SB Nation - Demetrius Sumler

Aggies Pick Up Another 4* RB for 2010, Mister Jones Now One of Three

irish1611 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:21:47 -0000

A week ago today, the Colorado Buffaloes top recruit and Colorado prep RB Mister Jones changed his pledge from the Buffs to the Texas A&M Aggies. It was just another reason many can't wait to turn the calendar on 2009 to 2010 because '09 has been a year to forget in every aspect of Colorado football. But hopefully Mister Jones might rethink his decision to commit to Texas A&M.

Yesterday, the Aggies added their third running back of the cycle, another 4 star player according to Rivals in Texas high school prep D.J. Jones. Here are all three 2010 running back commits:

2010 RB Commits
Name	Class	National RB Rank	Star Rating
Mister Jones	Fr	28th	4*
D.J. Jones	Fr	27th	4*
Ben Malena	Fr	25th	4*

Texas A&M currently has ten running backs on its roster, seven of which are underclassmen. They return their two top backs from a year ago in soon to be junior Cyrus Gray and sophomore Christine Michael, a former 5 star and top running back recruit in 2009.

The Colorado Buffaloes on the other hand have six total running backs on the roster. Demetrius Sumler will be a senior next year which leaves only Rodney Stewart and Brian Lockridge as running backs who have seen any action. The Colorado coaches made it clear last year that they don't have a desire to play Lockridge with any consistency although he is one of the fastest players on the team. Mister Jones was thought to have had a chance to play from day one especially when you consider Rodney Stewart has not stayed healthy for a full season his first two years.

Here is a breakdown of the Aggies top running back's from a year ago:

2009 RB Commits
Name	2010 Class	National RB Rank	Star Rating	09 Carries	09 Yards	09 YPC	TD
Christine Michael	So	3rd	5*	151	767	5.1	9
Kalvin Guyton	RFr	46th	3*	Redshirt
2008 RB Commits
Name	2010 Class	National RB Rank	Star Rating	09 Carries	09 Yards	09 YPC	TD
Cyrus Gray	Jr	5th	4*	156	752	4.8	5
2007 RB Commits
Name	2010 Class	National RB Rank	Star Rating	09 Carries	09 Yards	09 YPC	TD
Bradley Stephens	Jr	12th	4*	27	132	4.9	1

In 2009, A&M boasted the 25th ranked running game in the nation with underclassmen Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael and second in the Big 12 with 190 yards per game. Colorado, on the other hand, was the 11th ranked rushing team in the Big 12 and 113th in the nation this past year, totaling 87 yards a game. Colorado only returns one running back in Rodney Stewart who carried the ball more than 40 times a year ago. Demetrius Sumler was used as a situational blocking back in 2009 while Brian Lockridge only carried the ball 12 times. The Buffs have zero running back commits for the 2010 class.

Needless to say, Mister Jones looks to be one of seven at A&M while he would probably be one of two at Colorado. Hopefully Darian Hagan and Dan Hawkins can convey that message to Jones and get him to come on back to Boulder.

Mizzou-Colorado: Beyond the Box Score Preview

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

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

Offense

Colorado: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Offensive Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Analysis after the jump.

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

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

And for Colorado...

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

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

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

Quarterback

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Running Back

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

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

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

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

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

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

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

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

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

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

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

Offensive Line

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

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

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

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

---

Defense

Colorado: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Missouri's advantages:

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

Colorado's advantages:

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

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

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

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

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

Defensive Line

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

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

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

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

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

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

Linebackers

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

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

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

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

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

Secondary

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

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

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

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

Special Teams

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

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

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

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

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

---

Three Keys to the Game

Field Position

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

Colorado's Scoring Drives and Sustained Drives

vs Colorado State

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

vs Toledo

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

vs Wyoming

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

vs West Virginia

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

vs Texas

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

vs Kansas

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

vs Kansas State

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

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

Missouri's defensive line

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

Derrick Washington, Kendial Lawrence, De'Vion Moore

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

Prediction

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

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

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

Hits & Myths: CU vs KSU - an Ugly Loss is still a loss...right, NU?

Tom4Buffs — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:29:14 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Colorado wide receiver Markques Simas tumbles on the ground after missing a pass broken up by Kansas State defensive back Joshua Moore, hands at right, during the fourth quarter. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Browse more photos »

A true sign of the apocalypse: Iowa State and Kansas State both won on the same Big XII Saturday, and they beat Nebraska and Colorado. I'm guessing it's very cold and icy in hell right now. Things are topsy-turvy in the Big XII North, and the Buffs missed a perfect chance to take advantage of it. Another lackluster loss on the road leaves many of us to wonder whether these Buffs will ever find the corner, much less turn it as Coach Hawkins keeps promising. Hardly anybody really minds "ugly wins", but everybody detests ugly losses, and CU's 20-6 loss to a mediocre Kansas State team is yet another flashback to nearly all of the other ugly road losses in the last four years to teams the Buffs had the talent to beat.

Next up is Missouri, a team that has embarrassed Colorado in the last two years to the tune of a combined score of 113-10. The Tigers ended one of the longest scoring streaks in NCAA history last year when they shut out the Buffs 58-0 in Columbia. Fortunately for the Buffs, these are not the same Tigers this year, as MU is already 0-3 in the Big XII. There has never been a better opportunity to jump all over the Tigers, as this time it's a home game. The Buffs CAN do it, but WILL they.

THE HITS

1. Defense steps up again. - The CU defense continued its trend of holding Big XII opponents well below their season average in points and yards. On top of that, the staggering difference in field position between the two teams makes it remarkable that the Wildcats didn't score more than 20 points. CU's average starting field position was their own 19-yard line, while K.State's average field position was their own 47-yard line. In fact, in the first half, KSU's AFP was the 50-yard line. Considering that the Wildcats had the ball for eight offensive series in the first half; the Buffs' halftime deficit could have been much bigger if it were not for excellent play by their defense.

2. Nebraska loses at home to Iowa State for first time in 32 years. - Misery loves company, especially when that company is the Huskers. As disappointing as the Buffs were, consider how miserable Nebraska fans must be after watching their team lose to Iowa State on their home turf, where the number of Nebraska turnovers(8) was greater than the number of points the Huskers were able to score(7). Admittedly, it's a sad state of affairs when NU losing is the only other "hit" that can be pointed to in looking for the positives in a Buff football weekend. (By the way, we can also take delight that the football team from Miami U., the one in Ohio that jumped out of their scheduled game with the Buffs at the last minute, which led CU to have to play Toledo on a Thursday night, is 0-8 and ranked 118 out of 120 teams).

THE MYTHS

1. CU lost to a much-improved Kansas State team. - It would be easy to explain away the disappointing loss to KSU by claiming that the Wildcats are a much better team than people thought. The truth is that KSU is still not a very good team. Their wins were over U.Mass., Tennessee Tech, and the two predicted cellar teams of each Big XII division, Texas A&M & Iowa State; they also lost to 101st-ranked La.-Lafayette and a struggling UCLA. Against Colorado, KSU had 80 yards in passing, a 33.4 yds/kick punting avg, 9 penalties, and a knack for squandering amazing field position. They had a full 7-minute advantage over CU in time of possession in the second half and couldn't do anything with it, going just as scoreless as the Buffs. Perhaps both teams had their defenses playing at a higher level than their offenses, but that doesn't mean either team was playing at anything more than a mediocre level over all.

2. The season is over for the Buffs. - The race for the North title is not over for Colorado, as unlikely as that now seems. While the Big XII may be up at the very top in basketball this year, it is notedly down in football. OU & Texas Tech were shoving each other around in the Top Ten last year; this year they both already have three losses with 4-5 games still left. And the North is by far the weakest division of the two. Even with two Big XII losses already, CU still has the schedule-edge over its North rivals. Three of the Buffs' five remaining games are at home, and one of the two away games is against Iowa State. Only one future opponent is in the Top 40, though that team is #12 Okla.St. If CU can beat all but OSU, Kansas St. must beat at least two out of their four remaining foes: OU, KU, MU & NU. As favorable and possible as this scenario may seem, so far, there is little evidence to indicate that the Buffs can hold up their end of it. If they can't find a way to eliminate sputtering performances from offense and special teams, and can't find the glee in silencing fans in at least one visiting stadium, the Buffs will suffer yet another disappointing end to a football season, something that seems to exemplify the Hawkins era in Boulder. The fact is that right now, Colorado is very much in the hunt, and, for the most part, only they can take themselves out of it.

3. It's best for a college football player to stay even-keeled and keep emotion out of the game. - In theory, a philosophy of never getting too high from wins or too low from losses is a good way to stay focused and steady while a participant in the sporting life. It can work well in a team sport like football when a team is playing well and winning most of their games. It is a philosophy doomed to failure at some point when applied to college football players, and is a just plain bad idea whose time has passed when a team has largely forgotten how to win when they should. 18-22 year olds are full of emotion and passion, which can be channelled but not suppressed. Every team has some players who are mostly even-keeled, some who are highly emotional, and those few who are reserved most of the time but who become beasts on the football field. Among all of those sorts are leaders who can take charge in their own way on gameday. Trying to make all of them act like the even-keeled group by stifling the more expressive players destroys the natural chemistry of your team. When things aren't going well, that is the time, regardless of one's general philosophy, to seek out that emotion, to use each player's raw passion for the game of football to raise the level of play. We can only pray that Coach Hawkins and his assistants will come to realize this before it's too late.

THE FIXES

1. KEEP HANSEN IN! - It looks like Tyler Hansen will start his third game in a row at quarterback, a position that requires supreme confidence and utmost leadership. Pulling a quarterback out when it's two-minute drill time undermines his ability to retain those qualities. It's like telling the lead actor they have the starring role in a TV show, then substituting the understudy when it's time to go on the air because the lead is not ready for prime time. All one had to do is look at Hansen's face towards the end of the first half to see the combination of anger, sadness and frustration residing within because he was replaced perhaps when the offense needed him most. Did the coaches forget what happened in CU's last two drives just the week before? After sputtering for most of the second half against KU, the offense came alive in time to score the winning touchdown and then gain an important first down and use up 3 1/2 of the remaining few minutes to preserve a victory. Those drives were led by and starred Tyler Hansen. Knock off the indecision, work with Hansen on the two-minute drill like you're supposed to, and leave him in for all of the plays. And for heaven's sake, use his God-given abilities by designing plays that allow him to "express himself" athletically. He's the best option(hint! hint!) Colorado has.

2. Players, Take It On Yourselves to Win! - There is a point that every team reaches in a season where the coaches have done almost all they can or are going to do to prepare the team for their games. If things are working, the players can continue almost on their own like a well-oiled machine. If things are not working, players have to decide for themselves that they are sick to death of losing and assert their will over their opponents. For things to truly change, there must be a point at which a leader or group of leaders get everyone away from the coaches, stand up, and say "Enough! We are better than this. We must play better than this. Nobody in this room leaves until each and every one of us commits to play their position to their utmost ability, to have each other's backs, and to never give up." Colorado has the talent to beat Missouri this week. The question is, do they have the will, the desire, the absolute determination to stop losing and start winning.

3. Stop Quitting on the Running Game! - At first glance, the 31 rushing attempts made by CU in the KSU game seem like a reasonable attempt at the running game. However, 11 of those were by Hansen in plays that I'm betting were not designed running plays. There were 16 handoffs to Rodney Stewart and 2 to Demetrius Sumler. 18 carries does not qualify as anything but quitting yet again on the running game. I'm sure many are tired of hearing this same old mantra. The facts from this season are these: In three losses to teams CU could have expected to beat(CSU, Toledo, K.State), the Buffs running backs were handed the ball 16, 17 & 18 times respectively. In the two victories, CU RBs carried the ball 42 and 31 times. In two well-contested losses to Top 20 teams(W.Va & Texas), Buff backs ran the ball 28 times each game. (Rushing attempts by Stewart tell the same story: 6, 0 & 16 in the losses; 32 & 24 in the Ws, & 21 against each of the Top 20 opponents.) While there were more to the outcomes of those games than just rushing attempts, it seems that there is a correlation between well-played games and significant rushing attempts. Handoff to a running back, preferably Stewart, 28+ times in a game and you give your team a chance to win. Continue to give up on the rushers after a dozen and a half tries instead of fixing things, and you're giving up on your offense.

4. Man Up! - Many posts this week have gone back and forth on whether it's CU's coaching or the playing that needs to improve for the results on the field to improve. It's a lot of both. One thing's for certain, it aint the fans, who came 51,000+ strong to watch a team with 1 win against 4 defeats play Kansas. It will help the Buffs to be playing in the friendly confines of Folsom Field for the next two weeks. But this problem with losing almost every away game is a symptom of a bigger problem. Too often, the Buffs act tentative, which looks a lot like fear and insecurity. It shows on the field and on the sidelines. Coaches and team leaders need to start calling out the team as a whole, and even get on some individuals when it's clear that the fire isn't there. Enough of the pats on the helmet and the nonchalance on the sidelines. We need to see the coaches, esp. Riddle, Kiesau and Hawkins, get as fired up about stupid mistakes and lack of effort as Hawkins gets about bad calls by the refs. Players, hold your teammates accountable! Demand the best and you'll get the best. Stop playing or allowing your team to play tentatively and have an attack attitude in everything you do. Start your own revenge tour right now, because for the next five weeks you are playing teams you lost to last year, except for Iowa State, who you still owe for the last two losses in Ames. And for crying out loud, man up against a Missouri team that has been beating the s**t out of you for two years. While you're at it, punish Mizzou for wearing your team colors. If CU wants to end 3 years of frustrating, humiliating losses, it is time to show Missouri, by deeds if not words, that IT IS ON! GO BUFFS!!! TEAR UP THE TIGERS!!!

Five Things to Watch Against Colorado

GhostofBigRoy — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:04:22 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Gentner - AP

This should be a frequent experience for rag-armed lil Hawk against Texas. (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner)

Browse more photos »

It's as easy as 1-2-3. Aggressively control the gaps and man up on the outside on first and second down when Colorado has the ball, then tee off on rag-armed lil Hawk on third and long. Simple. Jump out to an early lead and make every down a passing down. Collapse the pocket and get hands up to take away passing lanes. The Longhorns should bat down three to five passes at the line of scrimmage and pressure Cody Hawkins nearly every time he drops back to pass. Force turnovers, get pressures, get sacks, pummel lil Hawk. Check here for a preview of what's going to happen.

Whither the WildHorn? For a running game that needs a boost, the WildHorn could be an effective way take pressure away from McCoy. Brown says the formation needs to sink or swim and presumably soon, so what better time than early on? Chiles says the execution will be improved and that's all that stands between Texas and successful plays in the formation. The Wildcat series may be a stretch, but there are simple solutions to making the WildHorn consistently effective with a little commitment.

Are Brown and Davis committed? They understand fully that they must protect McCoy, who has helped the running game tremendously post-Vince and particularly post-JC and that means searching for other alternatives, of which the WildHorn is most promising. Get. the. ball. to. Monroe. Stealer! But that's too simple, it makes too much sense. Of the six WildHorn plays, he's only carried the ball once. Change that, somehow, anyhow.The running game needs a boost and the WildHorn can provide it.

How do Texas fans receive Darrell Scott? These two things are true -- Speedy Stewart will start the game at tailback for Colorado and Demetrius Sumler will play when Colorado gets behind and has to throw it every down. So that leaves Darrell Scott where, exactly? Clearly, things haven't gone well in the People's Republic for the former five-star recruit and Texas target.

How will Texas fans welcome him to DKR for the first time? Booing him should certainly be out of the question -- why taunt him at this point? No need for viciousness. Maybe just a slight Bronx cheer when the Longhorns stuff him for no gain on one of his three carries and nothing else. But mostly just complete indifference. Yeah, that's fitting.

More Malcolm, please? Greg Davis, PB is practically begging for you to throw him a bone and play big no. 9 at the X. Just for a while. See what happens. Pretty please? Is anyone not in agreement that the freak should play? Trust, because of the potential for reward.

This is the last game for major experimentation before the three-game stretch of OU, Missouri, and OSU -- move Shipley around and create some favorable match ups for him. Take a shot downfield to Williams. At the very least, put him in the slot where he can be extremely effective as a blocker, particularly in the WildHorn formation when running outside with Monroe.

There's a trust issue somewhere with Williams, whether it's the coaches that don't trust him or it's McCoy, but it needs to be sorted out. Having him over on the sidelines is too great a waste of talent to allow to continue.

What type of impression does Texas make on Hicks? Turns out that I'm running out of storylines beyond the big recruiting event of the weekend -- the Longhorns hosting stud linebacker Jordan Hicks and his mother.

Will Muschamp has personally taken control of recruiting Jordan Hicks, convincing Mack Brown to consider going after him at the start of the process, according the Hicks' high school coach, and then traveling to Ohio last Friday to see the star linebacker play in person. The fiery defensive coordinator also coaches the linebackers, so Hicks is really his first major recruiting project at the position he coaches. Sure, Muschamp recruited Jarvis Jones, but that relationship started when Muschamp was at Auburn -- between Hicks and Muschamp, it's all about Austin.This weekend will go a long way towards determining whether Muschamp can start establishing a reputation as a recruiting closer with big-time defensive prospects.

Of course, the personal relationship between the two will be a determining factor in the ultimate decision and in that regard Hicks always speaks highly of Muschamp and their relationship, feeling that Muschamp genuinely cares about him as a person. Another important personal relationship is that of Muschamp with Lakota West coach Larry Cox, with whom Muschamp communicates on a regular basis.

Cox says of Muschamp:

Number one, he's an outstanding human being. He's been a joy to work with. He's always staying in contact but he doesn't bug you. We talk at least every other week just to stay in contact. I've enjoyed the relationships I've built with these recruiters through the process.

As Muschamp prepares to take over for Mack Brown, establishing strong personal relationships with coaches, more importantly Texas high school coaches, will go a long way towards Muschamp making a smooth transition and maintaining the same high level of relationships as Brown does.

Tuesday Buff Bites - Texas Thinks Colorado's Running Game Will Test Them (Me Laughing)

irish1611 — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:22:46 -0000

Colorado should provide tuneup for UT run defense | College Sports | Star-Telegram
Apparently Mack Brown thinks the Colorado running game will give the Longhorns their first real test of the season. Well, Mack, if you plan on scoring any points in the first quarter, you won't see much of a running game the rest of the game because the Colorado coaches like to throw the ball 50+ times with Cody Hawkins instead of run the ball, even when they are not that far behind (see Colorado State - 40 attempts and West Virginia - 54 attempts). Yes, Cody Hawkins has averaged 46.5 attempts per game, sixth in the college football. If you would have told me that stat before the beginning of the season, I would have said the Buffs would be 0 - 4. Luckily, we had Wyoming on our schedule. With a 31.5 point spread, I am sorry Mack, but this week won't be your tune up:

Although the Colorado ground game lacks statistical success this season, Texas coaches and players view the Buffaloes as a viable litmus test for the Longhorns’ largely untested run defense. Colorado (1-3, 0-0 in Big 12) builds its offense around a power running game, with three backs — Rodney Stewart, Darrell Scott and Demetrius Sumler — sharing the load. No. 2 Texas (4-0, 1-0) ranks second nationally in rushing defense, allowing 47.3 yards per game, but has posted those numbers against teams that run pass-oriented, spread offenses.

CU’s Iltis, Wright ready for Texas | All Things Colorado Sports

Hawkins said reserve wide receiver Anthony Wright (ankle sprain) and starting center Mike Iltis (concussion) will be available for Saturday’s game at No. 2 Texas.

‘Speedy’ recovery - The Longmont Times-Call

Texas leads the Big 12 with 49.5 points a game and is second in yards with 521.2 per. CU is last in scoring defense, allowing 28 points per, and yards allowed, 408.8. The Buffs have produced two plays of 40 yards or more while allowing 11. In its three losses, CU has allowed 20 plays of 20 yards or more. CU has allowed 14 touchdowns from scrimmage from distances that average 28 yards.

Barking Carnival — Blog — Mack Brown compliments Cody Hawkins. I think.

Yes, we actually had Cody here at our camp. He came down and spent time with us. I think Major was coaching him at that time when he was a graduate assistant. Cody is a lot like Colt. He is tough, he’s smart, he makes good decisions, and you’re not going to rattle him. Every time he gets knocked down, he jumps up before they get off the field and he is a very good football player. They are throwing the ball more this year than they did last year, and he’s throwing it at a very high rate.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Sports - Big 12: Outlook is bleak for North trio

Colorado is in the deepest trouble of all, with the Dan Hawkins hire looking more like a mistake every day. The Buffaloes are carrying millions in athletic debt, and seem to have lost the ace-in-the-hole boosters who can change things quickly. But don't tell me CU can't afford to buy out Hawkins if he posts a fourth straight losing season. CU can't afford not to make a change. If you struggle to recruit and the fan base has lost hope, it takes two years to recover for every year the wrong hire is kept in place.

Hawk: Cody’s interceptions ‘alarming’ | All Things Colorado Sports

"The interceptions, to me, are obviously the most alarming part," Dan Hawkins said. "They’ve all been sort of different, in different cases. His first year, there was a decent amount that came off batted balls, like our guys dropping ‘em. "I do think he’s been pounded a little bit, so I think he has a tendency to get it out (too quickly). This year, I do think some of it has to do with a couple of things: 1) Is him trying to force the issue a little bit. I think also, most of the time when he throws it to Scotty (McKnight), he doesn’t throw a pick. (Cody) has a pretty good idea of where Scotty is going to be and what he’s going to do. That’s part of the whole mixture in there."

Hawkins Quotes From Tuesday Press Luncheon - CUBuffs.com

Brooks: Riddle Retains Confidence In Goodman - CUBuffs.com
Although weekly competition at all positions is standard procedure at Colorado, chances appear good that Aric Goodman will be the Buffaloes' placekicker on Saturday when they visit No. 2 Texas in their Big 12 Conference opener.

LeGarrette Blount, Tate Forcier, Clemson Tigers, LSU Tigers and the art of the apology - ESPN

Falling back: Darrell Scott (27), Colorado. If the hugely touted recruit's freshman season was a disappointment (448 yards from scrimmage in 11 games), his sophomore season has been closer to a disappearance (106 yards from scrimmage in three games).

Buffs' Crawford a bigger big man - Boulder Daily Camera
CU junior added 18 lbs. of muscle in offseason.

Mack Brown Monday Press Conference

CU football primer: the Texas Longhorns - The Denver Post

Colorado-Texas Preview - Oct. 6, 2009 - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com Live GameCenter

Texas hasn't budged in the Top 25 since the preseason poll was released. If the Longhorns can keep it that way through the rest of the regular season, they would have a good chance of playing for the national championship.

Texas' Lamarr Houston morphs into team leader | Dallas Morning News

Neither defensive tackle nor a vocal leadership role came naturally for Lamarr Houston. Now Houston has progressed well enough that he has turned into this season's version of Roy Miller, easing a major Texas concern. Going into Saturday's game with Colorado, Houston is tied for the team lead in tackles-for-loss with five, while ranking second on the team in quarterback pressures (11) and fumbles recovered (two). "If he stays healthy and continues to play like he has the past couple of weeks, he'll make a lot of money," coach Mack Brown said bluntly. "He'll be in the NFL and be a great player."

As Colorado game approaches, UT on guard against overconfidence

If you're a Longhorns player, it's human nature to glance past Saturday's game against Colorado, given what comes next. Then next, and next, all on the road. The one-victory Buffaloes, whom oddsmakers have established as 311/2-point underdogs, should be the easiest team Texas will face until a Nov. 7 home date against Central Florida.

Tuesday Buff Bites - Excitement is in the Air

irish1611 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:27:20 -0000

Ringo: One last glance into crystal ball - Boulder Daily Camera
Kyle Ringo makes some bold predictions, many which I don't agree with. First, I will be shocked if Hansen is the starting quarterback, I think it is more like Hansen will be need at times this year. I see more of a 7 - 5 record and I hope he is right about Aric Goodman:

But after watching all those practices for two months and spending time around a team, some gut feelings and expectations develop. Here are a few of mine looking ahead to the Buffs` 12-game schedule: Quarterback Tyler Hansen will start the season opener for Colorado on Sunday night against Colorado State. It`s a gut feeling that could be totally wrong. The sophomore seems to have made some significant progress and probably has a bigger upside in the long run than Cody Hawkins. Hawkins will be needed at times this season and could be used in creative ways at other times. Darrell Scott won`t rush for 1,000 yards but will look much more like the player everyone expected him to be as a true freshman. Combine Scott with his other three backfield mates and the Buffs have a Rashaan Salaam-like 2,000-or so yards on the ground. The Buffs will finish 8-4 and will be in the mix for the Big 12 North Division title, along with Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. This could be another year where 4-4 or 5-3 in the conference wins it through tiebreakers. The Buffs go from minus-seven in turnover ratio last year to plus-seven or better this season. Veteran linebackers and defensive backs find a way to win a few close games. Place-kicker Aric Goodman rebounds from last year and a handful of missed field goals to have a pretty decent season culminating with a winning kick in either the Independence, Insight or Alamo bowl.

OSU ranks as Big 12's most productive offense - Big 12 - ESPN
Tim Griffin of ESPN ranks the Big 12 offenses with the Buffs surprisingly coming in at #8, ahead of Nebraska. I think the Buffs have some ability to improve on that ranking but for now, I guess we will take it considering CU finished dead last a year ago.

8. Colorado: Other than the fact that Dan Hawkins can’t decide on a starting quarterback, this unit might be a little underrated and ready to blossom. I really like their collection of running backs with Darrell Scott poised to fulfill his recruiting promise. Rodney Stewart and Demetrius Sumler add different running styles behind a nice line keyed by Ryan Miller, Nate Solder and Mike Iltis. The passing game might sputter early as Markques Simas misses the first two games and Andre Simmons plays his way into the rotation after missing most of fall practice. But it might be surprisingly productive by the time conference play rolls around.

Top players, coaches, team fans honored in Herbie Awards - ESPN
Kirk Herbstreit of ESPN has the Buffs as his sleeper choice to win the North. Only Pat Forde has shown any notice of CU this offseason from the world wide leader.

CU’s Clemons explains quotes regarding Michigan allegations : All Things Colorado Sports Colorado

Perhaps realizing that this may create a firestorm of media inquiries, Clemons put out this statement through the CU sports information office on Monday: "It was not my intention to come to the forefront of any situation dealing with the Michigan football program. I talked to a reporter (Schad) Sunday night, but did not answer any questions. Nor did I contribute any information. I don’t have any ties to the original allegations and my involvement in the matter doesn’t go any further than reading the (Detroit Free Press) article and confirming the allegations made by anonymous sources. "If I am asked to answer questions by any official party, be it the University of Michigan, the Big Ten or the NCAA, I will be honest about my schedule while at Michigan. But for right now, I am a Colorado Buffalo and no longer associated with Michigan or its football program. It’s time for me to concentrate on my classes and my teammates here at Colorado."

The Buffs Defense Looks to Focus on the Run This Year - The Longmont Times-Call

Bohn updates status of hoops practice facility : All Things Colorado Sports Colorado

Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said today during the "Rocky Mountain Showdown" kickoff luncheon that he hopes ground will be broken on the planned practice facility for basketball and volleyball "before Christmas."

Max Tuioti-Mariner's to Return Possibly Next Week
Hawkins said "we’ll see" to a question about when guard Max Tuioti-Mariner will start practicing. It could be next week. Tuioti-Mariner is recovering from torn ACLs suffered last September and in February. He started two games last September as a true freshman.

More links after the jump...

Former Colorado WR Smith transfers to UCLA - San Jose Mercury News
Former Colorado Buffaloes WR Josh Smith has officially transferred to UCLA

California: Division I Football Preview - MaxPreps Articles
Buffs commit QB Nick Hirschman's Los Gatos team is ranked #5 in Northern California.

Linebacker Duren has turned his life around at MidAmerica Nazarene - Kansas City Star
Good story about former Buff linebacker Jake Duren and where he currently is after he was kicked off the team last year.

Brooks: Tufts Takes Different Run - CuBuffs.com
Former CU linebacker Sean Tufts is back on campus and about to see Ralphie from an altogether different angle.

Longevity ratings for Big 12 coaches - Big 12 - ESPN
Tim Griffin of ESPN thinks Dan Hawkins will have the second shortest coaching stay in the Big 12 of all active quarterbacks. He call is the longevity rating...the season is almost here, thankfully:

11. Dan Hawkins, Colorado: The pressure on him to win is incredible. And he didn't help himself with the 10-win claim, whether it was meant to help him set goals for the team or whatever. He does have a nice home schedule in conference play and an underrated set of players. But the Buffaloes' lack of big-play producers in the passing game could prove to be a season-long challenge -- particularly when matched against some of the other high-powered aerial attacks in the conference. It doesn't sound like a good recipe to spread a little more "Hawk Love" across the Flatirons.

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

2009 Husker Football Opponent Preview: Colorado

Husker Mike — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:00:12 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2007 file photo, Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins, front, is sacked by Florida State defensive end Everette Brown in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game in Boulder, Colo.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poll

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

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

120 votes

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

106 votes

Colorado finds a way to beat the Huskers at home.

16 votes

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

11 votes

253 votes | Poll has closed

'Twas the Night Before Camp

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

View full size photo »

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

Crossfire Q&A: Colorado

RPT — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:00:10 -0000

We've spent the last three days looking at this year's edition of the Colorado Buffaloes both through the numbers and through our skeptically tinted Missouri glasses. Today, we'd proud to welcome aboard our colleagues from The Ralphie Report, SBN's outstanding Buffs blog, for a Q&A session. Ralphie Report provides us with what I believe to be one of the most even-handed assessments I've seen of Colorado all offseason.

RMN: For seemingly the fourth year in a row, Colorado is being looked at as "the sleeper" in the North. Why should people believe this Colorado team is different from the previous three? Also, when does Hawkins' seat start to get warm?

TRR: Great, tough question. I think there are a few reasons to be more optimistic than the last three years but there are plenty of deficiencies that might keep the Buffs mediocre. Colorado is the ultimate "if" team. Tons of "ifs" and preseason hopes about how players and systems will turn out. I think the talent is there but it will come down to "if" we see it on the field. Briefly, here are some of the gains the program has made over Hawkins' first three years and reasons why there may be a change in Boulder:

The Buffs are more experienced (and talented) at many positions like offensive line, linebacker, running back and cornerback. This group of offensive linemen has the ability to lead a top notch running game for the next three years with a solid group of running backs in Darrell Scott, Brian Lockridge, Rodney Stewart and Demetrius Sumler. The Buffs will return starters at every position in 2010 except tight end and fullback so they have solid foundation built for the future. The offense was freshman and sophomores a year ago, now they will be mostly sophomores and juniors. Overall, this team is much more experienced, still relatively young in the grand scheme of things but compared to 2008, we should see improvement.

Cody Hawkins play will improve this year. Last year the Buffs were down multiple offensive linemen and were playing with freshmen in the backfield. The most talented wide receiver on the team in Markques Simas is eligible this season and that will provide a boost. Even though the Buffs lost WR Josh Smith, when you compare the players in 2009 at wide receiver to the past three years, it should be the best group they have had there. It isn't saying a lot obviously but JUCO transfer Andre Simmons (6'3" 210 4.5 forty - 4* transfer) should provide an instant playmaker. Coupled with Markques Simas and Scotty McKnight, this will be the best group the Buffs have had. Not saying it will be a strength of the team but it should be an upgrade.

This team is relatively healthy. In 2008, the Buffs were killed by the injury bug. Just staying healthy and not losing 120 starter games to injury will be an instant improvement.

Coach Eric Kiesau takes over at offensive coordinator for Mark Helfrich who went to Oregon. Many think Kiesau has a better handle on how to utilize the Buffs' strengths and many believe Helfrich's desire to go to the spread offense doomed the team last season. The offensive stats were abysmal under Helfrich so a change was probably for the better.

I think this team is also maturing. This team lacked leadership from the Gary Barnett days and now the youthful team has grown and I believe there is more accountability and maturity evolving.

Are the Buffs going to win 10 games next year? No, but they have a chance to win 8, which is an improvement and something many fans could live with.

As for Dan Hawkins being on the hot seat, I think he feels the heat. You don't say "10 wins and no excuses" if you don't feel the need for big progress on the field. With that being said, I think it would take a monumental collapse for Hawkins to be fired after this season. Two or three wins might get him fired but the athletic department has already made it pretty clear that financially, buying out Hawkins' contract and paying a new coach would be detrimental to the budget and considering the economic times, I don't think the University could afford it. Sounds crazy but that is reality. Not saying that is the right way to conduct your business but I think that is what will ultimately keep Hawkins around if he wins 5 games this year. We are praying for Hawkins to succeed. You have to look at your program and wonder who could the Buffs get that would be better? The University of Colorado, because of a state law can't offer their assistant coaches multi-year deals. Hawkins is one of the lowest paid coaches in the Big 12. Take just those two situations into account; you start to wonder who better would take this position. We need Dan Hawkins to succeed. For me that is 7+ wins and a bowl game (preferably a win), not the highest of standards, I know, but that is progress.

Much more from Ralphie Report after the jump!

RMN: How much improvement is expected from Darrell Scott this year? How heavily will he be featured in the offense?

TRR: We expect a huge year from Darrell Scott and we believe he will be the key part of the offense...he better be. He is a different running back this year. He was a freshman in 2008 and I think people forget that and what they did when they were freshman in college. He is in better shape, dropping 20+ pounds from last season. He is back to his best playing weight at 210 pounds, cut and fast but still with the strength that can make him a special back. He has the talent developing around him so I think he is poised to break out. I have been very impressed with Scott both on and off the field and I think with the pressure somewhat off of him this season, he will rise to the occasion and surprise people.

RMN: How is the comfort level with Colorado's quarterback play amongst fans? What are the expectations for the Buffs under center?

TRR: Comfort level on a scale of 1 - 10: 2 ½. We are not comfortable but we expect improvement. Like Darrell Scott, Cody Hawkins should benefit from a better core around him with more experience. We are hoping the new offensive coordinator helps as well, getting out of the attempt to run the spread and into a more rhythm based offense that plays to Cody's strength of being a facilitator rather than a game changer with his feet and arm. I believe Cody is plenty capable and with more around him, his numbers should improve to be considered a consistent quarterback. He will be a junior so we should expect growth. It doesn't mean we are comfortable, though. If the Buffs can get consistency of any sort from their quarterback play, 8 wins is a possibility.

RMN: A lot of attention last year focused on the struggles of the Colorado offense despite fairly decent numbers from the CU defense, which led the Big 12 in pass defense. How is this unit expected to perform in 2009?

TRR: The pass defense was better than average last year but the Buffs also dodged teams like OU and Texas Tech, played three mediocre passing teams at the time in Florida State, West Virginia and Colorado State plus they couldn't stop the run ranking 9th in the conference and 86th overall so teams pounded the ball. It doesn't mean the secondary wasn't good last year but it is a misleading stat in my book. That being said, I think the cornerbacks have a chance to be one of the best units on the team and among the elite in the conference. CB Jimmy Smith should be a first round pick in a year or two and Cha'pelle Brown, Jalil Brown, Ben Burney and Anthony Wright are all very serviceable. The linebacker corps is stacked with talent which may prompt the Buffs to move to a 3 - 4. Last year's linebacker starters and all conference performers, Jeff Smart and Shaun Mohler return but aren't guaranteed their starting spots back as this unit is deep. The defensive line is the concern. The Buffs were senior heavy at the position last year with little playing time or production from the underclassmen. It's not that they are bad players (we don't think); it's just that we don't know what we are going to get from them since they will be relatively unproven and young. Pass rush was a key issue last year and it will be this year as well which is why I think CU will use the 3 - 4 a little bit more to get the most out of their linebackers and getting to the quarterback from multiple angles. You might see true freshmen DE Nick Kasa and DT Edward Nuckols get solid time on the defensive line this season as both have big upside. If the Buffs can find a solid defensive line, this could be a top 4 or 5 defensive in the conference.

RMN: The matchup with Missouri has presented all kinds of problems for CU over the last two years. With all the attrition at Missouri and the game being at Folsom Field in 2009, do you think Missouri is in a prime spot for Colorado to end this mini-streak the Tigers have started?

TRR: We feel better about the game compared to the last two years that is for sure. I think everyone who plays Missouri can say that right now. In 2010, that may be a different story but for now we are happy to see Coffman, Maclin and Daniel gone.

Missouri is pretty unknown in my book due to all of that attrition so any predictions may be crazy at this point but Mizzou loses their offensive coordinator (makes us happy after the 100+ points put up on us the last two years) and key weapons on the offensive side of the ball. I think I read somewhere that Missouri returns the fewest starters from a year ago in the Big 12 which could be a big deal, especially on the road, just ask the Buffs who have been considered inexperienced for the past three years and have won just two games away from Boulder.

Let's face it, if Dan Hawkins and this regime want to show progress, this is a game the Buffs should win. It is at home, technically Missouri is regrouping at a few important positions, Colorado is gaining experience, etc...these are the games that should be won if your program is on the rise.

RMN: Finish the following phrases:

-- Colorado will win if: Chase Coffman and Jeremy Maclin don't return to b*tch slap our secondary again. Seriously, though, if the Buffs can get any play from Cody Hawkins, they should be fine this year and in the Missouri game. I think the defensive line will come around but getting any sort of offensive production is crucial. The Buffs won't beat Kansas, Missouri or Nebraska, all at home in 2009, with the 95th ranked offense.

-- Missouri will win if: Blaine Gabbert and the relative inexperience on this team can mature quickly to be able to win on the road. I think a lot depends on the quarterback play for both teams.

RMN: Give us your non-binding, WAY too early score prediction for the MU/CU game.

TRR: 27 - 24 Buffs, it's not binding right? Of course I am going to pick the Buffs.