Posts Tagged ‘Andre Simmons’

Wide Receiver Roulette

//posted 8.1.2010

Summer in Boulder never quiet for receiving corps

Summer in Boulder.

Warm days. Shakespeare in the Parks. Farmers’ markets. Hiking, biking, and barbeques …

… and turmoil in the University of Colorado receiving units.

A look back – 2009

While the 2009 preseason magazines were discussing the merits of head coach Dan Hawkins’ “ten wins; no excuses” statement, the Colorado receiving corps was undergoing an upheaval. Josh Smith, a record-setting kick returner (1,568 yards on 50 kickoff returns) and a speed burner being counted upon to stretch opposing defenses, announced he was leaving the program. Citing a desire to pursue a music major not offered in Boulder, Smith set his sights on a return to the state of California (ultimately settling on UCLA).

Also leaving the Buffs, but with less fanfare, was tight end Ryan Wallace. The red-shirt freshman was reportedly homesick, expressing a desire to return to a school closer to his native Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The loss of Smith and Wallace were off-set during the summer as news of the pursuit of transfer Toney Clemons. Unhappy with the new coaching staff at Michigan, Clemons, a former four-star recruit, was looking for a new home. Clemons ultimately chose Colorado, with…

Spring Outlook: Offense

//posted 2.26.2010

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2010 Spring Practice – First Look: Offense

Quarterbacks

Returning players: Cody Hawkins (Sr.), Tyler Hansen (Jr.), and Clark Evans (R-Fr.). Walk-ons: Seth Labato (R-Fr.), Blake Stanley (R-Fr.) (Walk-on quarterback Jerry Slota left the team, transferring to DeAnza Community College in California).

New in 2010: Josh Moten (Fr. – 2009 recruit; enrolled in January); Nick Hirschman (Fr. – 2010 recruit; enrolled in January)

If Dan Hawkins wants to have a parade of angry, torch-wielding Buff fans at his doorstep, all he has to do is to name his son Cody as the presumptive starter for the 2010 season.

Okay, that’s not going to happen – at least not during spring practice.

So don’t go nuclear if you read about the quarterback race this spring being an “open competition”. Every job is supposed to be open for back-ups to do their best to oust the incumbents. There was a minor uproar on the internet when Rivals.com published a story entitled, “Quarterback battle brewing in Boulder?”, but the story contained no insights as to any such controversy. In fact, the story contained the following … “Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Eric Kiesau will likely not name their starter for 2010 anytime soon. But one has…

‘10 First Look: Wide Receivers

//posted 12.20.2009

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2010 Wide Receivers – Returning Players / Recruits

Before the end of the season-opener against Colorado State next September, senior wide receiver Scotty McKnight, who has 165 career catches, should own the all-time receptions record at Colorado, passing the 167 catches by Michael Westbrook. By the end of the season, McKnight should own the all-time receiving yards record as well (McKnight finished the 2009 season in 7th place in that category). McKnight already owns the school record for consecutive games with at least one catch (36). Overall, McKnight has been one of the most consistent and successful receivers in Colorado history.

But don’t look for Scotty McKnight to be on the cover of any 2010 college football preseason magazines.

McKnight’s productivity over the past three seasons has been obscured by the Buffs’ overall lack of success. Colorado is 14-23 over the past three seasons, and the total offense numbers have languished in the bottom half of the NCAA. The passing offense in 2009, though, did improve, jumping from 81st in 2008 to 45th last season. There were times during the year – especially after Tyler Hansen became the full time quarterback - when the passing game clicked.

What is there to look forward to…

Missouri 36, Colorado 17

//posted 10.31.2009

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October 31st – Boulder Missouri 36, Colorado 17

Missouri sacked Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen eight times and forced four turnovers, racing out to a 33-0 lead en route to a 36-17 victory. The Buffs out-scored the Tigers 14-0 in the third quarter to make it interesting, but four possessions with the score 33-17 netted two turnovers on downs, an interception, and a punt, as Colorado fell to 2-6, 1-3 on the season. A homecoming crowd of 45,634, the smallest crowd of the season, was on hand to witness a fourth straight win for Missouri in the series.

Missouri had out-scored Colorado 113-10 the past two seasons, and, in the first half of the 2009 game, it appeared as if the scores of 55-10 and 58-0 were mere preludes to the hurt the Tigers were going to put on the Buffs in 2009. The Tigers took the opening kickoff, and smartly marched 80 yards down the field. The Colorado defense did force two third downs – 3rd-and-two at the Missouri 28 yard line, and third-and-nine at the MU 47, giving Buff fans hope (after all, Colorado was ranked 19th in the nation in 3rd-down defense, at 32%; and was even better at…

CSU 23, Colorado 17

//posted 8.26.2009

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September 6th – Boulder Colorado State 23, Colorado 17

Colorado State quarterback Grant Stucker passed for 208 yards, while running back John Mosure had two scores in leading the Rams to a 23-17 victory over Colorado in Boulder. The win was the first in Folsom Field for Colorado State since 1986, sending most of the near-sellout crowd of 53,168 home in dismay.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ 2009 season started about as badly as a season can.

The Rams took the opening kickoff smartly down the field, taking only six plays to cover 80 yards, with Mosure scoring from a yard out to give Colorado State a 7-0 lead just 3:13 into the game. The Buffs’ response? Three-and-out, gaining six yards.

Two series later, the score was up to 14-0, as the Rams took advantage of an interception and a personal foul penalty to start their drive at mid-field. The drive took ten plays, but the result was the same – touchdown, Colorado State, with Stucker and Mosure connecting from 14 yards out.

While the Colorado State offense was moving smoothly, the Colorado offense was anemic. The Buffs generated all of five first downs in the first half, gaining less than 100…

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