral confirmed Katoa wouldn't return to the team. Katoa is still on the roster and for good reason. Other than being a talent, one theory is that the Buffs need Katoa to stay with the program to avoid hurting their APR score, an NCAA metric that tracks a program's academic achievement. The Buffs are flirting with running into NCAA sanctions which could cost them as many as five scholarships in the upcoming year or two. Katoa's potential departure would almost make that sanction a certainty. Who knows what the real story is but the team has even more incentive to get him on. Most of the optimism about the 2008 linebacker class was subdued as only Doug Rippy would be able to fully showcase his talent this spring.

As for the scheme, it was reasonable to think that the Buffs might implement a 3 - 4 this season considering the depth at linebacker and the unknown of the down linemen. In principle, this is the right direction but last year when the Buffs brought in an extra linebacker or defensive back, the defensive staff would rarely bring extra pressure from the back eight. Many remember Todd Reesing running around in the pocket waiting for options to open up down field. Along with the question of who will be the other one or two starters, the aggressiveness of this unit and the scheme Ron Collins implements was another pressing issue.

Post Spring Thoughts:

Answering the second question first, Ron Collins had this statement in the Boulder Daily Camera early in spring with my commentary:

Two things that we like to hear around here regarding the defense is the combination of "3-4" and "aggressive." Kyle Ringo of the BDC notes that defensive coordinator Ron Collins is all about getting his 11 best players on the field and if that means playing the 3-4 exclusively, so be it. Fine with me as long as the word "aggressive" is attached to it.

The defense was aggressive and it was multiple from what I saw in practice. He was not kidding about playing the best 11. The sets ranged from 3 - 4, 4 - 3, 3 - 3 - 5 with varying blitz packages that saw players like S Patrick Mahnke and S Tyler Sandersfield lining up close to line or moving to a rover spot. I did like the look of the 3 - 4, considering who was where and how they were playing it this spring. If Collins sticks to this aggressive, multiple defense, the Buffs might be able to compensate for a defensive line that has yet to prove much at the college level but the learning curve will be steep since the Buffs have not committed entirely to it as of yet. It was clear this spring that Collins recognized the strength of this team is in the back eight with strong enough corner play to drastically change the defense from a base 4 - 3 a year ago to a more "attack the weakness of the offense" type set. Whether the aggressiveness is implemented in the fall or when it is 3^rd and 8 against CSU remains to be seen but right now, it looks good.

As for the personnel, it was a shocker this spring. Quite possibly the most impressive defender was senior Marcus Burton. At the first practice, I remember thinking to myself "I was right, the Buffs are going to move him to defensive line, he must have put on 10 - 15 pounds from last year and is too big/slow to play the inside." I was wrong. Burton quickly inserted himself at middle linebacker and on many occasions showed his ability to get sideline to sideline. Quietly, last year's starting middle linebacker and award winner, Jeff Smart, was battling for an outside position. Burton's size (6'0" 260) might be an early indication that the Buffs are closer and in a better personnel spot to implement the 3 - 4, although the depth chart is still showing the standard 4 - 3 look. Burton would be better suited to handle interior offensive lineman with his size.

Burton lead the team in total tackles 2 of the 3 scrimmages and ended spring ball as the Buffs most productive tackler:

Name	Tackles	TFL	Sacks
Marcus Burton	21	2	2
Michael Sipili	15	4	2
Jeff Smart	13	2	1
Shaun Mohler	11	1	1
B.J. Beatty	10	3	2
Zack Farley	7	2	1
Bryan Stengel	4	1	0
Doug Rippy	4	0	0
Guy Sergent	4	0	0
Brandon Gouin	2	0	0
Josh Hartigan	DNP	DNP	DNP
Jon Major	DNP	DNP	DNP

Spring stats hardly tell the story nor should they be considered the indicator for future success but Burton's play was very impressive this spring. Michael Sipili also had a strong spring, showing his ability to play behind the line of scrimmage, leading the team in tackles for loss with four. Sip was second in total scrimmage tackles this spring.

Ron Collins was noted saying good things about all the linebackers, including the two vets:

"The linebackers were running around pretty well today," Collins added. "The edge guys, B.J. (Beatty) and Doug (Rippy) came off the edge pretty well. I think Mike (Sipili) and Marcus (Burton) are both playing pretty well right now."

If the Buffs do go 3 - 4, the combination of Burton, Sipili and Smart will be a good trio to hold down the middle. Sipili did a great job this offseason, losing a noticeable amount of weight, helping his quickness. Burton and Sipili are also one year more mature and looks to be making a world of difference.

On the outside, four players were battling it out: Shaun Mohler, Doug Rippy, B.J. Beatty and Jeff Smart. You might throw Jon Major into that list (when healthy) and Smart out of it considering he might be switched back to middle. Both Mohler and Smart, two starters last year are going to have their hands full with Rippy and Beatty on the outside. Rippy, still very young and learning, didn't compile the stats but the amount of playing time he received was enough of an indication that the coaches like his size and athleticism. The growing pains will be there for the redshirt freshman but the talent is evident. Beatty is also still learning. He sat out a lot last year and now as a junior is getting a crash course in playing every down and being a more well rounded linebacker, not just a straight ahead player. He showed he could get in the backfield averaging just under a sack a scrimmage along with a total of three tackles for loss.

If I had to guess who would be the starters in a 4 - 3 day one, it looks like Marcus Burton in the middle, B.J. Beatty at one outside backer and to me, either Shaun Mohler or Doug Rippy. The trendy pick right now is Rippy but he is young and Mohler returns off a solid year last season. Any one of Jeff Smart, Michael Sipili and Jon Major trio would not be a surprise starter at all, especially if the 3 - 4 becomes a reality. The Buffs go seven, maybe eight deep at linebacker.

Injuries/Players Out:

Fr Lynn Katoa - academics/off the field incidents. Status unknown for 2009 and beyond.
Fr Jon Major - recovering from 2008 ACL tear. Should be full go by fall, giving Buff fans their first real look at the highly recruited 'backer.

Player(s) Who Emerged:

Hands down Marcus Burton and Michael Sipili. Most Buff fans would have been content with Shaun Mohler, Jeff Smart and B.J. Beatty starting in 2009. They would have been solid. With the emergence of Burton and Sipili (you can also throw in Rippy), competition for the starting spots is going to be heated the rest of the way with the potential of three new ones from last season. The way Burton played this spring, it will be hard to keep his big frame away from the middle of the field. The added depth will go along way in possibly making a move to a 3 - 4 and being more aggressive in the passing game. Plus the Buffs now have options.

Final Assessment:

This unit has all of the makings to be a top three linebacking corp in the Big 12 but I am not quite ready to commit to that due to the unknowns up front. A linebacker's best friend is penetration/clogs from the defensive linemen to keep blockers from getting to the second level. If no one up front can get attention, it could seriously diminish the production of the linebackers.

If they do get some help from the big guys in the trenches, they are top three in terms of talent especially if the Buffs get the same production from Burton & Sipili and Major progresses this fall. Couple that with a strong linebacker mind in coach Brian Cabral...it could be fun.