Posts Tagged ‘Jason Espinoza’

Colorado 48, Arizona 29

//posted 11.14.2011

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November 12th – Boulder Colorado 48, Arizona 29

In the best offensive showing of the 11-game Jon Embree era, Colorado won it’s first-ever Pac-12 game in dominating Arizona, 48-29.

On a Senior Day when there was a chance that the 2011 Buffs would become the first Colorado team to fail to win a home game at Folsom Field, the Colorado seniors came up big. Senior running back Rodney Stewart had 24 carries for 181 yards and three touchdowns, while also contributing a touchdown passing. On the other end of that halfback pass for a score was senior quarterback Tyler Hansen, who went 16-for-26 for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

On a 57-degree afternoon with winds gusting as high as 62 mph, Colorado posted 500 yards of total offense for only the second time in 2011, while holding the opposition under 500 yards for the first time in six games. The Colorado defense, which had only four interceptions in the first ten games of the year, had three against Arizona quarterback Nick Foles.

While there was hope amongst the members of the Buff Nation that this would be the week that the lopsided losses would come to an end, Colorado was still posted as an…

No. 21 USC 42, Colorado 17

//posted 11.5.2011

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No. 21 USC 42, Colorado 17

“Eventually, it will turn their way”, said Colorado head coach Jon Embree after Colorado lost its seventh game in a row, falling 42-17 to No. 21 USC.

Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley threw for a school recored six touchdowns as USC used a 21-point second quarter to pull away from the Buffs. Colorado running back Rodney Stewart, out for the previous three games, made a successful return, with 88 yards rushing and 67 yards receiving, but the Colorado offense overall continued to make crucial mistakes at critical times, preventing the Buffs from keeping the game competitive.

Unlike the previous two games, in which the Buffs fell behind Oregon and Arizona State 29-0 and 21-0 respectively, Colorado started the first Friday night home game in school history as if an upset was a real possibility. Dressed in all black uniforms (complete with black helmets) the Colorado Buffs played their best first quarter in a month. Colorado took the opening kickoff, and marched smartly down the field. A ten yard pass from senior quarterback Tyler Hansen to running back Rodney Stewart followed by a 15-yard pass from Hansen to Toney Clemons put the ball in USC territory. A pair…

No. 9 Oregon 45, Colorado 2

//posted 10.23.2011

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October 22nd – Boulder No. 9 Oregon 45, Colorado 2

The No. 9 Oregon Ducks made quick and light work of the under-manned and out-talented Colorado Buffaloes, sprinting to a 29-0 first quarter lead before settling for a 45-2 victory.

In handing the Buffs their worst home loss in four years, Oregon raced out to 293 total yards of offense in the first quarter, the second-highest total ever posted in one quarter against a Colorado team. On the day, Oregon posted 527 yards of total offense, more than double the 231 yard output of the Colorado offense.

The Buffs’ offense played most of the game without its best wide receiver (Paul Richardson, out for a second week), its best running back (Rodney Stewart, injured the week before against Washington) and its starting quarterback (Tyler Hansen, knocked out in the second quarter). Oregon was also without two of its stars, quarterback Darron Thomas and running back LaMichael James, but, unlike the Buffs, the Ducks had more than adequate backups.

Before the game even started, Oregon was assessed a fifteen yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Colorado kicker Justin Castor, able to kick from the Colorado 45 yard line, booted the bal through the endzone.

Castor’s…

Wash. St. 31, Colorado 27

//posted 10.2.2011

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October 1st – Boulder Washington State 31, Colorado 27

Washington State wide receiver Marquess Wilson sped past two Colorado defenders and hauled in a 63-yard touchdown pass from Cougar quarterback Marshall Lobbestael with 1:10 left to lead Washington State to a stunning 31-27 comeback win over Colorado in Boulder.

The Buffs (1-4, 0-1) were primed for a win in their Pac-12 debut before surrendering two touchdowns in the final 2 1/2 minutes. Lobbestael threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Cougars (3-1, 1-0) to just their second road win in four years under coach Paul Wulff.

The game began as if the Colorado secondary, which was playing with two former offensive players (including senior running back Brian Lockridge, who was converted to a defensive back for the first time in his career five days before the game) would be in for a long day. In Washington State’s first possession, three of the Cougars’ first four plays went for over ten yards, as Lobbestael quickly led the Cougars into Colorado territory. There the drive stalled, however, with the Cougars facing a fourth-and-three at the Colorado 34-yard line.

Rather than go for a long field goal, Washington State went for a first down.…

Spring Practice – 2011

//posted 4.6.2011

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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…

Spring Practice Preview

//posted 3.11.2011

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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 any from that group…

Wide Receiver Roulette

//posted 8.1.2010

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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…

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