SB Nation - Jordon Dizon

Five Things About Five Players - Things We Hope to Learn (Part One)

irish1611 — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:05:02 -0000

Can you sense it? Almost football time and I am already trying to mold my excuse for my boss tomorrow to jet out of work early and watch the first day of practice. I assume that Day 1 will be shorts and t-shirts, mostly in position groups and not a whole lot of team work but something about seeing the pigskin get thrown around brings a smile to my face. Plus, who wouldn't want to see a slender, explosive RB Darrell Scott or a potential playmaker in WR Markques Simas. So if anyone has any good excuses other than a 3:30 doctors appointment or picking up a family member from the airport, I am all ears.

Now, fast forward to April 25th, 6:00 pm. What do we hope to know about these five players at that time? Let's draw it up:

QB Tyler Hansen - his first offseason did wonders for him both on and off-the-field. Not only is he physically bigger but he seems to have a better grip on the offense. He has come a long way from the first day of practice last year, commanding the team like Cody Hawkins does and standing poised in the pocket. You have to love his athleticism. His play confirms that Buff fans should expect more from the quarterback position in 2009.

RB Darrell Scott - overweight? No more. Injured? Only the ankles of the defenders. Explosive back? Yes sir. A new year and a new back. This spring, Scott has given Buff fans a taste of what they have craved for a while now: a consistently explosive back who provides an instant home run threat every time he touches the ball. His desire to be successful is very visible and he is making a point to be the hardest working player on the field. An added bonus, Scott has begun to take on a leadership role, as he notices the bigger the player, the more of a leader you need to be. Clearly, this new offense is not only going to feature Rodney Stewart and Darrell Scott toting the rock but also in the passing game, utilizing the open areas in the flats and putting more pressure on the linebackers, which was not the case in 2008.

WR Markques Simas - us fans have patiently waited for a wide receiver who can consistently turn an out route into a 65 yard touchdown. Seriously, the last five years the Buffs have been led in receiving by the following players: McKnight (twice), Geer, Judge and Mackey...doesn't exactly send fear into the eye of the Big 12 defensive backfields. Simas showed this spring that he can be the most elite wide out the Buffs have had the last half dozen years. He has had answered the call in the classroom, passing all of his classes. 583 is the most yards a wideout has had in the last five years, Simas' performance this spring leads us to believe that 583 would be a failure in 2009.

LB B.J. Beatty - I feel a fan favorite coming here. With his long red hair and free flowing defensive attack, Buff fans, we have found our replacement for Brad Jones. In a two point stance or three point stance, Beatty showed all spring that he has the ability to play in the offensive backfield at will. The difference between this year and last year is that Beatty is much more assignment oriented and understands how his game fits into the entire scheme of the defense. He has shown the ability to grasp his keys and has improved his play against the run. Beatty might just be the mean streak this defense has needed since Jordan Dizon left.

DB Jimmy Smith - do you hear that? It is the chatter of NFL scouts drooling over Jimmy Smith. No slow start this year, no wondering why he isn't starting. In this, his junior year, Smith came out in camp and demonstrated on Markques Simas that number one receivers are going to have a difficult day when he is on the field. Smith's size and ease of motion makes him a pleasure to watch. He also isn't afraid to get physical in coverage or against run. Smith's consistent play makes the defensive backfield that much better and should help the development of two young safeties in Anthony Perkins and Patrick Mahnke. His lock down ability allows the Buffs to send extra linebackers to pressure the quarterback.

That is a good dream huh?

Best of 2008 #8: Buff Linebacker Shaun Mohler

irish1611 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:31:12 -0000

25 hours of course work in six months in order to become academically eligible to play at CU.

That is what linebacker Shaun Mohler did at Orange Coast College this spring and summer to just have a chance to come to the University of Colorado. He passed all seven of those classes and still had to wait for the NCAA Clearinghouse to tell him he was eligible.

What LB Shaun Mohler did was truly amazing. One thing that hampers the Buffs especially in recruiting junior college players, is the admission standards that comes with playing in Boulder. No, its not Stanford or Notre Dame but it is close. That is why he was the only junior college transfer to become a Buff last year. Let's just say what happened at Kansas State last year with 19 JUCO's signing would never happen at the University of Colorado. That total might not happen over the next 10 years!

Mohler, a one time Nebraska commit, would have coasted easily into Nebraska but after Bill Callahan got fired, he wanted out of Lincoln and visited Colorado. The rest is history.

Shaun Mohler has always been a favorite of The Ralphie Report. Fans want players to immerse themselves into their respective universities as much they do. We want to believe that every player bleeds the colors of the university. Shaun Mohler made us feel that way. When he was taking 25 hours of course work, he still found the time and motivation to work out to be in top shape when he arrived in Boulder. Some other big time recruits had to take one class and couldn't find the time. So it is easy to make Shaun Mohler a favorite.

He wasn't just a feel good story either. The Buffs knew they were getting a player out of Orange Coast College. Rivals.com ranked Shaun as the best Junior College outside linebacker prospect in last year's recruiting class. Mohler was named Orange Coast's most valuable player both of his seasons, he was first-team All-American, All-State and All-Mission Conference, earning the league Player of the Year last year. His highlight film showed why he received all of the accolades.

Mohler saw playing time from day one with the Buffs. A reserve at first, the coaches couldn't keep him off the field. Once he was on the field, he become one of the Buffs most consistent defenders.

Opponent	Solo	Assisted	Total	Ints	TFL	Sack
Colorado St.	3	-	3	1	1	-
Eastern Wash.	5	4	9	-	-	-
West Virginia	6	1	7	-	-	-
+ Florida St.	5	2	7	-	1	-
3 Texas	7	4	11	-	1	-
@ Kansas	7	3	10	-	1	-
Kansas St.	6	3	9	-	-	-
@ 19 Missouri	5	4	9	-	2	-
@ Texas A&M	3	5	8	-	2	1
Iowa St.	1	-	1	-	-	-
14 Oklahoma St.	7	5	12	1	-	-
@ Nebraska	5	6	11	-	-	-
Totals	60	37	97	2	8	1

Against Colorado State, Mohler did not start and in the Iowa State game, he was hurt. Other than those two games, he was a very consistent defender. The best part is Mohler got better as the year went on. To his own admission, he had a tough time adjusting to the speed of the game. Looking at these stats, I think he adjusted pretty well.

Looking at the overall defensive team stats for the Buffs this year, Mohler excelled.

	Tackles			Tackles For Loss				Sacks				Int Ret.
Name	Solo	Ast	Ttl	Solo	Ast	Ttl	Yds	Solo	Ast	Ttl	Yds	No	Yds	TD
Name	Solo	Ast	Ttl	Solo	Ast	Ttl	Yds	Solo	Ast	Ttl	Yds	No	Yds	TD
Smart	57	52	109	3	0	3	7	1	0	1	4
Mohler	60	37	97	7	1	7.5	45	0	1	1	7	2	36	0
Walters	50	31	81	2	1	2.5	18	1	1	2	14	2	37	0
Brown	56	17	73	4	1	4.5	11			0		2	27	1
Jones	46	22	68	11	1	12	46	6	0	6	36
Dykes	32	15	47	3	0	3	16	1	0	1	10	1	0	0
Lucas	27	20	47	4	2	5	14	1	1	2	10
Hypolite	23	20	43	6	1	6.5	26	3	1	4	19
McKay	29	13	42	4	0	4	10			0
Brown	32	9	41	3	1	3.5	4			0		1	57	0
Nicolas	18	17	35	6	1	6.5	20	2	1	3	13
Perkins	22	13	35			0				0
Smith	26	9	35			0				0

If Shaun starts against CSU and doesn't get hurt against Iowa State, he is probably the team's leading tackler this year. Finishing second on the team in both tackles (97) and tackles for loss (7.5) right out of junior college is an amazing feat. Mohler was rewarded for his play today as he was named by the AP, Honorable Mention All Big 12. He also might be the overall best story of the year in the Big 12.

Great find by Hawkins, Cabral and the staff on this one. An offseason of aggressive training and lifting will also do wonders for Mohler. Next year, he will once again be a stud and with Jeff Smart, B.J. Beatty, Jon Major, Doug Rippy and Lynn Katoa back, linebacker is one position the Buffs don't have to worry about.

Shaun Mohler is a player that makes you feel good to root for the Buffs!

see the best of and worst of list so far after the jump...

Best of 2008 List
10) The Victory Against CSU at Mile High
9) The Iowa State Second Half
8) Buff Linebacker Shaun Mohler

Worst of 2008 List
10) The Off the Field Issues
9) The Defensive Line Scheme/Play

Poll

Going into the 2009 season, what position are you least worried about?

Linebackers: Smart, Mohler, Major, Rippy, Beatty, Katoa, Sipili, Burton and Hartigen

34 votes

Defensive Backfield: Cha'pelle Brown, Jalil Brown, Burney, Smith, Wright, Mahnke, Perkins and Sandersfeld

4 votes

Runningback: Scott, Polk, Stewart, Sumler, Lockridge, Moyd and Nabors

18 votes

Offensive Line: Miller, Tuioti-Mariner, Behrens, Head, Solder, Givens, Harris, Bahr, Tau and Iltis

4 votes

60 votes | Poll has closed

Worst of 2008 #9: The Defensive Line Scheme/Play

irish1611 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:39:08 -0000

I don't want to call any players out because they are college kids but coming into this year, the senior trio of George Hypolite, Brandon Nicolas and Maurice Lucas were going to rededicate themselves and become the strenghth of this team. Even Coach Hawkins called this unit the strength of the team in the offseason. Rivals.com said one of the main reasons for Jordon Dizon's success in 2007 was because of Brandon Nicolas and George Hypolite, which led them to label the defensive line as the strongest unit on the defense in 2008:

No doubt, Dizon was a tremendous player for the Buffs, but there also is no doubt that he benefited from having tackles Hypolite and Brandon Nicolas in front of him. Nicolas, who began his career at Notre Dame, tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with 11. He and Hypolite form one of the best tackle tandems in the Big 12.

Well, this year they weren't the strength of the defense. That honor goes to the cornerback position where Cha'pelle Brown, Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown emerged as a bright spot. I don't necessarily blame the players, their is plenty that falls on the scheme. The Buffs were erratic in their defensive identity. Against Kansas State, the Buffs attacked from multiple areas on the field from the back seven and allowed the double teams to loosen up. Against Kansas and Missouri, the Buffs went to a three man rush and well, were unable to generate any pressure. The best pressure player this year was LB Brad Jones, who was honored with honorable mention All Big 12.

One big problem that will continue to haunt CU next year is the issue of depth. Other than a rare productive appearance from true freshman Curtis Cunningham, the senior trio was the only group to touch the field with any presence. That obviously took it's toll on the Buffs especially in the finale against Nebraska. Hypolite had his moments especially against weaker competition in Texas A&M and Iowa State. Many give Hypolite the benefit of the doubt due to teams recognizing him as the star of the line and doubling him but then where is the production from the rest of the pass rushers who face one on one assignments?

Another reason for the down production and impact is also attributable to the inept offense. The Buffs offense ranked eighth in the Big 12 in time of possession so CU's front four saw the field a lot more than they wanted to.

see after the jump for some more analysis on the drop off of production from the front four...

Colorado's rush defense ranked 87th in the nation, giving up 166 yards/game in a league that wasn't very strong in the rushing department. Here is the ranking of rushing offenses that the Buffs played this year:

Team	National Rank	Average Y/Game	YAgainst CU	Diff
Oklahoma State	8	256	226	-30
West Virginia	12	224	311	87
Florida State	31	182	259	77
Texas	34	176	169	-7
Nebraska	37	173	178	5
Missouri	46	165	189	24
Iowa State	66	138	188	50
Kansas State	76	132	112	-20
Colorado State	78	129	71	-58
Kansas	80	128	112	-16
Texas A&M	95	118	94	-24

The biggest problem of this year's team, though, was it's inability to play in the opponents' backfield. Look at the sacks generated by the main linemen core of Buffs:

Big 12	Player	Pos	Cl	Gm	Solo	Assist	Yards	PerGm
Big 12	Player	Pos	Cl	Gm	Solo	Assist	Yards	PerGm
26	Marquez Herrod	DL	SO	11	3	1	30	0.32
27	George Hypolite	DL	SR	12	3	1	19	0.29
42	Brandon Nicolas	DL	SR	12	2	1	13	0.21
61	Maurice Lucas	DL	SR	12	1	1	10	0.13
	Total				9	4	72	0.75

No one on this year's defensive line ranked in the top 25 of the Big 12 in total sacks.

What is more disturbing is looking at the production of the big 3 this year compared to last year, especially the statistics that show pressure in the backfield:

Player	Year	G	Solo	Assisted	Total	T/G	TFL	Sacks
George Hypolite	2008	12	23	20	43	3.58	6.5	3.5
George Hypolite	2007	13	28	23	51	3.92	11	6
Hypolite	Variance		-5	-3	-8	(0.34)	(4.5)	(2.5)
Brandon Nicolas	2008	12	18	17	35	2.92	6.5	2.5
Brandon Nicolas	2007	13	29	17	46	3.54	11	3
Nicolas	Variance		-11	0	-11	(0.62)	(4.5)	(0.5)
Maurice Lucas	2008	12	27	20	47	3.92	5	1.5
Maurice Lucas	2007	13	20	16	36	2.77	5.5	2
Lucas	Variance		7	4	11	1.15	(0.5)	(0.5)
Big 3 Total	2008	12	68	57	125	10.42	18	7.5
Big 3 Total	2007	13	77	56	133	10.23	27.5	11
Big 3 Total	Variance		-9	1	-8	0.19	(9.5)	(3.5)

The Buffs lost 9.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks from last year from these three. Could it have been LB Jordon Dizon that helped the front four that much? Probably more about the scheme the Buffs attacked with this year. I assume the lack of confidence in the defensive backfield led the Buffs to drop more into coverage and stop the aerial assault of the Big 12. Ultimately, not having this up-hill pressure really ended up allowing the offense to avoid 3rd and long situations and extend drives.

The real reason this is on the worst of 2008 list is the fact that with these three gone, who steps in next year and brings a pass rushing presence? Right now I don't see it in the recruiting class or in the depth chart. Somehow we might be craving the performance of these three next year.

Best of 2008 List
10) The Victory Against CSU at Mile High
9) The Iowa State Second Half

Worst of 2008 List
10) The Off the Field Issues
9) The Defensive Line Scheme/Play

Poll

Is the defensive line your biggest concern for next year?

Yes, losing three seniors with not much known depth behind them is scary.

20 votes

Wide receivers are the biggest concern. Diante Jackson would help fix the problem but this offense needs playmakers ASAP!

4 votes

Quarterback. It all starts and ends at that position.

15 votes

Offensive Line is the biggest issue. Their is still a health and youth concern.

12 votes

51 votes | Poll has closed