Posts Tagged ‘Lee Rouson’

Oregon – Ed Reinhardt

//posted 9.15.1984

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September 15th – @ Oregon Oregon 27, Colorado 20

The Oregon Ducks, like Michigan State, had posted a 4-6-1 record in 1983. Unlike the Spartans, though, the Buffs had no history from which to draw incentive. The last meeting between the two teams had been in 1979, with the Buffs falling 33-19 at home in Chuck Fairbanks’ debut as Colorado head football coach.

In 1984, Oregon was able to outlast Colorado, holding off the bumbling Buffs, 27-20. Dropped passes, 11 penalties, and continuing difficulties with the kicking game condemned the Buffs to a second straight failed fourth quarter comeback.

Unlike the Michigan State game, the Buffs did well in their first drive in Eugene. Despite starting on the eight yard line, Colorado put together a 92-yard drive, with junior wide receiver Ron Brown hauling in a 68-yard touchdown pass from Steve Vogel for the early score. Kicker Larry Eckel, however, missed the extra point, and the Buffs’ enthusiasm was tempered.

After falling behind 17-6 at halftime, Colorado rallied in the second half to take the lead. Two one-yard touchdown runs by Lee Rouson put the Buffs on top, 20-17. Rouson’s second score, coming on the first play of the fourth quarter, was capped…

Kansas State – Victor Scott and the “Survivors” go out winners

//posted 11.19.1983

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November 19th – Boulder Colorado 38, Kansas State 21

Only 27,649 Buff faithful bothered to come out for the 1983 finale against the Kansas State Wildcats. It would be the smallest crowd to ever watch a Bill McCartney coached Colorado team in Folsom Field. Though it was mid-November, the skies were sunny, and the game time temperature was a tolerable 39 degrees. It was not the weather, then, that kept the fans away.

It was the matchup.

While the Buffs were playing for a sixth place finish in the Big Eight, and while a fourth victory would represent the most wins for Colorado since Bill Mallory’s final squad had finished 6-5 in 1978, it could hardly be called a glamour contest. It was easy to find a good seat in the half-filled stadium as kickoff neared.

The Buffs started the game with about as much enthusiasm for the contest as their fans. At half-time, the score was 21-7 in favor of the Wildcats. Between the two of them, quarterbacks Derek Marshall and Steve Vogel threw four first half interceptions. The score could have been even worse than 21-7, as Kansas State lost four fumbles in the opening half (and all…

Iowa State – Third straight loss to the Cyclones

//posted 10.15.1983

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October 15th – @ Iowa State Iowa State 22, Colorado 10

Playing in a gusty wind, the Iowa State Cyclones blew away the bumbling Buffs, 22-10. The Iowa State homecoming crowd was sent home happy, as for the third straight game the Colorado offense had great difficulty in finding the opposition’s goal. Lee Rouson was switched from fullback to halfback for the game to add a spark. Rouson responded with 93 yards, but it took 29 carries to produce those yards. Steve Vogel was so ineffective at quarterback that Derek Marshall subbed in after Vogel went 3-for-16 passing in the second half.

Unlike the Notre Dame and Missouri games, the Buffs were in the game against the Cyclones throughout. The score was 13-10 late in the first half, with a 26-yard Tom Field field goal, and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Steve Vogel to Loy Alexander keeping the Buffs close. Cyclone quarterback David Archer, though, hit David Gantt for a 14-yard score and a 19-10 halftime lead for Iowa State (the PAT attempt was blocked).

After a scoreless third quarter, Colorado had a first-and-goal at the Iowa State nine yard line on the first series of the fourth quarter. The snap on a 25-yard field…

Notre Dame – Taking the LSAT

//posted 10.1.1983

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Taking the LSAT

The University of Colorado had never played the University of Notre Dame in football.

This simple statement, in and of itself, was enough to raise anticipation level for the matchup between the Buffs and the Irish.

Then there was this: heading into the October 1, 1983, Colorado/Notre Dame game in Boulder, Colorado was 2-1; Notre Dame 1-2. Now, throughout campus, there was excitement not only about the possibility of playing Notre Dame, but about the possibility of actually beating the Irish.

It would be safe to assume that I, as a fan of college football, and especially a fan of the (apparently) resurgent Colorado Buffaloes, would have done little else the week leading up to the game other than prepare for the historic encounter. Unfortunately, I had a large distraction keeping from focusing on the game – the Law School Admission Test.

The LSAT is a test taken in preparation for applying to the law school of your choice. Like the SAT, ACT, GRE, and MCAT, the LSAT brings with it a great deal of self-inflicted pressure. I had grown up wanting to be an attorney, and my double major of history and political science was not going to open many…

Oregon State – “Here we go CU, Here we go!”

//posted 9.24.1983

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September 24th – Boulder Colorado 38, Oregon State 14

Colorado was able to look towards another struggling opponent for the third week in a row as the Oregon State Beavers came to Boulder. Oregon State had posted a record of 1-9-1 in 1982, and had won only one of three starts in 1983. If the Buffs were to put together back to back wins for the first time since 1979, this would be their best chance. The woeful Oregon State football program had not put together more than three wins in a season in its last eleven campaigns, and the team presented to the 33,504 Folsom Field faithful was not a likely candidate to break the streak.

The rout was on early.

After Linebacker Jeff Donaldson returned an interception 44 yards for one score, and Steve Vogel had hooked up with Ron Brown on a 62-yard bomb for another, it was Colorado 21, Oregon State 0, before the first quarter had even come to a close. In just over one half of play, Colorado had a lead of 28-0, with offensive plays of 50, 62, 44, 36, and 29 yards – plus Donaldson’s interception return.

Oregon State did push through…

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…

Washington State – “Did you hear?” – Coach Mac’s first win

//posted 9.18.1982

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September 18th – @Washington State Colorado 12, Washington State 0

Colorado shut out an opponent for the first time since 1977, and won on the road for the first time in two years, defeating Washington State 12-0 in Pullman.

It did not make up for the 14-10 “loss snatched from the jaws of victory” that the Buffs had endured the year before against Washington State, but it did give head coach Bill McCartney his first victory as a collegiate head coach, and squared his record as the Buffs’ coach at 1-1 (McCartney was not to reach the .500 mark again as a head coach for seven more years, until midway through the 1989 season).

The defense played inspired for their defensive-minded coach. Trailing 9-0 at half, the Cougars mounted a 16-play, 56-yard drive to the Buffs’ one yard line. There, Cougar fullback James Matthews was stuffed on a 4th-and-goal attempt at the one yard line by outside linebacker Dave Alderson and defensive tackle Mark Shoop. It proved to be the only Cougar scoring threat of the day.

Kicker Tom Field supplied all of the points in the game with his four field goals. For his efforts, Field was named the Big Eight Offensive…

Cal – Bill McCartney makes his debut as CU head coach

//posted 9.11.1982

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September 11th – Boulder California 31, Colorado 17

There was renewed optimism as the Colorado football program began a new era. Gone was Chuck Fairbanks, who, with his 7-26 record, had left for the USFL. In his place was the unknown Bill McCartney.

While there was renewed optimism, it would take wins to put fans back in the stands. Only 35,103 showed up for the opener in the rain against the California Golden Bears, coached by former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp.

Kapp was also making his coaching debut, giving the game the rare distinction of having two coaches entering the game with 0-0 lifetime records. In fact, according to the NCAA, the 1982 Colorado/California game marked the first time in at least twenty years in which there was a match-up of first time head coaches.

Junior Randy Essington returned as quarterback for Bill McCartney and the Buffs, with sophomore Lee Rouson and junior Guy Egging in the backfield. The Colorado defense was the strength of the team, but was thin at virtually every position. The best unit was the secondary, with senior three-year letterman Ellis Wood returning at safety, supported by a trio of juniors: Clyde Riggins, Jeff Donaldson, and Victor…

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Posts Tagged ‘Lee Rouson’

Oregon – Ed Reinhardt

Kansas State – Victor Scott and the “Survivors” go out winners

Iowa State – Third straight loss to the Cyclones

Notre Dame – Taking the LSAT

Oregon State – “Here we go CU, Here we go!”

1983 Preseason Outlook

Washington State – “Did you hear?” – Coach Mac’s first win

Cal – Bill McCartney makes his debut as CU head coach

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