SB Nation - Rodney Stewart

Big 12 All Conference Teams Announced, OT Nate Solder Selected to First Team

irish1611 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:12:41 -0000

The All-Big 12 Conference football teams and individual award winners have been announced by conference officials. All selections are made by the Big 12 head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.

Junior offensive tackle Nate Solder received the highest award on the Buffs squad, being named first team All Big 12 at tackle, a great accomplishment for the converted tight end. Solder brings a rare combination of size and speed to the mix and is currently looked at as being one of the players with a strong chance to make it in the NFL. He still has a lot to learn about the position but the athleticism is there.

Two other Buffs, TE Riar Geer and CB Cha'pelle Brown were named second team All Big 12. Rounding out the teams, these Colorado Buffaloes were named honorable mention: Jake Behrens, FB; Jalil Brown, DB; Benjamin Burney, DB; Marquez Herrod, DL; Scotty McKnight, WR; Ryan Miller, OL; Jeff Smart, LB; Jimmy Smith, DB; Rodney Stewart, RB.

The biggest surprise is WR Scotty McKnight not being named second team All Conference. He did make honorable mention but Kansas State WR Brandon Banks was named over McKnight. Banks, a talented return man, was named first team KR/PR so this selection over McKnight is very confusing considering it wasn't a charity place for a kick returner.

Scotty McKnight was sixth in the conference with 74.42 yards per game. McKnight was tied for fifth in receptions with 76, was sixth in yards at 893 and sixth in receptions per game at 6.33. Brandon Banks ranked 10th in receiving yards per game at 58.75, 10th in yards at 705 and ninth in receptions with 56. McKnight had six touchdowns to Banks' one.

Congrats to all of those Buffs who were named to the All-Conference teams

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

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

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

more after the jump...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Woelk: Give Hawkins a fifth year - Boulder Daily Camera

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nebraska riding its defense to revival - The Denver Post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CU wins despite off game for Higgins - Boulder Daily Camera

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

Under The Hood: Nebraska vs. Colorado Statistical Comparison

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

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

"YOU SUCK!"

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

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

Offensive Statistics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defensive Statistics

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Details

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

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

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

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

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

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

- What did I miss?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coach regrets recruiting son - The Longmont Times-Call

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

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

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

Buffs Fall Short Against Gonzaga - CUBuffs.com

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

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

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

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

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

CU impresses in Maui opener - Boulder Daily Camera

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

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

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

Players seek success for CU coach Hawkins - The Denver Post

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

Lunch with Bo: Colorado is Nebraska's rival

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

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

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

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

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

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

Post Game Reaction: Colorado Buffaloes Lose to Iowa State Cyclones 17 - 10

irish1611 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:20:52 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

about 1 month ago: Colorado's Tyler Hansen (9) is sacked by Iowa State's Patrick Neal during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Browse more photos »

Once again, the Colorado Buffaloes failed to show up on the road. How many times have we used that line the last four years? But it is the best way to describe the team after yet again another poor performance and a performance that has become all too familiar.

The Buffs continue to shoot themselves in the foot when given the opportunity to excel. This team lacks a killer instinct and that starts at the top.

Whether it is getting 30 yards of penalties on first and goal from the nine yard line that resulted in zero points, kickoffs out of bounce late in the game, missing field goals or the Buffs failure to score on first and goal from the five yard line, this team continues to play poor in key situations.

Another way to gauge how well a team responds in key moments: play in the red zone and third down conversions. Today, the Buffs were 1 - 4 in the red zone, while the Iowa State Cyclones were 3 - 3. On third down, Colorado was 2 - 14. Those are absolutely pathetic numbers.

And don't forget turnovers and those mental breakdowns called penalties. Colorado turned the ball over three times today and had another turnover on downs in the red zone. In total, Colorado came up empty three times in the red zone. Add 11 penalties and 110 yards into the mix as well. Colorado ranked 117th in the nation coming into the game and that may get worse when it is all said and done. And today, the penalties were especially damaging. Two ruined a chance at points and two other ones kept Iowa State's first touchdown drive alive after the Buffs initially stopped Iowa State on third down.

Tyler Hansen finished the game 18 - 38 for 258 yards, one touchdown, one interception. Anyone who listened to the Buffs' broadcast heard the word "flushed" more than any other word spoken today. He was rushed all day and continued to get harassed as the offensive line continues to be a major disappointment in 2009. Rodney Stewart has had better days as well. He ran the ball 19 times for 85 yards but fumbled twice, once in the red zone. Markques Simas and Scotty McKnight both had over 100 yards receiving but the Buffs only attempted two passes to Markques Simas in the first half, something that had to be confusing to Colorado fans as he continues to be a big threat.

The Buffs have now lost 11 games straight on the road and are officially eliminated from postseason play for the third time in four years. Under Dan Hawkins, the Colorado Buffaloes have not beaten a Big 12 North team on the road. They are now 0 - 10. His team continues to make the mental mistakes that will prohibit them from ever excelling as a football team. They continue to show that they haven't progressed and have not shown that they can be counted on to play with any consistency.

Colorado will play at Oklahoma State next Thursday on a short week. I can hear the excuses now about the scheduling from Dan Hawkins. Instead I think we should hear from him that his team's play in key situations and his team's propensity to commit mental mistakes is inexcusable. His team has not executed for four years.

Bottom line, this team isn't getting better and they aren't fixing anything that continues to make them an unsuccessful squad.

Five Questions - Colorado Buffaloes vs. Iowa State Cyclones

irish1611 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:11:56 -0000

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Usually, we take the approach of discussing the keys to the game but today, the Colorado Buffaloes have to answer. Questions immediately start to swirl when the Buffs leave the state to play on the road. And they aren't necessarily football questions but questions about the makeup of this team. It is time for the Buffs to take the first step and answer those questions about their mentality, their toughness and their dedication to football. Today, a road win against a 5 - 5 Iowa State team in Ames where the Buffs have lost the last two games in heartbreak fashion would be a first step in the right direction.

1) Who is the player(s) in that locker room who will step up and lead today?

It has become clear that the coaching staff has not been able to motivate and prepare this team on the road. It is now time for the players or a player to lead this team and to me, the best leader in this situation is one who gets it going on the field. The Buffs need their big three - Tyler Hansen, Markques Simas or Rodney Stewart - to get things established early and lead the way.

The Buffs also need players to emerge as team leaders and get everyone focused before the game. No more excuses about energy today. No more excuses about not being ready on the road. Someone needs to step up and fix it.

2) Has the Offensive Line taken the criticism to heart and plays with a fire today?

Cut the sack total anyway you want, whether you think it is the running backs' fault or the quarterback's fault, the first line of defense is the offensive line. If they have pride today, they will take that blame, not divide it up among anyone else and play their best game of the year. They need to attack an undersized defensive line and establish dominance on the first snap of the game. Again, watch the first series, is Iowa State getting a push or are the Buffs getting after it up front. We will know very early if this unit is playing with motivation today.

To help the offensive line, the Buffs need to challenge the middle of the field where the linebackers reside. Using the tight end Riar Geer early will soften linebackers and take the multiple looks away from the Cyclones. Challenge the heart of the defense all day long.

3) How tough is the Colorado Buffalo defense?

Iowa State isn't flashy on offense, they aren't a big play team. What they are is a team with a good offensive line who has one of the better running games in the Big 12 while protecting the quarterback extremely well. They try to play "pound it" football while limiting mistakes. Can the Buffs answer the call up front against an Iowa State team who wants to run the ball? If Colorado can styme the running game and get pressure on Austen Arnaud when he passes, he has shown the propensity to turn the ball over and has been less than efficient this year.

It really is a game where the team who plays the best in the trenches should win. Are the Buffs's physically up to the challenge?

4) Are the Buffs focused enough to limit the mental mistakes?

The issues with special teams play, turnovers and piling up penalties have been well publicized this year. On the road, Colorado has averaged 10.5 penalties a game. The Buffs are 117th in the nation in penalties this year. Colorado is minus-4 on the road this year in turnover margin. At Austin, Colorado gave up 21 non defensive points (two special teams touchdowns and one interception for a score) while committing 20 penalties. At Morgantown, the Buffs' defense forced four turnovers, only for the Buffaloes' offense to give West Virginia the ball back three times. They also missed three field goals in that game. Against Toledo, Colorado turned the ball over four times and missed a field goal. In Manhattan, the Buffs missed an extra point and turned the ball over four times.

Simply put, the issues on the road are easily defined by turnovers, poor special teams play and an abundance of penalties.

5) Do the coaches feel the urgency of winning on the road and come out with one of their best game plans in the past four years?

I don't think much commentary is needed. Backs are against the wall, how will coaches prepare this team for a very winnable road game? Do they resort back to the past or is a change made today?

Go Buffs!

Week 11: 5 Questions With Ralphie Report

Mark Kieffer — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:47:46 -0000

As part of a preview for the game tomorrow, we asked each other questions about our respective teams. Below are Ralphie Report's answers to my questions about Colorado. For my answers to their questions, check out their site.

1. With no intent on trashing a student athlete, Colorado played some inspired football last weekend after Scott left the program. Has this team rallied around this adversity, or was this something else?

I think a few things contributed to the win last week:

First, I don't think Darrell Scott was holding this team back at all but I do think that Scott (or any player) leaving the team may have added to the Buffs playing a little better last week. Their is something to be said for the mentality of uniting when someone leaves the team and I know players rally around each other because they are out to prove they don't need players that leave the program to be successful, if that makes sense.

Second, I also think the players rallied around the student led demonstration of wearing powder blue shirts to display their displeasure of the coaching staff and the results on the field. The players took that as a shot against them as well.

Third, it was Tyler Hansen's fourth game as a starting quarterback this year and you could see that he is gaining confidence in the offense. Also, we saw the emergence of WR Markques Simas being featured in this offense. The Buffs added two playmakers to this offense, something that has been missing.

Finally, Texas A&M's defense is not very good which helps.

2. The past two weeks, Hansen has been sacked 8 times each, which is quite a bit. Are there serious pass protection issues, or is Hansen holding onto the ball too long?

Let's say that the pass protection has gotten so bad that the offensive line coach has counted the number of sacks the o-line is responsible for and the number of sacks the tight ends & running backs are responsible for. Of course, Hansen's mobility can sometimes lead to a sack here and there but nowhere near eight as it has been in the last two games. Part of the issue is the Buffs', until last last week, failed to put on film a downfield threat. That led teams to load the box against the run and attack the Buffs' offense from all angles. Hopefully that stops in subsequent weeks as Hansen and Simas developed a nice connection that led to big plays against A&M.

That being said, the offensive line has been a huge disappointment this year. Not only have they given up a lot of sacks, 36 in total, but the Colorado offense ranks 113th in the nation in rushing yards. They are missing blitz reads, are getting beat to the point of attack and at times, just look outmatched. If that wasn't enough, Colorado has been one of the most penalized teams in the nation. A bulk of those penalties stem from the offensive line. It's really a sad deal as we are starting to see players form (Hansen, Simas, Stewart, Geer) on the offensive side of the ball but Tyler Hansen is getting harrassed most of the game.

3. While the season has been a disappointment, is there anything that can salvage this season in the minds of the fans? Also, what is the biggest reason why CU has regressed (or at least remained the same) compared to last year?

Why CU has regressed from a year ago? Their is no great short answer to this question but I think you have to look at coaching in year four and the lack of player development. It is hard for Buff fans to name players who have gotten better under this coaching regime. It's a sad fact but the player's performance as a whole has been mediocre at best the past four years. Against Texas A&M, we saw some glimpses, against Kansas their was some signs but the fact that the coaches can't prepare this team to play consistently week in and week out is a major problem. Colorado continues to falter on the mental side of the game as well. They are once again at the bottom of the Big 12 in total penalties and turnovers, two categories that have a direct relationship to wins and losses. Bottom line, I believe this team is not very well prepared to play football week in and week out. I think that is very evident by the results on the field.

Anything we can salvage? Since the West Virginia game, the Buffs' defense has played pretty well, forcing turnovers and limiting the big plays. Sometimes they do play "bend but don't break" defense but for the most part, and considering the poor offensive play this year, CU's defense has done decent. Colorado returns all but two starters next year so I look for them to get better in 2010 as well. Offensively, we are seeing glimpses of Tyler Hansen progressing as a quarterback. Rodney Stewart is a solid running back and Markques Simas showed signs last week but we need to see more consistency. That doesn't look like it will happen unless the offensive line starts playing better.

4. What's your biggest concern about this game?

The fact that Colorado is playing on the road and Iowa State will be a motivated team. The Buffs under Dan Hawkins is 2 - 18 away from the state of Colorado, including a loss two years ago in Ames after the Buffs had a 21 - 0 lead in the first half. Players and coaches have cited multiple times that the Buffs' lose focus on the road and lack the required energy to win. I put that squarely on the coaches not keeping the team focused. It is embarrassing that the players aren't ready to play and many fans wonder why this "lack of energy" isn't getting fixed. It has been ten games since CU has last won on the road and this continues to be an excuse. Fix it!

5. Predictions. What does CU have to do to win, what does ISU have to do to win, and what do you think happens?

I think these two teams are pretty similar. To me their are three factors that will determine this game:

-The play in the trenches. Who wins the battle up front will go a long way in deciding this one.
-Win the turnover battle.
-Get ahead early. Both of these offenses are not explosive and both want to run the ball. Whoever can force the other team to play catchup football will be in good shape.

I want to pick the Buffs to win. This is a very winnable game but I have been fooled by winning performances before and I have to remember, this Colorado team has not proven they can win on the road or play with any consistency. Until they show me and show Buff nation that they are ready to grow up as a team and take the next step, it is only logical to say that Colorado will come up on the short end when they travel:

Iowa State 17, Colorado 14

Thanks again, and look forward to the game!

Sunday Buff Bites - Playmaking, Timely Defense Leads the Way To Buffs' Victory

irish1611 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:33:16 -0000

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The talk around the web this morning centers around a few topics.

-It is good to have Tyler Hansen at quarterback. Watching the highlights on cubuffs.com, the Buffs could have given up 20 sacks instead of the eight they actually were tallied with if it wasn't for Hansen's mobility. The kid has to be sore after the last two weeks where the Buffs have given up a total of 16 sacks. But just alluding the pressure wouldn't have been enough yesterday. Hansen was able to move well, make throws on the run or tuck the ball and keep the ball for big gains. If you remove the sacks, Hansen would have had over 100 yards rushing to go along with his 270 yards passing. He was hitting receivers in both the deep and intermediate passing game as well as going through his progression successfully hitting many second and third reads. He is still young and growing, behind a poor performing offensive line albeit, but Hansen looks to have the potential for a bright future. Now only if he can get the protection he needs to be successful. The Buffs are flirting with disaster letting Hansen take the number of hits he is in a game. Hansen is not a big kid and will wear down with all of the abuse. The Buffs need to get it figured out up front fast.

-WR Markques Simas introduced himself to the rest of the Big 12 with a break out performance. Along with Hansen and Rodney Stewart, who also ran for over 100 yards and two scores, the Buffs might have some playmakers developing. Once again, you would love to see these three aided by a solid offensive line rather trying to compensate for them. Simas finished the day with 7 catches and 135 yards, good for a 19 yard average. That 19 yard average has been unheard of this year for a Buff player and is certainly a good sight to see for Buff fans. Simas made big catches in key situations. What is nice is that Hansen, Stewart and Simas are all sophomores and could form to be the key trio for Colorado's future. Throw in WR Toney Clemons and potentially WR Andre Simmons, that is a pretty nice corp. Again, it all comes down to getting the offensive line to perform and limit the mistakes the offense seems to make. Without fixing those things, winning will be constant battle against stacked odds, especially against teams with better defenses than the poor one we saw in Texas A&M.

-The defense continues to play pretty well. They still gave up 27 points but key turnovers and crucial drive stopping plays that resulted in field goals and a turnover on downs was spectacular. Also impressive was holding what was an explosive offense to under 375 yards when they came into the game averaging 490 yards per contest, good for first in the offensive minded Big 12 and third in the entire nation.

-Consistency and building momentum will be the big discussion this week. You know the stats from the Ralphie Report. Only twice in the Dan Hawkins era has a Buffs' team won consecutives (two three game streaks). Obviously, this year Colorado has not won back to back games. After the prior home victories against Wyoming and Kansas, the Buffs had to go on the road to try and get a win streak going, both of which resulted in a loss. Along with a lack of winning consecutive games, CU is 2 - 18 away from the state of Colorado in the last four years. Colorado will need to win on the road if they want to get that important back to back win with that has not happened in the past. Next week they play an Iowa State team that was the talk of the Big 12 after Nebraska turned the ball over eight times giving Iowa State a victory in Lincoln. Since that game, Iowa State has been outscored 69 - 18. Against Oklahoma State, the Iowa State offense was non-existent, totalling only 242 yards with 54 rushing yards. Cyclones QB Austen Arnuad threw three interceptions while Oklahoma State running back Keith Toston rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. The game was played in Ames, Iowa where Colorado will play next week. Moral of the story: this is a winnable road game, no question about it. Part of the frustration with yesterday's win is the fact that you have to temper excitement because of what might happen next week. Colorado has been so inconsistent that many of us have bitten on a solid performance and started believing only to be dissapointed the next week (see Kansas this year). This game against Iowa State next week is a game the Buffs usually lose that leaves us scratching our head.

Buff bites are after the jump...

ESPN Highlights

Here is some game highlights from ESPN from the Buffs game against Texas A&M. Also, check out these highlights from former Buff commit now Utah QB Jordan Wynn. Wynn started last night for Utah as a true freshman and he impressed, going 18 - 28 for 297 yards and two scores. Good performance from Mr. Wynn.

Woelk: Now, CU Buffs must learn to build on win - Boulder Daily Camera

What we know for sure this morning: Tyler Hansen can play quarterback. The kid who a few weeks ago led Colorado to a win over Kansas by virtue of pure athletic ability continues to grow into the position. His play in the fourth quarter on Saturday, when the Buffs overcame a 31-21 deficit, showed a level of maturity that wouldn`t have been present even a couple of weeks ago. There`s a future there.

However, we`ve been through this drill before. After a win over Wyoming. After a win over Kansas. And now ... Now we`ll wait. Wait to see if the Buffs can actually build off of a big victory. Skeptical, you say? Darned right. Consistency has never been a Buff trademark in the Hawkins era; in fact, it might be the biggest missing component since his arrival. It`s been a maddening trend.

Hansen, CU Buffs regain winning form against A&M - Boulder Daily Camera

Hansen looked more like the quarterback who led the Buffs to an upset over then-No. 17 Kansas three weeks ago. He threw for 271 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 45 yards. He actually gained 105 yards on the ground on 20 carries, but losses from eight sacks severely reduced his total rushing yards. It was the second consecutive week he was sacked eight times. The sophomore quarterback, who took over the starting role at midseason, led four different scoring drives of at least eight plays. He committed only one turnover after consecutive weeks of multiple miscues against Kansas State and Missouri. "This was probably the first game that Tyler has played where he really looked to me like he was in a groove," coach Dan Hawkins said.

Buffs give up eight QB sacks again - Boulder Daily Camera

Here is a statistic to chew on. Anyone wondering why the Buffs will be hard-pressed to qualify for a bowl game this season need look no further than the inability of the offensive line, tight ends and running backs to protect the quarterback this fall. The last time the Buffs went bowling in 2007, that team gave up 16 sacks the whole season. These Buffs have done it two weeks.

A week ago, the Buffs began making themselves run for penalties committed in practice. It doesn`t seem to be having much of an effect. Colorado came into the Texas A&M game as one of the most penalized teams in the country. Only four teams had committed more penalties this season than the Buffs prior to Saturday. CU committed 10 more penalties against Texas A&M and has now committed 82 penalties for 683 yards this season. The Buffs are probably not going to threaten the CU single-season record for penalties, set at 116 in 2005.

Great game in Simas' grasp - The Denver Post

Simas' 135 receiving yards were more than double any of his previous games. "I feel real good about it," Simas said. "I feel like I've had that in me the whole time, and now I had a chance to show it. I was able to give everyone a taste of what's to come."

Buffs' Perkins picks great time for first interception - The Denver Post

Not so blue. A protest of CU's football program organized on Facebook urged fans to wear powder blue (per CU's teams in the Chuck Fairbanks era) to the game to show their disgust at the state of the team. It didn't go unnoticed in CU football camp. "Real Buffs fans wear black and gold," CU coach Dan Hawkins said.

Playmakers put spark in Buff offense - Boulder Daily Camera
Stewart, Simas, Devenny all come up with big plays

CU Buffs rally late to defeat Texas A&M - The Denver Post

Colorado's gritty defense did its job too. Jerrod Johnson, second nationally in total offense at 328.9 yards a game, had only 251. The Buffs held A&M (5-4, 2-3) to field goals on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter.

Colorado-Texas A&M Notes - CUBuffs.com

Colorado-Texas A&M Quotes - CUBuffs.com

Givens returns to CU offensive line - The Longmont Times-Call

CU reported the attendance at 47,227. Athletic director Mike Bohn said 2,500 tickets were sold for the game over the previous week. ... CU linebacker coach Brian Cabral wore his trademark lava lava for the game, his 300th (254th as a coach, 46 as a player) with the program. ... CU had four plays of 30 yards or more; it entered with seven in 2009. ... Rodney Stewart now has 1,210 rushing career yards; good for fifth all-time for a sophomore at CU. ... Scotty McKnight extended his reception streak to 33 straight games with at least one. ... Texas A&M went 6-for-9 on third down conversions in the first half, 0-for-5 in the second.

Aggies stunned by Colorado

What was wrong was that A&M's defense surrendered 35 points to a CU team averaging a Big 12-low 21.8 coming in. The Buffs, also last in the league with 286.1 yards of total offense a game, gouged the Aggies for 437. That was most in a Big 12 game and second-highest total overall for the Buffs (3-6 overall, 2-3 Big 12) this season.

Colorado Edges Texas A&M 35-34 - CUBuffs.com

Buffs answer critics - The Longmont Times-Call

Scott's transfer puzzle for CU - The Denver Post

"He should have stuck it out," Hagan said. "(The lack of playing time) was no fault of his own. The guy just wasn't healthy. If he could have gotten healthy, he could have been a dynamic back here. One day, he'll realize his decision was not the right one." Asked if he would have changed anything about the way he handled his prized prospect, Hagan said he would have been more stern. "I wasn't hard on him at all," Hagan said. "I gave him a lot of leeway. In retrospect, maybe (stronger discipline) is something Darrell should have had. But that's not the way I was coached (by Bill McCartney). It's not the way I like to coach."

Kiszla: CU blues start with loyalty - The Denver Post
I really don't know what Mark Kiszla is trying to say with this article, maybe you guys can figure it out. Below is all I could really figure out:

It has been trendy to suggest athletic director Mike Bohn start looking to replace Hawkins and his 16-30 record. The frustration is understandable, but from a practical standpoint, how many proven coaches would be gung-ho to take the whistle at a football program that ranks outside of the top 40 in attendance and lacks top-of-the-line facilities?

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.