Posts Tagged ‘Nate Solder’

CU Transition Classes

//posted 2.1.2011

Transition Classes

It is axiomatic that a new head coach will have a difficult time with their first recruiting class. After all, the new coach comes in late in the recruiting cycle, usually in December, well after other schools have their incoming class of recruits fairly well formulated. What’s more, in most instances, the new head coach is coming into a situation where the former coaching staff has been let go, with losing records most often the culprit.

Jon Embree became the 24th head coach in Colorado history on December 6th. He took over a program mired in a five year streak of losing records, the second longest streak in Colorado history. Because of the recent record, and because of his late hire, Embree is being given a pass by most of the Buff Nation on the recruiting Class of 2011.

But should that be the case?

For guidance, let’s take a look at the first recuiting classes of the past four Colorado head coaches …

Dan Hawkins – Class of 2006

Unlike Jon Embree, Hawkins inherited a team with a winning record. In fact, Colorado had won the Big 12 North title four of the previous five seasons, including the previous two. By the same…

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December 31st

Nebraska closes Big 12 book with two consecutive losses

In reviewing the slate of bowl games involving 2011 Colorado opponents, it appeared that Washington was the surest bet to head into the fall campaign with a loss. After all, Washington was only 6-6 on the season, including a 56-21 loss, at home, to 10-3 Nebraska. The Huskies were solid two-touchdown underdogs to the Cornhuskers as the Holiday Bowl kicked off.

So naturally, Washington won, 19-7. Husky tailback Chris Polk out-rushed the vaunted Nebraska rushing crew all by himself, out-gaining the Cornhuskers, 177 yards to 91. “We just ran right at ‘em,” said Polk. “We knew we could win if we ran the way we know how to run. They couldn’t stop it. We whupped a team which didn’t respect us.”

After surrendering 533 total yards in the September game in Seattle, the Huskies held Nebraska to 189 total yards.

The loss left the Big 12 with a 1-4 bowl record, with Oklahoma State’s win over Arizona the only victory (Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma still have bowl games to play). As for Nebraska, the Cornhuskers finished the season with only one win in their final four…

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Spring Outlook: Offense

//posted 2.26.2010

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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