Posts Tagged ‘John Hessler’

 October 7th – Boulder           #24 Kansas 40, #4 Colorado 24

 A funny thing happened on the way to Colorado’s battle with Nebraska for the Big Eight title and the right to play in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship.

 The schedule called for a game against Kansas.

 The Jayhawks served notice early that they were not intimidated by the Buffs or Folsom Field, scoring on a 35-yard field goal on the game’s first drive.  Colorado’s first drive stalled, and after punter Andy Mitchell’s effort was blocked and run in for a touchdown, the Buffs were quickly down 9-0 (the PAT attempt was blocked by Ryan Olson).  Five minutes into the game, Colorado was not looking like a national contender.

 Colorado came back throughout the remainder of the contest, taking the leads of 14-9, 17-16, and 24-23.  Two costly turnovers in the fourth quarter, though, led to two Kansas touchdowns and a 40-24 upset.  The vaunted Buffs’ defense, which had throttled previous opponents, was dissected for 495 yards of total offense and 34:25 of playing clock.  Running back June Henley ran over and around the Buffs for 137 yards and two scores, while quarterback Mark Williams completed 25 passes…

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Detmer Under the Microscope

Everyone knew shortly after the Texas A&M game was over that quarterback Koy Detmer, whose efforts over the first three games of the season had merited a “Colorado’s Detmer throws his hat into ring” Heisman-watch headline from USA Today (9/18/95), was seriously injured.  What happened?  Detmer:  “It was weird the way it happened.  I went to spin out of the pocket and take off running, but my foot was hung up in the turf and when I pushed, my knee kind of dug way in and just kind of twisted it and shifted the bones a little bit.”

 A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can be career threatening.  But how serious was Detmer’s injury?  Speculation in the media ran from the positive:  “Detmer could return in two weeks” (Buffalo Sporting News, 9/25/95), to the hopeful:  “Detmer optimistic despite knee injury” (Denver Post, 9/24/95), to the negative:  “Detmer may be out for the season” (Rocky Mountain News, 9/24/95).

 What was the truth?  “It looks as though if they can brace him and stabilize the knee, he might be able to play”, reported head coach Rick Neuheisel.  “Koy is of the mind that he wants to play…

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“Fightin’ Words”

 The lopsided win over Northeast Louisiana raised the 3-0 Buffs to No. 7 in the nation.  The next two opponents, though, would show if Colorado’s rise in the polls was merited. 

The Aggies of Texas A&M were coming to Boulder for a top ten showdown, the first of Neuheisel’s coaching career.  Undefeated on the young season, A&M featured Heisman-trophy candidates Leeland McElroy at halfback and Corey Pullig at quarterback.  In dominating Tulsa, 52-9, the week before the Colorado game, McElroy accounted for 285 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, while Pullig threw three passes for scores.

 Rick Neuheisel was not intimidated.  “We (the Colorado coaching staff and players) all have a great deal of respect for (Texas A&M)”, said the Buffs’ head coach.  “But we feel like we’re right with ‘em and we’re not going to back down to anybody.  And if those are fightin’ words, so be it.  We’re ready to play Texas A&M.”

 September 23rd – Boulder          #7 Colorado 29, #3 Texas A&M 21

 A Folsom Field record crowd of 53,849 and a national ABC television audience looked on as the Colorado Buffaloes lost their leader in the first quarter, only to have a local boy…

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