Posts Tagged ‘Chris McLemore’

Oklahoma – Buffs 28-7 rally not enough

//posted 11.12.1983

November 12 – @ Oklahoma Oklahoma 41, Colorado 28

The final scores of the Nebraska games in the two years of the McCartney era had been somewhat misleading. The Buffs were at least in the game in the first half of each contest.

Conversely, the final score against Oklahoma in 1983, 41-28, would lead one to believe the Buffs made a respectable showing against the Sooners. After all, the Sooners had won the previous six contests against Colorado by an average score of 51-16. Yes, it was the Buffs out there on Owen field, before 75,008 Sooner faithful, with quarterback Steve Vogel, subbing for an injured Derek Marshall, overthrowing tight end Dave Hestera in the end zone with the Buffs having the chance to pull within seven points late in the fourth quarter. And yes, it was a pass from Vogel to Chris McLemore which came up an inch short on fourth down at the Sooner three-yard line with just over two minutes to play.

And yes, the headline in the Boulder Daily Camera the next morning did proclaim “Buffs make it close at OU, 41-28″.

Actually, though, it was never really that close. Oklahoma raced out to a 34-0 lead in the first half. If not for…

Kansas – Marshall and McLemore lead Buffs to victory

//posted 11.5.1983

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November 5 – @ Kansas Colorado 34, Kansas 23

Against the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, sophomore quarterback Derek Marshall received his first starting assignment. In the second half, Marshall failed to complete a pass. His counterpart, Kansas quarterback Frank Seurer, passed for a career-high 394 yards.

Still, the Buffs, managed to hold on for a 34-23 win, the Buffs first conference win of 1983, and only the second conference win in two years for Bill McCartney.

Fullback Chris McLemore, converted from halfback, had his best rushing game ever, 160 yards on 23 carries. McLemore’s 75-yard run early in the fourth quarter lifted the Buffs to a seemingly comfortable 31-12 lead. Just over three minutes later, however, and with 9:15 still left to play, the score was 31-23.

Placed in a position of protecting a rare advantage on the scoreboard, the Colorado offense failed to produce. Kansas marched down the field with an opportunity to tie the score. Cornerback Cylde Riggins, though, saved the day, intercepting a Seurer pass in the end zone. It was Riggins’ second pick of the day, and one of five for the Buff secondary on the afternoon. “I think one of the reasons we won,” understated…

Colorado State – Rivalry? What Rivalry?

//posted 9.17.1983

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Rivalry? What Rivalry?

As much as Nebraska looks with disdain at Colorado (or anyone else, for that matter) who dares to call the Cornhuskers their “rival”, the Colorado Buffaloes in the early 1980′s were just as pompous when it came to their “rivals” just 40 miles to the north, the Colorado State Rams. While the game was a natural for generating interest and a full house at Folsom Field, the Buffs resisted scheduling the game due to the perception that playing Colorado State in football represented a “no-win” situation for Colorado.

Colorado State played in the Western Athletic Conference. The perception had long been that the WAC played an inferior style of football. “All offense, no defense” was the stigma attached to every team wearing the WAC logo. If a Colorado/Colorado State game was played and Colorado won, there would be no positive reaction as such a result would be expected. Lose, and the struggling program would suffer a loss of status within the state it could not afford to lose.

Largely due to this fear, Colorado had not played Colorado State in football since 1958. Negotiations between the schools, which also involved state legislators, led to an agreement for the teams to…

Michigan State – Coach Mac returns to his home state

//posted 9.10.1983

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September 10th – @Michigan State Michigan State 23, Colorado 17

While the Missouri game of 1982 served as Bill McCartney’s collegiate homecoming game, the return to the state of Michigan for the first game of the 1983 collegiate campaign was also a return to familiar territory. McCartney was a native of Riverview, Michigan, and his eight years on the Michigan Wolverine staff gave the coach some familiarity with the Spartan players. Still, MSU was starting its first game under new head coach George Perles, minimizing any advantage the Buffs may have had in formulating a game plan.

The Spartans were coming off a 2-9 season, so the game figured to be competitive. The Buffs carried a 10-6 lead into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t survive a 17-point onslaught by Michigan State in the final stanza, succumbing, 23-17. The turning point came with only 6:52 remaining in the game. Michigan State was leading 13-10, and had just kicked a field goal to go up 16-10. Holding the Spartans to three points had kept the Buffs in the game, as Michigan State had driven to the Colorado one yard line before settling for the field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, however, Victor Scott…

1983 Preseason Outlook

//posted 9.2.1983

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1983 Preseason

While it was certainly true that Colorado, with a 2-8-1 record in 1982, was mired in a four-season long slump without a winning season, there was reason for optimism in Boulder. There had been moments in 1982 – a 12-0 shutout of Washington State in the second game of the season (and on the road!); a record-setting passing day of 361 yards against Nebraska (and trailing only 20-14 at the start of the fourth quarter!); a comeback tie against Oklahoma State; and a 28-3 demolition of Kansas in the home finale – which gave fans hope. Plus, head coach Bill McCartney had brought in his first recruiting class, and had his first full off-season on campus.

McCartney, who had been hired in June, 1982, had the off-season to revamp his coaching staff, with only one coach from 1982 retaining similar responsibilities in 1983. The Buffs’ head coach also had his first spring practices in Boulder. McCartney, before the start of the 1983 campaign, called his first spring drills “the single best thing that has happened” since he arrived. “The best thing about the spring was the moral and attitude of the players,” said McCartney. “That enabled us to…

Kansas State – Wildcats earn first-ever bowl bid

//posted 11.20.1982

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November 20 – @Kansas State Kansas State 33, Colorado 10

Fresh from its largest margin of victory since 1978, the Buffs had a small degree of momentum going into the season finale against Kansas State in Manhattan. The Wildcats, for their part, despite a 5-4-1 overall record, were on a two-game losing streak. Kansas State needed a win over Colorado to finish with a winning season, and, with a little help, earn the first bowl bid in the school’s history.

The game was never really in doubt after the first half of the first quarter. Trailing 7-0, the Buffs faced a fourth down from their own 22 yard line. Colorado attempted a fake punt, but Tony Rettig tripped and fell, giving the Wildcats the ball at the Buff 22 yard line. Six plays later, it was 14-0 Kansas State, and the Buffs were never closer than seven points the remainder of the game. The Wildcats rolled to a 33-10 win, and, as had been the case in Boulder the weekend before, the goalposts came down. “It was our old nemisis,” said Bill McCartney. “We had our opportunities, and we squandered most of them.”

Steve Vogel played the entire game, passing the ball for a record-tying…

Missouri – Homecoming for Coach Mac not pretty

//posted 11.6.1982

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November 6 – @Missouri Missouri 35, Colorado 14

Colorado head coach Bill McCartney marked his own homecoming of sorts in traveling to Columbia to face the Tigers for the first time as the Buffs head coach. Missouri did not exactly make Coach Mac feel welcome, however, running over the Buffs in a 35-14 rout that was worse than the final score indicated. The defense that had kept Colorado in earlier contests did not come to play against a Missouri squad that had won only one of its previous six contests.

The Tigers scored on six of its seven first half possessions in posting a 35-0 halftime lead. Total offense in the first half: Missouri, 299; Colorado 41.

In the second half, Colorado made the statistics a little less lopsided, with Steve Vogel replacing Randy Essington and passing for 200 yards in leading the Buffs to two second half consolation scores. “This is the first time all year that we didn’t come to play. I don’t know why.” was all that Bill McCartney could come up with after the game. “We weren’t ready to play. By breakfast time, I knew the team wasn’t mentally ready … It’s really hard to figure out…

#9 UCLA – “Hey – Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

//posted 10.2.1982

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October 2nd – Boulder #9 UCLA 34, Colorado 6

For Bruin fans, there was little reason to believe that UCLA’s first-ever visit to Boulder would be anything but a pleasant one. Colorado did little to discredit its role as compliant host, falling 34-6 to the 9th-ranked Bruins. UCLA came into the game 3-0, fresh off of two road wins against Big 10 teams. In the weeks leading up to UCLA’s trip to Boulder, UCLA had beaten back a red sea of Wisconsin fans at Madison, going on to beat the winningest program of all time, Michigan, at one of the shrines of the game, Ann Arbor.

Folsom Field and the 1-2 Buffs would not intimidate this squad.

The game itself was never in doubt. The anemic Colorado offense produced only two long range Tom Field field goals as the Bruins cruised to a 34-6 win. The Buff defense again put in a credible effort, holding UCLA to 10 points until Bruin quarterback Tom Ramsey connected with split end Donnie Williams on a 50-yard bomb in the last minute of the first half to up the score to 17-6 at halftime. “In my mind, that touchdown was the big play of…

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Posts Tagged ‘Chris McLemore’

Oklahoma – Buffs 28-7 rally not enough

Kansas – Marshall and McLemore lead Buffs to victory

Colorado State – Rivalry? What Rivalry?

Michigan State – Coach Mac returns to his home state

1983 Preseason Outlook

Kansas State – Wildcats earn first-ever bowl bid

Missouri – Homecoming for Coach Mac not pretty

#9 UCLA – “Hey – Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

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