SB Nation User Blog: irish1611

Recruiting: TE Justin Favors and Ath Donnie Duncan Commit to Colorado

irish1611 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:59:59 -0000

The Colorado Buffaloes compounded a win against Texas A&M last weekend into five verbal commitments, giving them a total of 12 in the 2010 recruiting cycle. Just to give you some perspective of where the Buffs are in the recruiting game compared to last year, on this day in 2008, the Buffs were receiving a verbal from their fourth total commitment in DT Nate Bonsu, so Colorado is much farther along than they were last year at this time.

The two most recent commitments are TE Justin Favors and Ath Donnie Duncan. Below are some player profiles:

via alt.coxnewsweb.com

Justin Favors
Rivals Star Rating -
TE - Trotwood, OH - Trotwood-Madison High School
Recruiting Sites: Rivals - Scout - ESPN.com
Video: ESPN.com
Measurables: 6'4" 232lbs 4.8 forty
Rankings: Rivals - NR, Scout - NR, ESPN - 35th overall tight end
Status - Committed to Colorado
Offers and Other Interested Schools - offers from Cincinnati, Toledo,Colorado, Kent State,Bowling Green,Akron, Ball State, Syracuse, Texas Southern, Louisville

Commentary: Favors is from the same high school as current Buff LB Doug Rippy. Coming into the 2010 recruiting cycle, tight end was certainly a need for Colorado. With only two scholarship players returning next year in redshirt freshman DaVaughn Thornton and junior Ryan Deehan, the Buffs have received a verbal from Colorado prep Kyle Slavin and now Favors. Those conditions were certainly on Favors' mind:

"What I liked best (about his visit to Colorado) was the game. I liked the atmosphere and the campus. And the players welcomed me in," Favors said. "They are graduating six tight ends. They need tight ends to come in. They told me I've got a chance to play next season if I work hard."

According to ESPN.com, "Favors is a productive tight end in the passing game. He has solid size and looks on film to carry good bulk. He has good hands and displays the ability to consistently catch the ball with them and bring it in to his body. He displays the ability to go up and get the ball and extend his arms to make a catch. Displays good concentration and the ability to track the ball. He has solid straight-line speed, but is best suited for the short-to-intermediate passing game." The Dayton Daily News calls him a tremendous receiver and blocker.

Dave Berk of Scout.com thinks that if Favors was a couple inches taller, he would be a top tight end recruit. Some sites have him listed at 6'2", some have him as tall as 6'5":

If Justin Favors was just a couple of inches taller he'd be one of the top tight ends in the country. But standing just about 6-foot-2, 212-pounds he often gets looked over. A skilled receiver who knows how to get open and make the catch, Favors would be a perfect fit in a flex tight end position. In the season opener Favors pulled down 6 passes for 105 yards.

Favors has done a good job getting video of himself out on the internet. Here is one of him at an Ohio combine. Go to the site to see him do other drills, below he is running some routes. He is certainly a big kid and shows that he has some pretty good athleticism:

JJHuddle.com ranks Favors as the 18th ranked athlete in the state of Ohio.

According to the BDC, Favors still will take other visits to Syracuse and Louisville although he verballed to Colorado. Favors also plays basketball.

Below is some more video of Favors on the football field from scoutingohio.com:

see after the jump for a profile of Donnie Duncan

Donnie Duncan
Rivals Star Rating -
Ath - Los Angeles - Hamilton High School
Recruiting Sites: Rivals - ESPN.com
Video: See Below
Measurables: 6'0" 185lbs 4.6 forty
Rankings: NR
Status - Committed to Colorado
Offers and Other Interested Schools - offers from New Mexico, Washington State. Interest from Arizona State

Commentary: Talk about a kid with a smooth stride with no wasted movement. Very solid highlight video. Donnie plays both sides of the ball at wide receiver and defensive back. From his highlight film, he looks to have outstanding body control and is instinctive. Duncan was named to the ESPN CalHi Preseason All-L.A. City Section Team earlier this year:

WR -- Donnie Duncan (Hamilton, Los Angeles) 6-0, 175, Sr.
The Yankees' top player was a second team All-City selection by coaches as a junior and should enjoy another banner year in 2009. Duncan also displayed solid ability at a Nike Combine in Los Angeles this past spring, recording a 73.23 SPARQ Rating. His individual marks included a digital 4.62 forty, a 31-foot Power Ball toss, a 32.9 inch vertical jump and a 4.68 20-yard shuttle.

According to the Denver Post, the athlete has 8 total touchdowns this year:

Duncan has caught six touchdown passes this season and has returned two interceptions for touchdowns. His other top offer came from Washington State.

"Colorado said that if I went there, I could compete right away as a freshman," Duncan told Rivals.com

Wednesday Buff Bites - UCLA Tells Scott "No Thanks", O-Line Only Takes Accountability for 19.5 Out of 36 Sacks

irish1611 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:17:08 -0000

Stan Hasiak leaves Bruins for indefinite amount of time -- latimes.com

UCLA officials have told running back Darrell Scott, who is leaving Colorado, that they were not interested in having him play for the Bruins

No quick fix for Buffs' sack woes - Boulder Daily Camera

Only 19½ of the Buffs` 36 sacks allowed this season have been allowed by offensive linemen, according to the latest offensive line grades released Tuesday. Offensive line coach Denver Johnson is not happy with any sacks, but he is also careful not to beat up his guys for mistakes they didn`t make.

ISU Football: Cyclones look to plug gaps in their rush defense | desmoinesregister.com | The Des Moines Register

The Cyclones have surrendered 69 points, yielded 974 yards and watched opponents convert 16-of-25 third downs in beatdowns by Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. Especially troubling has been an ineffectiveness against the run, with the Aggies piling up 267 rushing yards in a 35-10 win and the Cowboys following with 331 in Saturday's 34-8 victory.

The Longmont Times-Call

Iowa State (5-5, 2-4) has scored only 27 points in its past three games after opening its Big 12 schedule with 23 in a one-point loss to Kansas State and 36 in a five-point loss to Kansas. Over their past 13 quarters, the Cyclones have three touchdowns. Iowa State entered last weekend’s game against Oklahoma State leading the league in rushing but finished with only 54 yards against the Cowboys. Oklahoma State had been allowing 200.3 per game.

ISU needs help in all areas | GazetteOnline.com

ISU (5-5, 2-4 Big 12) struggled to move the ball against Oklahoma State. Tailback Alexander Robinson, the conference’s leading rusher coming in, finished with 51 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Austen Arnaud, who had missed the previous two games because of a bruised right hand, was 14 of 27 passing for 188 yards and three interceptions.

CU Buffs' offense finally showing some good signs - The Denver Post
Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau talks about the offensive performance last week. Still the major issue on that side of the ball is the offensive line.

Now the Buffs hope their offense has turned a corner. Their 166 yards rushing against the Aggies were a season high. And wide receiver Markques Simas' 135 yards in receptions were a single-game high for a CU player this season. "We really just have to keep on getting better," Kiesau said. "Offensively we were doing OK, and we had a good game, but we can't start jumping off to Dal Ward and saying we're one of the top offenses in the country. We've got to continue to work on our run game and counter that with our pass game and just continue to get better. Because yes, (Saturday) was a very good game, and I'm fired up for our offense to do well, but we have to consistently do that every week. We can't just be a one-hit wonder."

Bzdelik holding out for junior college players - Boulder Daily Camera

The future of Colorado men`s basketball is already on campus. Jeff Bzdelik does not plan to sign any recruits today -- the first day members of the class of 2010-11 can fax in letters of intent -- and said his coaching staff will focus on filling the two scholarships it has to give during the spring signing period. "We`re looking more towards junior college kind of players who have some maturity behind them," Bzdelik said after Tuesday`s practice. "We`ve got enough youth. Historically, those kind of players sign late."

Cyclones just a win shy of bowl eligibility

Truthfully, most of Iowa State's pressure comes from within at the moment. The Cyclones (5-5) are desperate to end a bowl drought that dates back to 2005, but have little margin for error. With two regular-season games remaining, Iowa State may need to win out to assure itself a postseason appearance. According to NCAA statistics, there are currently 48 bowl-eligible teams nationally. Twenty-two more teams, including Iowa State, have five wins and several more have four with no fewer than two regular-season games remaining. There are 34 bowl games this season, meaning only 68 FBS teams will get to experience the postseason. Iowa State, a largely inexperienced program, could sorely use the roughly 15 additional practices a bowl game allows for.

Coach Hawkins Press Luncheon Quotes - CUBuffs.com—Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado
Coach Hawkins talks about the typical "combination of things" in regards to not being able to protect the quarterback:

On Protecting the Quarterback "We just have to keep emphasizing and keep working on it and again part of that is physical, part of it is mental, part of it is communication, it is something we are well aware of and also getting Tyler tied into that as well and getting all those guys on the same page. "It's a problem when you give up as many sacks as we have in the past two weeks, that's a problem. But it can be a combination of many things, it can be a vision thing, a communication thing, a physical thing, it can be a combination of all those things so we just have to continue to work on all of that and clean it up."

Buffs can't stand repeat of '07 finish vs. Iowa State - The Denver Post

Sophomore Jason Espinoza will be back to work this week at wide receiver and punt returner, Hawkins said.

Halftime: Are college football's high-paid staffs really worth it? - Game on - USATODAY.com

Ringo: Leadership can help teams win on road - Boulder Daily Camera

Speaking of winning on the road. The Buffs haven`t done so in more than two years now and are not-so-proud owners of the longest road-losing streak in the Big 12. It`s a streak that began in Ames and has spanned nine games now (10 if you count a 2008 neutral site game at Florida State).It`s a problem with which Iowa State is familiar. The Cyclones won on the road for the first time in four seasons earlier this season at Kent State and then won again at Nebraska for the first time since the late 1970s.

The Longmont Times-Call - CU’s O-line taken aback by numerous sacks

"When it’s a run or pass, it takes 11," Johnson said. "But whenever there is a sack, it falls back on to the offensive line, and oftentimes, that’s where it belongs. But certainly not every time.

CU Buffs' coach Dan Hawkins: 'You just have to bring more to the table' - Boulder Daily Camera

"You just have to bring more to the table," Hawkins said of what his team has learned from its previous four road trips this season. "You just have to have more concentration, more intensity, more enthusiasm, more focus. When you go on the road, there is just too many things distracting you, and you can't get caught up in the travel and all the other stuff. There has to be a heightened sense of focus and energy."

Colorado eyeing ... The Cyclones - The Denver Post

Key stat: ISU has allowed nine sacks this season — tied with Air Force for 10th in the nation — for just 47 yards lost.

Basketball Season Tip Off Highlights This Week At CU - CUBuffs.com
The Colorado men's and women's baskeball teams open their 2009-10 schedules, highlighting a busy home weekend for the Buffaloes.

Colorado Buffaloes Land 10th Commitment in California CB Jered Bell

irish1611 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:13:40 -0000

The Buffs have certainly turned their third win of the year into some serious recruiting momentum. Already receiving verbal commitment from two Louisiana prospects, QB Munchie Legaux and WR Keenan Canty, the Buffs, according to scout.com, rivals.com and ESPN.com have all confirmed that California CB Jered Bell has also announced his intention to play football in Boulder.

The 6'0" 180 pound athlete is listed as a 3 star on rivals.com and is ranked the 69th best cornerback in the nation. Bell also had an offer from Colorado State. Depending on which site you look at, Bell runs anywhere between a 4.45 and a 4.65 forty. He also runs track, looks like the 110 meter hurdles.

According to the school athletic website on MaxPreps, Bell has 3 interceptions this year along with 38 tackles this season. Last year, Bell played some running back running the ball 55 times for 505 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Welcome to the Buffs, Jered!

The 6'4, 185 pound Legaux has guided Karr to a 9-1 record and the fourth-seed entering the 4-A...

irish1611 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:27:36 -0000

The 6'4, 185 pound Legaux has guided Karr to a 9-1 record and the fourth-seed entering the 4-A state playoffs this Thursday night against Riverdale at Joe Yenni Stadium. The 5'9, 165 pound Canty runs in the 4.5 range and is an excellent kick returner.

"My visit was nice. I have a chance to go in and play as a freshman. I like the coaches as well. It's a big plus to have one of my high school teammates coming with me. We both had a great time there. I'm not worried about playing at altitude. I am comfortable with their offense," said Legaux.

"It was a new experience, something new. The mountains are great. I've never seen anything like it. The chemistry of the team was great. It''s kind of like our team. I am going to have a chance to play wide receiver and return kicks and punt. I am very consistent and that is what they will appreciate. It's a big plus having my quarterback coming, too! We've been playing together since 10th grade so we know each other very well. We plan on rooming together and that will be very comfortable," said Canty.

"I think Canty is a dynamic player. He's full of energy. He's a game changer. He is fast and can catch the football extremely well and hurt you in the return game as a punt and kicker returner," said Karr head coach Jabbar Juluke.

"Munchie is just phenomenal. They (Colorado) are going to be getting not only a great kid but a great player. He is very talented with his arm and his legs and he is the ultimate competitor. I really believe that Colorado is getting two outstanding kids. Both are qualified academically. They never miss practice, take school seriously and are hard-working kids," Juluke said.

More from the Louisiana Duo - QB Muchie Legaux and WR Keenan Canty
NoLa.com

Colorado Buffaloes Land Huge Commitment in Louisiana QB Munchie Legaux

irish1611 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:13:42 -0000

The Colorado Buffaloes received a big time commitment from this weekend's visitors in Louisiana QB Munchie Legaux. Earlier today, we learned that his teammate, WR Keenan Canty, committed to the Buffs. Rivals.com ranks the 6'4" athlete as the 12th best dual threat quarterback in the nation and 14th overall in the state of Louisiana. Legaux had a very impressive offer list with interest from Michigan, Tennessee, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Baylor, Oregon, Utah and Virginia among others.

Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming rates Legaux as the #98th overall prospect in the nation for 2010. In an article from nola.com, Legaux is described as having superior escape-ability and arm strength as well as being called a winner:

His height, superior arm strength and escape-ability make him a most intriguing prospect for coaches of the spread offense such as Michigan's Rich Rodriguez.

He enters his final season ranked among the nation's top 10 dual threat quarterback prospects, according to Rivals.com, and earlier this month added inclusion on The Times-Picayune Preseason Top 20 Blue Chip List. His admirers are not limited to Ann Arbor or the media.

He has attracted coast-to-coast recruiting interest and holds nearly 20 official offers. Tulane was the first school to extend an offer with Michigan following next.

His extended list now includes several prominent BCS schools such as Oregon, Tennessee, West Virginia, Colorado, Baylor, Kansas State and Virginia. Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss and Florida International head up a secondary list that includes every state school except LSU.

Legaux, who turns 18 on Sept. 27, participated in the Les Miles Tiger Football Camp in June and LSU recruited him into the summer, but recently backed away.

"They would have been in my top three," Legaux said. "I think they're underestimating me. I think they think that I'm a receiver playing quarterback, but I'm not fast enough to play receiver at LSU."

Legaux has 4.65-second speed in the 40, which may be sub-elite for a receiver. For a quarterback -- and make no mistake, Legaux considers himself a quarterback - his foot speed is not an issue. A more telling test is the 3.95 clocking he's posted in the short shuttle that simulates the cutting, stopping and starting ability involved in moving around the pocket.

"I'm a quarterback," Legaux said. "That's what I want to be."

"The intangible that Munchie has," Juluke added, "is that he's such a great competitor. He's just a winner. That's probably the best way to describe him. He's a winner."

Here is a little biography from scout.com:

Munchie Legaux is a dual-threat quarterback who finished his junior season with 1,800 yards passing for 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also added another 450 yards rushing for another 10 scores, earning Offensive District MVP honors. He says he can bench 235 pounds and squats 355.

(Soph) Played in only three games due to a broken ankle. He passed for over 350 yards and five touchdowns, and still earned 10-4A First Team All-District honors.

Partial senior (3-0) stats: 450 yards passing and nine touchdowns through the air, two more scores on the ground.

Legaux plans to major in sports medicine and reports a 3.0 core GPA and a 17 ACT.

Legaux: "I have good lower body mechanics. I’m a dual-threat. I look to pass first, but I can make plays with my feet too.

"I’m a little slim though, so I’m trying to bulk up. I think if I got a little stronger and faster I could go from being a good player to a great player."

Here are the profiles on the recruiting sites. Much more to come later:

Rivals.com
Scout.com
ESPN.com

Here is a video of Munchie.

Welcome to both Munchie and Keenan!

Boulder Daily Camera: Buffs Pick Up 8th Commitment, Louisiana WR Keenan Canty

irish1611 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:54:24 -0000

Boulder Daily Camera: Buffs Pick Up 8th Commitment, Louisiana WR Keenan Canty

According to Kyle Ringo from the BDC:

Colorado received an oral commitment from wide receiver/kick returner Keenan Canty, a 5-foot-9, 150 pound prospect from New Orleans.

Canty told Scout.com he gave CU coaches his pledge to join the program during his visit. He is the eighth known commitment in the 2010 CU class and the first wide receiver.

He made his official visit with two of his school teammates, quarterback Munchie Legaux and defensive tackle Harold Legania, who both hold offers from the Buffs as well.

More to come on Canty. Here is his scout and rivals profile. His high school teammate, Munchie Legaux is a 6'4" dual threat quarterback that has a serious offer list and is extremely talented. Michigan, Oregon, Ole Miss, West Virginia and Tennessee. Legaux, the 12th ranked dual threat QB in the nation, also visited this past weekend with Canty.

Here is a video of Canty (h/t NYCskibum)

Welcome to the black and gold, Keenan.

Colorado Buffaloes Open As 5.5 Point Underdogs Against the Iowa State Cyclones

irish1611 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:27:58 -0000

The Colorado Buffaloes (3-6, 2-3) will be an underdog for the seventh straight week as they travel to Ames, Iowa to take on the Iowa St. Cyclones. Currently, Colorado is a 5.5 point underdog. The Buffs are fresh off a come from behind victory against the Texas A&M Aggies (5-4, 2-3), a team many thought was on the upswing in the Big 12 South. WR Markques Simas, QB Tyler Hansen and RB Rodney Stewart led a 35 point offensive output for Colorado, making plays down the stretch to send the Aggies home with a disheartening loss.

Iowa State (5-5, 2-4) will enter next Saturday's game on a two game losing streak after upending Nebraska in Lincoln three weeks ago. Since that game, Iowa State has lost to Texas A&M 35 - 10 and Oklahoma State 34 - 8. In those two games, the Cyclones defense has had difficulty stopping the opposition, allowing 974 total yards including 598 yards on the ground. Last week, Oklahoma State RB Keith Toston ran for 204 yards alone.

read the rest after the jump...

Offensively, Iowa State hasn't been much better the previous two games. The Cyclones had hoped the return of QB Austen Arnaud would jump start the offense after he missed two games with a bruised throwing hand. But the Cyclones only put up 242 yards total and 54 yards on the ground against the Cowboys. Iowa State didn't top 100 yards until seven minutes left in the third quarter. Arnaud finished with 14 of 27 for 188 yards and three interceptions.

Still, the Cyclones rank 29th in the nation, third in the Big 12 running the ball, averaging 185 yards per game. RB Alexander Robinson has been solid this season leading the Cyclones with 96 yards/game good for 29th in the nation as well. When Iowa State throws, they have been less effective. Iowa State only averages 181 yards throwing per game, good for 100th in the nation. Defensively, the Cyclones are ranked 94th giving up 404 yards a contest while only getting to the quarterback and average of 1.2 times a game, good for 107th in the nation.

Of course, the Buffs aren't much better in the statistical look although WR Markques Simas and QB Tyler Hansen statistically had their best days as collegiate athletes. Hansen completed 21-of-32 passes for 271 yards, one touchdown and one INT on Saturday shattering his previous total of 191 yards. He also ran for 45 yards. Hansen would have been well over 100 yards rushing if you didn't factor in the eight sacks that Colorado gave up to Texas A&M. Simas hauled in seven passes for 135 yards. His previous high was three receptions for 47 yards against Kansas.

For the year, the Buffs still rank 111th in total offense and 74th in total defense but since week four, Colorado's defense has improved 27 spots from 101st in the nation.

What continues to plague Colorado is penalties, offensive sacks, turnovers and special teams play. Last week against Texas A&M, the kickoff team allowed another special teams touchdown. The Buffs were called for 10 penalties totaling 94 yards, a trend that has spiraled out of control this year. Colorado ranks an abysmal 117th out of 120 in division one football in penalties per game with 9.1. Dan Hawkins' team is not good enough to be giving up 75 yards a game from penalties. From a turnover perspective, Colorado won the turnover battle 2 - 1 this past weekend but for the year, the Buffs are -.67 in the turnover game, ranking 100th in the nation. And of course, you have to mention the poor pass protection that continues to plague the offense. The last two weeks, Colorado has allowed 16 sacks to the opposition. The Buffs have allowed an average of 4.0 sacks a game, which ranks 118th in the college football with only Miami (OH) and Washington State giving up more sacks.

But the stat that will be talked about this week, once again, is Colorado's poor road record. Under Dan Hawkins, the Buffs are 2 - 18 outside the state of Colorado, the main reason why Iowa State is favored by 5.5 points. One of those losses came in 2007 in Ames against an undermanned Cyclones team. In one of those losses in the Dan Hawkins' era that makes Colorado fans cringe, the Buffs jumped out to a 21 - 0 lead in the first half, out gained Iowa State 419 to 351 but were outscored 31 - 7 in the second to lose.

Earlier this year against Kansas State, Colorado players cited that they lacked energy on the road which described their poor play.

The game will not be televised, the first time this season for Colorado.

In another winnable game on the road, Buff fans will be left wondering how their team will respond yet again after another surprise win. The previous two wins, Colorado lost the following game on the road. Iowa State is 3 - 3 at home this season.

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

irish1611 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:47:38 -0000

More photos » by JACK DEMPSEY - AP

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

Buff bites are after the jump...

ESPN Highlights

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buffs give up eight QB sacks again - Boulder Daily Camera

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

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

Great game in Simas' grasp - The Denver Post

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

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

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

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

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

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

Colorado-Texas A&M Notes - CUBuffs.com

Colorado-Texas A&M Quotes - CUBuffs.com

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

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

Aggies stunned by Colorado

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

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

Buffs answer critics - The Longmont Times-Call

Scott's transfer puzzle for CU - The Denver Post

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

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

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

Post Game Celebration Thread I Guess: Colorado Buffaloes Beat Texas A&M 35 - 34

irish1611 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:49:59 -0000

More photos » by JACK DEMPSEY - AP

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Well, the Buffs win. Colorado outscored Texas A&M 25 to 13 in the second half to win after falling behind in the first half. The Buffaloes offense showed up against the 98th ranked defense, totaling 439 yards on offense while holding a top Texas A&M offense to under 400 yards.

Colorado had 12 minutes more of possession and was 50% on third down. It was a very solid offense performance if you take away the first quarter of play.

Tyler Hansen was effective going 21 - 32, 271 yards a touchdown and an interception outplaying Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson. The key today, though, was the emergence of WR Markques Simas. Simas had his best day as a Colorado Buffalo. He provided the big play threat that this offense had been missing, going for 7 catches and 135 yards, good for 19.3 yards a catch. He certainly filled that big play role that was missing from the offense the past four years.

It was a good win for the Buffs as they overcame another touchdown given up by the special teams. Certainly bittersweet as Buff fans are left in flux with this program. Colorado is now 3 - 6, 2 - 3 in the conference. Next week Colorado is at Iowa State.

Live Game Thread - Colorado Buffaloes vs. Texas A&M Aggies

irish1611 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:32:15 -0000

2-6, 1-3
NR (AP)
NR (Coaches Poll)

November 7, 2009
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Texas A&M Aggies
Where: Folsom Field
11:30 am MT
TV: Fox Sports College - Central
Radio: AM 850 KOA
Live Stats: ESPN.com
Line: Texas A&M by 3
Weather: Mostly sunny, 60 degrees at kickoff
Texas A&M Blog: I Am The 12th Man

5-3, 2-2
NR (AP)
NR (USA Today)

Welcome to the Ralphie Report as the Colorado Buffaloes get ready to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. No need to go anywhere else today, The Ralphie Report has everything you need and we welcome you to weigh in with your live game analysis, critiques, observations and predictions.

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