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// Jan 10 - 2011 Season

Spring Grades – Offense

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Mid-term papers turned in – It’s time for the grades

Expectations for the Colorado Buffaloes for the 2011 season are, well, mixed. There are great hopes for the future of the program under the new head coach, Jon Embree, but a daunting schedule and a perceived dearth of talent on the roster mute the chances for an immediate breakout.

With that in mind, the below grades for each unit on the team is not with respect to similar athletes on the rosters of Colorado’s Pac-12 rivals, but rather with respect to what we knew about those units heading into the spring, and how well those players and their coaches did in improving their standing.

Quarterbacks – Spring Grade: B/B+

Spring Game stats: Tyler Hansen - 8-15, 124 yards; one TD; Nick Hirschman – 11-19, 170 yards; two TD’s; Brent Burnette – 4-8, 40 yards; one TD, one interception

After three years of Cody v. Tyler, Colorado fans are conditioned to spring practices in which the battle for the starting quarterback position is the lead story. In 2011, the Buff Nation was once again primed for a battle. Senior Tyler Hansen was the returning starter, but there was a new …

Spring Grades – Defense

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Mid-term papers turned in – It’s time for the grades

Defensive Line – Spring Grade: Incomplete

Spring Game stats: Eric Richter – six tackles; Will Pericak – six tackles; David Goldberg – four tackles (three tackles for loss); Conrad Obi - four tackles; Andre Nichols – three tackles

The fact that the 2011 Colorado Spring game was a scrimmage instead of a game tells you all you need to know about the state of the Colorado defensive line.

Senior Josh Hartigan, senior Curtis Cunningham, junior Nick Kasa, sophomore Nate Bonsu, sophomore Chidera …

Spring Game – 2011

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“I’m happy with where we are … we just need to keep working and improving”

The Colorado Buffaloes completed Spring practice, 2011, with a 105-play scrimmage before 15,655 at Folsom Field in the first-ever Spring game with an evening kickoff (6:00 p.m).

Senior quarterback Tyler Hansen completed 8-of-15 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in his seven drives of the scrimmage. While not as efficient as Hansen’s 18-for-19 performance in the second spring scrimmage a week earlier, the odds are still on Hansen being named the starting quarterback for the season on Tuesday. “I feel really comfortable as a player, and this offense is really good,” said Hansen. “(Accuracy) was my goal, and I’ve been working on my mechanics with coach (Rip) Scherer. I feel I’m getting a lot more accurate.”

“I wouldn’t say from Day One (that he was impressed with Hansen), but I am happy with his productivity,” said head coach Jon Embree. “He’s done a good job with his command of the offense, getting them in and out of the huddle. We need to get better with our tempo … But, overall, I am pleased with how he’s competed.”

The quarterbacks vying for the backup position …

The Colorado Daily – May

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May 30th

Sports Illustrated investigation digs deeper into Ohio State’s transgressions

Perhaps now we can understand the timing of Tressel’s resignation.

Sports Illustrated is coming out with an article in this week’s edition, outlining an eight-year pattern of NCAA violations under head coach Jim Tressel.

In the article, the authors report that at least 28 players have been alleged to have traded or sold memorabilia, “at least 20″ players swapped memorabilia for tattoos, and at least four players traded memorabilia for marijuana.

The history of Tressel’s “ignorance is bliss” started at Youngstown State, where he claimed not to know that his star quarterback had received a car and more than $10,000 from a school trustee – even though it was later revealed that it was Tressel who told the player to go and see the trustee.

In 2003, Buckeyes’ running back Maurice Clarett became a pariah after he was found to have received money and other benefits, but Tressel, who had said that he spent more time with Clarett than any other player, claimed he had no knowledge of Clarett’s violations.

In 2004, an investigation uncovered a $500 payment to quarterback Troy Smith. Again, Tressel said he had no …

Colorado Daily – April, 2011

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April 30th

2011 Draft best for Colorado since 2006

For the first time since 2006, four Colorado Buffaloes were selected in the NFL draft. Cornerback Jalil Brown went to the Kansas City Chiefs with the 21st pick of the fourth round (118th pick overall), while wide receiver Scotty McKnight went to the New York Jets with the 24th pick of the seventh round (227th pick overall).

The last time Colorado had four players selected in the same draft came in 2006. During that draft, tight end Joe Klopfenstein was the first Buff taken, going in the second round to St. Louis. In the fifth round, wide receiver / kick returner Jeremy Bloom went to Philadelphia, while tight end Quinn Sypniewski went to Baltimore. Running back Lawrence Vickers closed out the 2006 draft for Colorado, going in the sixth round to the Cleveland Browns. (Arguably, Colorado had five players taken in the 2006 draft. Running back Brian Calhoun started with the Buffs, but later transferred to Wisconsin. In the 2006 draft, Calhoun was selected in the third round by the Detroit Lions).

Jalil Brown becomes third Buff selected in 2011 NFL draft

With the 21st pick of the fourth round of …

Spring Practice – Pac-12 Notes

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April 24th

Former Colorado coach near the top of the ”hot seat” candidates this fall

Colorado fans can be pleased to be off of at least one chart for a change – the “coaches in the ‘hot seat’ chart”. With the Dan Hawkins’ era finally a part of CU lore, new head coach Jon Embree will enjoy a honeymoon period of at least two, and perhaps three, seasons.

Meanwhile, former Colorado head coach Rick Neuheisel is atop many of those lists this spring. In three seasons at his alma mater, Neuheisel’s UCLA Bruins have posted records of 4-8, 7-6, and 4-8. The 2010 team lost six of its final seven games, with back-to-back wins over No. 23 Houston and No. 7 Texas in non-conference play a distant memory.

Neuheisel knows that this is his year to produce. “I don’t feel it. I’m sure it’s there,” said Neuheisel of the extra pressure to win this season. “I don’t go up there and sit in (the athletic director’s) office every day, but I don’t feel it.”

His actions, if not his words, though, seem to indicate Neuheisel does feel the heat. He has replaced five of his coaches, including both coordinators (remember …

Spring Practice – 2011

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April 7th

“Guys are showing who they are”

Colorado conducted its last practice before the Spring game on Thursday, with the practice, at the last minute, being opened to the public. Jon Embree described the two-hour run-through as a “good practice. The defense had a couple of lapses, but otherwise they did well. Offensively, we got some things accomplished, some things done we wanted to get done as far as some install stuff. Guys are showing who they are.”

The Colorado head coach then raised some eyebrows when he was asked about whether there were some players who had not lived up to expectations. “It’s a privilege to be a Buffalo; it’s not a right,” said Embree. “If they can’t play, and they’re not doing what they are supposed to do academically, and buying into the program, they won’t be here.” Embree went on, ” Some won’t be back; everyone’s year-to-year. It’s simple. I don’t ask a lot. I want effort; I want you to compete. I want you to do it on and off the field. That’s basically all I ask … and for some guys, they can’t do that.”

Player Notes -

- Jon Embree spoke about his …

Scrimmage Reports

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Second Scrimmage – Saturday, April 2nd

Second Scrimmage – Behind the numbers

“There are three kinds of lies: lies; damned lies; and statistics”, a phrase widely attributed to Benjamin Desraeli and popularized by Mark Twain.

The phrase certainly holds true when reviewing the numbers from an intra-squad scrimmage, and a spring one at that. For every celebration over a long touchdown pass, there is consternation over a blown coverage by the secondary; for every sack, there is a missed assignment by an offensive lineman.

Still, as the 2011 Buffs have been under wraps for the past few weeks, a look under the hood of Jon Embree’s team is certainly called for after the team completed practice No. 11 of 15 allotted practices.

Quarterbacks

While head coach Jon Embree wouldn’t agree that Tyler Hansen was “clearly” the choice for starting quarterback in September, Hansen’s numbers – and those of his competitors – suggest otherwise.

True, Hansen’s 18-for-19 performance was against a depleted defensive line and a secondary missing both of its likely starters at safety, but Nick Hirschman and Brent Burnette went up against much of the same personnel, with significantly different numbers. Hirschman went 4-of-11 for 27 yards, while Burnette …

The Colorado Daily – March, 2011

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March 31st

Auburn responds

Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs stated that the university will look into the allegations made in the HBO report.

“While HBO confirmed to us they have no proof that any of these claims are true, we contacted both the NCAA and Southeastern Conference as soon as these allegations surfaced,” Jacobs said in a statement released Wednesday night. “We have engaged outside counsel to investigate this matter and will spare no resources to find the truth.”

University president Jay Gogue said he is confident Jacobs and his department “will investigate these allegations thoroughly and completely.”

Current Auburn head coach Gene Chizik was less diplomatic in his response: “It saddens me that somebody is going to air a show with basically one side being known. I think that’s pathetic. And I think it’s pure garbage,” he said.

March 30th

Will HBO expose’ signal a change in recruiting?

On a day when Colorado self-reported a secondary recruiting violation (a ten-year old brother of a recruit had his meals covered because the recruit did not bring sufficient funds for his sibling during the official visit. The tab for the weekend ran to $103.26), HBO has run a special “Pay to …

Spring Practice Preview

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Spring Practice Preview -

Special Teams

Roster: Toney Clemons (Sr.); Arthur Jaffee (Sr.); Brian Lockridge (Sr.); Will Jefferson (Jr.); Justin Castor (So.); Zach Grossnickle (So.); Ryan Iverson (So.); Justin Gorman (R-Fr.)

Players Lost: Aric Goodman; Joe Silipo; Scotty McKnight; Cody Hawkins; Travon Patterson

“Numbers Don’t Lie“

Yuck.

There was very little which was special about the special teams play by the University of Colorado in 2010.

Colorado was ranked 88th in net punting last year, with Zach Grossnickle struggling to a 35.7 yards net average (Colorado’s opponents’ net average was 40.2). Senior kicker Aric Goodman connected on two-thirds of his attempts (10-for-15), but was only accurate half the time from beyond 30 yards (5-for-10).

In the return game, Colorado was adequate at best. There were several long kickoff returns, with a long of 89 yards by Arthur Jaffee against Iowa State, but the Buffs were unable to come up with a kick returner which they felt comfortable with, as four players posted between eight and 14 kickoff returns during the season. All four – Arthur Jaffee (14); Toney Clemons (10); Brian Lockridge (10); and Will Jefferson (8) – return in 2011, but there are no guarantees that …

Colorado Daily – February, 2011

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February 28th

Sipili to enter a plea on April 15th

Former Colorado linebacker Michael Sipili can be tried for sexual assault, according to a Boulder County Judge. Sipili, who was arrested in January on suspicion of sexual assault, will enter a plea on April 15th.

According to the arrest affidavit, former walk-on CU football player Michael O’Conner was having consensual sex with a 22-year old woman on December 4th when Sipili entered the room and raped the woman. O’Conner was also arrested, but is being charged with being an accessory to a crime.

The hearing on Monday was a preliminary hearing, and the state only needed to show that there was enough evidence to take the matter to trial. According to police reports, the woman was found by a friend after the assault “balled up” and “crying and upset”. Boulder police detective Chuck Heidel testified that there was blood on the sheets, and that she told Sipili to stop.

Sipili’s defense to the charge appears to be that the sex between the parties was consensual. The defense called the woman’s memory of events into question, and pointed out that the woman had been drinking earlier in the evening. The defense …

What to Watch for before Spring Practice

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What to Watch for while waiting for Spring Practice

Spring practice will not begin until March 11th , but that doesn’t mean that there will not be news of interest over the next month. Here are some stories worth tracking between now and the start of spring ball …

Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas is a four-star wide receiver recruit from Woodland Hills, California. He is rated by Rivals as the 36th-best wide receiver from the 2011 Class of recruits (Rivals bio). Due to a death in the family, Thomas postponed announcing his choice for a school. However, there were questions about Thomas’ recruitment even before the death of his grandmother. Thomas did not take any official visits before Signing Day, and only holds (at present) offers of scholarship from Colorado, Houston, Oregon State and Colorado State.

Why no official visits? Why aren’t there more offers from BCS schools?

There is speculation that grades might have something to do with Thomas’ lack of offers. Or it may be that Thomas is having a difficult time, not necessarily with grades, but with demonstrating his eligibility (he was home-schooled for a year, which may have brought up issues of core credits).…

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Spring Practice

Spring Grades – Offense

Spring Grades – Defense

Spring Game – 2011

The Colorado Daily – May

Colorado Daily – April, 2011

Spring Practice – Pac-12 Notes

Spring Practice – 2011

Scrimmage Reports

The Colorado Daily – March, 2011

Spring Practice Preview

Colorado Daily – February, 2011

What to Watch for before Spring Practice

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