December 31st

CU Moose in Alaska

The Buff Nation knows no boundaries!

Below are pictures submitted by CU at the Gamers Antonio and Willow Monterrosa, getting up close and personal with a moose in Alaska.

Disclaimer: Do not try this at home. Willow and Antonio are both professionals, with three CU degrees between them!

December 29th

Embree talks recruiting

B.G. Brooks of cubuffs.com did an interview with Colorado head coach Jon Embree, which is important enough to reproduce in its entirety here …

1.    CUBuffs.com: The current dead period ends Jan. 4, and I’m assuming you’ll hit the road immediately. What direction will you head?

Jon Embree: “That’s right . . . and I’m heading West, to Hawaii and California. It’ll be my first trip to Hawaii and second to California.”

•2.    CUBuffs.com: What’s the biggest difference in this recruiting season and last – taking into account the full season you’ve had as opposed to last year?

JE: “The biggest difference is that a year ago, we really didn’t get started (recruiting) until this coming week . . . talk about a short window. This year, we’ve had a better evaluation of players. We’ve gotten to see how they really feel about football and where it is on their list of things that are important to them, where it fits into their lives. And we’ve been able to establish relationships. We’re almost where we need to be . . . I’d like to be doing a lot of junior recruiting, but we’re not at that point yet. Next year I think we can be comfortably looking a year ahead.”

•3.    CUBuffs.com: How would you rate things to this point?

JE: “I think it’s gone very well. We’ve missed on a couple of elite players, but only won three games. Say what want, but at end, it (winning) has to help. At the same time, we’ve gotten commitments from some very good players. We’ve been able to balance the roster at some positions. And there are still some guys we can finish on and have a very good class.”

•4.    CUBuffs.com: Have there been any major surprises out there for you?

JE: “The response has been really good . . . I don’t feel like it’s ever been, ‘Wow, we don’t have a chance on that kid,’ but at the same time just getting in on a kid is not what you’re looking for. Are you in their top two? Did you have a legitimate chance? If you’re just one of five, you’re not really in it. You have to be in their top two.”

•5.    CUBuffs.com: You’ve said before your visits began that prospects’ reception has been good . . . has that held up?

JE: “Yeah, it’s gone very well. Kids have been real receptive. They see the direction of program and want to be involved in helping us continue that process . . . and do some exciting things.”

•6.    CUBuffs.com: Along those lines, is there one common question recruits are asking you?

JE: “Not really, there’s not one general question, but kids see what’s going on. It’s not like they haven’t been paying attention. They see opportunity . . . they can come in and have an impact early. Those kinds of things. Most kids want that opportunity. I’m asking them, ‘Do you want to play or stand on the sidelines and wait your turn?’ These kids want to be a part of something that’s growing. We won two of our last three, and we’ve talked to them about that every time we’ve called them. But you can’t sit there and pretend like you don’t have scars. We do, and I’m going to be honest. I’ll tell where we are, what the deal is. At the end of the day, they’ll know what our goals are – changing the culture, changing the environment, and giving them the opportunity for success in college. They’ve paid attention. It’s been really good.”

•7.    CUBuffs.com: Do you have any “silent” commits?

JE: “Yeah, we’ve got a couple of guys – if they stay true to what they say. But I’ve told them that they need go public. They can help with some of the other players we’re after. If they’re going to truly be in, they need to be in. Taking trips is great, but if you’re going to be a Buff, now’s the time to do it. I can understand that some kids are involved in things they have to do, in recruiting and out. But we’ll see over the next two weeks or so.”

•8.    CUBuffs.com: CU “turned” a handful of recruits last year . . . do you feel you have to take that approach this year?

JE:  “There are a couple of guys we’re actively recruiting who are committed to other schools. A year ago, we went out and got eight players from someone else. This year, we feel like we have to be good with the guys we’ve got (committed). The next two weeks are really important. Some schools during this time frame don’t go out at all. Some go to (high school) all-star games and see guys. We’d rather see the guys we have (committed).”

•9.    CUBuffs.com: Coaching changes have been prevalent . . . has there been an effect on your approach to things?

JE: “It really hasn’t affected us. It may here or there help on a guy, but for the most part it hasn’t done anything. Some name schools – for example, UCLA – didn’t have a coach and still had three kids commit. Now, whether those kids wanted to get in before a coach was named and fill a scholarship, I don’t know. But the overall situation (of schools changing coaches) hasn’t really affected us.”

10.CUBuffs.com: How would you respond to those recruiting analysts who say you’re dangerously short on four- and five-star prospects?

JE: “That’s all right, it doesn’t bother me. To get elite playmakers we have to continue to improve ourselves. You can go around all day about stars. Greg Henderson (freshman corner) did pretty well for us and he wasn’t a five-star guy. I just want football players. That (star rating) stuff is for barrooms and the Internet. You can point to five stars that bust and one stars that become stars. I’m just trying to get the best players. But again, we won three games . . . I don’t think people realize how hard it was for us (CU) in the mid-90s. We’d won a lot of games, we had guys who had won the Heisman, the Thorpe Award and the Butkus. People have to realize we’re not a logo school . . . Ohio State and USC have great classes every year. They’ve got 50 or 60 years of tradition, huge national fan bases. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do it here. That’s what we’re shooting for.”

•11.CUBuffs.com: So, from that answer on the star system, I’m guessing your opinion of those ratings hasn’t changed?

JE: “How many of these people really see kids play? A kid commits to Texas and goes from no stars to three, or from three to five. Explain that to me. I’m not down on these (recruiting) sites; they give fans good reason to go them, but it’s like being in a sports bar. I’m not down on Rivals.com and Scout.com . . . I know they’ve helped kids get noticed. But their rating systems are different from coaches. Look at Michigan State, what was their senior class rated? You get a transfer in, you get some guys who pan out that weren’t five-star guys . . . We – and I’m talking about coaches – have to be able to develop guys to give yourself a chance. That’s just my take on it.”

•12.CUBuffs.com: What would be a best-case finish for the Buffs in the final month leading to signing day?

JE: “First, I’m very happy with the guys we have; we want to hold onto them. But if we could get a couple of more corners, the right tight end, maybe a playmaker or two, the right defensive lineman . . . our situation on that side of the ball is not good. We need to get as many as we can (on defense). Some will play, some will redshirt. We need to build there and have legit depth. This class, with last year’s class, gives us a good base from a program standpoint. We just have to go out and finish strong – and hopefully get a head start on some seniors for next year.”

December 28th

Buffs lose out on tight end recruit

Scratch another four-star recruit off the board.

Tight end Taylor McNamara, a highly sought after prospect from San Diego, is going to become an Oklahoma Sooner. McNamara, considered by Rivals to be the No. 2 tight end recruit in the nation, had previously committed to Arizona. When head coach Mike Stoops was fired, however, McNamara re-opened his recruitment, and the choice came down to Colorado and Oklahoma.

“What it really came down to is I really wanted to go to a place where I could play early and win games,” McNamara told Rivals.com. “Colorado is obviously not in a place where they’re going to be winning as many games as Oklahoma. I’m all about winning. I love winning and I really realized it this year.

“My team went 8-4 and the year before that we were 2-8. I could really see the difference really in life, when you’re winning things just go well. When you’re losing things aren’t going well. It means a lot to me and football is a big part of my life and that’s everything down in Norman.”

Apparently the lure of playing for a former NFL tight end – in the end – was not enough to sway McNamara.

And the Buffs’ search for their first four-star recruit of the 2012 class continues …

December 27th

Colorado still operating in the black

According to an article in The Business of College Sports, the University of Colorado athletic department is doing fairly well, both overall and in comparison to other Pac-12 schools.

The article looks at revenue and expenses for football and basketball for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years.

2009-10 … In 2009, Colorado reported $26.2 million in football revenue, with $12.5 of expenses. The $13.7 million profit sounds great, until the reality hits that the remainder of the athletic department is funded by these profits. Overall, CU’s revenue of $26.2 million was 5th amongst Pac-12 schools, with Washington the surprising leader ($33.9 million), followed by Arizona State ($29.58 million), Oregon ($29.50 million), UCLA ($29.0 million). At the bottom of the league was Washington State ($12.7 million), which fared even worse than Utah, then from the Mountain West Conference with little expectation of moving elsewhere, at $14.7 million.

The Colorado basketball program in 2009-10 almost held its own, with $3.58 million in revenues and $3.81 in expenses. The $224,000 loss was only one of three programs in the Pac-12 to lose money on basketball, though Oregon (-$2.2 million) and USC (-$1.0 million) were further down the scale. At the top of the heap was, not surprisingly, UCLA, with $12.3 million in revenue.

2010-11 … For the 2010 football season, the University of Colorado witnessed a slight decline in revenue, down to $25.9 million from $26.2 million. Expenses, though, witnessed a significant increase, from $12.5 million to $16.3 million (largely attributable, one would imagine, to the regime change). The profit margin, as a result, fell significantly, from $13.6 million to $9.6 million. CU’s football revenue remained fifth overall amongst Pac-12 schools, but the gap between CU and the schools behind it narrowed considerably.

In basketball, with the help of a team which made it to the NIT semi-finals and set a school record for victories, Colorado actually turned a profit. The profit margin was still small, $136,157, but it was at least a profit. Still, CU remained 10th in the league in men’s basketball profits, with nine other schools making at least $1 million in profits, with – once again – only Oregon and USC showing a loss.

2011-12 … Will not likely be a good one for the CU athletic department. In addition to the hangover from the shift from Dan Hawkins to Jon Embree, the Buffs were also a team without a conference in 2011 – at least in terms of television revenue. The Buffs took in some additional revenue from the extra sums paid by Fox and extra league games and the inaugural Pac-12 championship game, and the Ohio State game (a road trip with no reciprocal game in Boulder) was all about helping the bottom line. Still, it will likely be a down year as the athletic department looks for the new dawn of the Pac-12 television contract in 2012-13.

(Thanks for the link, Neill!)

Now, what about the rumors out of Ft. Collins?

Ever since Colorado State hired its new head coach, for twice the salary of Jon Embree, there has been discussions in the Buff Nation about why Colorado has – by a wide margin – the lowest paid coach in the Pac-12. As part of the same discussion, there are questions as why Colorado has not announced any plans for spending the television revenue windfall which is to be coming the Buffs’ way over the next decade.

The rumblings got even louder when rumors began surfacing that CSU is working on raising funds for a new, $250 million stadium.

Reality check.

Colorado State has announced improvements to its Moby Arena, built in 1966. The improvements are to be in two phases, with $4.5 million for improvements, with another $11 million to add a glass tower and sky boxes. The first phase is to be put into place over the next two years, with $1.5 million coming from a loan owed to the school by CSU-Global campus; $1.5 million from additional revenues from enrollment growth; and $1.5 million from an as yet unidentified donor.

There’s no schedule for the second phase of the project because a funding source has not yet been identified, CSU President Tony Frank said.

Sound like a $250 million check is in the mail?

Nope.

Will Colorado State be able to make any headway from athletic revenues?

Please.

The same Business of College Sports review shows the following about Colorado State revenues the past two fiscal years:

2009-10: $7.2 million in football revenue; $1.9 million in basketball revenue

2010-11: $7.7 million in football revenue; $2.3 million in basketball revenue

With a third straight 3-9 season being posted in 2011, followed by a buyout of Steve Fairchild and an expensive hiring of Jim McElwain, it is fair to say that the coffers of Colorado State will not be flush anytime soon.

So, if Colorado State announces a $250 million stadium anytime soon, Colorado fans will have plenty to complain about … but until then …

… we should still be complaining about how the rest of the Pac-12 has set into place capital improvements, but Colorado has been silent.

December 21st

Happy Festivus Day!

For fans of Seinfeld, Festivus Day is a holiday to be spent airing grienvances (and to demonstrate feats of strength!).

For fans of the Colorado Buffs, Festivus Day (actually its December 23rd) is just as imaginary a holiday.

Junior college players could commit to teams starting today, and while Colorado was in the running for a few prospects who could both help and qualify, there was nothing but a coal in the stocking.

Other Pac-12 teams, however, made out fairly well.

USC, it should come as no surprise, came out the best.

The Trojans were able to flip defensive end – and former UCLA commit – Morgan Breslin (Pleasant Hill, Calif./Diablo Valley College). Breslin had committed to UCLA last summer but took an official visit to USC this past weekend. A scholarship opened up for the Trojans when defensive end Nick Perry declared for the 2012 NFL draft, and upon being offered by USC, Breslin didn’t waste time in jumping on it. Breslin is eligible to play three seasons for USC.

Safety Gerald Bowman, meanwhile, spent a year at North Carolina Tech before following teammates to Pierce College. After a stellar first year there, USC offered a scholarship and had been chasing him in a big way. Bowman eventually had interest in Oklahoma, and took an official visit there in early November, but an official visit to USC in late December — coupled with Ed Orgeron’s constant presence — was enough for the Trojans to land one of the top junior college recruits in the country.

USC also received good news from All-American junior safetyT.J. McDonald, who announced Wednesday that he would be returning for his final season with the Trojans in 2012.

“USC has been a powerful place for my family and it has been a part of my entire life,” McDonald said in a statement released by the school. “I came to USC at a unique time, when we were on probation, and a bowl ban, and nobody on my team was part of the reason for that bowl ban. We took it on full force and now we are on the way back to the greatness of USC.”

Utah also had a good day, as running back Kelvin York (Fullerton JC, Calif.) signed with the Utes. A former USC commitment, he narrowed his choices to the Utes and Washington before deciding to go with Utah.  York tore his meniscus during a November contest and missed the last part of the season. In early December, York said he talked with USC and when he wasn’t guaranteed that a scholarship would still be available to him, he decided to go in a different direction. That new direction is to Utah, and he’ll have three years to play two for the Utes.

In addition to York, Utah got some good news from an existing player, as Utah nose tackle Star Lotulelei decided to return to the Utes for his senior season. The 6-foot-3, 325-pound team captain, who was recently named the best defensive lineman in the Pac-12 by his peers, is putting an NFL career on hold after weighing his options, according to the Deseret News.

“I think it would be better for me and my family if I stayed,” Lotulelei said while noting he consulted with his parents and wife, Angelina, after getting input from some scouts about his future. Education was also a big factor in Lotulelei’s decision, as he’ll earn his degree next fall.

Against Colorado in the 2011 season finale, the first-team all-conference player was held to three tackles, though he did register Utah’s only sack of the game …

December 20th

Ohio State penalties announced

The NCAA hit Ohio State with a one-year bowl ban and other penalties Tuesday for a scandal that involved eight players taking a total of $14,000 in cash and tattoos in exchange for jerseys, rings and other Buckeyes memorabilia.

The university had previously offered to vacate the 2010 season, return bowl money, go on two years of NCAA probation and use five fewer football scholarships over the next three years.

But the NCAA countered with a bowl ban in Urban Meyer’s first year as head coach in 2012, further reduced the number of scholarships and tacked on a year of probation.

It was a sobering blow to Ohio State and athletic director Gene Smith, who through a lengthy NCAA investigation had maintained there was no way the Buckeyes would be banned from a bowl game.

“I’ll be shocked and disappointed and on the offensive,” Smith said in July of his reaction if there was a bowl ban. “It’ll be behavior you haven’t witnessed (from me).”

But after the initial tattoo scandal, Ohio State and the NCAA discovered two additional problems. Three players were suspended just before the start of the season for accepting $200 from booster Bobby DiGeronimo, and midway through the Buckeyes’ 6-6 season it was revealed that several players had been paid too much for too little work on summer jobs — supplied by the same booster. He has been disassociated from the program.

Former coach Jim Tressel, forced out in the wake of the scandal, was hit with a five-year “show-cause” order that all but prevents him from being a college coach during that time.

The NCAA also issued a public reprimand and censure, put the Buckeyes on probation through Dec. 19, 2014, and reduced football scholarships from 85 to 82 through the 2014-15 academic year.

December 19th

CU wide receiver commit has torn ACL

Colorado prospect Peyton Williams, who was injured in the Texas state semi-finals (see December 11th story, below) has a torn ACL. Williams, who caught 90 passes for 1,162 yards and ten touchdowns this fall, will have to undergo surgery, with his return to football for the 2012 season an unlikely proposition.

Williams becomes the second Texas Buff recruit to suffer a serious injury this fall. Running back recruit Terrence Crowder tore his ACL just five carries into his senior season.

With the loss of both Williams and Crowder, the Colorado is down to two healthy wide receiver commits (Gerald Thomas and Jeffrey Thomas) and two healthy running back commits (Damien Payne and Donta Abron) .

Time for the Buffs to put out an ad in the personals? … “Help wanted: Skill position players. Three or four stars preferable but willing to negotiate” …

December 18th

Texas running back heading to junior college

Texas running back Traylon Shead made the decision to transfer, and Colorado was one possible destination.

But not any longer.

This week, Shead decided to make the move to Navarro junior college, a move that allows him to come in and contribute right away, instead of transferring to another Division I school where he’d be forced to sit out another season.

“I’ve sat out two years, and to go to another D-I I’d have to sit out another,” Shead told teh Palestine Herald Press. “I’ll get playing time going the JUCO route. Navarro seems like a great place.”

Colorado has commitments from Davien Payne and Terrence Crowder, but have had former commits Benjamin Catalon (TCU) and Erich Wilson (Washington) commit to other teams.

Marcus Rios commits to UCLA

Coveted cornerback recruit Marcus Rios, from Elk Grove, California, has committed to UCLA.

We met with Coach Mora on Friday,” Cosumnes Oaks head coach Ryan Gomes told BruinBlitz.com. “We had a very good two hour meeting. We literally sat down and talked for a couple of hours. “Coach (Jim) Mora explained his vision of the program and where he feels UCLA is heading,” Gomes said. “Marcus was already had a huge level of respect and appreciation for UCLA as an institution and so the football piece set it over the top.”

The Bruins in Rios get one of the best corner prospects out of the Golden State this season. He lived up to his four-star reputation as he earned Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference after accounting for 59 tackles, 16 pass deflections and four interceptions.

Colorado is still in search of its first cornerback commitment from the Class of 2012.

December 17th

Ryan Miller invited to East-West Shrine Game

Colorado senior guard Ryan Miller has been invited to participate in the East-West Shrine game Jan. 21, in St. Petersburg, Fla., CU sports information director Dave Plati said.

Quarterback Tyler Hansen also could play in the game. He is currently the first alternate quarterback for the game and would participate if one of the other invited quarterbacks cannot play or chooses not to.

Kevin McDermond, a spokesman for the Under Armour Senior Bowl, said that postseason all-star game played each year in Mobile, Ala., is just beginning to announce its rosters and send out invitations to players. Former Buffs Nate Solder and Jalil Brown played in the senior bowl last year.

Running back Rodney Stewart, wide receiver Toney Clemons, guard Ethan Adkins and defensive end/linebacker Josh Hartigan could also be in line for invitations to any of the all-star games this season.

December 16th

Colorado to host nationally televised Thursday night game in 2012

Some of the Buffs’ 2012 schedule is set.

September 1st – We know that Colorado will take on Colorado State and new head coach Jim McElwain in Denver.

September 8th – We know that Colorado will face Sacramento State from the Big Sky Conference in the Buffs’ home opener.

September 15th – We know that Colorado will take its one-game road winning streak to Fresno to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs.

We also know that the Buffs will have a home game against Utah in the regular season finale on Friday, November 23rd.

The other eight games?

Home against Arizona State, UCLA, Washington and Stanford.

On the road against Oregon, Washington State, Arizona and USC.

But when will those games be played?

All we know for now (but stay tuned, the schedule is supposed to be released Saturday) is that Colorado will have a home game on  Thursday, October 11th.

“I recognize a Thursday night game presents logistical challenges for our campus community,” Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano told faculty and staff in a memorandum. “One advantage garnered from our West Coast conference membership is a later kickoff time of 7 p.m., giving our campus more time to transition from daytime academic pursuits to the evening’s sporting event.”

The new $3 billion Pac-12 television deal with ESPN and FOX calls for at least eight weeknight games each season in the conference. League officials have said they are committed to spreading those games around so that one school is not affected by the schedule more often than others.

“I am fully aware that the academic life of our campus continues past 5 p.m., and that there are traffic, parking and scheduling impacts that start well before kickoff,” DiStefano said in the message to campus. “I have charged the committee that led the planning efforts for this year’s evening game against USC to bring its experience and logistical know-how to the planning for next fall’s contest.”

Colorado will also have a bye week in 2012, so it may be that the Buffs will be taking its bye on Saturday, October 6th, in order to have more time to prepare for its home game on October 11th.

December 15th

Foes of $2,000 stipend plan gather enough votes to suspend implementation

So that’s how CSU was able to finance its $250,000 to pay for a search committee …

The governing body of the NCAA said Thursday the number of schools seeking an override to the plan to allow a $2,000 stipend to student-athletes had reached 125 – the necessary number to suspend the rule until it can be reconsidered by the Division I Board of Directors at January’s NCAA convention.

The board passed legislation in October to give some athletes an additional $2,000 toward the full cost-of-tuition, money that would go beyond tuition, room and board, books and fees. Some schools have expressed opposition because they believe it violates the NCAA’s philosophy on amateur sports. But most are concerned about compliance with Title IX rules requiring schools to treat men’s and women’s sports equally, or the budget hit athletic departments will face with incoming recruits next fall.

The board has three options when it meets in January: Rescind the stipend and operate under previous NCAA rules, modify the rule or create a new proposal that would go back to the schools for another 60-day comment period, or allow members to vote on the override. It would a take 5/8ths majority of the roughly 350 Division I members to pass.

Some conferences already have agreed to start giving out the additional money, and NCAA vice president David Berst acknowledged Wednesday that many of the 1,000 or so student-athletes who have signed national letters-of-intent did so with the expectation of receiving the additional money.

Those athletes will get the stipend, the NCAA announced in a statement on its website.

But unless the override measure fails or the board passes a modified version, athletes who sign with schools in February or April would be prohibited from receiving additional money.

Emmert has insisted over the past several months that the additional money is not pay-for-play and compares it to stipends non-athletes receive beyond the cost of tuition, room and board, books and fees. Until 1972, college athletes were permitted to receive a small monthly payment as laundry money.

December 14th

Ryan Miller third-team AP All-American

While many in the Buff Nation are still wondering why senior offensive guard Ryan Miller failed to make the Pac-12 All-Conference team, All-American accolades continue to roll in.

The latest honor – Miller was named today to the Associated Press All-American team, earning third-team honors.

On the Associated Press team, there were a total of nine players from the Pac-12 – all on offense. Stanford placed four players on the All-American team, with three from USC and one from Oregon. Two quarterbacks made the team, with Andrew Luck being named second team, with Matt Barkley third team. Three other “skill” position players made the team – USC wide receiver Robert Woods (1st team), Oregon running back LaMichael James (2nd team), and Stanford tight end Coby Fleener (3rd team). The other four players named were all offensive linemen, including Miller.

The other eight teams from the Pac-12 were shut out of the Associated Press team.

Brian Cabral to Hawai’i?

The University of Hawai’i has received over 30 applicants for its head coaching vacancy.

Reportedly included on that list is long-time Buff linebackers coach Brian Cabral. As interim head coach at CU last fall in the wake of the Dan Hawkins firing, Cabral went 2-1, defeating Iowa State and Kansas State at home before losing to Nebraska in Lincoln.

Also on the list of potential candidates is Utah offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

Others who have applied include associate Hawai’i head coach Rich Miano, Oregon State defensive coordinator Mark Banker and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, according to the report.

A week ago Greg McMackin reached a retirement agreement with Hawaii after four seasons in which he went 29-25. He will receive a buyout of $600,000, about half of the $1.1 million the school owed him on a five-year contract that was supposed to expire Jan. 15, 2013.

December 13th

Jim McElwain introduced as CSU head coach

December 12th

Jim McElwain to become the next head coach at Colorado State

A year ago, he was a candidate for the job opening at Colorado.

The past few weeks, his name has been associated with head coaching vacancies at Memphis, Arizona State, Houston, and Fresno State.

And now he is going to become a Ram.

Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, according to multiple reports, is to become the next head coach at Colorado State.

McElwain will continue coaching the No. 2 Crimson Tide’s offense through their Jan. 9 contest against No. 1 LSU in the Allstate BCS National Championship in the Mercedes-Benz Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans .

McElwain is expected to receive a five-year contract worth about $1.5 million per season from Colorado State, which about double the base salary for CU’s Jon Embree. This past season (before incentives) Embree earned $725,000, the 2nd-lowest base salary in the Pac-12 (Paul Wulff, Washington State – $600,000). With the new coaches being hired, Embree slips to 12th in the conference, well behind Oregon State’s Kevin Riley ($1.3 million).

Jim McElwain had previously coached for Fresno State and developed them into offensive machines. He also did that at Alabama with the immense wealth of talent he has had to work with, namely running back – and Heisman finalist - Trent Richardson (see full resume, below).

The Rams had put up three straight 3-9 records with Steve Fairchild at the helm. He and athletic director Paul Kowalczyk are no longer with the school while new AD Jack Graham is looking to make a signature move early on in his tenure at the position.

Mission accomplished.

My question: It was being reported earlier today that McElwain had been offered the post at Fresno State, which is making the jump to the Mountain West Conference next season, but had turned it down. Does this mean that McElwain sees the situation at Ft. Collins as having greater potential than that which exists in Fresno?

Hard to see it … but that must be the case.  

Program Note – Last December, McElwain was a candidate for the head coaching job at Colorado. Below is my write up …

(Other resumes, if you are interested in taking a trip down memory last to last December, can be found at “The Next CU head coach …”. Resumes I posted for names we were tossing around last December, like Mike Leach, Al Golden, Troy Calhoun, Les Miles, David Shaw, Brady Hoke, and, of course, Bill McCartney, Eric Bieniemy, and Jon Embree).

Jim McElwain

Resume … Jim McElwain is in his third year (now fourth) of a very successful run as the offensive coordinator at Alabama.

Born in Missoula, Montana, in 1962, McElwain was an all-state quarterback in high school before going on to play football at Eastern Washington. McElwain stayed on as a graduate assistant after graduating in 1983, earning an assistant coach position at Eastern Washington in 1985. In nine seasons in Cheney, McElwain coached quarterbacks and wide receivers, with the Eagles twice earning 1-AA playoff bids. McElwain then moved on to another Big Sky school, Montana State (I knew there was a reason I liked this guy!). The highlight of his four years in Bozeman came in 1998, when the Bobcats led the conference in scoring, with 31.6 points per game.

McElwain’s first 1-A coaching job came in 2000, when he was hired as the receivers and special teams coach by Louisville. In his first season, the Cardinals set a school record with nine blocked kicks. After the 2002 season, McElwain was offered the position of assistant head coach at Michigan State, following Louisville head coach John L. Smith to East Lansing. In his three seasons with Michigan State (2003-05), McElwain coached receivers and special teams.

The NFL came calling after the 2005 season, but McElwain’s experience with the League was brief. McElwain was the quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2006, but, after a 2-14 season, the entire staff of Art Shell, including McElwain, were fired. McElwain then spent one very successful season with Fresno State. There, as offensive coordinator, McElwain helped lead the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record, with Fresno State averaging almost 33 points per game (ranked 32nd in the nation).

On February 1, 2008, McElwain was hired by Nick Saban to be the offensive coordinator for Alabama. In his first season with the Crimson Tide, Alabama went 12-0 in the regular season, and was ranked No. 1 in the country before season-ending losses to Florida in the SEC title game and to Utah in the Sugar Bowl. In 2009, however, Alabama redeemed itself, going undefeated and winning the national championship. In 2009, Alabama was ranked 12th in rushing offense and 22nd in scoring offense, with Mark Ingram winning the Heisman trophy. So far in 2010, Alabama is ranked 30th in rushing offense, 36th in passing offense, 23rd in total offense, and 24th in scoring offense.

Positives

- McElwain is from the west, and has recruited in Pac-10 country during his stints at Eastern Washington, Montana State, and Fresno State. Unlike Malzahn, McElwain does not have roots in the SEC, and would be far less likely to leave Colorado for an SEC head coaching position.

- McElwain has seen what it is like to compete at different levels. From humble beginnings with Big Sky Conference teams, McElwain has reached one of the pinnacle of the college football world, Alabama, and has won a national championship and coached a Heisman trophy winner.

- McElwain has coached different positions. He has coached quarterbacks, wide receivers, and special teams on his way to being an offensive coordinator.

Negatives

- While Alabama did win the national championship in 2009, and McElwain did coach a Heisman trophy candidate, the Crimson Tide wins most of their games with defense. Alabama in 2009 was ranked 92nd in the nation in passing offense – for a 13-0 team. The Alabama defense, at the same time, was ranked in the top ten in nearly every category, and was ranked second in the nation in rushing defense, total defense, and scoring defense. McElwain won’t have the Alabama defense to bail him out in Boulder.

- McElwain has never been a head coach at any level.

- While he has coached seven different schools, none of them had any great success until McElwain hit Alabama. It could certainly be argued that McElwain is more of a product of Alabama’s success than that Alabama owes its success to McElwain.  

And, for those of you with 20/20 hindsight, here is what I had to say about Jon Embree when he was still just a candidate for the CU head coaching job …

Jon Embree

Resume:  As a Player … At CU … Jon Embree was an outstanding player on some poor Colorado teams. Embree was a first-team All-Big Eight tight end in 1984, leading the Buffs in record-setting fashion. Embree caught 51 passes for 680 yards, shattering CU records in both categories. The four-year letterman also led the team in catches in 1985 … with nine catches. After the Buffs switched to the wishbone, Embree’s pass-catching role was reduced considerably, with Embree catching only 17 passes his last two seasons. Still, Embree did enough in his years in Boulder to be drafted in the 6th round by the Los Angeles Rams in 1987 … In then NFL … Embree played only two seasons with the Rams before suffering a career-ending elbow injury in 1989.

As a coach … Jon Embree spent ten years as an assistant coach at the University of Colorado, coaching under Bill McCartney, Rick Neuheisel, and Gary Barnett. While in Boulder, Embree coached tight ends (1993-94; 1999-2000), defensive ends (1995-98), and wide receivers/kickers (2001-2002). Embree moved on to UCLA in 2003, named as assistant head coach/wide receivers (2003), and assistant head coach/tight ends and passing game coordinator (2004-05). While in college, Embree coached two John Mackey Award winners – Daniel Graham at Colorado and Marcedes Lewis at UCLA … In 2006, Embree was hired as tight end coach by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he coached All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez. Under Embree, Gonzalez led all NFL tight ends with 99 catches for 1,172 yards. After three years with the Chiefs, Embree joined the staff of the Washington Redskins as tight ends coach in January, 2010.

Positives

- Again, like McCartney and Bieniemy, Embree would bring an unquestioned loyalty to the Colorado program, and would understand the opportunities/limitations of the head coaching job in Boulder.

- Embree is a Colorado native, going to high school in Denver (Cherry Creek), and committed to play for CU and Bill McCartney in one of the darkest periods of Colorado history. He was a team leader for a team which only had one winning season in his years in Boulder, but he was there on the field for the epic 20-10 win over Nebraska in 1986. He understands what it is like to see CU at the bottom, and what it takes to get Colorado back on top.

- Embree will have a number of recruiting advantages, having ties to both the Denver area, as well as a number of years coaching (and recruiting) for UCLA.

- While best known as a tight ends coach, Embree has had a number of different positions to coach, including wide receivers, defensive ends and kickers. He has also served in the capacity as an assistant head coach while at UCLA.

Negatives

- While a known quantity for many Buff fans, Embree would not likely be seen as a “home run” hire by the national media. Bieniemy was a star on a national championship team, while Embree toiled in anonymity for a poor to fair Colorado program.

- Without a head coaching background, concerns will be raised about Embree’s ability to bring aboard a first-class assistant coaching staff.

- Embree’s son, Tyler, is a junior at UCLA. Would Embree want to coach against his son in 2011?

Buffs lose out on junior college offensive lineman

It came down to Colorado and Utah for junior college offensive lineman Alexandru Ceachir. Originally from Russia, the Santa Monica junior college offensive tackle was in Boulder the weekend of December 2nd-3rd, then in Utah this past weekend.

Ceachir’s choice … Utah.

According to Ceachir, committing to Utah was an easy call to make. “What can I say? They have great coaches. It’s a great school with great people. I feel comfortable in the program, and that’s my choice,” Ceachir told UteZone.com. It also didn’t hurt the Utes cause that Ceachir will be able to enroll in January and be available for spring practices. To qualify at CU, Ceachir needed more credits, and would have had to enroll this summer.

Any chance the Buffs might still lure him to Boulder? ”I’m not taking my word back,” he said.

December 11th

Colorado wide receiver recruit Peyton Williams injured

Colorado wide receiver recruit Peyton Williams was injured during the Texas state semi-finals. According to an ESPN story, Williams went down in the first quarter and had to be carried off the field after injuring his left knee. “It just kind of gave out on me,” said Williams.

After the game, Williams was still unsure what was wrong with his knee, but he was there celebrating with his teammates on the field on crutches and with tears in his eyes. Williams’ schoo, Carroll (15-0), advanced to play Fort Bend Hightower (13-2) in the 5A Division I state title game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Cowboys Stadium.

It is being reported that Williams – and the CU coaching staff – will know more about Williams’ injury on Tuesday.

Williams is considered to be a three-star prospect, and has run a 4.4 in the 40. In May, Williams’ 4×400 relay team captured a state championship. “I had a low 48 in my split, which wasn’t my best, but we won with a time of 3:13,” Williams said.

Let’s hope for the best …

December 9th

Henderson, O’Neill on Freshman All-American team

Cornerback Greg Henderson and punter Darragh O’Neill were both named to the College Football News All-Freshman team, with both players named to the second team.

This past season, Henderson led the team in snaps from scrimmage, with his 843 plays. Henderson demolished the old freshman record of 597 plays, set by Jordon Dizon in 2004 (third on the list – to give you an idea of how unusual Henderson’s season was – is sophomore safety Terrel Smith who was on the field for all of 414 plays last fall). Henderson was seventh on the team in tackles, with 59. Henderson also posted three tackles for loss, a team-leading nine passes broken up, adding an interception and a fumble recovery.

O’Neill, meanwhile, met or exceeded the expectations of the Buff Nation and the CU coaching staff. Playing in his first year of football at any level, Henderson was second in the nation amongst freshman punters. Against Oregon, O’Neill set freshman records for punts inside-the-20 (with six) and inside-the-ten (with four). In 74 punts, O’Neill put 21 inside the 20-yard line, with only two touchbacks (Zach Grossnickle’s numbers in 2010: 60 punts; with 11 inside the 20-yard line).

The Upside … when taking a look at the recruits the Buffs are trying to lure to Boulder for the Class of 2012 … Greg Henderson was considered a two-star prospect, whose only other offers came from New Mexico and Air Force. Darragh O’Neill, was a walk-on, who was not in the recruiting database for the Class of 2011 for either Rivals or Scout.

The Downside … The College Football News All-Freshman team had two Buffs on the second team. On the CFN All-Freshman first team, however, there were a total of 11 players from the Pac-12, including six from USC alone (so the demise in the Trojans might still be awhile in coming), with one player each from Utah, Oregon State, Washington, Oregon, and Stanford.

So, while we celebrate the accomplishments of Greg Henderson and Darragh O’Neill, it with the understanding that there is still a great deal of work to be done in Boulder before the Buffs are amongst the elite in the Pac-12.

December 8th

Ryan Miller second-team All-American

Colorado had one player named to the All-Pac-12 team last week, an offensive lineman.

On the second-team All-Pac-12 offensive team was …

… sophomore offensive tackle David Bakhtiari.

So when the All-American teams were announced, it was only natural that the only member of the 2011 Buffs to be honored would be an offensive lineman …

… senior offensive guard Ryan Miller.

On Thursday, Ryan Miller was named second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

It’s the oldest All-America team in college athletics, as the organization was the first to select one back in 1889. This is the 122nd team, which is selected by head coaches and sports information directors in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).  

Miller, 6-8, 295 pounds, prepped at Littleton’s Columbine High School and was a member of CU’s 2007 recruiting class.  His true sophomore season was cut short due to a broken fibula, but he played in the season’s first four games, more than enough to letter, and became the just the ninth player out of almost 2,000 lettermen in school history to earn five letters.

“It sure feels good.  I feel honored and I am very thankful to have played five seasons in front of all the Buff fans at Folsom Field and for coach Embree this year,” Miller told cubuffs.com.  “It’s been an honor and pleasure.”

He set the school record for the most career games started with 47 (48 including the 2007 Independence Bowl), breaking the old marks of 45 overall (ILB Jordon Dizon) and 44 by an offensive player (held by two players); he started the last 37 games of his career.  From his redshirt sophomore through his senior seasons, he played 2,548 snaps, all but two of the team’s total.  In 3,320 career plays, he allowed just five sacks, allowed only nine pressures and was called for 10 penalties, only four in his last three seasons.  In his career, he had three position coaches: Jeff Grimes for his first two, then Denver Johnson for two, and Steve Marshall his senior year. 

“We’re real proud of the accomplishments he had this year,” Marshall said.  “He played extremely well the second half of the season and deserves every honor he gets.  It’s rare for a college player to have to endure three different position coaches in their career … change can be unsettling dealing with new philosophies and teaching techniques.  But Ryan worked extremely hard under the new circumstances and just got better and better each week and had a heck of a year as it turned out.”

This past season as one of four team captains, he played 850 snaps from scrimmage, all but one of the CU’s total (the one was allowing another senior to finish the Arizona game).  He graded out to 83.3 percent on the season, coming on strong the last half of the season (88.8 percent in the final six games), and posted 80 percent or better grades in 11 games, with a season-best 90.1 versus Arizona.  He led the team with 40 “great effort blocks,” awarded for knockdowns, downfield blocks, touchdown blocks (which he had three) and blowing opponents off the line (not pancakes).  He was called for just two penalties, and allowed a single quarterback pressure and just one sack. 

Miller was one of 65 players on the official preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy (one of 14 guards to make the list) and was one of 15 guards on the 125-man official watch list for the Lombardi Award.

December 6th

Programs! Get your programs!

Want to be the smartest guy in the sports bar?

Commit to memory the latest conference alignments.

The Big East has morphed into the Big Continent, adding Boise State and San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference, to go with SMU, Houston, and Central Florida (all from Conference USA). And these five teams will be joining …

see, it’s hard.

Okay, the remaining members of the Big East*, at least for football, are: Cincinnati; Louisville; Rutgers; UConn; and South Florida … which gives the Big East ten teams altogether. (Navy and Air Force are still being courted as football only members, to bring the league up to 12 teams – the magic number for a lucrative championship game).

*Subject to litigation – The Big East is trying to keep defectors West Virginia, Syracuse and Pittsburgh around for two more years. Currently, West Virginia has a lawsuit against the Big East, so stay tuned …

What about the Big 12?

Well, Missouri and Texas A&M are off to the SEC, which would leave the Big 12 with eight of its original 12 members … but the league is adding TCU (formerly of the Big East – for about a month – and the Mountain West) and West Virginia (from the Big East), which brings the Big 12, at some point in the near future … back to ten members (but the league has indicated that it might not be done with expansion).

And the Mountain West Conference?

Damned if I know …

Gone over the past two years are TCU, Boise State, San Diego State, BYU, Utah … and now possibly Air Force.

Left are Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico, and UNLV, to be supplemented by Fresno State and Hawai’i (both looking for new head coaches) and Nevada. Hawai’i is not scheduled to join the league until 2013, but if Air Force leaves, and Hawai’i doesn’t join early …

the Mountain West Conference will have six teams in 2012 …

Or am I missing somebody? (Utah State, perhaps?)

In any event, if I am looking at becoming the head coach at Colorado State, I’m looking at a conference with no chance at a BCS bowl bid … but one which could be dominated in pretty short order.

So, to earn your free drinks at your local sports bar, or to impress your friends at your Super Bowl party, try these stumpers:

1) What current member of the Mountain West is the only returning member of the conference to have a winning record in 2011?

2) What current member of the Mountain West is the last to win a Mountain West Conference championship?

Answers:

1) Wyoming, 8-4 and heading to the New Mexico (to face Temple, in case you were wondering);

2) Colorado State, in 2002.

December 5th

Pac-12 Underdogs in six out of seven bowl games

Oregon is the only favorite. The Ducks are given six points against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

The biggest underdog is Arizona State against Boise State in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl: 13.5 points. UCLA is the smallest, getting 2.5 from Illinois in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

Oklahoma State is favored by 3.5 over Stanford in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Baylor is favored by 10 over Washington in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Texas is favored by 3.5 over California in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday. Georgia Tech is favored by three over Utah in the Hyundai Sun.

So, if things go by expectations, the Pac-12 should go a terrible 1-6 this bowl season…

Cliff Harris era finally over at Oregon

At least he kept the Buffs from being shut out at home for the first time since 1986 …

Harris, who was suspended for the final games of the year, earned All-American honors in 2010 and was a consensus 2011 preseason All-American, but he never impressed Ducks coaches as much as he impressed some fans and some media. He didn’t start until the second half of the 2010 season, and he didn’t see much action when he returned from a suspension this year.

Harris was credited with just nine tackles and one interception in six games this season. He finished his career with 61 tackles and eight interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. He scored touchdowns on four of 38 punt returns, though two were against woeful New Mexico in the 2010 opener.

He also was suspended from the team — he missed the opener against LSU — after he was stopped by police for driving 118 mph with a suspended license on the interstate. Dashboard camera footage from an Oregon State Police patrol car during the June 12, 4:30 a.m. traffic stop included this memorable exchange:

Patrolman: “Who’s got the marijuana in the car?”
Harris: “We smoked it all.”

(And don’t forget, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas was in the car when it was pulled over … never investigated, never missed a down).

December 4th

Pac-12 Bowl partners set

While the national championship game will be an All-SEC affair, the Pac-12 has some interesting bowl matchups.

Rose Bowl – No. 6 Oregon v. No. 9 Wisconsin

Fiesta Bowl – No. 4 Stanford v. No. 3 Oklahoma State

Alamo – Washington v. No. 15 Baylor

Sun – Utah v. Georgia Tech

Holiday – Cal v. Texas

Las Vegas – Arizona State v. No. 8 Boise State

Kraft Fight Hunger – UCLA* v. Illinois

* UCLA, despite a 6-7 record, was allowed by the NCAA to participate in a bowl game

It’s hard not to see the Pac-12 entry being the underdog in all but perhaps the Rose Bowl, and even the Oregon/Wisconsin game will be close.

It will be interesting to see whether Stanford will face an Oklahoma State team disappointed at missing out on the national championship game – or one determined to show that they belonged in New Orleans instead of Tempe.

Washington and Arizona State got tough draws, both getting ranked teams with agendas. Boise State is always looking to impress, and travels well. The Sun Devils, still without a future head coach being named, will have little to play for in Las Vegas other than trying to avoid a losing season (6-6 heading in).

Washington, meanwhile, heads off to the state of Texas to play a Baylor team not only excited to be playing close to home, has a team which defeated both Oklahoma and Texas in the same season since … well, ever. The Bears are coming off of a 48-24 win over the Longhorns, the second-highest total for Baylor over Texas ever (and the first time the Bears have beaten the Longhorns in back-to-back seasons since taking four straight … in 1935-38.

Rodney Stewart named MVP – Hansen, Clemons, Pericak, Hartigan, Behrens and Henderson also honored

Senior tailback Rodney Stewart was named by his University of Colorado teammates as the Buffaloes’ 2011 Most Valuable Player, according to a press release from cubuffs.com.

Stewart led the team in rushing with 854 yards, becoming the first player in school history to lead the team in four seasons, which he did in consecutive years. He also led the team in receptions with 45, gaining 571 yards; he was the first player in the nation (and just one of three) to have 500 yards rushing and receiving in 2011, and became just the 12th player in CU history to have 500 of each for a career. His 1,686 all-purpose yards were the sixth-most in a season at Colorado, despite the fact that he missed the better part of four games with knee and ankle injuries.

He missed most of the second half in CU’s season finale at Utah with a sprained ankle, thwarting his effort to become the 27th player in the NCAA (FBS) history to have 3,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a career. Otherwise, Stewart made an indelible mark on CU record book, finishing with 809 rushing attempts (first), 3,598 yards (second), 25 rushing touchdowns (10th), 150 points (tied for 18th) and 16 100-yard games (second). He was first in receptions by a running back with 93 (tied for 14th overall) for 969 yards (first by a running back, 26th overall), while amassing 3,635 yards of total offense (11th), 4,567 yards from scrimmage (first) and 4,828 all-purpose yards (first).

Senior wide receiver Toney Clemons and senior quarterback Tyler Hansen were named the John Mack Award winners as the team’s most outstanding players on offense. Clemons was second in receptions (45) but first in receiving yards (680), with team-bests of 15.8 yards per receptions and eight touchdowns. He was on fire the last five games of the season, catching 25 balls for 476 yards (19.0 per), with five touchdowns. He closes his career with three 100-yard games in his last four, and with 86 receptions (tie-18th), 1,162 yards (17th, just four yards behind CU head coach Jon Embree in 16th); and 11 touchdown catches (tie-9th).

Hansen threw for 2,883 yards and 20 touchdowns, completing 56.1 percent of his passes in starting 12 of 13 games this year. Those were the second-most passing yards in a single season at CU, as were his 2,998 yards of total offense, trailing only Koy Detmer’s 1996 numbers in both. He finished in the top five in five major passing categories: 872 attempts (third), 505 completions (third), 5,705 yards (fourth), 35 TD passes (fourth), 6,183 yards of total offense (fourth). He also tied the school record for the most 200-yard passing games in a season with nine in 2011.

Senior outside linebacker Josh Hartigan and junior defensive tackle Will Pericak shared the Dave Jones Award as the team’s outstanding defensive players. Hartigan led the Buffaloes in sacks for the second straight season, recording eight, which gave him 15 for his career, tying him for 12th all-time with his position coach, Kanavis McGhee. Overall, he had 31 tackles, 24 solo and 10 for losses, with seven hurries, three third down stops and a pass broken up. Pericak was fourth on the team in tackles with 64 (33 solo, two for losses), with a team-high eight hurries. He also had five third down stops, three tackles for zero, two passes broken up, a caused interception and a blocked kick, a PAT try by Cal, the first blocked by a CU player since 2005.

The Lee Willard Award for the most outstanding freshman went to cornerback Greg Henderson, who played in all 13 games, started 12, with his 823 snaps from scrimmage being the most any true freshman has ever played in a single season at Colorado. He had 58 tackles, seventh most on the team that included 44 solo, three for losses and a quarterback sack, along with a team-high nine passes broken up, six third down stops, four touchdown saves, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Pericak also was one of three players to earn the Dean Jacob Van Ek Award for academic achievement; senior defensive backs Anthony Perkins and Travis Sandersfeld shared the honor. Both Pericak (3.43 grade point average) and Sandersfeld (3.38) are majoring in Business-Finance, while Perkins graduated with a degree in Integrative Physiology last December and has been working toward a second in History.

The coaching staff reduced the number of team awards from 20 to five, but did not rule out renewing some in the future or transferring to the spring.

In all, 70 players earned letters this season, including all 28 seniors and 25 cited as first-year lettermen with 15 of those players true freshmen. The breakdown included 32 players on offense, 33 on defense and five specialists.

The complete list of CU award winners announced Sunday; the most valuable player was selected by the players and all others by the coaching staff:

Zack Jordan Award – (most valuable player, selected by teammates): TB Rodney Stewart

John Mack Award – (outstanding offensive player): WR Toney Clemons, QB Tyler Hansen

Dave Jones Award – (outstanding defensive player): OLB Josh Hartigan, DT Will Pericak

Lee Willard Award – (outstanding freshman): CB Greg Henderson

Dean Jacob Van Ek Award – (academic excellence): OL Blake Behrens, SS Anthony Perkins, CB Travis Sandersfeld

Best Interview – (selected by team beat media): WR Toney Clemons

Previously announced:

Buffalo Heart Award – (selected by “the fans behind the bench”): TB Rodney Stewart

Congratulations to all!

2012: Buffs to avoid facing a BCS team until Pac-12 play begins

Bring on the Big Sky!

Colorado has only played two Big Sky teams (as FCS teams, anyway) in school history, but will face a third next September 8th.

It was announced this weekend that the Buffs fill face off against Sacramento State between games at Mile High against Colorado State and on the road against Fresno State.

While a game against a 1-AA team suggests an easy win, Buff fans know otherwise. In 2006, Dan Hawkins made his debut as head coach with a 19-10 loss to Montana State. Then, in 2008, Colorado had all it could handle from Eastern Washington, before a late touchdown return for an interception sealed the victory.

What can Buff fans expect from Sacramento State?

Hard to say.

The Hornets opened the 2011 season with an upset of Oregon State in Corvallis – which should give the Buff Nation pause right there. A few weeks later, Sacramenton State defeated the Montana Grizzlies for the first time ever (17 meetings). The only other victories, though, were against lowly Northern Colorado (0-11 this fall) and Idaho State (2-9, with victories only over Western State and Northern Colorado).

At the end of the campaign, the Hornets were looking at a 4-7 overall record. Sacamento State lost four of its last five games, but those four losses were by a total of 21 points.

Still, it’s nitpicking for Colorado coaches and players to worry about Sacramento State’s record. The Hornets are 1-AA, and should be taken to the woodshed by the Buffs.

Of course, that’s what Oregon State fans thought this past September …

2012 Non-Conference schedule

With the Sacramento State game set, the Buffs now know their three non-conference opponents. Colorado will open September 1st in Denver against Colorado State (3-9, with an eight game losing streak to end the 2011 season), at home against Sacramento State (4-7, 3-5 in Big Sky play), and on the road against Fresno State (4-9 after a 35-28 loss to San Diego State Saturday night. Pat Hill, the head coach for 17 years in Fresno, may or may not be on the sidelines come next September).

That’s a combined record of 11-25 for Colorado’s first three opponents, with only one of those 11 victories coming over a BCS team (Sacramento State’s victory over Oregon State). Conversely, five of the victories came over teams which are 1-AA or below (including two over Northern Colorado).

Only twice before in the modern era (since 1962) has Colorado not faced a BCS conference team in non-conference play. In 1998, Colorado faced off against CSU, Fresno State, and Utah State, while in 2001, Colorado played CSU, Fresno State, and San Jose State.

Buff fans will be looking for a 3-0 record to start the 2012 season.

The issue at hand is whether Colorado, which already will have four new Pac-12 head coaches with which to contend, will have two brand new head coaches to face in the non-conference schedule. Colorado State seems destined to part ways with Steve Fairchild, who has produced three consective 3-9 seasons, while in Fresno, Pat Hill may have worn out his welcome at a school which he put on the national map.

The safest of the three non-conference coaches is probably Marshall Sperbeck at Sacramenton State. Despite a 4-7 record in 2011, and a 24-32 record in five seasons, Sperbeck isn’t likely to get fired this off-season. Last year, Sperbeck led the Hornets to a 6-5 record … the first winning record in Sacramento since 2000.

December 1st

Colorado State hires a new athletic director … Will Fairchild be the next to go?

November 29th

Target 2012: Bowl Game

Beat CSU – check; Win final home game for the seniors – check; get rid of the damn road losing streak – check.

While the Buffs were not able to check too many of their goals for the 2011 season, winning two of the final three games does leave room for quiet optimism for the 2012 season.

And time for a new set of goals.

“We can start talking about that because we’ve won on the road,” head coach Jon Embree said at his press conference Tuesday. “I don’t think you can talk about those goals until you start winning on the road. As this program continues to grow and flourish and progress, that (bowl) should be the next step for us.”

Embree also noted that the importance of winning in November can’t be overestimated.

Winning two of the last three “helps validate some of the things we’ve been talking to recruits about,” he said. “If you’re going to get to a bowl game, you’ve got to win in November.”

When future opponents see CU on their November schedules, Embree would like them to recognize that the Buffs “are playing their best football.”

As for recruiting …

Embree indicated that he expects to sign 28 prospects, using three scholarships “held” from the Class of 2011 to go with the full 25 allowed annually.

Embree also stated that he isn’t into “over-signing” – the practice of signing more than 25 and counting on attrition of some sort bringing the number back to the limit.

“Unless you know you’re signing Player X in case so-and-so doesn’t qualify or is hurt or is a candidate to gray shirt . . . I’m all for it,” he said. “The other way, I don’t know. If you sign a kid and then sign someone else you think is better and put that (first) kid out, I’m not for that.”

CU’s priorities in the 2012 class will be tight ends, cornerbacks and defensive linemen. Embree expects to sign at least three tight ends, five defensive linemen and three or four corners.

At least three recruits are scheduled to enroll for the spring semester, with the possibility of that number increasing to five to seven. Embree said even though finding junior college transfers who qualify under CU’s strict admission standards is challenging, “there are some JC guys we’re looking at.” (Including at least one offensive lineman, Alexandru Ceachir, who will be taking an official visit to Boulder this weekend. Program Note: I will have a full list of visiting players – now up to at least six – profiled on Thursday night or Friday morning) 

Upon his hiring last December, Embree said his recruiters would be unlikely to stray out of the Buffs’ established recruiting footprint unless bona fide prospects contacted CU. That apparently has happened with at least four recruits in Washington, D.C., and New Jersey – normally unusual areas for the Buffs to be visiting.

In a geographical breakdown of his staff’s recruiting territories, Embree said offensive coordinator/running backs coach Eric Bieniemy and defensive ends coach Kanavis McGhee would visit the D.C./New Jersey prospects because of the positions they play and not necessarily because Bieniemy and McGhee are assigned to recruit those areas.

As Embree promised, CU’s heaviest out-of-state focus is on California and Texas, with at least eight staffers assigned to recruit portions of each state. Embree said while “it’s been good to get back into Houston and Dallas,” San Antonio “is turning out to be pretty good for us. We got a couple there last year and there’s a couple with interest this year.”

Prospects’ overall reception of CU, despite the 3-10 final record, has been positive, he said: “We’ve had good responses from recruits. There’s the athlete that wants to go to a readymade situation. Then, there’s still some good athletes out there that want to go play in a good conference and want to be around good coaches . . . those are the ones that we’ve been hearing a lot from.

“There’s some other good players, but because of our record they don’t have an interest in us. It’ll be like that every year. But as you continue to build and improve on things, I think eventually those kinds of athletes will be interest in Colorado.”

Jon Major Pac-12 Defensive Player-of-the-Week

Jon Major, a junior from Parker, Colo., had nine tackles, including two tackles for loss totaling nine yards in the 17-14 win at Utah. He also had a sack in the fourth quarter for seven yards. Major and the Buffalo defense limited Utah to just 39 yards and one first down in the half. Utah’s 274 yards were the second lowest allowed by Colorado this season behind 243 by Colorado State.

Major is the third Buff to be honored as a Pac-12 Player-of-the-Week this season. Sophomore wide receiver Paul Richardson was honored for his record-setting 284-yard receiving effort against Cal, while senior defensive back Travis Sandersfeld was honored after the Buffs’ victory over Arizona.

This season, every team in the Pac-12 has had at least one representative on the Player-of-the-Week list. The breakdown: USC 8; Washington 5; Oregon State 5; Utah 5; Colorado 3; Oregon 3; Stanford 2; Washington State 2; Arizona State 2; Cal 2; Arizona 1; and UCLA 1.

Other Pac-12 Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year: Mychal Kendricks, LB, California

Freshman Offensive Co-Players of the Year: Marqise Lee, WR, USC and De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon

Freshman Defensive Player of the Year: Dion Bailey, LB, USC

Coach of the Year: David Shaw, Stanford

All-Pac-12 Team

With a 3-10 team, it was not entirely surprising that only one Colorado player was named to the Pac-12 team.

Any guesses?

On the second-team All-Pac-12 offensive team was …

… sophomore offensive tackle David Bakhtiari.

Congratulations to David. It will be nice to have him along the line for the next two seasons!

Pac-12 title game has the feel of the 2005 Big 12 championship game

Colorado fans would be forgiven if they are feeling a little sense of deja vu this week, as unranked and tattered UCLA heads up to Eugene to get thumped on by Oregon in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game.

With the best team in the South, USC, home gloating over its season-ending 50-0 thrashing of the Bruins, UCLA nonetheless backed into the title game when Utah lost to Colorado, and Arizona State imploded down the stretch. The 6-6 Bruins are a 30-point underdog to the Ducks, and the line could go even higher.

Head coach Rick Neuheisel was informed Monday that he would not be retained as head coach, but would be allowed to coach the Pac-12 title game.

Sound like 2005 to you? The Buffs were humbled by Nebraska, 30-3, in the 2005 regular-season finale, but still backed into the title game because Iowa State – for the second year in a row – couldn’t make a field goal in its final game of the season. The Buffs’ reward was to head off to Houston to play a Texas team with Vince Young and national title aspirations. The CU head coach, Gary Barnett, was rumored to be on his way out, and the Buffs played as if they didn’t care.

Texas did care, though, and the final score was 70-3. Two days later, Barnett was gone.

70-3 … sounds about right for this weekend’s game …

Preview – Arizona

Colorado has never gone winless for a season in Folsom Field.

Opened in 1924, Colorado has played football at Folsom Field (first known as Colorado Stadium - the name was changed in 1944 after the death of the Buffs’ legendary head coach) for 87 seasons, and the Buffs have never – never – gone winless at home for an entire year.

The Buffs are 0-4 at home in 2011.

In a season in which the school’s longest road losing streak in history has been extended throughout the season, the Buffs this Saturday, on Senior Day, will attempt to avoid having yet another negative record associated with their legacy.

Fortunately for the home team, the schedule presents the best opportunity for victory in over a month.

Arizona comes to Boulder with a 2-7 record, 1-6 in the Pac-12. Discounting a season-opening victory over 1-AA Northern Arizona, the Wildcats have just one victory in their last 13 games against 1-A competition, dating back to a five game slide to end the 2010 season. The Wildcats are coached by Tim Kish, named as interim coach after eight-year head coach Mike Stoops was fired a month ago. Arizona ranks 100th or worse in no fewer than eight statistical categories, including rushing offense, total defense, pass defense, and scoring defense.

Yet there is one last number, a number more significant than those posted above … Arizona is an 11-point favorite.

Neither Colorado nor Arizona will go bowling in 2011.

Which team still has the will to win?

Onto this week’s “T.I.P.S.” to find out …

T – Talent

The Colorado/Arizona game will likely come down to the performance of one player … Wildcat quarterback Nick Foles.

As Foles goes, so goes Arizona. Last weekend, Foles put up good numbers against Utah, throwing for 326 yards and two touchdowns. But it was the two interceptions Foles threw, including an interception with Arizona at the Utah two-yard line in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Utes to come away with a 34-21 victory.

The Arizona senior quarterback is second all-time in Wildcat history in passing yards and touchdowns, and already holds school records for pass completions and consecutive pass attempts without an interception. In 2009, Foles posted the second-best completion percentage in school history (63.41%). Last season, Foles upped his completion percentage to 67.13%. This year, Foles has fared even better, completing 68.8% of his passes.

In all but one game this season, Foles has thrown at least 39 passes. His primary target is senior wide receiver Juron Criner. Hampered by injuries this fall, Criner has still posted 50 receptions for 607 yards and eight touchdowns. Juron Criner reaggravated a knee injury against Utah and did not practice Monday, but he should be able to play this week.

Participation of Oregon stars still undetermined

According to Ken Goe of the Oregonian, it is unlikely that Oregon star running back LaMichael James will be on the field Saturday, trying to extend his streak of 200-yard rushing games to four games.

“As best I can discern from standing outside of Oregon’s practices, James won’t have taken a meaningful practice repetition since before dislocating his right elbow on Oct. 6 against California”, wrote Goe.

“With backup Kenjon Barner in the lineup, the Ducks (5-1, 3-0) don’t fall off much, if at all. Barner put up 171 yards rushing last week against a pretty good Arizona State defense.

“The Ducks have De’Anthony Thomas and Tra Carson in reserve. And let’s face it, Colorado (1-6, 0-3) isn’t the toughest test Oregon will face in the last half of the season.”

Ouch … but he’s not inaccurate.

As for quarterback Darron Thomas, the Buffs may see the Ducks’ quarterback Saturday.

“Quarterback Darron Thomas is a different story”, believes Goe. “There are conflicting reports about whether Thomas has practiced this week, and if he has, whether he has been repping with the first offense.

“Thomas left last week’s win over Arizona State with some sort of left knee problem. But if he is physically ready to play, I think he will.”

Then again, unless the unthinkable happens and Oregon gets into trouble against the Buffs, a prudent coach would want to rest his stars for upcoming battles against Washington and Stanford.

But “prudent” isn’t a word often associated with Oregon head coach Chip Kelly …

October 18th

Jon Embree Press Conference Quotes

On If He’s Ever Experienced This Many Injuries To A Team – “No I have not. Injuries are part of it and I just figure that at some point it is going to even out for us. Unfortunately, it will not be this year. At the same time, we did some things early in camp – whether it was scrimmaging guys and knowing the nature of our schedule without a bye, it was important that we were ready to play and had guys that were in a situation that had some kind of comfort level when they got thrown into a game. We have played 13 freshmen. I met with the freshmen yesterday, I told them that I was proud of them and how they have handled this because some of the guys have had to burn their redshirt a little later than you would probably like, like a Woodson Greer. Malcolm Creer is looking at that, but at the same time they are excited about playing and they were prepared. Woodson has played well when he’s been thrown in there so late into the season. I’m proud of those guys, and it’s part of the game, but that is ok. We just keep competing and keep fighting and that is one of the things that I talked to the team about, ‘The other team is not going to feel sorry for you, so we’re not either. We are going to go out and compete. We are going to go out there and whoever is representing the University of Colorado on the field, do it to the best of your abilities. Play with great effort and we’ll see what happens.’”

On Keeping The Defense’s Spirits Up – “I tell them to focus on today and then focus at the task at hand. It is what it is. We can’t control that, we have to worry about what we can control. That is effort, that is being assignment sound, that is playing as fast as we can play and that is when an opportunity comes to make a play, try and do it. You are not going to get, ‘Woe is me,’ and I’m not going to let the guys on the team walk around and sulk about it either. We have a great opportunity this week. We get to play Oregon, and that is how we have to look at it.”

On What The Defense Can Do To Be Assignment Sound This Week – Practice. All we can do is practice. From assignment sound, it was more technique. Sometimes we would get caught in a situation of just trying to do our job, instead of knowing how to do our job. We have to be better technique wise, and again, just turn it loose. I think sometimes you get to where you don’t want to make a mistake. You are never going to play a perfect game. You are going to make mistakes and you can still have success, so let’s do if full speed ahead instead of making mistakes going at half speed.”

On The Linebacker Position and Maybe Moving Some Freshmen Up – “No, I don’t know. We are going to look at that. There are a couple of different things that I’m sure we are going to evaluate with coach (Greg) Brown and coach (Brian) Cabral to try and get the best 11 out there, but we haven’t settled on what we are actually going to do.”

On Possibly Pulling Malcolm Creer’s Redshirt In A Game – “We told him that we are bringing him up and we are preparing him. If it happens, it happens. If the situation presents itself where he doesn’t have to do it, then that is what we’ll do. He is all for it, we have had good conversations with him and he is excited about the opportunity.”

On Trying To Keep Malcolm Creer’s Redshirt – “Yeah, I believe that is what you try to do, but at the same time, I don’t know how long Speedy (Rodney Stewart) is out, hopefully it is not very long, but who knows. So you have to prepare him and at some point you have to decide to get him in there so that he has some game action, so maybe his first time isn’t in there in a disaster situation. Those are all different things that we have to look at as a staff. I trust (offensive coordinator) Eric (Bieniemy) and his judgment and like I said, Malcolm is all in. So we’ll see what happens.”

On Injury Update – “Shawn Daniels, I don’t think so. Daniel Munyer, possibly. P-Rich (Paul Richardson), probably not. Travis Sandersfeld, could be. Josh Hartigan, yes.”

On If His Team Can Be More Physical Up Front – “I’ll have to answer that one on Saturday. I don’t know. Will Pericak and Conrad (Obi) and Curtis (Cunningham), Nick Kasa, they have their work cut out, so we’ll see if we can do it for 60 minutes and get after them. They do a great job, you can say ‘Beat them up,’ but Auburn and LSU also ran with them. You are not going to play you in a phone booth. You can’t say that you are going to beat them up and play between the hashes. You have 53 yards of width that you have to try and defend with them. And they try and create one-on-one matchups and put you in a situation where if you make a mistake, with they’re speed it’s over, the band is playing. You have to be very technique sound and assignment sound. Those teams, they got them physical, but they were able to run with them too.”

On What Is The Team’s Identity Now – “We still want to be able to try to run the ball. We show flashes every game. Offensively, we show flashes every game of being able to run it. We need to get consistency. Our identity hasn’t developed because we haven’t been consistent on what we want to do. We flash, whether it is a quarter or a half, we have to get better at that. We took a stop back in our pass protection. We were sacked five times or something like that last week and I thought we had been doing pretty well on that front. Right now, for our identity, it is really about consistency and what we are trying to do, be it run the ball, be it play physical. I thought we took a step back tackling last week a little bit. Part of it could be because guys are beat up, you maybe don’t go in there with the same intensity as you do when you are feeling good. We have to continue to stay the course, we have to continue to work on getting better and work on being consistent. That is the first step in a program I think is have consistency in what you do, then wins come and then through recruiting, you improve to where you are winning consistently, not just winning here-and-there. Then you get to a point where you have a different mindset, a different set of confidence and then you have a chance to play for championships.”

Of If There Is A Tendency To Not Go As Hard In Practice If The Team Is Playing 13 Straight Games “No, we have to go. When you are dealing with college athletes, there is a fine line of not going because as I told you, if we don’t work on tackling or work on certain fundamentals in blocking and technique, we are not guys that are going to show up and all of a sudden do it on Saturday. So you have to keep work it, and unfortunately some of the things that you have to work and improve on, there is no easy way around it. Yeah, we don’t have some things that might help us, but we knew that coming into the season. The way we practice, we are not full pads this week, but we’ll be in shells and practicing at full speed. We won’t necessarily be cut blocking like we did last week, but you can’t shut it down and say, ‘We’ll let’s get them there Saturday,’ and you get there on Saturday and you can’t run, block or tackle.”

On Appealing To The Team’s Pride With Being An Underdog – “I don’t feel like I have to appeal to my team’s pride. I feel that they have enough pride in what they do. They have enough professionalism, so to speak, to understand that they have to show up and compete. When you are a competitor, it doesn’t matter, you go there and do the best you can and you do it at the maximum effort. That is what you do as a competitor, that is what you do when you have pride in the fact that your representing a program that your family is watching, your friends are watching. If you don’t have enough in you to go and compete, then shame on me for letting you stay on this team. I felt like our staff, we have done a good job, I feel like our leadership council has done a good job of keeping things going the right direction and looking forward to the next game. We had a good practice yesterday. I expect to have a good practice today. I expect it to be a lot of energy. I told the coaches that we are going to be up-tempo in everything that we do and keep getting after it. Like I said, there is no, ‘Woe is me,’ it is what it is and let’s go, let’s go play. Some of these guys only have six chances to ever play football again. As an ex-football player, as an ex-athlete, you will miss that day when you don’t get to compete. You will miss that day when you can’t play anymore. If that is not enough to go out there and play your heart out, then you probably shouldn’t have been here in the first place.”

On If He Is Seeing Any Improvement – “I do in different areas. I have seen improvement, but again, getting all  of the improvement in the right areas in one game. That is what we need to do. I think offensively, we did some good things last week. Again, the running game was moving in the right direction. We had some opportunities that we missed early, I think we were pressing a little bit in the stand point that we were struggling on the other side, feeling like you had to do it every time you had the ball. I think some things uncharacteristically done on the offensive side, but when we settled down and just played, I thought we did a pretty good job. I have seen improvement on that side of the football and in a few areas; if we didn’t have as many sacks, that would have made me feel a little bit better. Defensively, we took a step back. We are getting better at penalties. Our coverage units are getting better at special teams. You can see where having more starts is showing up, but we are also getting some guys dinged too, but you have to do it now. Yes, there are small – I don’t want to say victories – but there are weekly improvements, there are.”

October 17th

Star linebacker lost for the season

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse …

Junior linebacker Doug Rippy, one of the few stars of the much-maligned Colorado defense, has been lost for the season with torn ligaments in his knee.

Rippy will undergo season-ending surgery “in the near future,” according to the athletic department.

Rippy was injured in the second half of Saturday’s loss at Washington. He is Colorado’s leading tackler this season with 62 tackles and three quarterback sacks.

Rippy’s cousin Rodney Stewart suffered a severely-sprained knee in the same game. That injury is expected to keep the CU running back out of action between two to four weeks. Stewart is the Buffs’ leading rusher with 473 yards and is the second-leading receiver with 28 catches for 435 yards. His 1,169 all-purpose yards rank 14th in the NCAA this season.

CU will also be without wide receiver Kyle Cefalo this Saturday against No. 9 Oregon. Cefalo scored a touchdown against Washington, but suffered a knee sprain late in the game. Cefalo had two catches against Washington, giving him eight on the season.

Buffs now have four players who are out for the season: Blake Behrens (shoulder), Jered Bell (knee) and Tony Poremba (concussion) are all out for the year. Offensive tackle Jack Harris (broken ankle) is likely out for the season, but has a chance to return in November.

Who else is out for the Oregon game?

Wide receiver Paul Richardson and defensive backs Brian Lockridge and Travis Sandersfeld.

According to cubuffs.com, Colorado has thus far in 2011 lost a total of 59 games to injury by players who figured in either the two-deep or prominently on special teams, or just under 20 percent of the possible 308 (seven games times 44). That projects to be the second-highest figure in the last 25 seasons at the school.

Unfortunately, most of the above players would not be eligible for a medical red-shirt. Players are eligible for a medical redshirt so long as they appear in fewer than 30 percent of a team’s games and do not play past the midway point of the season. Anyone on the above list who made as far as the Ohio State game, therefore, would not be eligible to apply for a medical redshirt.

Any good news?

Senior linebacker Josh Hartigan, held out of the Washington game, is probable for the Oregon game. Senior offensive lineman Shawn Daniels, who has yet to see the playing field this fall, may also be available.

Out of many, one.

One drive. One score. One victory.

Will the Colorado State game, more precisely, the fourth quarter of the Colorado State game, be a turning point for the Colorado football program and its long-suffering Buff Nation?

Since December 6, 2010, when Jon Embree was named the 24th permanent head coach in Colorado football history, Embree has been preaching that it was time for the Colorado program to return to its successful roots. In order to do that, the Buffs had to re-establish a power running game. “When this program has been at its best,” Embree said at his introductory press conference, “it’s had its [players] come out on this field or go somewhere else and just line up and run you over.”

The Buffs appeared primed to do just that. Colorado returned the majority of its offensive line, a senior returning starter at quarterback, and one Rodney Stewart. The senior running back posted 1,318 rushing yards in 2010, and opened the 2011 season within shouting distance (1,196 yards) of becoming the all-time leading rusher in Colorado history.

The pieces in place, Colorado traveled to Hawai’i to take on a Warrior team which had surrendered 106 yards rushing to Rodney Stewart in the 2010 game in Boulder – and another 109 yards rushing to Brian Lockridge.

Thud.

In a 34-17 setback, Colorado as a team had 17 total yards rushing. Rodney Stewart, the only Buff to carry the ball, had 52 yards rushing on 18 carries.

Hardly the stuff of legend.

Up next was California. The Bears were decent against the rush in 2010 (132 yards per game), but returned only four starters on defense. The game in Berkeley in 2010 was an embarrassment, and the Buffs were ready to defend their home turf, showing Cal, the Pac-12, and the nation that the Buffs were back.

Not so much.

Colorado posted 582 yards of total offense, with quarterback Tyler Hansen and wide receiver Paul Richardson setting numerous records. Hansen set a new standard for passing, with 474 yards and three touchdowns, while Paul Richardson destroyed the all-time receiving yards record, besting the old record of 222 by 64 yards.

The power rushing game? Thirty-two carries for 108 yards. Rodney Stewart had 73 yards rushing on 24 carries, but, for the second week in a row, had more receiving yards than rushing yards.

After two games, the Colorado offense checked in at 114th in the nation in rushing. A paltry 62.5 yards per game; a pathetic 2.08 yards per carry average.

The offensive line, counted on to punch holes in opposing defenses, was in shambles. Both starting offensive tackles were injured. Sophomore David Bakhtiari, who started 11 games as a freshman in 2011, went down in the season opener. His replacement, junior Ryan Dannewitz, was injured in the second game. On the right side, sophomore Jack Harris broke his leg against Cal, and was lost for the remainder of the 2011 season.

An excuse? Perhaps. But even with the loss of the Buffs’ projected starters at tackle, Colorado was a disappointment when it came to running the ball.

Against Colorado State, the Buffs opened with a true freshman at left tackle, Alex Lewis. At right tackle, Dannewitz shared time with a senior who had never played an offensive snap before Cal game, Sione Tau. Starting center Daniel Munyer went down during the game, replaced by sophomore Gus Handler.

How did the patchwork line do?

Fair to middling.

The Buffs did post 145 yards rushing, more than the first two games combined. The average per carry improved significantly, from 2.08 in the first two games, to a 4.3 yards per carry against the Rams. Rodney Stewart rushed for 98 yards, with Tyler Hansen contributing 26 and freshman Tony Jones seeing his first action as a Buff, posting 23 yards on six carries.

The offensive line also contributed to the Buffs’ offensive frustrations as well. Senior right guard – and captain – Ryan Miller was called for a personal foul. Ryan Dannewitz was called for a holding penalty, while the freshman, Alex Lewis, was flagged twice for holding. Quarterback Tyler Hansen was sacked twice.

Even during the epic fourth quarter drive to put the game away, the offensive line was twice called for holding, contributing to the length – and duration – of the 85-yard drive.

Still, it says here that the 16-play, 85-yard, 10:03 drive helped turn the corner for the Colorado offense, and the Colorado offensive line.

When it came time to make a play, the Colorado offense made a play.

On third-and-seven at the Colorado 29-yard line, Tyler Hansen hit Rodney Stewart for 14 yards and a first down.

On third-and-two at the CSU 49-yard line, Rodney Stewart carried for three yards and a fresh set of downs.

On third-and-one at the CSU 32-yard line, Tyler Hansen kept the ball for two yards and a first down.

After the second holding call of the final drive, Tyler Hansen and Rodney Stewart turned a first-and-20 into a first down with a 26-yard swing pass.

On a third-and-two at the CSU six yard line, Rodney Stewart carried for four yards and a first-and-goal at the two.

A full two yards out from the goalline, the Buffs did not hesitate, with a quarterback sneak by Tyler Hansen for a touchdown.

Colorado entered the final drive of the game having converted four-of-11 third down opportunities. In the final drive, the Buffs went four-for-four on third down. The Buffs overcame their mistakes, and still made the plays when they needed to late in the game.

Twice, against Cal, the Buffs had the chance to put the game away. At the end of regulation, the Buffs were inside the Bear five yard line, but settled for a game-tying field goal instead of pushing the ball into the end zone. In overtime, the Buffs were inside the Bear five yard line, but again settled for a field goal.

Against Colorado State, the Colorado offense did not settle.  The Buffs took care of business, dominating the fourth quarter with a near-record setting drive. “We finally had an opportunity where we had the ball, we had the lead, and it was up to us to finish it off,” said head coach Jon Embree. “The thing that I am proud about with these guys is I think we had two holding penalties in that drive, and yet we still found a way to overcome ourselves. We made smart plays, guys staying in bounds – understanding that it is our job to keep the clock running – and then finishing in the end.”

Does that mean a corner has been turned? Does it mean that Colorado will now produce a dominating, downhill running, punishing running game?

Not likely. The schedule remains daunting, many difficulties remain to be ironed out, including the elimination of mental mistakes (read: penalties).

But, in time, the 2011 Colorado/Colorado State game may be remembered for more than just being the first victory of the Jon Embree era. It may be remembered for being more than the game with the ten-minute fourth quarter drive.

It may be remembered for being the game when the Dan Hawkins’ era finally ended, and the Jon Embree era began.

One drive. One score. One victory.

Out of many, one.

July 31st

Texas A&M serious about bolting to SEC

When Colorado was asked to join the Pac-12, it was cause for celebration in the Buff Nation.

When Texas announced the creation of the Longhorn Television Network, a multi-billion marriage with ESPN, Buff fans breathed a sigh of relief.

Colorado was very lucky not to be a part of the Texas et al. “Big 12″. Even after Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe was hailed for managing to hold the conference together last summer, it was clear that the new conference was retaining – in fact endorsing – a league of “haves” and “have nots”. Unlike the Pac-12, where the teams agreed to share television revenue equally, the Big 12 maintained (though it was modified slightly) a system where the more powerful schools (Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M) received a disproportionate amount of revenue.

The Texas Longhorn Network, though, irked even Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The TLN would not only bring in unprecedented revenue to the school – which the Longhorns didn’t have to share with the rest of the league – but would also give Texas exposure to recruits unavailable to other teams in the league.

Then, the TLN announced it was going to purchase a pair of tier two Big 12 games from Fox Sports, as well as show Texas high school football games.

This move may have been the last straw. Even Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe felt the move was too much. Beebe stepped up and put a moratorium on the network to prevent ESPN from moving forward with plans to show high school games and a TBA conference game. He hoped the edict would stop ESPN in its tracks and placate agitated conference members Texas A&M and Oklahoma that felt the LHN was expanding into programming areas that violated the spirit of the conference agreement cobbled together hastily last year in the face of realignment rumors that threatened to destroy the conference.

Now, the NCAA is getting involved, looking into the issue of broadcasting high school games on proprietary conference-specific and university-specific networks. This is an area without precedent, so the NCAA plans to collect information, with a meeting scheduled for August 22nd. At issue, though, is whether the NCAA can tell ESPN what it can and cannot show on one of its stations. 

So, if the NCAA and Dan Beebe can’t stop the TLN network from gaining in unfair advantage in recruiting – by showing Texas high school football games – what are the other teams in the Big 12 to do?

Explore other options, of course.

According to David Sandhop of Aggie Websider, Texas A&M administrators believe that ESPN is unlikely to compromise on the high school games and they are moving forward with an aggressive approach to programming meaning they are in no mood to compromise. If ESPN/Texas does not back down at the upcoming athletic directors meeting next week, this could be the tipping point. From a Texas A&M standpoint, that would likely be a move to the SEC.

As early as 2013.

If Texas A&M bolts, the Big 12 disintegrates.

As for other schools -

-  Missouri is also reportedly manuevering for an invite to the SEC, in a manner similar to the way the Tigers tried to manipulate their way into the Big Ten a year ago. Arkansas is believed to be in favor of a package which includes expanding the SEC West by two schools – Texas A&M and Missouri.

- Oklahoma is coveted by many members of the SEC, but the SEC isn’t interested in the Sooners’ little brother, Oklahoma State;

- Kansas is reportedly talking to … the Big East (why not? The “Big East” already includes TCU), with Kansas State perhaps coming along for the ride with the Jayhawks;

- Texas Tech still wants to be a member of the Pac-12, but that does not seem likely based upon the league’s criteria (read: the Red Raiders do not bring to the party enough television sets to justify the league expanding that far to the east – unless Texas comes along as well).

Stay tuned, Buff fans. If ESPN and the Texas Longhorn Network cannot be pursuaded to abandon the concept of televising Texas high school games (unlikely), Texas A&M and Oklahoma may see this recruiting advantage as too great a burdent to bear, and the Big 12 may fall apart …

… sooner rather than later. 

July 27th

The formation of the Pac-12 Network “all but eliminates” the possibility of Texas joining “Pac-16″

Lost in the details of the announcement of the formation of the Pac-12 Networks is the comment from Pac-12 commissioner that the structure of the Networks all but eliminates the chance that the Texas Longhorns will join the Pac-12, Pac-14, or Pac-16.

“I think you could certainly imply that, with the news of the (Pac-12 Networks), Larry Scott told the Austin American-Statesman. “The Longhorn Network would certainly be a huge impediment.”

While the Longhorns’ unwillingness to play fair and share will likely preclude Texas joining the Pac-16, that doesn’t mean that the Pac-12 has completely ruled out the possibility of expansion.  “It’s not something we are looking at now,” Scott told the newspaper. “We did our deal. We’re very happy with it. We’re not thinking or looking at expanding at the moment, but we are trying to create the strongest conference possible. I do feel there will be further expansion, and I want to be an attractive place to come.”

July 24th

Colorado to have multiple open practices

It’s going to be a busy August here at CU at the Game …

The first 18 fall practices, including the first two scrimmages, will be open to the public. Only practices after August 22nd, when preparation for the September 3rd opener against Hawai’i begins in earnest, will be closed.

Colorado head coach Jon Embree said he wants to embrace an open door policy as much as possible in the spring and during fall camp, but he also must be smart about just how much information makes its way to opponents. With the Buffs opening this season at Hawaii, there is less risk of that. However, Embree said practices could be closed if video, play-by-play analysis or extremely detailed reports are published by fans or media.

Cell phones will be prohibited for anyone who chooses to attend the open practices. Live blogging, tweeting, and posting to message boards and social media sites also are prohibited, according to policies announced by the sports information department. However, as has been the case with practices in the past, it will not take long for attendees to identify standout play and players.

Players report for physicals and a team meeting on Wednesday, August 3rd, with the first full practice to take place between 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Rivals puts out first team rankings list for Class of 2012

Signing Day for the Class of 2012 is still over six months away …

… but that also means that it has been almost six months since the first Wednesday of February, 2011, with six months for next year’s class to make their commitments known.

Colorado has 10 known commitments, far more than was ever the case in the Dan Hawkins era, which has resulted in the announcement of  the first team rankings on Monday all the more relevant to the Buff Nation.

Colorado’s 2012 Class is considered 50th best in the nation, which is a good thing, as the rankings only go to 50. The bad news is that the Colorado Class only rates 10th in the Pac-12, ahead of only Utah and Washington State.

USC leads the Pac-12 in the rankings, at least for now. The Trojans are ranked 11th overall, with nine commitments. However, USC is limited to 15 signees for the Class of 2012, so while there will still be quality in the Trojan recruiting class (seven of the nine commits are four star prospects), look for the overall ranking of the USC class to decline over the fall.

Second on the Pac-12 list is Stanford, at No. 15, followed closely by Cal, coming in at No. 17 (despite having only four known commitments for the 2012 class). A surprise at No. 4 in the Pac-12 is Oregon State, with the 21st-best class to date, while Arizona, as the fifth Pac-12 entry, rounds out the Top 25.

Also rated ahead of Colorado on the Rivals list are Oregon (No. 27), UCLA (No. 32), Washington (No. 34), and Arizona State (No. 39). As noted, only Utah and Washington State failed to make it into the first 50 on the Rivals list.

What does all this mean?

Absolutely nothing.

First, there are no guarantees that any of the players on any of the lists will remain with their teams coming Signing day. Second, player rankings are highly subjective, and will likely change dramatically as these players senior seasons unfold. Third, there are the ratings themselves. Colorado’s average player rating of 2.70 is higher than that of the players on the lists for UCLA, Washington, and Arizona State, but, because the total commitments of those schools are equal to or greater than Colorado’s, the overall team ranking is higher (this will work to Colorado’s “advantage” next February, as the Buffs are expected to sign a class of 28 or 29 players).

So, these team rankings mean absolutely nothing …

… and we’ll be following them closely for the next six months!

July 23rd

Ohio State avoiding “failure to monitor” label

When in doubt, thrown the coach under the bus.

It was apparent from the time of Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel’s firing turned resignation, that the strategy for the school was to center all of the blame on their once beloved coach. By saying that Jim Tressel acted alone, the institution hoped it might avoid more sweeping penalties from the NCAA.

And it appears that the strategy is working.

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Ohio State is avoiding the dreaded “failure to monitor” and “lack of institutional control” which would likely lead to losses of scholarships and bowl bans. The NCAA reportedly has not found any additional wrongdoings other than those which have been reported concerning the five players and their trading of memorabilia for tattoos and cash.

The NCAA infractions committee meets with the university on August 12th, with the banished Tressel expected to fall on the sword for the school, stating that he, and he alone, knew about what was going on with his players, and that he, and he alone, decided to keep the story secret. Tressel told the NCAA in a February interview that he knew NCAA sanctions were “inevitable” when he learned of the infractions, but that his “heart was torn out” out of concern for his players.

And the NCAA, without evidence to the contrary, might have to buy into the concept that the head coach was aware of wrongdoings by multiple players, but that every other member of the athetic department was in full compliance with NCAA rules, and never had a clue that anything might be going on with the gang of five.

Really?

It ain’t over ’till it’s over, but the self-imposed penalties Ohio State is taking – vacating last year’s victories (Who cares? Does that really mean – long term - anything to anyone?) and two year’s worth of probation (yawn) – might hold up.

If that proves to be the case, look for the rehabilitation of Jim Tressel to begin almost immediately thereafter. There are already plans for high school head coaches to wear a sweater vest and a tie during their first games this fall in honor of Tressel. The remaining Ohio State coaching staff and players will “play for Tressel” this fall.

You could then look for a “Jim Tressel Day” in say, 2014, honoring the coach who wrote about following the rules, but then decided that he was above them.

Why not?

If Ohio State does not receive any additional NCAA penalties, as a result of Tressel’s willingness to absorb all of the blame, a “Jim Tressel Day” would be the least the school could do for its former coach.

July 22nd

Colorado locker room picture

Quite impressive … !

Utah chooses opponent for its annual blackout game

Let the rivalry begin!

Utah has selected its opponent for its fourth annual blackout game, and the winner is …

Oregon State.

Colorado did not make the cut as Utah’s blackout opponent, a tradition on the newer side in Salt Lake City (started in 2008 v. TCU).

Washington will be the Utes Homecoming opponent (on October 1st), with the UCLA game on November 12th Utah’s “Salute America” game (the day after Veterans’ Day).

Colorado will be – of course – the Senior Day opponent, coming on the last home game of the season, but it is interesting that in Utah’s first season in the Pac-12, the Utes chose Oregon State for their Blackout opponent.

One benefit of the doubt to give the Utes – the game time for the CU/Utah game on November 25th has already been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. An afternoon game would lessen the impact of a blackout, and perhaps Utah sees the Oregon State game as the most likely to be chosen for a night game.

Or we can start the rivalry trash talk a bit early …

July 21st

Pac-12 Media Days start on Tuesday

The Pac-12 media days will start in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 26th, and concludes on Thursday on the east coast.

Fans can watch the morning’s press conferences on Pac-12.org. The three-day media blitz concludes July 28, 2011 on the East Coast.

Starting at 10:00 a.m. MT, a free live video stream of Tuesday’s Pac-12 Football Media Day will be available on Pac-12.org. Video featuring a player and coach from each of the Pac-12 teams will be posted on Pac-12.org for on-demand viewing throughout the day on Tuesday. Colorado will be represented by head coach Jon Embree and senior quarterback Tyler Hansen, starting at 12:15 p.m. The Buffs will be sandwiched between Arizona State and head coach Dennis Erickson, and UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel.

If you would want to have a good time, set aside 15 minutes at 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday – that’s when Oregon head coach Chip Kelly will speak to the media for the first time since the Willie Lyles story broke. Not surprisingly, Oregon is leaving at home its Heisman trophy candidate, running back LaMichael James (you know, the guy who calls Willie Lyles a mentor and a friend).

July 20th

“CU at …” Photo Contest award winners announced!

It’s never a slow news day when it comes to the University of Colorado football, but I had to cut short my postings today for another purpose …

Please join me in congratulating the winners of the “CU at … ” photo contest. Over 100 photos were entered, with the Buff Nation showing representation in all seven continents, over 20 countries, and over half of these United States!

The only downside to the contest for me was having to pick out 15 winners from all of the submissions. Thank you to all who participated, but I hope you will agree that some of the photos selected were very special.

The Grand Prize winner(of two 50-yard line tickets to a CU home game) was taken in 2008, and was a family reunion taken abroad the USS Abraham Lincoln after a deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. That the CU logo wound up being prominently displayed in a joyous family moment was serendipitous.

Other winners ran the gambit, from a photo taken just after “The Catch” in Ann Arbor, to the College GameDay set when the ESPN crew was in Boulder; from Alaska to Peru to Iraq; from CU home games to CU road victories.

I hope you will take a few moments to check out the winning photos. Just click on the “Click here to check out the winners” on the CU at the Game front page, or, even easier, click here.

July 19th

Brian Lockridge making progress on recovery

First, the good news …

Senior running back Brian Lockridge has been named as a nominee for the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. To be nominated for the award, one of the most prestigious off-the-field awards in college football, a nominee must be engaged in a number of community service projects.

Lockridge’s resume includes:

Volunteering weekly at Casa de Esperanza, an after-school program for children of migrant workers;

regularly cooking meals for the homeless at a Boulder shelter; and

actively supporting local youth through his participation in the Read with the Buffs program, various motivational speeches at local schools, and visiting sick children in area hospitals through the Buffalo Hugs program.

Congratulations, Brian, for all of your good works …

Okay, now the bad news.

Brian Lockridge is still recovering from his ankle surgery last fall, and will not be ready for the start of fall camp. Lockridge told Kyle Ringo his ankle is recovering well and he is running and doing a lot of the training with his teammates this summer.

Lockridge admitted, though, that might be a little optimistic to expect him to be a full participant when fall camp opens August 3rd. He said he will probably test where he is at the start of camp and if he needs to wait and give it a little more time to heal and get stronger, he might have to do that.

When Lockridge had surgery last fall to repair the damage in his left ankle, doctors originally told him it would take a full year to heal, which would mean he wouldn’t be able to play until the second half of this season. Under that criterion, Lockridge is ahead of schedule.

Other than Lockridge and Rodney Stewart, there are no Buffs on the current roster who have had a carry in a regular season game for Colorado, so here’s hoping that Brian Lockridge takes all the time he needs to heal properly – and that his timetable for recovery puts him on the field early this fall.

Of the multitude of Buffs who were injured for spring practices, Lockridge is the only remaining Buff who is a question mark for the fall (see June 30th update, below).

July 18th

Rodney Stewart named to Doak Walker Award Watch list

Perhaps recognition will not be as hard to obtain in 2011.

Rodney Stewart, the only Big 12 running back in the 15-year history of the league to rush for 1,000 yards (1,318) and not be named to any of the All-Big 12 teams, is finding the spotlight easier to find in 2011.

Already named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, given to nation’s top overall player (see July 11th update, below), Stewart has also been placed on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation’s top running back.

Stewart is one of 52 backs named to the watch list, including eight from the Pac-12 (though none, for a change, are from USC).

Colorado has one Doak Walker Award winner, Rashaan Salaam in 1994. In 2001, Chris Brown was the runner-up for the award.

July 17th

Buffs trying to get a head start on game plans

It’s still seven weeks to the first game of the season, but the Buffs are working this summer on preparing for Hawai’i …

and Cal … and Colorado State.

Colorado coaches are allowed to work with their players during the summer (The strength and conditioning coach can monitor workouts, but other than that, the players are left to their own devices for seven-on-seven practices), but that hasn’t stopped the Buffs from working on installing game plans for the first three games of the 2011 season.

Senior quarterback Tyler Hansen has taken charge of the workouts – and the game plan installation. “They gave me some stuff to kind of introduce to them,” Hansen told the Boulder Daily Camera. “We can`t have the coaches out there, but I`ve talked to the coaches and we already have the game plan for Hawaii done. So I already know most of what we`re doing.

“There is some stuff we can have certain leaders like Toney Clemons and Ryan Deehan introduce to the younger guys and go, ‘Hey, this is what we`re going do at Hawaii. We`re going to run this concept against this coverage.` So we`ve kind of gotten a head start on that.”

Tyler Hansen understands that there is added responsibilities coming with being the undisputed starter – something Colorado hasn’t had at the quarterback position in the summer since 2005. “There is a lot more responsibility this summer and you`ve got to think about that all the time,” Hansen said. “If you go somewhere, you`re the starting quarterback and you`ve got to understand that. In year`s prior, that has never been the case at this time. You never knew who the guy was.

“So there is a lot of responsibility and it`s a big weight on your shoulders that you`ve got to carry around and be smart with it.”

Hansen has one more week in Boulder before returning home to California. Hansen will meet up with head coach Jon Embree in Los Angeles on July 26th for the annual Pac-12 media day. After that, it’s back to Boulder for the start of fall camp, with players reporting on Wednesday, August 3rd.

July 16th

Buffs trying to guarantee every game in 2011 is televised

The 2011 season will be unique for the University of Colorado in many ways … The Buffs’ first year in the Pac-12 … The first year of the Jon Embree era …

… The last year without a television contract.

Colorado will be in limbo this fall. The old Pac-10 television contract expires, with the new, 12-year, $3 billion deal with ESPN and Fox set to start in 2012.

So, what’s a school to do to get on television this fall?

It appears that Colorado is being pro-active, finalizing a deal with Fox College Sports which will ensure that at least 11 of Colorado’s 13 games will be televised this fall. ESPN and/or FSN have already chosen five of Colorado’s games this fall, including national telecasts of the Hawai’i, CSU, USC, and Utah games. Six other games, including all of Colorado’s remaining home games, will be televised.

The remaining two games may still be picked up. “Our goal was 13, but it looks like we’re headed to 11 currently,” Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn told the Daily Camera. “We’re still working on trying to get all the times right and all the agreements put in place.”

The hangup for the remaining two road games is that the host schools have yet to commit to start times, and the start times may confllict with the window for games being televised by ESPN and/or FSN. If the games are picked up by those networks, or if the host schools agree to have their kickoff outside the contractual window for ESPN and FSN, the games could still be televised by FCS.

While it would be nice to have all 13 games on television this fall, there is a part of me that wouldn’t mind having one game go untelevised.

Why? Well, starting next year, the Pac-12 agreements are such that every football game (not to mention every men’s basketball game) will be televised. As a result, 2011 may be the last year – ever – that Colorado doesn’t have a game on television.

Why would it be a good thing not to have a game televised this fall? Because otherwise, the last game in Colorado football history not to be televised would be the ninth game of the 2010 season. That particular game would then become the answer to a CU trivia question.

You remember that game …

It was Colorado at Kansas, one of the most infamous implosions in college football history.

I’d just as soon not have to have any other reasons to remember that afternoon.

July 15th

College Football Hall of Fame Enshirement Festival

Busy this weekend?

On Friday, July 15th, and Saturday, July 16th, thousands of college football fans from across the country will join the National Football Foundation at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. for the annual Enshrinement Festival, which will pay tribute to the storied careers of 20 of the game’s greatest players … including Colorado’s Alfred Williams.

The bio of Alfred Williams, as presented by the National Football Foundation, can be found here.

Some highlights:

“Williams was one of the key figures in the University of Colorado football team’s rise to national prominence in the late 1980s. The 1990 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker, Williams led the Colorado Buffaloes to the 1990 national championship and two straight Big Eight Conference titles. Alfred was a standout player all four of his seasons with the Buffs, first playing as a true freshman in 1987. He was named a consensus All-America as a junior in 1989 and a unanimous All-America during the 1990 season. Williams helped the Colorado team reach a 14-0 mark against Big Eight opponents during his junior and senior seasons.

“Our hats are off to Alfred for his prominence on the football field beyond CU, but also what he continues to stand for as it relates to our football program, athletic department and the entire university,” Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said. “Many feel that it is more than appropriate that Alfred is the first to go in (to the College Football Hall of Fame) from the national championship team not only because of what he meant to that team, but how he has represented and supported the university through the years.”

Congratulations, Alfred, for all you have done for the University of Colorado!

Colorado State without a star 2011 signee

One of Colorado State’s top recruits from the Class of 2011 will not be wearing green-and-gold this fall.

Running back Kapri Bibbs, a 5’10″, 198-pound all-state star from Plainfield North High in Illinois, did not qualify academically, and will be heading off to junior college. Bibbs became academically ineligibile after his ACT score missed requirements. 

“I can do what I need to do,” Bibbs told the Denver Post. “I’m not gonna cry about it. It’s my fault. I messed around my freshman and sophomore years and now I’m paying for it.” Bibbs plans to enroll in a junior college for one year, perhaps in Utah.

While Bibbs will not be a Ram this fall, his present intention is to eventually find his way to Ft. Collins.

“I want to reassure the fans that I’m still around,” Bibbs said. “I’m not going to change my mind. I’m going to be loyal to my commitment. I want to set up for a successful future with CSU. I made a lot of promises to them I want to keep.”

CSU notes …

While Colorado has now hit double digits in recruits for the Class of 2012, Colorado State remains at … zero.

There is also a report that another highly rated recruit from the Class of 2011, defensive tackle Isiah Norton, will also be an academic casualty. Norton, from Dallas, Texas, had offers from five Big 12 schools, as well as Purdue, Tennessee, and Nebraska. Norton, however, is not showing up on the recently released 2011 Colorado State football roster.

July 14th

Buffs to have the look of champions

The Colorado athletic department has confirmed that the team will again don throwback jerseys this fall, with the Buffs to wear 1990-style uniforms for home games. The look, with “COLORADO” in bold letters across the chest and striped sleeves will be popular with many CU fans.

“They represent the tradition and prestige and the classic look of Colorado football,” athletic director Mike Bohn told the Daily Camera when asked if there would be uniform changes this year. “They were well received by both our players and our fans and Nike has helped us resurrect them both home and away.”

While Jon Embree will get some of the credit for keeping tradition alive, in fact he had no role in deciding the uniforms for this fall. Embree has expressed, though, a dislike for the white-on-white road uniforms. Those will not return (yea!), even though they were popular with the players. Colorado will wear black pants with their white jerseys on the road this fall.

July 12th

Ryan Miller makes watch list No. 2

e pluribus unum … out of many, one.

Colorado senior guard Ryan Miller has made his second national award watch list, being named to the preseason watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award. The Lombardi Award is given annually to the best lineman or linebacker in the nation. The entire list consists of 125 names, including 13 players from the Pac-12. In addition to Miller, there are representatives from seven other teams in the conference, including three players from Stanford.

Colorado has never had a winner of the Lombardi Award, though in 1995, center Bryan Stoltenberg was a semi-finalist.

Colorado season ticket sales going well

It may be mid-July on the calendar, but it’s Christmas in July at the Colorado season ticket office.

The Buffs are already over 1,000 season tickets ahead of last year’s pace of 21,000. Early this year, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn stated his goal for 2011 was 25, 000 season tickets sold. That seemed far-fetched for a team coming off of five straight losing seasons, but now it appears that the Buffs might pull it off.

“It has been our goal and we`re working hard at it,” Bohn told the Boulder Daily Camera of the 25,000-seat target. “We continue to be inspired and thrilled by the response of our fans.”

The overall poor economy, along with the overall poor performance on the field by the Buffs has apparently been more than offset by the excitement generated by the new coaching staff, along with Colorado’s move to the Pac-12. The increase in sales may also – at least in part – be due to the home package being only five games (plus the CSU game in Denver) rather than six home games plus CSU.

“Obviously the strength of the schedule is extremely attractive to our fans and our corporate sponsors,” Bohn said. “Having one less game does allow us to present a little bit more affordable packages for fans to consider.”

Whatever the reason, having more black-and-gold in the stands come this fall is welcome. With Pac-10 teams notorious for not traveling particularly well (with the exception of USC), Folsom Field could become an even greater home field advantage …

July 11th

Rodney Stewart on Maxwell Award watch list

Rodney “Speedy” Stewart has been named to the Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award, given to the nation’s top overall player, has a watch list with 66 names. From the Pac-12, 11 players from seven teams were named, with USC, Oregon, Arizona and Stanford with two players each. Shut out from the list were Arizona State, Utah, Washington State, Cal, and Oregon State.

No player from Colorado has ever won the Maxwell Award. In 1994, Rashaan Salaam, the Buffs’ sole Heisman trophy winner, was the runner-up for the Maxwell Award, finishing behind quarterback Kerry Collins from Penn State.

Interestingly enough, no Pac-10/12 player has won the Maxwell Award since 1981, when Marcus Allen from USC won the award.

July 9th

Spring grades show continued improvement

Remember back in May, when Colorado’s APR (Academic Progress Rate) finally showed that the football team was out of APR danger?

Well, that positive status should not be changing anytime soon.

The football team recorded a cumulative GPA of 2.640 this spring, the highest average for the team in the 30 semester terms that such data has been collected. The mark was just slightly higher than the previous mark, 3.637, which was set in the spring of 2009. The improvement from the fall semester, when a cumulative 2.246 GPA was recorded, was also the best in program history.

Overall, the 304 student athletes enrolled at Colorado had a term GPA of 2.862, third highest in the 15-year history of the APR. Only in the spring of 2000 (2.891) and the spring of 1999 (2.871) have Colorado teams posted higher cumulative GPA’s. Spring 2011 marks the seventh straight semester in which Colorado’s students have posted a cumulative GPA of over 2.80.

A school-record 162 students earned recognition for the Big 12 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, earning GPA’s in excess of 3.0. Women’s track and field had the most honored athletes, with 34, followed by football, with 29. (Men’s basketball had six players on the list, tying its best-ever showing).

Congratulations, Buffs! 

July 8th

Ohio State 0-13 in 2010

Colorado’s 2011 schedule just eased up …

Instead of playing a team on September 24th which went 12-1 last season, the Buffs will now play a team which went 0-13.

Now, don’t you feel better?

In an attempt to self-punish before facing the NCAA infractions committee on August 12th, Ohio State on Friday vacated all of its victories in 2010, including its Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas. Athletic director Gene Smith wouldn’t speculate on what else the NCAA might do, but he called the university’s actions significant. Not only is the entire 2010 season wiped out along with the Sugar Bowl — the Buckeyes went 12-1, the lone loss coming at Wisconsin — but so is the university’s seven-game winning streak over rival Michigan.

“That’s a significant impact to those who participated, and some of them are still here today,” he said. (As a side note, the Columbus Dispatch, on the front page of sports section of its website, carries the following banner: “Days since Michigan’s last victory over Ohio State in football: 2785″ – guess the local paper hasn’t gotten around to vacating last year’s victory just yet).

In addition, the school placed itself on two years’ worth of probation, but – significantly – did not impose any loss of scholarships or a bowl ban. Those penalties, however, could still be imposed by the NCAA.

Also announced Friday, former head coach Jim Tressel did not, in fact, resign as the Buckeyes’ head coach. Instead, Tressel’s termination is now listed as a “retirement”, and the $250,000 fine imposed upon Tressel by the school has now been waived.

In the introduction to its 66-page “Response to the: NCAA Notice of Allegations“, Ohio State (sorry, The Ohio State) stated:

“Introductory Statement

“This issue was self-detected and self-reported by The Ohio State University (University). The institution is very surprised and disappointed by the lack of action in this matter by then Head Football Coach Jim Tressel. His behavior in this situation is out of character for him, as he has been a man of integrity and high moral standards since his hiring as the head football coach in 2001. His lack of action in this matter appears to have been the result of indecisiveness regarding the appropriate actions to take in this specific situation in which he was placed, as opposed to a blatant disregard of NCAA legislation. Nevertheless, he should have forwarded this information in some manner to appropriate institutional officials. He did not, and both he and the institution understand the significance of this issue. The institution will not excuse such behavior. As a result, the institution has imposed significant corrective and punitive actions upon itself and sought and received the resignation of Tressel.”

Convenient.

On the same day that the school throws Jim Tressel under the bus – “It was all the coach’s fault, don’t punish the school” – Ohio State announced that not only would Tressel not have to pay the $250,000 fine it had imposed earlier, but that the school would also be paying its former head coach an additional $52,250 …

Before his resignation, Tressel was to have been sanctioned with a five-game suspension in addition to being fined. Instead, the university will pay him $52,250 – the equivalent of the salary and benefits he would have earned through the end of June 30th. OSU’s decision to drop the fine goes against an assertion by Gee last month that Tressel would be required to pay no matter what the other terms of his departure were. “We’ve levied a $250,000 fine against the coach, and he will pay that,” Gee told The Dispatch on June 11th.

Tressel also will collect his unpaid sick and vacation time up to 250 hours and will be eligible for health-insurance coverage for himself and his family under the plan available to all state retirees, according to the settlement. “I am grateful for this opportunity to retire from the university that I so deeply respect and that I will continue to support,” Tressel said in a news release.

Tressel will be appearing at the infractions hearing on August 11th, arguably to now fall on the sword for the benefit of the university.

Whether Ohio State’s preemptive imposition of penalties, not to mention its change of heart with regard to Jim Tressel, will hold any sway with the NCAA infractions committee remains to be seen …

Ryan Miller on Outland Trophy watch list 

Colorado senior guard Ryan Miller has been named to the Outland Trophy preseason watch list for the second consecutive season. Miller is one of 65 players vying for the trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s best interior lineman.

Miller’s former teammate, Nate Solder, was a finalist for the Outland Trophy last season. No Buff has ever won the award, but in 1990, guard Joe Garten was the national runner-up for the award.

Ryan Miller is a fifth-year senior, but has already played in four seasons. Miller broke his leg in the fourth game of the 2008 season (against Florida State), and was granted a medical redshirt season. Miller has already played in 38 games in his Colorado career, with 35 starts. Miller, along with defensive linemen Curtis Cunningham and Will Pericak, are the only returning starters who started every game in both 2009 and 2010.

July 7th

Quarterback Cody Green talking with USC

As Yogi Berra would say, “It’s like deja vu all over again” …

ESPN is reporting that former Nebraska quarterback Cody Green is planning on visiting USC, as early as this week. Green was a highly recruited quarterback out of Dayton, Texas, but was beaten out for the starting job by Taylor Martinez. However, in 2010, Green did play against Colorado, completing 10-of-13 passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 23 yards and another score.

Green was a sophomore last season, with a red-shirt year to sit out for his transfer year, giving him two years to play two starting in 2012. Green is also talking with Tulsa and Kansas State, and hopes to enroll in a school in time to participate in fall camp.

Tyler Hansen back in black-and-gold in 2012?

Charles Johnson and Joel Klatt were talking the other day about the possibility that Colorado and Tyler Hansen are considering trying to get Hansen a fifth year of eligibility due to Hansen’s checkered past in Boulder.

Don’t get your hopes up …

The history:

2008: Hansen was supposed to red-shirt his freshman season, but, midway through the year, his red-shirt was inexplicably torn off. Hansen went on to become just the fifth true freshman to start at quarterback in CU school history.

2009: Once again, Hansen was in line to red-shirt, watching from the sidelines as Cody Hawkins was named the starter. Once again, Hansen’s red-shirt was torn off midway through the season, with Hansen starting the final seven games of the season.

2010: Hansen earned the starting job, but was injured in the seventh game, with Cody Hawkins finishing out the year.

In all, Hansen has played in just 20 games over three seasons.

Does the senior quarterback deserve a second senior season in 2012?

Probably.

Will he get it?

Probably not.

Normally, for a player to earn another year of eligibility, they need to have played in less than 25% of team’s games. That isn’t the case with Hansen. While there could be plenty of sympathy for Hansen’s unfortunate history, it would be very unlikely for the NCAA to give Hansen a break.

True, the NCAA does look at cases individually, and reserves the right to overlook the rules in cases where logic is stronger than the rulebook.

For those dreamers, I have but two words …

Jeremy Bloom.

July 6th

Old is new again

It is looking more and more like the Buffs of 2011 will look a great deal like the Buffs of 20 seasons ago … 

Uni-watch.com is reporting that the Colorado white road uniforms will be the look Colorado had between 1989-94, with three stripes along the side of the jersey.

Here is what Chip looked like wearing the new/old uniform:

If reports are accurate, the white-on-white road uniforms, with white pants, will be a thing of the past (yea!), with the road pants to be either black or gold.

We’ll see soon enough …

July 5th

Sal Aunese Trailer updated

The trailer for “Born to Lead: The Sal Aunese Story” has been updated. For those of you who have seen it, it is worth catching again.

If you haven’t seen it yet, be prepared to be inspired … “Born to Lead: The Sal Aunese Story“.

July 4th

Colorado 66th in Directors’ Cup standings

For the 17th-straight year, Stanford finished No. 1 in the Directors’ Cup standings, with the Cardinal accumulating more overall points than any other school in the nation. Stanford annual domination is due – at least in part - to the fact that Stanford has teams in almost every sport open to competition, including men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, men’s and women’s sailing, squash, and men’s and women’s water polo.

With 1550.25 points, Stanford easily out-distanced the No. 2 school, Ohio State, which had 1277.05. In the Pac-12, Cal came in third in the overall standings, with UCLA (11th), USC (14th) and Arizona (16th) finishing in the top 20.

Colorado, which offers the minimum number of sports allowed under NCAA rules (16) finished in 66th place. The only Pac-12 schools to finish below Colorado were Oregon State (69th), Utah (71st), and Washington State (135th).

It will take time, but, with the new Pac-12 media money guaranteed to the Colorado athletic department, look for the Buffs to slowly but surely work their way up the Directors’ Cup standings. In the next decade or so, Colorado will be in a position to offer more sports to its athletes. More sports leads to more participation, which leads to better point accumulation, which leads a higher ranking in the Directors’ Cup.

Brock Berglund done at Kansas?

The last time we heard from Brock Berglund, he was missing spring practices in Lawrence. Now it may be much more than that …

Remember Berglund? He committed to Colorado before the coaching change, and then switched his commitment to Kansas.

Initially, Berglund stayed with the Buffs and the new staff. Here is the December 5, 2010, Colorado Daily update:

Brock Berglund stars in state finals - Colorado recruit Brock Berglund led his Valor Christian team to the state Class 4A title Saturday. Berglund, who reaffirmed his commitment to Colorado after Dan Hawkins was fired, threw for 280 yards and ran for another 122 in leading Valor Christian to a 38-8 victory over Wheat Ridge in the state title game. Berglund went 12-of-16 passing for three touchdowns and had 14 rushes for his 122 yards, including a 24-yard run for another score. “I love it in Boulder and I’ve grown up a CU fan, and that’s where I’m going to school,” said Bergland after the game.

Shortly thereafter, however, Berglund switched his commitment: 

“Berglund emphasized that the choice to don Crimson and Blue instead of Black and Gold had nothing to do with the Colorado coaching staff, for whom he maintains the utmost respect,” wrote Aaron Cedeno for Phog.net. “As long as they’re not playing Kansas, he said, he’ll always root for the Buffaloes. But the combination of factors in Lawrence, from the town and the school to the coaching staff and the system, ultimately proved to be the perfect fit.”

Since commiting to Kansas, though, things have not been going as well as planned.

Here is what was in the March 3rd Colorado Daily update:

Heralded freshman quarterback recruit Brock Berglund will not be a participant in spring practices at Kansas. Berglund, who committed to Colorado before the coaching change, is enrolled for spring classes at Kansas, but, due to a “personal matter”, will not be on campus when spring practice begins April 1st. Berglund is reportedly in good standing as a student, and has made arrangements to continue taking classes on-line while he is away.

Kansas fans had been hoping that the dual-threat quarterback would participate in spring practices, and compete with Jordan Webb and Quinn Mecham for the starting job this fall. While that remains a possibility, not participating in spring drills will set Berglund’s development back, leaving Jayhawk fans to pick between Webb and Mecham, neither of whom was overly productive (except for one quarter v. CU) in Kansas’ 3-9 2010 season.

And now ….?

“Berglund has as much chance of ever suiting up for a Kansas football game as does Lady Gaga, and, really now, can you ever see her agreeing to wear that much clothing?,” wrote Tom Keegan for LJWorld.com. “Berglund will play football for KU the day Charles Barkley breaks 70 on Augusta National. He’ll command a huddle surrounded by Jayhawks just as soon as Jane Fonda commands our nation’s armed forces. Berglund will throw a pass to tight end Jimmay Mundine when pigs fly, Pakistan comes clean about harboring Osama bin Laden and Wilford Brimley beats out Leonardo DiCaprio for an Oscar.”

The problem apparently is that Brock Berglund was full of himself when arriving on campus. When asked which quarterbacks he would compare himself to, Berglund replied: “I would say Tim Tebow, Michael Vick and Peyton Manning, kind of all put together”. His play, however, did not match his attitude. Berglund did not participate in spring drills, missed the spring game, and reportedly has not been a participant in the Jayhawks’ voluntary summer workouts.

Since summer voluntary workouts are supposed to be “voluntary”, Kansas head coach Turner Gill can’t boot Brock Berglund from the team. The best bet now is that Berglund will try to find a school who will take him as a transfer.

Colorado? Perhaps, but not likely. The new Buffs coaching staff went with Stevie Dorman after Berglund defected, and have Shane Dillon as a verbal commitment for the Class of 2012. Colorado head coach Jon Embree indicated earlier this year that he was only interested in taking one quarterback this year, which would seemingly leave Berglund out of a spot in Boulder.

Buff fans were upset/concerned/alarmed when a quarterback ranked as the 15th-best dual threat quarterback prospect in the nation defected from his home state school and went with Kansas. The recruitment of Stevie Dorman, considered by Scout to be the 78th-best quarterback in the country by Scout (and outside the top 100 by Rivals), seemed to be a step down.

It doesn’t seem like such a step down today …

June 30th

Brian Lockridge only returning Buff out

There were 15 players who missed the Colorado 2011 spring game. As June turns into July, and fall practices approach, only one player, running back Brian Lockridge, remains a question mark for the 2011 season opener on September 3rd against Hawai’i.

As you may recall, there were a number of Buff players who were recovering from off-season surgeries, and sat out spring practices. Two of those players have moved on due to their injuries, offensive linemen Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner and Mike Iltis.

Others who were injured and out for much if not all of the spring, however, are on the mend and should be ready for fall practices. That number includes: FB/TE Matt Bahr (shoulder surgery); offensive lineman Blake Behrens (shoulder surgery); defensive back Vince Ewing (knee); defensive back Parker Orms (knee); and defensive back Anthony Perkins (knee).

Then there are those players nicked up enough to miss the spring game, who will be a “full go” for fall practices, including: wide receiver Toney Clemons; offensive lineman Ryan Dannewitz; defensive end Nick Kasa; tight end DaVaughn Thornton; and linebacker Derrick Webb.

“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 wide receivers on Thursday, noting that Toney Clemons, when he was available, along with Paul Richardson, have “done well”. But that’s about it in terms of wide receiver play. “After that, we haven’t had anyone really step up and say, ‘I’m the next one in line’.

- Paul Richardson drew praise from his head coach. “He’s fast; he’s good with the ball after he catches it; he has good hands,” said Embree. “He could have great hands. He’s almost to the point where literally anything near him, he will catch. He’s a football player. He really understands football. And he’s hard on himself. He wants to be really good.”

- Junior wide receiver Will Jefferson, according to Embree, “has been up and down”. Jefferson has tendinitis in both knees. “Some days,” joked Embree, ” it looks like I could beat him running.”

Jon Embree Quotes – Thursday

On the desire to build toughness back into the Buffs – “We’re physical … Guys have a little bit of an edge. It’s been a very good spring from that standpoint. I know that they understand how to practice. It’s been pretty grueling; we’ve done a lot … 95% of the guys have responded.”

On what he is looking for from the Spring game – “Health” and … “A couple of guys are pushing for some positions, whether it’s a number two at a certain spot, or a starter, or just a spot on the team – to have a chance to go to Hawai’i. When the freshmen come in (in August), we’re plugging them in, because we’re going to evaluate them. These guys have had 15 practices, they’ve had off-season workouts. They’ve had all their opportunities to show what they can do. So we’ve got to evaluate the young guys coming in to see what they can do so we can get the best guys out there … So, for some of the guys (the Spring game) is a big day.”

April 5th

“Eric has two kids he needs to feed”

Colorado ran its second-to-last closed practice before the Spring game on Saturday (the next practice will be a light run through on Thursday, focused on special teams and “on-field” teaching). Colorado head coach Jon Embree was not dismayed by not being able to evaluate some of the injured personnel, either this week or throughout the spring. “I don’t look at it as being a negative,” said Embree. “I look at it as a positive, being able to evaluate who our backups could be, and maybe some starters. There are some guys who I thought would be backups, who have a chance to play a lot of football for us.”

Player Notes

- Sophomore tight end DaVaughn Thornton, ushered into an ambulance on Monday, was back on the field on Tuesday, though not practicing. “He’s fine,” said Jon Embree, noting that Thornton’s injury was related to the tight end’s back. “He’ll do some stuff on Thursday, and then we’ll decide if we’ll do anything with him on Saturday. He wants to play, but we’ll see.”

- Also in the “maybe” category for the Spring game is senior wide receiver Toney Clemons, who has been nursing a hamstring injury. “I have no idea (if Clemons will play in the Spring game)”, said Embree. “We’ll see if he can do anything on Thursday”, noting that he did not want Clemons to aggravate his injury just to put into action during the Spring game. “Once August comes, I don’t want any issues,” said Embree.

- The fullbacks, Tyler Ahles and Evan Harrington, are doing well in their transition from linebacker. “They bring a physical element to us,” said Embree. “They are a lot better than I thought they would be, being defensive players … I’ve been surprised by them, pleasantly. I think between the two of them, we’ll be fine.”

Jon Embree Quotes – Tuesday

- On what sophomore wide receiver Paul Richardson needs to do to become an elite performer: “He’s got to be better running routes; he’s got to get better understanding what the coverage is, and what the defense is trying to do to him … More consistent catching the ball. He’ll make the spectacular catch, but then he’ll drop some, too … He can be a great one.”

- On running backs coach Eric Bieniemy riding his players hard, making them do extra work and drills: “Eric has two kids to feed. So, if they (the running backs) fumble the ball, I’d rather be hard on them than tell the family we’ve got to move. We had a fumble; we had a back run out of bounds in (the) four-minute (drill), when we’re trying to run out the clock … They earn (the punishments) … If that’s too much for them, we’ll find some guys who will hold onto the ball, or understand that they will be held accountable when they don’t.”

April 4th

Defense bounces back

Perhaps motivated by the impressive numbers put up by the Colorado offense in the second scrimmage, the Colorado defense made a statement of their own during Monday’s practice. “The defense had a great practice,” said CU head coach Jon Embree. “Very physical. They did a good job of tackling; forcing some turnovers … The (defense) won every situation today.

Embree saw the rise of the defense as an issue the coaches have had to deal with all spring. “Right now as a team, we’re not very good when things don’t go our way early,” said Embree. “We’ve got to get better about playing the next play. We still watch the scoreboard too much.” The flip side was true for the offense on Monday. After doing well in the second scrimmage on Saturday, the offense struggled in its first effort back on the practice fields. “(the offense) didn’t know how to handle success,” said Embree.

Player Notes

- Sophomore tight end DaVaughn Thornton was escorted off of the playing field by trainers during Monday’s practice, but Embree did not see the injury as serious. “He jogged off the field”, explained Embree, explaining that the injury was “something in (Thornton’s) back”, but that he felt the attention afforded Thornton was largely precautionary.

- Sophomore kicker Justin Castor continues to improve, according to Embree. “Each day, he gets better and better. He’s been fixing things from a mechanical standpoint”, explained Embree, noting that improved play from the snapper and holder was helping Castor be more consistent.

Jon Embree Quotes – Monday

- When asked if injuries to the defense was an excuse for the unit’s poor play on Saturday, Embree laughed off the explanation. “This is your opportunity to show you want to be on that plane going to Hawai’i,” said Embree, noting that there would be some freshmen coming into camp in August that would be more than happy to take the spots of these players if they are too tired this spring. “You want to be tired?”, asked Embree. “You can watch the game on TV”.

- Embree also spoke about an increased emphasis on special teams this spring (except for kick returns, which will be worked on more this fall, when some new players, who will be asked to fill some of those roles, will be in camp. “We’re trying to get our kickers, especially our punter, to understand how he can change the field; the importance of putting the ball where we need it from a coverage standpoint,” said Embree. “When you’re not the most talented, you need to win all three phases of the game. We need to make (opposing offenses) go a long way (to score)”.

April 1st

“A good mental day”

Colorado went through a lighter practice on Friday (no pads, no tackling) in preparation for the second scrimmage of the spring season, set for 1:30 on Saturday (open to the public). Buff head coach Jon Embree indicated that it would be a regular scrimmage, with “1′s v. 1′s and 2′s v. 2′s” starting at the minus-30 yard line. Embree also stated that the Buffs would mix in “a little red zone, because we want to get in a little more red zone work”. There will also be some field goals attempted during the scrimmage.

“I don’t know how many plays it will be,” said Embree. “We’re beat up on one side of the line, the D-line, but we’ve got to go.”

Player Notes -

- Red-shirt freshman tight end Harold Mobley has been reinstated to the team. Mobley was held out of the first nine practices so that he could concentrate on school work (and remaining eligible). Embree noted that Mobley was “way behind”, but that “is his own fault”.

- Senior defensive tackle Curtis Cunningham has been nursing a sore elbow, but should be available for the spring game, so as to let his elbow “calm down a little bit”, according to Embree.

- Red-shirt freshman defensive tackle Kirk Poston, slowed by an ankle injury, will be allowed to participate in the April 2nd scrimmage.

- Sophomore defensive tackle Nate Bonsu should also play on Saturday. Bonsu’s injury has been a sore shoulder.

- True freshman offensive lineman Alex Lewis has been “down on himself”, said Embree, but needs to remember that he is still just a true freshman (Lewis was a member of the recruiting class of 2010, but gray-shirted, enrolling in January. He still has five years to play four). Embree remains high on Lewis. “He’s going to have a bright future here,” said Embree.

Jon Embree Quotes – Friday

Embree was asked after the Friday practice what the biggest issue is facing the Buff offensive players in adjusting to the West coast offense. “Details,” Embree replied. “It really falls on the receivers and tight ends. Those are the guys who have to do the most learning”. Still, Embree is pleased overall. “They have done pretty good with it. I’m pleasantly surprised at how well they’re picking up some things. It’s starting to click.”

The Colorado head coach was particularly impressed with the work of the offensive line under new line coach Steve Marshall. “They’re a lot farther along than the other positions,” said Embree. “That’s been very encouraging, because usually that’s the group that you have to hold things back for … The good thing is, we can put in as many passes as we want, as soon as (the wide receivers and tight ends) can learn the ones we have in.”

March 31st

“I’m finding out who we can count on”

“Early on, the defense was wearing them out,” said Colorado head coach Jon Embree about Thursday’s practice. “The defense was very good against the run today.”

While Colorado has made it through its first nine practices without a significant new injury, there still have been a number of players who have spent time on the sidelines. The walking wounded total, though, does not bother Embree. “”The guys that are playing for the guys who are injured are doing a great job of taking advantage of their opportunities,” said Embree. “They’re showing up. We’re going to play 13 straight weeks, we’re not going to have everybody. As a staff, we don’t really talk about it. We just coach the guys that we have.”

Player Notes -

- Embree is encouraged by getting to see his new team on the field. “I’m finding out who we can count on,” said Embree. “The guys that aren’t necessarily workout warriors; the guys who are football players.”

- Colorado may be naming a starting quarterback sooner rather than later. “If there is a clear cut guy, then we’ll do it,” said Embree. “I’m not into playing games, or trying to make the other team figure out all that stuff. When I know, we need to let everyone know. The team needs to know who their leader is in the huddle.”

Jon Embree Quotes – Thursday

- On his tight ends: “They’re getting there. We need tight ends. We need more.”

- On the cornerbacks biggest problem: “Knowing what to do. No one does anything consistently. No one does it every play yet.”

March 29th

“There’s nobody on this team that we need to go out there and lose”

Colorado passed the midway point of spring practice, 2011, on Tuesday, with the eighth of 15 practices. Overall, head coach Jon Embree was pleased. “This was the first practice that both sides did stuff good, so that was encouraging,” said Embree. “We continued to run the ball good. We’re still not sharp in the passing game, so we’ve got to clean that up.” As for the defense, Embree noted that “the defense created some turnovers at the right time.”

Still, there is plenty to improve upon before September. “We’ve got to start learning how to handle success,” said Embree, explaining, “The defense stops them twice, and they start feeling good about themselves, and then the offense scores a couple of touchdowns.”

Player Notes –

- Embree was asked about junior defensive end Nick Kasa, who Embree noted on Monday was amongst the walking wounded. “Something in his knee,” Embree said. “one of those L’s” – but Embree did not indicate that Kasa was being held out of practice, or that Kasa’s injury was long term.

- With Kasa limited, Embree noted the play of sophomore defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe, walk-on senior defensive end Tony Poremba, senior walk-on outside linebacker David Goldberg, and senior defensive end Josh Hartigan. “Guys are taking advantage of their opportunities,” said Embree.

- Senior wide receiver Toney Clemons has been bothered by a hamstring this spring. “He’s about 85%,” said Embree. “He caught a deep ball (Tuesday); about a 60-yarder.”

Jon Embree Quotes – Tuesday

- On the play of the cornerbacks: “I guess good and bad. No one is jumping out and taking the lead.”

- On the kicking game: “We have to be more consistent. And it’s not all on (the kickers). We’ve been inconsistent snapping (where the Buffs are replacing Joe Silipo) and holding (where the Buffs are replacing Scotty McKnight and Cody Hawkins), so it’s the whole battery which has to be more consistent.” Embree went on to note that he has not had to deal with kickers before, so they are not getting special treatment. “They’re not fragile. I’m treating them like everybody else.”

Only “Players” will earn the trip to Hawai’i

The best quotes from Tuesday’s practice came after Embree was asked about sophomore center Gus Handler, seen running laps. Embree said he wasn’t exactly sure about the nature of Handler’s punishment, but felt it had to do with Handler not getting treatment. Which led Embree to the following monologue:

“We can take 70 to Hawai’i, but we may not be taking 70. I’m going to take guys who can play and who can help us. I’ve told the team, ‘We’ve lost enough games with everybody, so there’s nobody on this team that we need to go out there and lose. We can lose without them.’ If you can’t do it right off the field, you won’t do it right on the field, either.”

Is it too early to start campaigning for Pac-12 coach-of-the-year?

Offensive line picture crystalizing?

Colorado only has one hole to fill along its offensive line this spring … but it’s a big hole.

Off to the NFL as a likely first round draft pick is CU left tackle Nate Solder. Rather than replace Solder at the all-important “protect the quarterback’s back” position, sophomore David Bakhtiari, who started 11 games at right tackle last season as a red-shirt freshman, has been practicing at left tackle.

Which moves the hole in the line over the right tackle position.

Through the first half of spring practice, sophomore Jack Harris has been getting the most repetitions. Harris was doing well in practice last fall before a shoulder injury kept Harris from playing.  “We were almost done with camp, and everything was going well, but I ended up with a shoulder injury and I was out for about eight weeks,” Harris explained to BuffStampede.com. “It was definitely disappointing … It took me a long time to get all the strength back in my shoulder. I feel like I didn’t get back to 100 percent until winter conditioning with (strength and conditioning) coach (Malcolm) Bracken.”

Harris has done well at right tackle so far, but he still has work to do before he will be considered as a lock at becoming the Buffs’ next starting right tackle. “Jack has been up and down,” said Jon Embree after the March 28th practice. “He had an up-and-down day (Monday). He went the wrong way a couple times. But he brings a physical presence that you need on the right side.”

For his part, Harris appreciates the chance to prove his worth. “I am very grateful that I am getting an opportunity to work with the starting team,” said Harris. ”I am going to try and keep my job, and fend off other guys who are coming up.”

In words which will be pleasing to hear from Buff fans confused by the use of the offensive line the past few seasons, Harris said, “(offensive line) coach (Steve) Marshall is different (from former offensive line coach Denver Johnson). He just  has a totally different demeanor,” said Harris. He just seems more into it. He wants you to get it perfect, and, if you don’t, you’re going to hear about it.

“One word that I hear coach Marshall use a lot is ‘displace’. He definitely wants us to pound people into the ground in the run game, and be aggressive in pass pro(tection),” said Harris. “So I would say there is more emphasis on being aggressive all the time.”

March 28th

 “Really good practice for the defense”

Colorado conducted its seventh practice of the spring on Monday, with this week’s practices to be culminated with a scrimmage on April 2nd (at 1:30 – open to the public).

All of the players were back from spring break and accounted for.

Player Notes -

- Several players who have not been able to practice much to date are working their way back into the rotation. Offensive lineman Shawn Daniels, defensive end Nick Kasa, sophomore linebacker Derrick Webb, and defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe are amongst those walking wounded who are getting onto the practice fields more after the break.

- Sophomore Jack Harris has been practicing with the first team offensive line. David Bahktiari is doing well making the transition from right tackle to left tackle.

- In reviewing the tape of the March 18th scrimmage, head coach Jon Embree noted that senior defensive tackle Conrad Obi played well, as did senior linebacker Doug Rippy. Embree also noted that red-shirt freshman running back Tony Jones ran well.

Jon Embree Quotes – Monday

- On Monday’s practice – “A really good practice for the defense; a really good practice. I was very encouraged to see them come out and respond. They were really sharp.”

- On the play of the offense in the March 18th scrimmage – “I felt better about the run game. We do have to get better throwing it; I was happy with the quarterbacks running of the offense.”

- On the play of the defense in the March 18th scrimmage – “Defensively, the tackling could have been better at times; could have been better up front. Conrad Obi played well, Doug Rippy had a very good scrimmage.”

- On sophomore defensive back Terrel Smith, who tore off his red-shirt last midway through the 2010 season, compiling 60 tackles in six games – “I need to see more from him … I haven’t seen it yet.”

March 27th

Back from break

The Colorado Buffaloes have had ten days off since their scrimmage on March 18th. Monday’s practice will be the seventh of 15 allowed practices (the April 2nd scrimmage and April 9th Spring game count against the total).

“I’m happy with the way they’ve responded, and now we’re going to pick it up again when we come back,” said Jon Embree. The Colorado head coach, did spend some time on the west coast meeting with boosters before spending some time with family in Boulder looking for a house for he and his wife and daugther.  

On the sixth day, they rested …

After going through five straight days of practices, the Buff players had a day off on Wednesday. They will be back at it on Thursday, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at how the quarterback race is shaping up.

Five practices are in the books, with ten practices, including a scrimmage (April 2nd) and the Spring game (April 9th) yet to come. Still, if the season were to start tomorrow, it appears clear that senior Tyler Hansen would be the starting quarterback. Head coach Jon Embree has noted Hansen’s efforts on the field, and also named him as one of the leaders of the team.

What about Hansen’s position coach, Rip Scherer?

“I think Tyler, he has game experience, game maturity. I’ve been really pleased with him,” said Scherer. “Some of the things I saw on tape that were bad habits, that I thought he needed to correct right away, he has taken to heart and improved right off the bat. I like his leadership. I like his huddle demeanor. And he’s done a good job of playing with the pocket.”

Hansen, for his part, is embracing the challenge of having to prove he belongs in the starting role. “I am. That’s life; you have to live through and battle through the tough times,” Hansen told BuffStampede.com. “But I like it. I have to re-prove myself, it is more exciting. It’s fun to learn a new offense; it’s fun to compete.” Hansen also is embracing the role of being a senior leader. “Coach Rip has asked me to be more of a leader within our group, too, to help Nick and Brent along … I am teaching them tricks and trying to relate it to something I have learned in the past … As a senior quarterback, the coaches have asked me to be a leader, and asked me to be the guy the other guys look to and ask questions, and look to for leadership.”

This is not to say that the starting position has been ceded by Hansen’s competitors. Redshirt freshman Nick Hirschman, for one, is excited about the change in offensive philosophy. “It’s more pro style than we were last year,” said Hirschman. “That suits me a little better than last year’s offense did. I’m more of a traditional drop back guy who can run around with his feet if he needs to, but I’d rather stay in the pocket and throw.”

Junior transfer Brent Burnette has the advantage of being “more of a pocket guy – at least that’s how it looked on his junior college tapes,” said Scherer. “His team (Western Arizona) ran some spread and shotgun, so there’s still going to be a learning curve. But I think his forte is to play from the pocket.” Still, Burnette is under the handicap of not having spent time with the Buffs’ receiving corps, as have Hansen and Hirschman. “We’d throw a little bit in the bubble after we got done running,” said Burnette of the winter conditioning period. “But it really doesn’t compare to coming out here and strapping the pads on and going full against the defense and against the rush. That’s something I’m still working on, and figuring out how this receiver runs routes compared to another. That’s just something that with time, it will come.”

As a result, all three players have a great deal to learn this spring. “Anytime you go from a spread offense to a pro-style, it’s different for everybody, but more different for the quarterback,” said Scherer. “It’s a whole different perspective for the quarterback to take the ball from center and go back three, five or seven steps, put your foot in the ground and make a decision – as opposed to standing back there and kind of sorting things out.”

So, who will win the job?

“What will go into it is the guy that has leadership skills and also will handle the ball and value the ball,” said Scherer. “You know, if you don’t turn the ball over in this game, you’ve got a chance to win. So it doesn’t matter how talented a guy is, if he is going to spray the ball around and turn it over, you’ve got problems. so value the ball and then making plays.

“The bottom line with a quarterback is how many times do you take the offense and cross the last line? If you can put the ball in the end zone, you may not be the most stylish guy doing it, but the bottom line is making sure the ball gets in the end zone.”

Meanwhile, quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer is already looking to the future

“I think we’ve created a niche for ourselves in recruiting,” said Scherer. “We’re going to try and go nationally and recruit the top quarterback that we can every year. I think for a young player who has aspirations to play at the next level, you’re in this kind of offense you’re more readily prepared, and there’s not many of us doing it.”

College offenses, Scherer contends, are cyclical, with the spread offense the current rage. “It’ll cycle back to this, but we’ll be on the cusp of it, the front edge,” said Scherer. “We create an alternative for a top flight quarterback that has projected ability to move beyond college.” Scherer pointed out that 18 NFL teams “run a west coast offense of some sort. I think you can sit in front of a high school kid and his parents – not that that should be the only reason that a guy comes to Colorado or anyplace else – but the fact is, it gives us a different niche. The NFL’s not changing; the NFL’s not going to the spread offense. I think it will allow us to get our foot in the door of some of the top prospects in the country.”

The 2011 season? It may well be that Hansen, Hirschman or Burnette – whoever wins the job – will struggle to make the West Coast offense work in Boulder.

But the future looks bright …

March 15th

Buffs have a more productive practice

Player Notes

- Head coach Jon Embree was asked after Tuesday’s practice to name players which were assuming leadership of the team. On offense, Embree named quarterback Tyler Hansen – “He’s taking the reins of the offense”; right guard Ryan Miller – “trying to do some stuff”; as well as wide receivers Toney Clemons and Paul Richardson. On defense, Embree had a tougher time coming up with names, noting that he wanted to see more out of defensive tackles Curtis Cunningham and Will Pericak. Jon Major was named as the linebacker doing the most in terms of leadership, while Embree named safety Anthony Perkins, who is injured and not participating in hitting drills, as the likely leader of the secondary. Of the players named, all are seniors except for Pericak and Major, who are juniors, and Richardson, who is a sophomore.

Running backs

The running back corps has been getting  a great deal of attention in the early going. (Yes, I know there is a rumor about a running back quitting the team. I would like to have that confirmed by the player or the team first, though, before taking that issue any further). Much of the discussion has centered around the coaching style of offensive coordinator and running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, who is known for his energy, as well as his fiery attitude. “Bieniemy is a little bit more experienced,” senior running back Rodney Stewart said when comparing Bieniemy to Stewart’s former position coach, Darian Hagan. “He’s more aggressive than Hagan, but Hagan’s pretty aggressive, too.”

“It think it takes a while to get used to,” said Bieniemy of his coaching style. “But one thing I always tell them is don’t confuse the message with the speech. Make sure you listen to what I am saying … When they do it right, I’m going to be the first one to praise them. When they do it wrong, I’m going to critique them and make sure they understand why they did it wrong, and make sure I stay on their tail so that they don’t make the same mistake again.

“I tell my guys I coach hard, but I coach fair,” said Bieniemy. “I’m your biggest fan, and I expect you to be great at all times. If we make a mistake, things happen. If we get physically beat, things happen. If we make a mental error, I take personal issue with that.”

Rodney Stewart, for one, doesn’t have a problem with Bieniemy’s style. “He wants me to be more of a leader, helping the other guys out,” said Stewart. “I’ve got to get better, too. There is a lot of things I need to work on to be a good back, and if I want to go to the next level and be good at that. I think he’s going to get me where I need to be.”

Jon Embree Quotes – Tuesday

Coach Embree was asked which running back is the number two back behind Stewart this spring: “Tony Jones is doing very well. He needs to get stronger, but he has a good knack of finding the seem.”

On how many backs he would like to have in the rotation this fall, Embree said he was looking for at least three backs to be ready (including Stewart and Brian Lockridge, who won’t be able to practice until August): “People remember Chris Brown for all those touchdowns against Nebraska, and he was the third back in. It was Cortlen (Johnson) who got a ‘hammie’; then (Bobby) Purify got an ankle sprain. And then Chris came in. You’ve got to have them. You’ve got to have them ready.”

On running nine-on-seven drills, something Dan Hawkins specifically went away from in his practices: “You could tell (Monday) that it was the first time doing it for some of them. For some of them, the first time ever. Today was a little better; the intensity. You could hear the pads. Yesterday, it was like a pillow fight. Today we’re hitting.” (Note: In a nine-on-seven drill, the offense pits the offensive line, a tight end, the quarterback, and two running backs against the front seven of the defense. The drill is designed to improve both the run offense and the run defense. It is considered a “high intensity” drill).

March 14th

“We don’t know how to work yet … We’ll get it”

Player Notes

- There have been rumors about players leaving the team (specifically, a running back). Head coach Jon Embree was asked about player defections after practice on Monday. “Not that I know of yet,” said Embree. “I think there might be some guys that are on the fence, so we’ll see.”

- As to players who are standing out, Embree had several names in mind. “You know the guy I am really proud of?, said Embree. “Forrest West. After day one, I ripped him and demoted him, and all he has done since then is make plays. Now, he can still get better, but he responded.” Embree also singled out red-shirt running back Tony Jones. “He is responding,” said Embree. “He is stepping up his game and doing some things.” Embree also gave props to quarterback Tyler Hansen, wide receiver Paul Richardson, the tight ends, and the offensive line.

Jon Embree Quotes – Monday

 On “Separation Day”: “Oh yeah, some guys got exposed, and that is good because their teammates will know about them. It is habits right now. That is the problem right now, habits. They want to feel sorry for themselves a little bit. We don’t know how to work yet … We’ll get it.”

On intensity during Monday’s practice: “We are still up and down. We can’t get to a certain level and just sustain it. Offense beats the defense in nine-on-seven and then we go to team run offense and offense does well again and then defense dominates the rest of practice. We can’t be like that.”

On focusing on running plays: “I feel like we are really progressing. There are going to be some plays we can hang our hat on. Short yardage scrimmage, like I said, the defense got us. But we put in new plays and new personnel groups for that, but when we ran the plays that we’ve been running; we were very good at it. So I am encouraged by that. But yet, at the same time, we have to be able to take new stuff on the field, and get going. We can’t keep taking a day to figure it out. We have to do better. We have to have some football IQ to be able to take some of that to the field.”

March 13th

“We can run, but we can’t throw worth a dang”

Sunday’s practice, the last practice open to the public, brought about mixed reviews from the Colorado head coach.

“I was pleased from a running standpoint,” said Jon Embree. “I feel like we can run the ball, but we can’t throw worth a dang. Some of that is because we installed new plays today. So guys are swimming, but we have to get better. We can’t have center-quarterback exchange (problems); we can’t keep putting the ball on the ground. We can’t have that.”

Sunday was the last for the Buffs in shoulder pads and shorts. On Monday, the Buffs will conduct the first full contact practice of the spring.

“It counts tomorrow,” said Embree, who called Monday “separation day”. “Anybody can play in shells and shorts, but when you really have to tackle and not tag off, we are going to find out who can play. It is going to separate who can play from the pretenders”.

Player Notes

- Sophomore linebacker Liloa Nobriga sat out Sunday’s practice with a minor hamstring injury.

- Senior wide receiver Toney Clemons suffered a minor hamstring injury during Sunday’s practice.

- Junior wide receiver Will Jefferson has been hobbled, but has practiced this spring. “Will just has knees older than mine, that’s his problem,” said Embree. “He just has to take care of them … I think he’ll be alright. He has tendinitis.”

- Sophomore defensive back Parker Orms continues to recover from his torn ACL, suffered in the first quarter of the Colorado State game. “Prior to that, I hadn’t missed a game since I was seven years old,” Orms told BuffStampede.com. “Last fall was the toughest time of my life, for sure.” Orms is doing some light workouts this spring. “I am about 90 percent right now, they say the last ten percent is the hardest,” said Orms. “There is definitely still some pain … They say six months after the injury is the projected time when I should be getting close. It will be six months (on March 24th), so we will see. After we come back from spring break, I will see if I can participate. It is better to come back a little late than too early.”

- Sophomore offensive lineman Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner is also on the mend, recovering from two torn ACL’s. “He has done a good job of re-habbing it, we’re trying to give him an ample opportunity to get back,” said Embree. “I don’t want to get him out there too soon and then have to shut him down for sure … So it is just a matter of when he is going to put in some actions.”

Jon Embree Quotes – Sunday

On reported struggles by kicker Justin Castor: “The issue is our snapper and holder. We have to get that worked out. One time the ball was four inches inside the spot; another time it is behind it.”

On the overall effort through three practices: “Yeah, they are (learning new plays), but, as I told the coaches, we can’t accept, ‘Oh, we almost did it,’ or, ‘That is close enough’. If we say a six-yard split, (it has to be) a six-yard split. There is going to be a standard you can’t bend on … They are doing a lot of things right, but we are not doing everything right. I was told my job as a coach was not to be satisfied, so I will find something.”

On closing the next eight practices: “(It’s) so we can get some work done with the players … As we get going, as this program progresses, I want people around all the time.”

March 12th

Offensive line moves

With starting center Mike Iltis out for the spring, and All-American left tackle Nate Solder waiting to hear his name called during the first round of the NFL draft, there has been some movement along the Buffs’ offensive line. Sophomore David Bakhtiari, who started 11 games at right tackle last season, has been running with the first team at left tackle.

“I actually practiced at left tackle last spring, so I feel comfortable there,” Bakhtiari told BuffStampede.com. “I am still good friends with Nate, so when he came back for (pro) timing day, we went in the practice bubble and we did some sets. He taught me some new tricks he learned while training for the draft.”

In Bakhtiari’s place at right tackle, grey-shirt freshman Alex Lewis has impressed head coach Jon Embree in the first two days of practice, but it has been sophomore Jack Harris who has been lining up with the first team at the position.

At the center position, sophomore Gus Handler has been getting most of the snaps with the first team, with both Iltis and possible backup Shawn Daniels out for the spring recovering from off-season surgeries.

Starting offensive lineup – first weekend

The Colorado depth chart lists players alphabetically, and Jon Embree has taken pains to remind everyone that each and every starting job is up for grabs, but someone has to run with the first team. The first weekend of practice, the “ones” on offense are:

QB – Tyler Hansen; TB – Rodney Stewart; FB – Tyler Ahles; WR – Paul Richardson; WR – Toney Clemons; TE – Ryan Deehan; LT – David Bakhtiari; LG – Ethan Adkins; C – Gus Handler; RG – Ryan Miller; RT – Jack Harris.

This could all change several times before fall (it could change several times before the spring game), but, if the Hawai’i game were next Saturday, this might well be the lineup the Buffs would trot out onto the field in Honolulu. Not bad …

Player Notes

- Junior offensive lineman Bryce Givens is being held out of practice until his fate is decided by the Office of Judicial Affairs. Givens was caught on video vandalizing three cars in a Denver parking garage in December. Teammates Eric Richter and Will Pericak were with Givens that night, but both are practicing with the team.

- Harold Mobley may never get his shot at quarterback. The red-shirt freshman tight end is being held out of practice for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Mobley may be back to practice sometime this spring, but no timetable was given by Jon Embree for Mobley’s return.

- Quarterback turned defensive back Justin Gorman may have found his way onto the field. Gorman is being given a look at holder for extra points and field goals. The job was held down by Cody Hawkins and Scotty McKnight the past few seasons.

- Red-shirt freshman defensive lineman Kirk Poston is concentrating on playing inside at defensive tackle.

- There are a total of six new walk-ons listed on the Colorado roster (Hunter, a transfer, would not be eligible to play until 2012): 

Drew Ebner                 WR          5-11       200        Fr.        HS       Arvada, Colo. (Pomona)

Jacob Frost                  PK           6-  0       170        Fr.        HS       Bakersfield, Calif. (Liberty)

Harrison Hunter        DB           5-10       170        So.       TR        Fountain, Colo. (Fountain-Fort Carson/Fort Lewis)

Andre Nichols            DE           6-  4       220        Fr.        HS       Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart)

Alec Parker                OLB         6-  0       210        Fr.        HS       Westminster, Colo. (Standley Lake)

Conner Wilhelm        WR          5-11       170        Fr.        HS       Los Angeles, Calif. (Hamilton)

Jon Embree quotes – Saturday

On the second day of practice: “The intensity stayed up high. Anyone can do it once. They answered the call; competed well.”

On the coaches getting on players for making mistakes: “Someone’s in their ear. Someone’s on them when they make a mistake. So they have that constant pressure on them, and I told them that we’re going to keep the pressure on them. We’re not going to let them breathe and relax.”

Concerning some of the fights between the players, and whether that was okay with him: “Yeah, I expect it. When I was a player here, we fought each other. That’s part of the deal.” Embree then went on to explain that going against the same players every play, with them trying to prevent you from doing what you were trying to do, it would get to him as a player, and he expects it to get to his players now. This is a deviation from the policy about fights under Dan Hawkins, when the entire team had to run “gassers” if a fight broke out. “When you are on the football field, emotions are running high so that is bound to happen,” said sophomore offensive tackle David Bakhtiari. “I got in a tussle with Josh Hartigan today, and, shortly after, I went up to him and said, ‘Good (****)’. We are good friends, it is nothing personal.”

“Intensity” the word of choice by players after practice

“For the record, it’s intense,” said senior wide receiver Toney Clemons of the Buffs’ practice regime. “But it’s what we need. It feels good to have everything crisp, everything real militant and everything real professional. They’re teaching us how to become young men and young football players, and we’re getting a feel for what the game is like on the next level. You want that high level coaching, and we’ve got it here.”

Red-shirt freshman quarterback Nick Hirschman agreed. “I thought the level of intensity was so much higher,” said Hirschman. “It was a lot more enthusiastic, and that makes it a lot more fun for the players and the coaches.”

For senior linebacker Jon Major, the first practice was just a continuation of what the players have seen since winter conditioning began. “It’s really attention to details, maximum effort, and if you don’t do it right, then you’re going to do it again or you’re going to get punished,” said Major. “That’s definitely going to carry over I think in the fall.”

Former safety – now cornerback – Deji Olatoye concurred. “It was a rough program for everyone (this winter),” said Olatoye, who had an interception in the first practice. (New strength and conditioning) Coach (Malcolm) Blacken did a good job of getting us prepared for this. It was a lot of running, it definitely opened up our eyes, and I feel like I am a part of a college football team now.”

Sophomore wide receiver Paul Richardson, who joined the team just a few days before the start of fall practice last summer, is going through his first spring practices as a Buff, and, at least for now, he is enjoying the ride. “The coaches wanted us to get used to facing adversity,” said Richardson of the winter conditioning program. As for his goals this spring, Richardson said that “getting in and out of my breaks better, and having the role of a leader. “I like the weight the coaches have put on my shoulders,” said Richardson, “and the level of responsibility that I have”. Richardson also indicated that he had decided to return to Colorado even before Jon Embree was hired, and that he made it through his first Colorado winter without any difficulties.

New names

There are some new names on the Colorado roster. These are names not likely to make the starting roster, but you never know …

Linebacker Alec Parker, defensive end Andre Nichols, and kicker Jacob Frost, all walk-ons, appeared on the rosters handed out to the media at the first practice. 

There is also a potential transfer, Hunter Harrison, a defensive back from Fountain, Colorado. Harrison comes from Fort Lewis, and the walk-on would have four years to play three after sitting out the 2011 season.

March 11th

Colorado opens Jon Embree era with afternoon practice

“I am going to have to get some throat lozenges,” Jon Embree joked after his first practice as the 24th-head coach in Colorado football history.

“I have to be me”, said Embree of his raising his voice on a number of occasions during the shorts-and-helmets opening practice. “I am very demanding. I am going to be on them. There is a standard, and either you do or you don’t. And we can’t bend or compromise it.”

Embree’s no-nonsense approach hasn’t been lost on the players, with one player describing it as “a lot more professional.”

It is the intent of the coaches to install the basics of a West Coast offense this spring, but not cloud the players’ minds with too much information. Rather, the coaches want to see which players have the physical skill to run the playbook, and the heart to help bring back a winning tradition to the program. “It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be intense,” said senior quarterback Tyler Hansen. “It’s going to be hard work, a lot different than it was.”

Hansen, for one, likes the look of the new offense. “I like it a lot,” said Hansen. “I don’t have to run the ball as much, take as many hits, and we’re getting the ball off on time. Stuff like that. It’s good stuff.”

On defense, many eyes will be trained upon the secondary, where the Buffs have lost two cornerbacks, Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown, to the NFL. “The big issue is we’re going to have to replace two proven playmakers in Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown,” said defensive coordinator and secondary coach Greg Brown. “Behind that, there weren’t a lot of guys who stepped in at that corner spot for the last two or three years because of the play of those two guys. So corner is a large unknown right now, and it probably will still be an unknown going all the way into the fall.”

The defensive playbook will also be vanilla this spring, as the coaches evaluate talent. “We’re evolving right now,” said Brown. “There is no way of knowing where the thing is going to end up. Our focus right now is on spring ball and just trying to line up and play it straight and see if we can win some one-on-one battles.”

Player Notes

- There were four players who were already known to be “OUT” for spring practice due to off-season surgery: Tight end Matt Bahr; offensive lineman Blake Behrens; center Mike Iltis; and offensive lineman Max Tuioti-Mariner. Joining that list now are four players who were previously listed as “TBD” … Out for the spring are: defensive back Anthony Perkins; defensive back Parker Orms; offensive lineman Shawn Daniels; and defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe. The only name which was not on the “TBD” list earlier was Uzo-Diribe, who had surgery on a broken toe in late February. While listed as out for the spring, Uzo-Diribe believes he could be available for the second half of spring practices.

- With center Mike Iltis out, three players will see time at that position this spring … sophomore Gus Handler; red-shirt freshman Daniel Munyer; and red-shirt freshman Kaiwi Crabb.

- Senior guard Ryan Miller, rumored to be moving to left tackle to replace the departed Nate Solder, isn’t going anywhere. Miller will remain at guard.

- As it turns out, there will be more competition at quarterback. With a lack of depth in the secondary, it was thought that red-shirt freshman Josh Moten would be asked to concentrate on learning the defense. Moten will, however, be given a tryout at quarterback, as will red-shirt freshman tight end Harold Mobley. Both Moten and Mobley played quarterback in high school, and Moten believed that he was to be given a chance at quarterback by Dan Hawkins, but that did not work out.

- Perhaps in return for Moten, the quarterbacks are sending Justin Gorman, a walk-on red-shirt freshman, over to the secondary (interestingly enough, in his post-practice comments, Jon Embree was surprised to learn that Gorman was listed as a quarterback on the depth chart. Embree had been under the impression that Gorman had always been a defensive back).

- Junior Eric Richter, listed on the depth chart as an offensive lineman, will be moving to the defensive line.

- Red-shirt freshman Deji Olatoye, who practiced at safety last fall, will be tried out as a cornerback this spring.

- The Buffs have a new walk-on kicker. His name is Jacob Frost (no further information currently available).

Jon Embree Quotes – Friday

Overall view of first practice: “I think the guys are starting to understand a little bit about what’s expected … They had a pretty good grasp of what we’re asking them to do. They know what to do. They weren’t great in the details.”

On coaching college players instead of NFL players, and not being too hard on the team: “Skill has nothing to do with effort”.

On bringing a fullback into the offense: “The fullback is very important … We want to run the football. Having a fullback will allow you to mess with the defensive spacing.” (Embree also mentioned that Tyler Ahles and Evan Harrington, both former linebackers, volunteered to make the move to fullback).

Second Scrimmage – Behind the numbers

“There are three kinds of lies: lies; damned lies; and statistics”, a phrase widely attributed to Benjamin Desraeli and popularized by Mark Twain.

The phrase certainly holds true when reviewing the numbers from an intra-squad scrimmage, and a spring one at that. For every celebration over a long touchdown pass, there is consternation over a blown coverage by the secondary; for every sack, there is a missed assignment by an offensive lineman.

Still, as the 2011 Buffs have been under wraps for the past few weeks, a look under the hood of Jon Embree’s team is certainly called for after the team completed practice No. 11 of 15 allotted practices.

Quarterbacks

While head coach Jon Embree wouldn’t agree that Tyler Hansen was “clearly” the choice for starting quarterback in September, Hansen’s numbers – and those of his competitors – suggest otherwise.

True, Hansen’s 18-for-19 performance was against a depleted defensive line and a secondary missing both of its likely starters at safety, but Nick Hirschman and Brent Burnette went up against much of the same personnel, with significantly different numbers. Hirschman went 4-of-11 for 27 yards, while Burnette went one-for-five for eight yards. Hansen threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns;  Hirschman/Burnette threw for 35 yards and no scores (in just three fewer passes).

Buff defenders managed four sacks on the afternoon, all against Nick Hirschman. Hansen was not sacked, and did not take off running with the ball, carrying the ball only twice on the afternoon (once for 13 yards; the other for two yards). All together, Hirschman/Burnette were in for eight drives, netting two touchdowns. In Hansen’s seven drives, the offense scored six touchdowns (three drives for 70 yards, the other three in red zone drives started at the 20-yard line).

“If it’s still like this at the end of the spring, yeah, we’ll go with Tyler,” said Embree. “If Tyler continues like he has, and Nick doesn’t pick it up a little bit, Tyler will be the No. 1″.

I appreciate Embree’s diplomacy, but, barring injury or a very strange summer, Tyler Hansen will be the starter in Honolulu.

Running backs

Senior Rodney Stewart had the 5th-best season in Colorado history last year, rushing for 1,318 yards. Stewart is the No. 1 running back, and he did little to dissuade anyone from that conclusion during the second scrimmage, when Speedy carried the ball 11 times for 48 yards and three touchdowns (Stewart also had five catches and another touchdown receiving).

The more interesting story goes to who will serve as Stewart’s primary backup. With senior running back Brian Lockridge out for the spring as his ankle mends, red-shirt freshman Tony Jones has become a fan favorite. The Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in New Jersey in 2009, Jones had to sit out last year, waiting for his turn. “I felt sick to my stomach not playing, and seeing all the guys having fun, and seeing Speedy run for touchdowns and me just being on the sidelines cheering him on and wishing I was playing,” said Jones. “But you know everything happens for a reason, and I’m pretty grateful that I red-shirted last season and played scout team and got the feel of the college level.”

Jones rushed for a team-best 76 yards on 13 carries in the first scrimmage of the spring, and had 11 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown in the April 2nd scrimmage. “Tony Jones is doing very well,” Embree said earlier this week. “He is starting to show up. He needs to get stronger, but he has a knack of finding the hole and the seam. The other thing is he’s protecting the football. Don’t ever take that for granted.”

The other back trying to get into the discussion is Josh Ford. A sophomore walk-on, Ford was a star at Mullen high before signing with Kansas State. After a year with the Wildcats (and Barton Community College), Ford is trying to make his way into the Buffs’ rotation. Ford had 60 yards on only five carries in the April 2nd scrimmage. Even taking out his impressive 39-yard run, Ford had 21 yards in his other four carries, still over five yards per tote.

The fullbacks remain a work in progress, though former linebackers Tyler Ahles and Evan Harrington are getting good reviews. With the fullbacks you can lump in red-shirt freshman Cordary Allen, the biggest of the tailbacks (6’1″, 225-pounds), who may become a short-yardage specialist for the Buffs. In the second scrimmage, Allen had four carries for 17 yards and a touchdown.

Wide receivers / Tight Ends

For now at least, it appears that the Colorado receiving corps is sophomore Paul Richardson … and everybody else. Richardson continues to impress, hauling in four passes for 85 yards on April 2nd, including a 58-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Hansen.

After Richardson, though, there are question marks, and head coach Jon Embree has complained throughout much of the spring about a lack of production amongst the receivers. Senior Toney Clemons sat out the second spring scrimmage, and junior Will Jefferson had only one catch (albeit for 45 yards and a touchdown). Walk-on senior Kyle Cefalo had the second-best day on April 2nd, catching three balls for 53 yards, including a 33-yarder.

Perhaps it is due to a recognized lack of depth and talent at the wide receiver position that the Colorado coaches may yet bring in a receiver or two before the start of the 2011 season. Georgia transfer Logan Gray will be in Boulder for the spring game, with one season of eligibility remaining. Also coming to Boulder is Thomas Carter from Cajon high in California. Carter has not received any scholarship offers (due to academic concerns, which have since been rectified), telling BuffaloSportsNews.net, “They said when I come out there and meet the coach, if he likes me, then they will offer me a scholarship.” (More on Gray and Carter in the “Recruiting Prospects – 2012” section of CU at the Game).

At tight end, however, things are looking up. Senior Ryan Deehan is starting to look like the four-star prospect he was out of high school (three catches for 39 yards on April 2nd), while sophomore DaVaughn Thornton (four catches for 33 yards) is looking to make his own mark. “This spring is like a breath of fresh air,” said Thornton. “I will be on the field way more than I was last year. I will still make plays in practice, and the difference will be that I’ll also be out on the field in Folsom making plays.”

Offensive Line

Even without the likely starting center (Mike Iltis, out for all of spring practice), and a potential backup at center (Daniel Munyer, excused to attend his sister’s wedding), the Colorado offensive line did well in the second scrimmage. The Buffs managed 173 yards rushing, and 454 yards of total offense.

The Colorado quarterbacks were sacked four times (Nick Hirschman was the victim all four times), but otherwise had a good afternoon. When asked about Tyler Hansen’s 18-for-19 day, wide receiver Paul Richardson replied: “A big part of that is our offensive line, giving him enough time to make his reads, and deliver the ball.”

Defensive Line

The flipside of that same coin is that – if the Colorado offensive line had a good day, it must mean that the Colorado defensive line fared poorly.

Considering that the Buffs, due to injuries, were down to three defensive tackles and 2 1/2 defensive ends (red-shirt freshman Kirk Poston played despite a sore ankle), the line did give up many big plays. Of the Buffs’ 34 rushes, only one went for over 20 yards. Conrad Obi, who has earned the praise of Jon Embree, had seven tackles on April 2nd, including three tackles-for-loss, a sack, and a third down stop. Helping out on the defensive line was senior walk-on Tony Poremba, who contributed five tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and a sack. Eric Richter, a converted offensive lineman, chipped in four tackles of his own.

Hopefully, two or three of the walking wounded – Curtis Cunningham, Nate Bonsu, Forrest West, and Nick Kasa – will be available for the Spring game, and will give a better representation of what the Buff Nation can expect from the defensive line this fall.

Linebackers

After losing two starters from the 2010 team, the linebackers are in rebuilding mode. Fortunately for Buff fans, the lone holdover from the Dan Hawkins staff is long-time linebackers coach Brian Cabral. Starter Jon Major returns, along with long-time contributor Doug Rippy. In the second scrimmage, Rippy had seven tackles, including a tackle-for-loss, while Major contributed four tackles, which included two tackles-for-loss, one sack, and a third down stop.

Sophomores Derrick Webb and Liloa Nobriga have been out, so this is another unit which has yet to realize its full potential.

Secondary

Yes, this is a problem area.

And yes, it will get better before September.

While it is true that Tyler Hansen put up a ridiculous passer rating of 255.6 (18-for-19, 246 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions), it is also true that Nick Hirschman and Brent Burnette also took their shots against the Colorado secondary, and went a combined 5-for-16 for 35 yards.

It is also important to remember that three potential starters – senior safety Anthony Perkins, junior safety Vince Ewing, and sophomore nickel back Parker Orms – are all out for the spring.

Sophomore Jered Bell has received the most lukewarm praise from Jon Embree, being called the “most consistent” of the defensive backs, but it clear that this unit has a great deal of work to do before fall. Transfer cornerback (from Georgia) Makiri Pugh was supposed to have an immediate impact this spring after sitting out last season, but that has yet to take place. Senior Jonathan Hawkins has had his moments, as have a a trio of sophomores – Paul Vigo; Terrel Smith; and Deji Olatoye – but none have had a break out spring.

Defensive coordinator and secondary coach Greg Brown has had to “make do” before with even less talent than he has on hand now, but the secondary will remain a question mark into the fall. Five defensive backs will hit Boulder in August – Sherrard Harrington; Greg Henderson; Kyle Washington; Jermaine Clark; and Will Harlos. If the existing players are not able to improve, and/or the injured players do not come back full strength and full throttle, it could be a long fall for the Colorado secondary.

Kickers

There was no punting during the second scrimmage, and no extra points attempted.

Jon Embree did, however, allow sophomore Justin Castor eight opportunities at field goals, and …

… Castor was good on six of those.

Okay, it’s not exactly time to break out the champagne over finding a consistent kicker, but it’s a start. Castor was good on six kicks ranging from 31 to 43 yards, with his only two misses coming from 43 and 45 yards out.

Sure, those are not Mason Crosby numbers, but bear this in mind – during the second scrimmage last spring, the two kickers (Zach Grossnickle and Marcus Kirkwood) went a combined one-for-six in their field goal attempts.

Note:  There have been posts that Zach Grossnickle was punting off to the side of the scrimmage, and that Grossnickle had a few punts over the bubble on Saturday (thanks, Nic, for that info).

For comparison’s sake … Last spring, after the second scrimmage of the 2010 spring practices, my article was entitled “Second Scrimmage Report – In a word: Offensive“. During last season’s second scrimmge, the offense failed to score a point until the ball was placed at the five yard line. Despite the horrendous effort by the offensive unit, CU fans got this: “Kiesau’s final comment will likely send shivers down the spines of many in the Buff Nation: ‘I like the way (Cody Hawkins and Tyler Hansen) are playing.’ ”

Baby steps, my friends. Baby steps … but we’re getting there.

Hansen asserts himself in second scrimmage

For those who understand how passer ratings are figured, break out your calculator.

Senior quarterback Tyler Hansen went 18-for-19 in the second scrimmage of the spring, going for 246 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s about as close to perfection as you can get for a quarterback.

Stats

The one-hour, 16-minute scrimmage covered over 82 plays. Complete stats sheet

Passing

Tyler Hansen – 18-for-19, 246 yards and three touchdowns

Nick Hirschman – 4-for-11 for 27 yards

Brent Burnette – 1-for-5 for 8 yards

Rushing

Tony Jones – 11-for-60 yards and one touchdown

Rodney Stewart – 11-for-48 yards and three touchdowns

Cordary Allen – 4-for-17 yards and one touchdown

Josh Ford – 5-for-60 yards

Receiving

Paul Richardson – 4-for-85 yards and one touchdown (a 57-yarder)

Rodney Stewart – 5-for-6 yards and one touchdown (a six-yarder)

DaVaughn Thornton (TE) – 4-for-33 yards

Ryan Deehan (TE) – 3-for-39 yards

Kyle Cefalo – 3-for-53 yards

Will Jefferson – 1-for-45 yards and a touchdown

Jon Embree Quotes – April 2nd scrimmage

On Tyler Hansen – “He did a good job of placing the ball. I thought his accuracy was pretty good for the most part. He made a couple of throws on the deep ball, so I was encouraged”

On Nick Hirschman – “He’s doing well. He’s doing better. I just want him to be more assertive; to be more aggressive. I think he needs to trust himself more. He hasn’t turned it loose.”

On whether Tyler Hansen is clearly the stater – “I wouldn’t say ’clearly’ yet. I’m going to evaluate this through … If it’s still like this at the end of the spring, yeah, we’ll go with Tyler … If Tyler continues like he has, and Nick doesn’t pick it up a little bit, Tyler will be the No. 1″.

On perhaps running fewer plays due to a lack of healthy defensive linemen – “We were sensitive to that”, said Embree, noting that there were only three defensive tackles and “2 1/2″ defensive ends, with Kirk Poston playing despite a sprained ankle. 

On the play of the defense overall – “I was disappointed in the defense from the standpoint that we didn’t have enough energy and enthusiasm. That’s 90% of defense, just being excited about being out there and having some energy when you’re running around out there hitting people. We were just going through the motions, feeling sorry for ourselves.”

On the plans for the coaches between the second scrimmage and the Spring game – “We need to get better at tackling; our corners need to be better tackling … From an offensive standpoint, continuing to install our passes.”

After noting that the coaches may only install about 30% of the offense this spring, and whether Colorado could go into the season with less than a full playbook – “My philosophy: It doesn’t matter what we (the coaches) know. It’s what they (the players) know; what they can do.” 

Tyler Hansen Quotes – April 2nd scrimmage

On learning the new offense, of which only 30% is installed – “It’s going to take a lot of studying; a lot of preparation. It’ll be fun. Every week we’ll have different plays … This summer’s going to be very important for all of us.”

On competing with Nick Hirschman – “I still have to compete every day. Whether it’s with Nick or myself, I still have to compete.”

On what Hirschman has to do better – “He’s thinking too much. You’ve just got to relax and play what you see. If your read is a middle backer, read the middle backer. Just relax.”

On playing well as an offense on April 2nd – “The offense was efficient today, but we’re not going against all of the 1′s … yet. Yeah, we did great, but we have to take it with a grain of salt.”

Paul Richardson Quotes – April 2nd scrimmage

On whether his success on the field is “easy” for him: “I wouldn’t say that it’s easy. I’m just truly blessed and gifted … I just try and make it look as easy as possible. But a lot of this stuff is challenging.”

On Tyler Hansen’s big day: “A big part of that is our offensive line, giving him enough time to make his reads, and deliver the ball.”

Inactive List

In addition to the players who are out for all of spring practice – tight end Matt Bahr; offensive lineman Blake Behrens; center Mike Iltis; and offensive lineman Max Tuioti-Mariner – there were a number of players who were inactive for the April 2nd scrimmage: center Daniel Munyer (excused for his sister’s wedding); defensive end Nick Kasa; defensive tackle Nate Bonsu; defensive end Forrest West; linebacker Derrick Webb; wide receiver Jason Espinoza; wide receiver Toney Clemons; running back Brian Lockridge; safety Anthony Perkins; defensive tackle Curtis Cunningham; nickel back Parker Orms; and safety Vince Ewing.

As you can see, head coach Jon Embree wasn’t kidding about having to be “sensitive” to the lack of defensive linemen, with Curtis Cunningham, Nick Kasa, Nate Bonsu, and Forrest West all unavailable for the April 2nd scrimmage.

First Scrimmage – Thursday, March 17th

Stats from first scrimmage

The Buffs, in their final practice before spring break, conducted an 86-play, game-like scrimmage. There were no kickoffs or punts, and the offense started each drive on the 30-yard line. Some numbers from the scrimmage:

Passing:

Tyler Hansen – 13-of-19; 161 yards. One touchdown; no interceptions

Nick Hirschman – 7-of-13; 77 yards. One touchdown; no interceptions

Brent Burnette – 5-of-12; 52 yards. One touchdown; no interceptions

Rushing:

Tony Jones: 13 for 76 yards

Josh Ford: 8 for 40 yards

Rodney Stewart: 10 for 23 yards

Cordary Allen: 4 for 12 yards

Receiving:

Rodney Stewart: 5 for 48 yards

Ryan Deehan: 4 for 49 yards

DaVaughn Thornton: 2 for 49 yards

Josh Ford: 2 for 23 yards

Jason Espinoza: 2 for 20 yards

Paul Richardson: 2 for 18 yards

Will Jefferson: 1 for 12 yards and a touchdown

Alex Wood: 1 for nine yards and a touchdown

Keenan Canty: 1 for four yards and a touchdown

Tackles:

Doug Rippy: 15 tackles; 10 solo; two tackles for loss

Conrad Obi: nine tackles; eight solo; three for loss (one sack)

Patrick Mahnke: six tackles; four solo; two quarterback hurries

Overall, the offense rushed for 189 yards on 39 carries. There were five total penalties, and the defense had four sacks.

Player Notes – First Scrimmage

- In lieu of extra points, the field goal team was brought in. Sophomore kicker Justin Castor had eight attempts from betweend 32 and 47 yards, making only three.

- Injury notes: Senior wide receiver Toney Clemons did not participate in the scrimmage due to a hamstring injury. Clemons is expected to be back on the practice fields after spring break … Senior offensive lineman Shawn Daniels, who has been out since fracturing his foot in the Colorado State game, will be back to practicing after spring break. Daniels had been listed as “full go” before the start of spring practices, but his participation was limited during the first week … Sophomore linebacker Derrick Webb was seen on crutches, but did not have a cast or a boot, so the speculation is that the injury is relatively minor, and that Webb will be back after the spring break layoff.

- Senior quarterback Tyler Hansen, who appears to have the early lead for the starting job (see story, below), was not sacked, while Nick Hirschman and Brent Burnette were each sacked twice. “In previous years the defense was way ahead of the offense early during the spring, but this year is kind of different,” said Hansen. “I feel like today especially, the offense got after it a little bit. We ran the ball really well, and I feel like we took it to the defense a little bit.”

- Sophomore tight end DaVaughn Thornton has been playing well this week. “DaVaughn is the kind of guy whose going to give us some flexibility,” said Jon Embree. “Because he can play, obviously, flex out, he can move, and he can play as an end line guy. As he gets stronger and a little more confident in our offense, more of his talent will come out.”

- Senior defensive lineman Conrad Obi continues to have a good spring. In the Thursday scrimmage, Obi had nine tackles (eight solo), with three tackles for loss and a sack. In the last two seasons, Thursday’s effort would have constituted a year’s worth of work. As a red-shirt freshman in 2008, Obi was on the field for all of 12 plays. The number went up to 23 snaps the following year, with a grand total of 64 snaps (and four tackles) in 2010. “I want to do big things this year,” Obi told BuffStampede.com. “It is not to say I have ever come out here to play mediocre, I have always put in the effort. But this is my last year, last chance. I am going to give it my all, and we’ll see how things fall. That is all I can do.

“There are so many stories out there like Josh (Hartigan, who went from backup linebacker to second team all-conference defensive in one year), guys who rise up and meet their potential,” said Obi. “There are so many stories out there like that … I want to be all-conference, and I really believe I can get that done. I’m putting in the work; I am putting in the time.”

While Obi would be considered a backup to starters Will Pericak and Curtis Cunningham heading into the 2011 season, Obi isn’t daunted by his lack of playing time in the past. “New coaches, new opportunity this spring,” said Obi. “I love it.”

Jon Embree Quotes – First Scrimmage

On the progress of the Colorado running game, which produced 189 yards on 39 carries: “I was very pleased with how well we ran the ball. We’re starting to establish our physical nature … You’d like to be around 250-275 (yards rushing), so there is work to do. But it’s a start.”

On the first week of practice overall: “I am glad that they are embracing the physicalness and the intensity, and understanding that we have to do it. That was one of the reasons I wanted to (practice) five days in a row, just to see who really wanted to play; who was willing to put it all out there.”

On getting into pads for three practices, and conducting a scrimmage: “I think they are realizing they are not going to hurt themselves. It is okay to hit and be hit, and you are going to get up and live to tell about it … And I think they are enjoying it some, too. I think they are kind of having fun getting after each other.”

On the play of the defense in the scrimmage: “The defense was playing well early, and then we had a couple of guys get dinged, so our lack of depth showed up there, but it gave opportunities to some guys to petition, or make their case, as to why they should be a part of this thing next year.”

On what he told his players about Spring break: “I told them about Curt Koch, who was an All-American at CU and going into his senior year (1987) he was at Padre Island walking down the street and he got hit by a car, and it cost him an NFL career … Be smart. Don’t let that ‘liquid courage’ get it you and make you do stupid things. No one is exempt from something happening.”

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 will be on the field returning kicks this fall. The same problem exists in the area of punt returns, where departed Travon Patterson returned 15 of the 18 punts returned by Buffs in 2010.

While there may be open auditions for kick returners this spring, there is limited competition for the kicking positions …

… which may prove to be unfortunate.

Sophomore Zach Grossnickle handled the punting chores last year, to mixed reviews. Meanwhile sophomore Justin Castor inherits the placekicking job. Castor had his red-shirt burned in the fifth game of the season when his only attempt of the year, a 40-yarder against Missouri, was blocked. Castor did have the opportunity at some kickoffs later in the year, but was not allowed another kicking attempt.

Help may be on the way this fall, in the name of freshman recruit Will Oliver, but for this spring, the kicking jobs are Grossnickle’s and Castor’s to lose. (There are reports that there is walk-on competition on campus this spring. On name cited is that of Jacob Frost, a 2010 graduate of Liberty High School in Bakersfield, California. Another name is that of Darragh O’Neil from Fairview High in Boulder. Neither name, though, was on the roster when spring practice opened on March 11th).

The positions of long-snapper and short-snapper were manned this past season by Joe Silipo and Ryan Iverson, with Iverson, a sophomore, returning this spring.

The all-important job of holder, meanwhile, will need to be filled. Scotty McKnight and Cody Hawkins filled that role for the past several seasons. Justin Gorman, a red-shirt freshman walk-on quarterback (who has been moved to the defensive secondary for spring practice) is one player who may inherit the job. Walk-on senior wide receiver Kyle Cefalo is also taking turns at holder.

With unproven talent at both punter and kicker, and with no clear-cut favorites for kick and punt returners, special teams coach J.D. Brookhart has his work cut out for him. That being said, there is plenty of young talent (and speed) in the Colorado receiving corps and secondary, so there is no reason that a pair of excellent kick returners cannot be produced by this team. As for the kickers, both Grossnickle and Castor were highly ranked kickers coming out of high school. Perhaps with the departure of Aric Goodman (and his patron, Dan Hawkins), these kickers can develop into something special over the next three seasons.

The numbers won’t lie …

Jon Embree outlines his goals for Spring Practice

The Colorado Buffaloes in 2011 will not resemble the Colorado Buffaloes of 2010.

Not if new head coach Jon Embree has anything to say about it.

“I told the guys in the first team meeting that there were things we needed to do,” said Embree. “We had to create an identity of what this program needs to be, and the first thing was mental toughness, and that was going to be how we train, that was going to come from the weight room.

“The next thing was our physical toughness and that comes from how we practice, so we are starting that phase right now, and as we go into spring ball there is going to be a certain way that we are going to learn how to practice. To help them with that I have some clips from when I was at Washington of some of the different drills and different team periods of how you practice, how it should look.”

In order to focus on doing things the right way, Embree indicated that the plan this spring was to K.I.S.S. – “I want to see who can play,” said Embree. “If you throw a lot at guys, and it takes them awhile to pick it up, then you may not get your best players. I want to see who can play, and then we can go back and teach them and get it going … It’s not what I know or Eric knows or Greg Brown knows. It is what they know, and what they can execute. So we are not going to throw a lot at them.”

That is not to say, though, that this spring will be a breaking in period. Embree said he will hold his players accountable for their actions, and is already doing so through winter conditioning. “We have been doing that from day one, not just starting with spring ball,” said Embree. “Competing is an all the time thing. So when they mess up, and they don’t do something, either they are punished, their unit is punished, or that side of the ball is punished to try to create an environment of positive peer pressure.”

What type of punishment is being dispensed? “Well, you bear crawl 100-yards, then you logroll 100-yards, then you summersault 100-yards, and then you jog,” said Embree. “If you can get six of those, or 30 minutes, whatever happens first. One thing they have learned is that if they are going to get punished, don’t eat lunch. They learned that one quick.”

And what mistakes merit such punishment? “Being late to class, just something like that,” said Embree. “It’s a little thing to them, but when you are late off the count or you jump off-sides and you lose the game, then it is not so little. Just again, getting them to understand it all counts, everything we do counts. It can’t just be a sometimes thing.”

It’s also safe to say that Embree was not impressed with the 2010 Buffs. “What shows up to me on tape was we didn’t play hard,” said Embree. “That’s what really showed up on tape. We let the scoreboard affect how we played way too much … You can’t look at the scoreboard. Your job is to beat the guy across from you that play, no matter what happened good or bad before it.”

Secondary

Roster: Jonathan Hawkins (Sr.); Travis Sandersfeld (Sr.); Makiri Pugh (Jr.); Ray Polk (Jr.); Paul Vigo (So.); Jered Bell (So.); Terrel Smith (So.); Deji Olatoye (So.); Josh Moten (R-Fr.); Arthur Jaffee (Sr./walk-on); Jordan Marquez (R-Fr./walk-on); Eric Ghent (R-Fr./walk-on)

Injured, may not practice this spring: Anthony Perkins (Sr.) (knee); Vince Ewing (Jr.) (knee); Parker Orms (So.) (knee)

Players Lost: Jimmy Smith; Jalil Brown; Matt Meyer; Cameron Ham

“No preconceived notions”

A defensive coordinator’s dream: two shut-down cornerbacks.

The Colorado defense in 2010 boasted not one, but two, future NFL draft picks at cornerback. Both were seniors; both seasoned veterans of the Big 12 passing wars.

Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown afforded the Colorado coaching staff the luxury of focusing on stopping other elements of the opposition’s offensive arsenal, content to leave Brown and Smith out on an island.

The net result? Colorado was 110th in pass defense; 112th in pass efficiency defense; and 91st in scoring defense.

What happened? And, more to the point this spring – how can the Buffs manage to keep matters from getting even worse, now that Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown are gone?

Greg Brown returns to Colorado as the Buffs’ new defensive coordinator and secondary coach. In his two previous stints, Brown coached CU Thorpe Award winners Deon Figures and Chris Hudson. In between, Brown coached four six NFL teams, and was the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach for an Arizona Wildcat team which ranked 44th in pass defense and 33rd in scoring defense – much better numbers than those produced in Boulder.

What does Brown have to work with this spring?

Three potential starters are injured, with their status for this spring listed as “TBD”: senior safety Anthony Perkins; junior safety Vince Ewing; and sophomore safety Parker Orms. All three are nursing knee injuries suffered last fall, and will be limited as to the drills and practices in which they will participate.

Perkins was the starter at strong safety before being injured in the Missouri game. Jered Bell, a true freshman last fall, started the next game against Baylor, with fellow true freshman Terrel Smith earning the starting role for the remainder of the season. Smith recorded 60 tackles in only six games, finishing fourth on the team in tackles (all three players who finished above Smith in tackles played in all 12 games).

So, assuming senior Anthony Perkins is a “Full Go” for the fall, the Buffs seem to be ably manned at strong safety.

What about free safety?

At the free safety position, the Buffs have a 23-game veteran, a player who has made 15 starts, including all 12 games last season.

But he might not be there this fall …

Ray Polk moved from running back to safety after his freshman year, and started all 12 games last fall. Polk was second on the team in tackles, with 72. He was on the field for more snaps – 787 – than any other defensive player other than Jalil Brown.

The problem with Polk, however, is that he has also struggled at the position. True, he was second on the team in tackles, but he was not a play-maker. Polk had no sacks, no tackles for loss, only four third-down stops, and only one pass broken up to his credit. For the Buffs to be successful on defense, the free safety position needs to be more productive.

Will Polk even return at the position? There are rumors that Polk may return to the running back corps. The new coaching staff is looking to institute more of a power rushing attack, and while Rodney Stewart and Brian Lockridge have had their share of success, they are not of the physical makeup (6’1, 210-pounds) of Ray Polk.

Still, the rumor may turn out to be just that, a rumor. “Between Ray Polk and Anthony Perkins, they have a compilation of a proven number of starts,” said Greg Brown. “So at safety, we feel we have some experience and guys are going to be able to get lined up and do the right thing.” … Sounds as if Brown is expecting Polk to remain on the defensive side of the ball.

At cornerback, Brown will have a large number of players from which to choose his starters, but all are lacking in game experience.

Senior Jonathan Hawkins has the most experience of any player in the group, playing in nine games last fall. He and walk-on senior Arthur Jaffee, who led the team in special team points last fall, also have the benefit of having already spent time with Greg Brown as a coach (before Brown left for Arizona after the 2009 season).

Two interesting storylines of the spring could involve red-shirt freshman Josh Moten and junior transfer Makiri Pugh. Moten was a quarterback recruit who practiced half the season at cornerback (to rave reviews) before an off-field incident (since resolved) kept him from practicing. With the change in coaching staffs, Moten may also be given a look at quarterback this spring, so we’ll have to track Moten’s progress.

Pugh is a transfer from Georgia who sat out the 2010 season under NCAA transfer rules. Largely forgotten since being interviewed the week of the Georgia game last fall, Pugh may make his presence known on the depth chart before the end of spring drills. Out of high school, Pugh was considered to be the 31st-best cornerback prospect in the nation (Rivals), and had offers from a number of SEC and ACC schools. In 2009, as a red-shirt freshman, Pugh saw action in nine games for Georgia.  

The rosters is filled with potential cornerbacks and nickelbacks, though no one may want to take the field wearing the label of the latter position.

Colorado went through nickelbacks like candy in early 2010. Parker Orms was given the job as a red-shirt freshman last fall, but in his first start, he didn’t make it out of the first quarter, injuring his knee on punt coverage during the Colorado State game, and did not return all season (Orms will be entitled to a medical red-shirt season as a result). Orms was replaced by Travis Sandersfeld, who was injured during  following game against Cal. Sandersfeld’s replacement, Paul Vigo, was subsquently injured during the game against Hawai’i. Against Georgia, the Buffs started linebacker Patrick Mahnke at nickelback, with Jonathan Hawkins and linebacker Liloa Nobriga also receiving starts at the position in 2010.

By the end of the season, some sense of normalcy had been returned to the nickelback position. After starting six different players at the position in the first eight games of year, Sandersfeld started the last four games. Heading into spring drills, the job may be Sandersfeld’s to lose. “Travis Sandersfeld has done nothing but come on and be a steady guy from years past and worked his way up,” said Greg Brown, who also recruited Sandersfeld.

So, who will be in the starting lineup come September?

If the depth chart from last season is a guide, you would look to Anthony Perkins at strong safety, Ray Polk at free safety, Travis Sandersfeld at nickelback, and perhaps Jonathan Hawkins at one cornerback position. The other cornerback? Will it be senior Arthur Jaffee? Junior transfer Makiri Pugh? Sophomore Jered Bell? “Right now, there are no preconceived notions about what is going to happen,” said Brown.

Colorado secondary coach Greg Brown does have two things going for him: 1) depth – Colorado has a good number of quality backs returning; and 2) versatility – almost every back mentioned above can play any of the positions in the secondary. With Colorado looking at a 3-4 defense – or even a 3-3-5, versatility will be at a premium this fall.

This spring will be crucial … the opener is against Hawai’i, which just happened to lead the NCAA in passing offense in 2010, at 394 yards per game. Quarterback Bryant Moniz, who led the nation in total offense last year, and who had 330 yards passing against the Buffs in Boulder last fall, returns for his senior campaign.

No time like the present to being shoring up those defensive statistics …

Linebackers

Roster: Patrick Mahnke (Sr.); Jon Major (Jr.); Doug Rippy (Jr.); Derrick Webb (So.); Liloa Nobriga (So.); Lowell Williams (R-Fr.); David Goldberg (Sr./walk-on); Gage Greer (R-Fr./walk-on); David Blaha (R-Fr./walk-on) .. This Fall … Brady Daigh (Fr.); Woodson Greer (Fr.); K.T. Tuumalo (Fr.)

Players Lost: B.J. Beatty; Michael Sipili; Evan Harrington (moved to fullback); Tyler Ahles (moved to fullback)

“Where’s the Depth?”

There is a real buzz in the Buff Nation about Colorado’s new attacking defense. Getting away from the 4-3, the Buffs will be playing more 3-4 or even 3-3-5, with new defensive line /linebackers coach Kanavis McGhee unleashing his charges upon unsuspecting quarterbacks in the Pac-12.

Problem is … There isn’t a great deal of depth for the coaches to work with – yet.

Colorado loses two senior starters from its linebacker corps. Michael Sipili led the team in tackles last fall with 94, while fellow senior B.J. Beatty made the most of his 36 tackles (Beatty had five sacks and four other tackles for loss in 2010). Only junior Jon Major, who was injured during the Texas Tech game and did not return for the remainder of the season (though he is a “Full Go” for practice this spring), and Major’s replacement, sophomore Liloa Nobriga, have any starting experience from those remaining on the roster.

Still, depth was apparently not seen as a issue amongst the Colorado coaching staff, as two linebackers in line for significant playing time this fall, seniors Tyler Ahles and Evan Harrington, will be learning the fullback position this spring.

So, other than Major and Nobriga, who does linebacker coach Brian Cabral have to work with this spring?

Senior Patrick Mahnke has 35 games to his credit, including six starts. Last season, Mahnke played in all 12 games, starting three as the Buffs’ nickel back. Junior Doug Rippy has not lived up to expectations, and was in on 27 plays over six games in 2010. Sophomore Derrick Webb earned his first start of his career against Oklahoma last fall, seeing action in seven games overall.

With Colorado moving to more of an attacking style, players who are “hybrids” – too small to be a linebacker; too big for safety – will see a great deal of attention. Patrick Mahnke (6’1, 205-pounds) fits into this mold, as do recruits K.T. Tu’umalo (6’2″, 200-pounds) and Will Harlos (6’4″, 200-pounds).

Another player who could help out in this blending of the linebackers and defensive backs is junior Ray Polk. A former running back recruit, Polk (6’1, 210-pounds) was second on the team last season with 72 tackles. Polk started every game last fall at safety and … is rumored to be back on his way to the offensive backfield.

Two seniors lost to graduation; two other seniors converting to fullback; and a starting junior perhaps moving back to running back.

Apparently, depth at linebacker is not a concern for the CU coaching staff.

We’ll see how the dust settles this spring …

Offensive line

Roster: Ryan Miller (Sr.); Ethan Adkins (Sr.); Shawn Daniels (Sr.); Sione Tau (Sr.); Bryce Givens (Jr.); Ryan Dannewitz (Jr.); Eric Richter (Jr.); David Bakhtiari (So.);  Jack Harris (So.); Gus Handler (So.); Kaiwi Crabb (R-Fr.); Daniel Munyer (R-Fr.); Alex Lewis (Fr.); David Clark (Sr./walk-on) … This Fall: Marc Mustoe (Fr.); Alex Kelley (Fr.); Paulay Asiata (Fr.).

Injured: Mike Iltis (Sr.) (knee surgery- out for spring practice); Blake Behrens (Sr.) (shoulder surgery – out for spring); Max Tuioti-Mariner (So.) (knee injury – out for spring practice)

Players Lost: Nate Solder; Keenas Stevens

“Job Opening: Left Tackle”

In one sense, the Colorado offensive line is fairly set, as four of five starters from last season return. Senior Ethan Adkins started 11 games at left guard last season, and has 20 career starts on his resume. Senior Mike Iltis also had 11 starts last fall, with ten of those at the center position (Note: Iltis suffered a torn ACL against Nebraska, and will not be available for spring practice). Senior Ryan Miller is the most recognizable name amongst the returning lineman. Miller has already played in 38 games in his Colorado career, and has earned 35 starts (including starting all 12 games in 2010 at right guard). Sophomore David Bakhtiari is the baby of the group. Still, as a red-shirt freshman last fall, Bakhtiari played in all 12 games, and had 11 starts at right tackle.

Overall, the foursome has played in 95 games, and has earned 83 starts. Behind them, Rodney Stewart rushed for 1,318 yards, the fifth-highest total in school history.

So, what’s not to love?

Well, for starters, there is the loss of that fifth starter, one Nate Solder. A consensus All-American, Solder is believed to be a shoe-in for the first round of the NFL draft, with some draft boards placing Solder in the top 10-15 picks overall. Solder had 40 career starts, and left the team after starting the last 36 games of his career. Solder was the only Colorado lineman in 2010 to grade out at over 90% (at 94.3%), with 142 finishes/knockdown blocks (Miller was second on the team, with 83), had ten touchdown blocks (Miller; second with six); and graded out with a 99% in the 44-36 win over Kansas State.

Very large shoes to fill.

Colorado’s new offensive line coach, Steve Marshall, will have a number of candidates from which to choose, and how Marshall tinkers with the starting lineup will be one of the most interesting stories to follow this spring. Junior Ryan Dannewitz was listed behind Solder on the depth chart at left tackle last fall. Dannewitz has played in 20 games in his career, but did ot play in 2010, and has never started a game for Colorado. Junior Bryce Givens will be another candidate to replace Solder. Givens has played in fewer games than Dannewitz (11), but does have eight starts to his credit. Last fall, Givens played in three games – against Colorado State; Cal; and Texas Tech – but only in spot duty. The only other returning player listed as a tackle on the 2010 depth chart is senior Sione Tau, who has yet to see action as a Buff.

While it may appear that Steve Marshall only has one position to fill, there may be significant adjustments made to the line this spring. Colorado is shifting to more of a power offense, with fewer spread formations and more two-tight end alignments. The emphasis this spring will be on creating a strong rushing attack, and Marshall may not like what he sees on the film from last season. Yes, Rodney Stewart did have a great year, but overall, the Colorado offense struggled. The Buffs were 85th in the nation in rushing and 79th in total offense. Even with All-American Nate Solder protecting the quarterbacks’ backs, Colorado was 51st in the nation in sacks allowed.

Then there is the question of how well the Buffs adjust to their third offensive line coach in four seasons. Solder is seen as a great talent by NFL scouts, but not necessarily as one which was home grown. In a Sporting News article, “drafnik” Dennis Dillon was asked who were his risky picks. Dillon included Solder, stating, “(Solder) reminds me of that great athlete who’s so raw and technically terrible that he gets beaten,” Ouch. Translation: Solder is high on the draft charts in spite of his coaching at Colorado, not because of it (thank you, Denver Johnson).

Jon Embree has stated at every opportunity that every job is open, and that every player must compete for their job. This will be no different along the offensive line.

On paper, Colorado has a strong nucleus of returning talent, including four of five starters, with three of the four being seniors. There are many teams which would like to have that much experience returning.

Whether those four starters are starters against Hawai’i, however, remains to be seen.

Defensive Line

Roster - Defensive Tackle: Curtis Cunningham (Sr.); Conrad Obi (Sr.); Will Pericak (Jr.); Nate Bonsu (So.); Kirk Poston (R-Fr.)

Roster – Defensive End: Josh Hartigan (Sr.); Nick Kasa (Jr.); Forrest West (Jr.); Chidera Uzo-Diribe (So.); Tony Poremba (Sr./walk-on) … This Fall: Stephan Nembot (Fr.); Juda Parker (Fr.)

Player Lost: Marquez Herrod

“In the trenches”

The intrigue this spring for the Colorado defensive line will be as much about style as substance. What form of defense will Colorado play? How will they be coached?

A look at the Colorado coaching staff shows that Brian Cabral, in addition to being the linebackers coach, is also the “Defensive Run Game Coordinator”. Meanwhile, Mike Tuiasosopo is listed as the “Defensive Line” coach and Kanavis McGhee is listed as the “Defensive Line/Assistant Special Teams” coach.

Three coaches working with the defensive line. In a 3-4 defense, that is a lot of attention for each member of the defensive line unit.

Which may not be a bad idea.

Last fall, the Colorado defense had its moments. The Buffs were decent against the run (48th in the nation), but were 71st in tackles for loss and 91st overall in the only statistic that really matters – scoring defense.

The Colorado coaching staff under Jon Embree has only one word for the 2011 Buff defense: Attack.

Along the defensive line, there is plenty of starting experience, but very little depth. Junior nose tackle Will Pericak led the defensive line in 2010 with 45 tackles and two sacks. Joining Pericak as a mainstay along the defensive line is senior defensive tackle Curtis Cunningham, who had 31 tackles and five tackles for loss last year. Both Pericak and Cunningham have been in the starting lineup for every game the past two seasons. The third member of the band, senior defensive end Josh Hartigan, might have joined his linemates in starting every game if not for a mid-season injury. In Hartigan’s absence, three other lineman received their first career starts in consecutive games, with junior Nick Kasa earning his first start against Texas Tech, then junior Forrest West against Oklahoma, and sophomore Chidera Uzo-Diribe against Kansas. Hartigan then returned to the starting lineup against Iowa State, finishing the last three games as the starter. Rounding out the players returning with experience is sophomore Nate Bonsu, who played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2009 before sitting out the 2010 season after suffering a knee injury during winter conditioning.

Is the defensive line, as a result, set for 2011?

Hardly.

As noted, the philosophy of the defense is being altered, and, with it, the role of the defensive line. This will make for some intrigue during spring practice …

Will the three starters solidify their roles? Will Nick Kasa live up to the hype surrounding his signing three years ago, when the hometown star de-committed from Florida to stay in Colorado? Will Forrest West, who came on strong at the end of the season (five tackles in the first half of 2010; 15 tackles, including 4 1/2 sacks in the second half), continue to earn more playing time? Will Conrad Obi, in his senior seasons, finally force his way into the starting lineup (28; 0 starts)?

(Note: It is being posted on the internet that sophomore Chidera Uzo-Diribe – according to his Twitter account – underwent some form of surgery on March 22nd. The nature of the surgery, if any, and whether the surgery will have any impact on Uzo-Diribe’s ability to compete this spring, has yet to be announced).

Mike Tuiasosopo and Kanavis McGhee were touted as great recruiters when they were brought in from Arizona and Houston, respectively. Their ability to mold a dominating defensive line, though, remains to be demonstrated.

Class begins March 11th.

Wide Receivers

Roster: Toney Clemons (Sr.); Jason Espinoza (Sr.); Will Jefferson (Jr.); Paul Richardson (So.); Jarrod Darden (So.); Keenan Canty (R-Fr.); Kyle Cefalo (Sr./walk-on); Dustin Ebner (Jr./walk-on); Alex Turbow (R-Fr./walk-on); Parker Robbins (R-Fr./walk-on) … This Fall: Nelson Spruce (Fr.); Tyler McCulloch (Fr.).

Players Lost: Scotty McKnight; Kendrick Celestine; Andre Simmons Travon Patterson

“In search of the next Scotty“

Scotty McKnight finished his career with more receptions, yards, and touchdown catches than any other receiver in Colorado history.

While McKnight is off to prove to NFL scouts that he can translate his prowess in Boulder into similar success in the big leagues, he leaves behind some significant shoes to fill.

Two players with significant playing time will help to fill the void, as senior Toney Clemons and sophomore Paul Richardson return. Clemons has eight starts to his credit, and was second on the team in catches in 2010, with 43 for 482 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the high number of catches (just seven behind McKnight), and a team-best 73-yard touchdown reception (against Hawai’i), however, Clemons failed to capture the attention of the Buff Nation.

Instead, the excitement about the future of the receiving corps rests with Paul Richardson. Signed by the Buffs just two days before the start of fall camp, the true freshman had a late on-the-field start to his 2010 season as well. In the first half of the campaign, Richardson had seven catches for 64 yards and no touchdowns. In the second half of 2010, though, Richardson posted 27 catches for 450 yards and six scores. With the graduation of Scotty McKnight, Buff fans will be looking even more to Richardson to lead the receivers.

After Clemons and Richardson, where will the Buff coaches turn to for help?

Two potential senior wide receivers, Andre Simmons and Kendrick Celestine, did not have their scholarships renewed. The only remaining scholarship upper-classmen who remain on the roster are senior Jason Espinoza and junior Will Jefferson. Espinoza has played in 25 games in his Colorado career, and has earned five starts. However, Espinoza sees most of his playing time on special teams, and had only one catch (for 13 yards) in 2010. Meanwhile, Buff fans have been waiting for Will Jefferson to have a breakout game/season, but such a breakout has yet to happen. Last fall Jefferson, who has ten starts to his credit, had 14 catches for 177 yards and one touchdown.

The only other scholarship receivers on the roster this spring are sophomore Jarrod Darden and red-shirt freshman Keenan Canty. This spring will be an audition for both of these players. It is time for them to either distinguish themselves, or make plans to be buried on the depth chart as the Buff coaching staff makes a concerted effort to bring in new and fresh talent to the position.

Colorado will be implementing a west coast offense this spring. “It’s going to be the quarterback making the decision based upon what the defense does to distribute the ball correctly,” said passing coordinator J.D. Brookhart. “It’s a very quarterback-driven offense. So what you see on Sundays is what you’re going to see on Saturdays here.”

With more emphasis on a strong running game and better use of the tight ends (see below), the wide receivers do not have to be great for the Buffs to be successful.

The receivers do, however, have to be very good. And right now, other than Paul Richardson, there is not much in the lineup to put fear into the hearts of Pac-12 defensive backs.

Perhaps this spring a receiver or two will prove me wrong.

Tight Ends

Roster: Ryan Deehan (Sr.); Matthew Bahr (Sr.) (injured/out for spring practice); DaVaughn Thorton (So.); Kyle Slavin (R-Fr.); Harold Mobley (R-Fr.); Henley Griffon (R-Fr.); Alex Wood (So./walk-on); Matt Allen (So./walk-on).

Player Lost: Luke Walters

“We’ve got to be smart how we use them”

The University of Colorado football team in 2011 will be more physical on offense.

Okay, so that’s not really a secret. But the emphasis on the strong running game will also mean more two-tight end sets, which translates into more opportunities for the tight ends on the roster to make a contribution and see playing time. “I think that as grow through spring, we’ll probably have a little better idea of how they fit our system, because the system is flexible,” said tight ends coach J.D. Brookhart. “You don’t have to line up in two tight ends and run downhill all the time. You can do some different things.”

The best blockers will likely get the first opportunity to see the playing field, and senior Ryan Deehan is the best of the bunch. Deehan already has 36 games under his belt, and 18 starts. Last year, Deehan had 25 catches for 249 yards and a touchdown. “Deehan is an interesting kid because he was all over the field,” said tight ends coach J.D. Brookhart. “He’s a smart kid. Those guys will allow you to be more flexible with things, when you can put them in multiple positions.”

After Deehan though, there is little experience. Converted offensive lineman Matt Bahr will be working with the tight ends, while third-year sophomore DaVaughn Thornton and red-shirt freshmen Henley Griffon and Kyle Slavin will be trying to make an impression this spring.

“I think if you look at the tight ends specifically, you have some different body types,” said Brookhart. “Some are more adept to the run game, some more to the pass game who were kind of more recruited to the spread offense.

“I think we’ve got to be smart how we use them. I think they’ve made a good commitment to the 6 a.m. (off-season workouts), and things we’ve seen from them. They want to be good, and that’s half the battle.”

The second half of the battle – adjusting to the new offense, and showing that they are entitled to be on the field this fall, begins March 11th.

Quarterbacks

Roster: Tyler Hansen (Sr.); Brent Burnette (Jr./Transfer); Nick Hirschman (R-Fr.); Justin Gorman (R-Fr./walk-on) … This Fall: Stevie Joe Dorman (Fr.)

Player Lost: Cody Hawkins

“Iron sharpens iron“

Colorado has a returning senior at quarterback, a senior who has had starts in each of his first three seasons. None of his competition for the starting job has so much as a snap behind center at the Division 1-A level.

So, a no-brainer that Tyler Hansen will be the starter against Hawai’i?

Nope.

“It’s nothing new,” said Hansen, who has had to contend with Cody Hawkins for starting time the past three seasons. While Hansen has posted 2,822 career passing yards, he only has 15 career touchdowns to offset 17 career interceptions. Hansen was the starter for all of the 2010 season until he suffered a ruptured spleen against Texas Tech, missing the remainder of the campaign. While Hansen is a “full go” for practice this spring, how well he adapts to another quarterbacks coach and another offensive scheme will be one of the most talked about issues of the 2011 spring practices.

“I like it, actually,” said Hansen of having his third quarterbacks coach (Rip Scherer) in his four years in Boulder. “Different opinions will make you better. The more opinions the better. I think the different techniques to coaching help. Coach (Mark) Helfrich was a hands-on guy, and coach (Eric) Kiesau was a lot different than that. I’m looking forward to coach Scherer and seeing what his techniques are to coaching.”

Will having a new offense level the playing field between Hansen and his competition? “I’m not really worried about that,” Hansen said. “I think whatever they ask me to do, I can do it … I’ve got to be a leader even more than I already have. I’ve got to invest myself in the offense and really learn the offense pretty good, because the old offense we had last year, I knew it inside and out.”

New head coach Jon Embree appreciates the fact that Tyler Hansen is not coming into spring ball assuming he has the job. “Tyler’s not walking around like, ‘I have this job’,” Embree said.

So, who is the competition?

This spring, the main contenders are red-shirt freshman Nick Hirschman and junior college transfer Brent Burnette. Hirschman has the advantage of having been in Boulder last season; Burnette has the advantage of having been on the playing field, albeit at Middle Tennessee in 2009 and at Western Arizona Junior College last season. Still, those advantages are tempered – Hirschman, along with Hansen, has to learn a new system; while Burnette was not exactly spectacular when he was on the playing field, earning only one start, with 1,219 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games last season.

Still, the starting job is open. “Nick is not walking around like, ‘Oh, I’m just the backup’, and neither is Brent,” said Embree. “I think it’s great because like I’ve talked about, they’ve got to learn to compete. Iron sharpens iron. The better your backup is, the better your starter is. If you beat him out, you beat him out.”

While spring practice does not begin until March 11th, the competition has already begun. “They have all been very competitive,” said Embree. “They all show their face around here a lot, asking questions and wanting to learn the new offense that we’re still in the process of putting together.”

Any other players in the mix?

Walk-on red-shirt freshman Justin Gorman is on the roster, but it would be a surprise if he rose dramatically up the depth chart. There has also been speculation that former high school quarterbacks Josh Moten (now a red-shirt freshman cornerback) and/or Harold Mobley (now a red-shirt freshman tight end) might also be given a look at quarterback this spring, but, with all the work that the coaching staff has to do to orient the likely quarterback candidates to the new offense, Moten and Mobley may be given only a courtesy look, if they are given one at all.

The other potential candidate to start on September 3rd against Hawai’i will not be participating in spring ball. Incoming true freshman Stevie Dorman will be given a chance this fall. “Stevie’s advantage is that the guys who are here only have 15 days,” said Embree. “It’s not one of those things in a normal situation where Tyler had been in this offense for four years, or Hirschman is going into his third year in the offense and knowing all of the nuances.

“So, depending on how fast they learn, and depending what he’s capable of learning, because that window is so short, he has a chance. If he can learn quicker than them to show his skills, he’ll put himself in position to play.” It also won’t hurt Dorman’s chances that the offense the Buffs are installing is similar to the offense which he played in high school at Somerset, Texas.

Still, you would have to assume, at least for now, that the job is Tyler Hansen’s to lose. “I’ve got to be (a leader) the same way with this offense,” said Hansen. “If I do that, I think I can have a pretty good shot at being a leader and a playmaker on this team.”

All eyes will be on the quarterbacks … starting March 11th.

Running backs

Roster:  Running backs – Rodney Stewart (Sr.); Brian Lockridge (Sr.); Quentin Hildreth (So./Walk-on); Tony Jones (R-Fr.); Trea Jones (R-Fr.); Cordary Allen (R-Fr.); Josh Ford (R-Fr./Walk-on) … This Fall: Rashad Hall (Fr.); Malcolm Creer (Fr.).

Roster: Fullbacks – Tyler Ahles (Sr.); Evan Harrington (Sr.); Scott Fernandez (So./Walk-on).

Player Lost: Corey Nabors

“Aces and spaces“

In bridge, the term refers to a player who has been dealt several aces, but does not have any supporting face cards, or much depth in those suits.

At the University of Colorado, the term refers to the depth chart at running back.

Colorado does have two quality returning seniors. In 2010, Rodney Stewart posted 1,318 rushing yards, the fifth-highest total in CU history. ”Speedy” was able to get the tough yards despite his diminutive size (5’6″, 175-pounds), and was able to stay healthy for the entire season for the first time in his career. Stewart’s potential running mate, Brian Lockridge, suffered an ankle sprain against Georgia in early October, ending his season with only 146 yards on 35 carries. In his stead, wide receiver Will Jefferson picked up some carries later in the season, but it appears that the junior wideout will be returning his attentions this fall to being a full-time wide receiver.

After seniors Stewart and Lockridge, both of whom are a “full go” for practice this spring, there is no depth. No juniors, no scholarship sophomores. Just “spaces”.

It wasn’t meant to be this way. In 2007, Colorado received letters-of-intent from junior college running back P.T. Gates and incoming freshman Devan Johnson, but neither player saw action at running back at Colorado. The big haul came in 2008, when Colorado signed (along with throw-in Rodney Stewart) two of the top ten running back recruits in the nation – Darrell Scott (now with South Florida) and Ray Polk (now a junior safety for the Buffs). In 2009, Colorado failed to sign any running backs.

Which leads us to the Class of 2010. Colorado signed three running backs last February, and all three red-shirted last fall. Looking to make an impact this spring will be Tony Jones, a Rodney Stewart clone at 5’7″, 180-pounds, and two bigger backs, Cordary Allen (6’1, 230-pounds) and Trea’ Jones (5’10″, 190-pounds). Also in the mix is a sophomore walk-on, Quentin Hildreth.

Joining this trio in the backfield this spring are two other “newcomers”, though not to the team. Former linebackers Tyler Ahles and Evan Harrington, both seniors, are being asked to give it a go at fullback this season. Ahles and Harrington join walk-on sophomore Scott Fernandez, who saw action at fullback last season in goal line situations.

As Colorado is clearly attempting to bulk up its running game, the early name to watch amongst the newcomers is probably Cordary Allen, the largest of the red-shirt freshmen. Allen may be the coaches’ first choice to provide the larger back in a two-back offense, serving as as additional blocker for Stewart and Lockridge, while also serving as a short-yardage back.

That being said, Buff fans will be keeping an eye on all three of the red-shirt freshmen. Other than Stewart and Lockridge (and other than Jefferson and Justin Torres, who had 14 carries as a freshman last fall, but has since left the team), there isn’t a single collegiate carry amongst the backs on the Colorado roster. If nothing else, the Buff coaching staff must begin to look towards 2012. While it would be great to see Rodney Stewart go over a 1,000 yards again in 2011, and while it would make an interesting story to watch Stewart chase the record of his position coach (Stewart has 2,744 career rushing yards, needing 1,197 yards to surpass Eric Bieniemy for the all-time Colorado rushing lead), the much better story for Colorado as a team would be to see one of more of the red-shirt freshmen emerge as the next star at running back for Colorado.

The testing begins this spring. If the firm of Jones, Allen and Jones can’t get the job done in March and April, Buff coaches may turn to true freshmen this fall, with Rashad Hall and Malcolm Creer joining the roster this summer.

Pick your favorite baby Buff back this spring, and see how well they fare.

Due to Colorado’s “Aces and spaces”, you may be looking at the feature back for the Buffs in 2012.

Colorado came back from a 14-3 deficit to build a two score halftime lead, then fought off a series of Kansas State challenges to post a well-earned 44-36 victory over Kansas State. Junior running back Rodney Stewart ran for career-high 195 yards, caught two passes for 49 yards, and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Toney Clemons in leading the Buffs to their second consecutive victory over a Big 12 opponent for the first time since 2007.

The stars seemed aligned for the Buffs to play well against the Wildcats: the weather was cool (37 degrees), but sunny; the Buffs were on a high from winning their first game in the post-Dan Hawkins era; and it was Senior Day, with the players and fans pumped after a pre-game ceremony honoring the out-going seniors.

So, naturally, the Buffs came out and fell flat.

Arthur Jaffee lost the opening kickoff in the sun, and was swarmed under at the Buffs’ 13-yard line after finally collecting the kick. Three offensive plays netted a minus-five yards for the Colorado offense, and Zach Grossnickle’s short (34 yard) punt was returned by Ty Zimmerman 41 yards to the Colorado one yard line. Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein did the honors from there on the next play.

Less than two minutes played, and Colorado was already down 7-0.

It could have been a long afternoon.

Instead, the Buffs rallied, taking the ensuing kickoff and marching downfield. A pair of good runs by Rodney Stewart (of ten and 13 yards) and a 14 yard pass from Cody Hawkins to Paul Richardson pushed the ball into Wildcat territory. The drive stalled, however, at the Kansas State 31-yard line, where kicker Aric Goodman hit a 48-yard field goal to make the new score 7-3 midway through the first quarter.

The Wildcats, though, were not the least bit impressed by the Buffs’ drive, moving 80 yards on nine plays on their first true offensive opportunity. A 40-yard pass from Klein to tight end Travis Tannahill on a third-and-nine set up Kansas State for another Klein one-yard touchdown run and a 14-3 Kansas State lead.

With the 41,147 on hand (the students were out for Thanksgiving break, reducing the crowd size) shufflling nervously in their seats, the Buffs slowly, but quite assuredly, took control of the game.

A 43-yard kickoff return by Will Jefferson set the Buffs up in good field position, and it took only seven plays for Colorado to post its first touchdown of the game. A 31-yard run by Jefferson out of the “Wildcat” formation placed the ball in the Kansas State redzone, with junior Rodney Stewart taking over from there. Runs of six, eight, one and a touchdown run of two yards made the score 14-9. The score remained 14-9 a moment later, though, when Aric Goodman’s extra point attempt was blocked.

Defenses for the two teams finally exerted their presence early in the second quarter, forcing consecutive punts. On the Wildcats’ next possesion, though, the game changed for good. Colorado linebacker Liloa Nobriga forced a fumble from Wildcat running back Daniel Thomas near midfield. The fumble was scooped up by senior cornerback Jimmy Smith and returned 22 yards to the Kansas State 24-yard line. On the second play after the fumble, Rodney Stewart took a pitch from Cody Hawkins and rolled out to his right before lofting a 23-yard touchdown paass to a wide open Toney Clemons.

Colorado 16, Kansas State 14, with 10:27 to play in the first half.

Defenses controlled much of the remainder of the second quarter, before the Buffs took over with 2:30 to play. A 15-yard screen pass from Hawkins to Stewart set the Buffs’ up in Wildcat territory. Hawkins then teamed up with Scotty McKnight for a score, hitting the wide open senior receiver near the 20-yard line, with McKnight doing the rest on his own, diving for the pylon to complete a 37-yard touchdown play. The touchdown reception was the 21st of McKnight’s career, breaking his tie for the all-time career mark McKnight had held with Derek McCoy and Rae Carruth.

Colorado 23, Kansas State 14.

A three-and-out by Kansas State and a 25-yard run by Rodney Stewart gave Colorado one last chance to score before the half, with a 54-yard attempt by Aric Goodman turning wide left as time expired.

Halftime score: Colorado 23, Kansas State 14.

The Buffs went to the locker room for the third straight weekend with a lead of two scores or more, and were dominating the Wildcats (242 total yards to 130). Rodney Stewart was already over 100 yards rushing (105 yards on 18 carries), and the Buffs seemed primed to do more of the same in the second half against the Kansas State defense, ranked 119th in the nation against the run.

For Colorado, the second half began as well as the first half had begun poorly. Kansas State punted after three plays, with two of the plays resulting in sacks (one each by defensive end Josh Hartigan and nose tackle Will Pericak). The Buffs then put together their longest drive of the game, but the drive did have a scary moment. On third-and-four at the Colorado 20-yard line, Cody Hawkins was intercepted by cornerback Thomas Ferguson. The Wildcats were penalized on the play, though, for roughing the passer. The penalty not only gave the Buffs the ball back, but it gave Colorado a first down on the play. The Buffs went on to post a ten-play, 86-yard drive, finished off with another Hawkins-to-McKnight touchdown, this time from 13 yards out.

Colorado 30, Kansas State 14. The Buffs, after falling behind 14-3, had now rattled off 27 consecutive points. The Colorado defense, after surrendering two touchdowns on the Wildcats’ first two drives, had since forced Kansas State into a drive chart consisting fof the following: punt; fumble; punt; punt; punt; punt. The Wildcats had run 21 plays since taking the 14-3 lead, gaining only 40 yards. The rout was on!

Or not.

Kansas State, down two scores, refused to go away. After the McKnight touchdown, the Wildcats and Buffs became engaged in a game of “anything you can do, I can do better”, with each team answering each other’s scores.

The Wildcats’ offense, inept for almost two quarters, came to life under backup quarterback Carson Coffman. It took Kansas State only eight plays to go 69 yards to pull within a touchdown. Coffman carried the ball in himself from six yards out, with running back Daniel Thomas connecting on a “jump pass” two-point conversion with wide receiver Andre McDonald. Colorado 30, Kansas State 22.

The Buffs’ offense, though, quickly answered. A 24-yard pass from Hawkins to Toney Clemons moved the ball out to the 49-yard line. Then Rodney Stewart, who had a career-high 195 yards on 34 carries, scampered for a 51-yard touchdown with 2:46 to play in the third quarter. Order had been restored: Colorado 37, Kansas State 22.

Kansas State was not done, yet, however. A 12-play, 80-yard drive which stretched into the early fourth quarter, once again brought the Wildcats to within one score. On fourth-and-goal from the Colorado 16-yard line, Coffman hit Aubrey Quarles for a touchdown with 13:29 left to play.

With Colorado fans concerned about a second collapse in three weeks, the Buff offense shifted into high gear. The Buffs moved 73 yards in only eight plays, with Hawkins hitting Paul Richardson for a three yard touchdown to restore the two score lead. The pass completion was a record setter for both participants, as Cody Hawkins became the first Colorado quarterback to ever throw three touchdown passes in three consecutive games, while Richardson joined Michael Westbrook as the only freshman to have five touchdowns in their first campaign in Boulder.

Still, Kansas State would not quit. Down 44-29, the Wildcats mounted one last charge. It took only 2:15 of clock time for Kansas State to cover 84 yards to once again pull to within a score. The touchdown came – again – on a fourth-and-long, as Carson Coffman hit wide receiver Chris Harper for a 23-yard touchdown on fourth-and-12.

Colorado 44, Kansas State 36, with 6:47 still to play.

Colorado no longer needed points, but did need to burn clock. Scotty McKnight snared a Cody Hawkins offering for a 15-yard gain on third-and-ten to move the chains, but the Buffs could not generate another first down, punting the ball away. Zach Grossnickle, who had struggled throughout the day, had his best punt of the contest, caught for a fair catch at the Kansas State five yard line.

The math for Kansas State was simple. Go 95 yards in three minutes to tie the score and send the game into overtime. The Wildcats did generate two first downs, but only made it as far as their 38 yard line. On fourth-and-six, Colorado finally stopped the Wildcats on a fourth down. Defensive end Josh Hartigan posted his third sack of the afternoon to silence the Kansas State offense once and for all, sacking Collins for a six yard loss. Two kneel downs by Cody Hawkins sealed the victory.

Final Score: Colorado 44, Kansas State 36.

“How ‘bout them Buffaloes!”, exclaimed interim head coach Brian Cabral to open his post-game press conference. “I couldn’t be more proud of our coaches and players by the way they have responded the past tow weeks. You couldn’t have asked for more.”

Cabral certainly couldn’t have asked for much more from the Colorado offense. The Buffs posted a season high 476 yards of total offense, including an eye-opening 251 yards rushing. Rodney Stewart led the way with 195 yards rushing, with Will Jefferson contributing a career-high 73 yards on only five carries. Cody Hawkins continued his fine play in relief of injured Tyler Hansen, connecting on 14-of25 passes for 202 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Cabral probably could have “asked for more” from his defense. Kansas State posted 411 total yards, and scored touchdowns on three successive possessions in the second half when the game was still very much in doubt. Still, the Buff defense did keep Colorado in the game early, as the offense was taking control, and did post six sacks, including the game winner by Josh Hartigan to end the Wildcats’ final threat. The special teams’ play was also spotty, with Zach Grossnickle once again out-played by his counterpart, with the Buffs also giving up a blocked extra point.

Still, there was a good time had by all, especially the seniors, who were able to savor one last win at Folsom Field. “We’ve been through so much and it just feels great,” said senior Scotty McKnight, who bumped the new career touchdown reception standard up to 22. “We’ve come together so much as a team, and to get these two wins, and at least give ourselves a chance to win the game in Lincoln and further prolong our season to a bowl game would be awesome.”

The day was especially bittersweet for senior quarterback Cody Hawkins, who got a hug from his father before taking the field to the loudest cheers offered any senior. Hawkins continued his strong late-season play, becoming the first Colorado quarterback to throw for three touchdowns in three consecutive games. Hawkins was also given the Buffalo Heart Award, the third CU quarterback to be so honored. “It means a lot because I think there are a lot of fans out there who haven’t liked my family too much over the last couple of years,” said Hawkins. “I definitely didn’t expect it, but it’s nice to know you have the respect of the fans.”

The victory gave Colorado a 5-6 overall record, 2-5 in Big 12 play. A victory over Nebraska in the Big 12 finale for both teams would make the Buffs bowl eligible. Interim head coach Brian Cabral, who has been reminding the Buff players of Colorado history the past few weeks, will continue to do so this week. “It’s Big Red. It’s Big Red week,” said Cabral. “They are going to hear a lot about what this week means to this program … The very core of this program is centered around Nebraska.”

A victory would also put an end to one of the last specters hanging over the program from Dan Hawkins’ tenure – the three year long road losing streak. When asked about the Buffs’ road woes, Cabral had a terse reply:

“There are no road woes when you get ready for Nebraska.”

Game Notes -

- The announced attendance of 41,147, in the last home game for the Buffs as a member of the Big 12, was also the smallest crowd to ever attend a Big 12 game at Folsom Field.

- Scotty McKnight only has one record left to obtain. Already the career leader in receptions, McKnight added to his total of career games with at least one reception (47), and took over sole possession of the career touchdown reception record, with 22. McKnight’s four catches for 74 yards gave him 2,511 career receiving yards, passing Charles E. Johnson (2,447; 1990-93) for third place on the all-time list, and placing McKnight within striking distance of the career mark (Rae Carruth had 2,540; Michael Westbrook had 2,548). A 38-yard pass reception total against Nebraska would give McKnight virtually all of the career reception marks at Colorado.

- Rodney Stewart continues to move up the single season and career rushing charts. Stewart’s 195 yards against Kansas State gave him 1,230 yards on the season, now the 7^th-highest total in Colorado history. Stewart’s new career total of 2,656 is good enough for 7^th-place all-time, with Speedy passing Herchell Troutman (2,487; 1994-97) and James Mayberry (2,544; 1975-78). Stewart now had 14 career 100-yard games, tying him with Rashaan Salaam and Chris Brown on that list (only Eric Bieniemy, who posted 22 career 100-yard games, has posted a higher total).

- Cody Hawkins also made his mark in the record books. His three touchdown performance, as noted, marked the first time a Buff quarterback had three touchdowns in three consecutive games. In order to complete a sweep of career records (Hawkins already has the career passing records for touchdowns, interceptions, and attempts), the senior quarterback would need nine completions and 130 yards against Nebraska in the finale to pass Joel Klatt in both categories.

- Freshman Paul Richardson, with his three yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, became just the second freshman to score five touchdowns in their freshman year, joining Michael Westbrook, who turned the trick in 1991.

- The 44 points scored by Colorado against Kansas State were the most for the Buffs in the series since a 54-7 win in 1992. The combined point total of 80 points is a new record, besting the 77 points scored in the Buffs’ 45-32 victory in 1992.

- With six sacks against Kansas State, the Buffs upped their season total to 33 (15 in the past two weeks). The total matched the 33 put up by the 2002 team, with the Buffs in position to better the best mark in the past 15 years, 37, registered by the 1995 team.

- The longtime series came to a close for the foreseeable future with Colorado holding a 45-20-1 overall lead, with a 28-5 edge in games played in Boulder.

- The two penalties (for five yards) against Kansas State was a season-low for the Buffs in both categories.

- The 476 yards of total offense was a season-high, and the Buffs had now scored in 12 consecutive quarters.

Against Kansas, junior Rodney Stewart rushed for a career-high 175 yards, and freshman wide receiver Paul Richardson had his first 100-yard receiving game (11 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns). The 2010 game between Colorado and Kansas, however, will only be remembered by Buff fans as the game in which Colorado lost a 28-point lead. Up 45-17 seven seconds into the fourth quarter on Stewart’s third touchdown of the game, the Buffs gave up 35 unanswered points to lose, 52-45. The worst “come-from-ahead” loss in school history sent the reeling Buffs to a 3-6 record overall, and their first 0-5 start in conference play since the 1979 Buffs started Big Eight play with an 0-5 record.

In a game between two teams which had found ways to beat themselves all season, it was the 2-5, 0-4 Kansas Jayhawks which spent the first three quarters finding ways to make the 3-5,0-4 Colorado Buffaloes look good.

The game opened about as well as any Buff fan could have hoped. For only the second time all season, Colorado scored on its opening possession. The Buffs drove 80 yards in 12 plays, converting two fourth down attempts along the way. Rodney Stewart did the honors on a seven yard run six minutes into the game to give Colorado a 7-0 lead. Kansas responded in kind, quickly driving down the field on its first possession. Converting three third downs of six yards or longer, the Jayhawks found themselves at the Colorado one yard line when …

… Kansas made a play which losing teams usually make …

… on third-and-one at the one yard line, Kansas was called for a false start, pushing the ball back to the Colorado six yard line. An incompletion later, the Jayhawks had to settle for a field goal. 7-3, Colorado.

The Buffs went three-and-out on their next possession, and Kansas was poised to take the ball and the lead when …

… Kansas made a play which losing teams usually make …

… on fourth-and-two at the Colorado 28-yard line, Kansas not only went offside, but ran into Buff punter Zach Grossnickle. The penalties gave Colorado new life, and, three plays later, senior quarterback Cody Hawkins hit freshman wide receiver Paul Richardson for a 62-yard touchdown. Colorado 14, Kansas 3.

After forcing a three-and-out of their own, the Buffs took over at the start of the second quarter with the ball at their own 29-yard line. This time, the Buffs didn’t need any help from the Jayhawks, never needing to convert even a third down in traveling 71 yards in 11 plays. Cody Hawkins hit Paul Richardson for his second touchdown of the afternoon, this time from four yards out, to give Colorado a 21-3 lead.

The game appeared as if were about to become a rout when, on the Jayhawks’ next series, Kansas quarterback Quinn Mecham was intercepted by CU freshman defensive back Terrel Smith. Four plays later, though, Cody Hawkins returned the favor. Hawkins, who hadn’t been intercepted in over 114 straight passes, was picked off by Isiah Barfield. Momentum was back with the home team when …

… Kansas made a play which losing teams usually make …

… just four plays later, Kansas quarterback Quinn Mecham was intercepted again, this time by junior defensive back Travis Sandersfeld. Set up near midfield, the Buffs turned to Rodney Stewart, who had runs of 16, 11, 16, six and one in accounting for 50 of the 51 yards of the Colorado drive. Stewart’s shortest run, of one yard, was the touchdown run which gave Colorado a commanding 28-3 lead with 2:05 to play before halftime.

Kansas did not quit, though. Assisted by a roughing the passer penalty, Kansas covered 82 yards in only eight plays, with Mecham hitting D.J. Beshears from 19 yards out to give the 40,851 on hand something to cheer about. With 49 seconds to play before halftime, the new score was 28-10. The Jayhawks had momentum, and would receive the opening kickoff to start the second half. A comeback was in the offing when …

… Kansas made a play which losing teams usually make …

… in this case, two plays. With less than a minute to work with, Colorado was aided greatly by two 15-yard penalties by the Jayhawks, one for pass interference; the other for for a personal foul. The 30 yards in markoffs put the Buffs in position to score again, and Colorado took advantage, with Cody Hawkins hitting red-shirt freshman DaVaughn Thornton for a 12-yard touchdown with just three seconds remaining before halftime.

Halftime score: Colorado 35, Kansas 10.

Kansas did not come out with fire to start the second half. A four-play drive and a short punt gave Colorado the ball at the Kansas 49-yard line. The Buffs did surmount a drive, but it stalled at the Kansas 21-yard line. Senior kicker Aric Goodman, though, was true on his 38-yard field goal attempt, upping the Colorado lead to 38-10 with ten minutes to play in the third quarter.

The Jayhawks then put together their best drive of the day, covering 69 yards  in 14 plays, with James Sims scoring from a yard out to pull Kansas to within three scores, at 38-17, with 3:16 to play in the third quarter. Any hopes of a Jayhawk comeback, though, were seemingly thwarted when the Buffs needed only seven plays to retaliate. On the first play of the fourth quarter, running back Rodney Stewart scored his third touchdown of the day, this time from seven yards out, to give Colorado a 45-17 lead.

14:47 remained.

Kansas, which had scored only 40 points in its first four games in Big 12 play, put together something of a consolation drive, going 66 yards in nine plays. James Sims scored his second toucdown from 13 yards out to make the score a more respectable 45-24.

Colorado, which had only been stopped by an interception in its first eight drives, only needed to run time off the clock to preserve the victory when …

… Colorado made a play which losing teams usually make …

… Kansas attempted an onsides kick. Not unusual for a team down three touchdowns, and presumably not unexpected by the Colorado coaching staff. Still, Kansas was successful in recovering the onsides kick, and the Jayhawks were back in business. Three plays later, there was confusion at the line of scrimmage. Instead of playing to the whistle …

… Colorado made a play which losing teams usually make …

… assuming that the penalty was on Kansas, Buff players appeared to quit on the play. Kansas, though, went on with the play, resulting in a 38-yard touchdown pass from Mecham to Johnathan Wilson.

Colorado 45, Kansas 31. Still 9:26 left to play.

The Colorado offense appeared to right the ship a few moments later when Cody Hawkins hit Paul Richardson for 15 yards on third-and-12 to keep possession. After a five yard run by Rodney Stewart gave Colorado a 2nd-and-five at the Buff 40-yard line …

… Colorado made a play which losing teams usually make …

… instead of pounding the ball, the Buffs got cute. An end around to wide receiver Toney Clemons was fumbled. Kansas nickelback Tyler Patmon picked up the fumble at the Colorado 28-yard line, taking the ball in unmolested for yet another Kansas score.

Colorado 45, Kansas 38. Still 7:12 to play.

Suddenly, what had been a rout less than eight minutes before was now a ball game. Still, Colorado had the lead and the ball. All the Buffs needed to do was to put together a long scoring drive. After all, in ten possessions, the only thing to stop the Colorado offense were its two turnovers. So, naturally …

… Colorado made a play which losing teams usually make …

… Instead of running the ball, the Buffs passed. On the second play of the drive, Cody Hawkins was picked off for the second time, this time by fumble returner Tyler Patmon. Set up at the Colorado 37-yard line, the Jayhawks made quick work of the reeling Buffs. It took only five plays for Kansas to score, with James Sims scoring his third touchdown of the game from six yards out.

Colorado 45, Kansas 45. 4:30 left to play.

Now completely out of sync, the Colorado offense, which could not be stopped the first three quarters of the game, went three-and-out, giving the ball back to Kansas with a chance to win the game. Only 2:49 remained on the game clock when Kansas took over at its 37-yard line. A game-winning field goal as time expired seemed to be in the offing, but the Jayhawks were on a roll. It took only five plays to cover 63 yards, with James Sims scoring his fourth touchdown of the game (and third of the fourth quarter) from 28 yards out to give Kansas its first lead of the game.

Kansas 52, Colorado 45. 52 seconds remaining.

It would have been appropriate for Colorado to go “four-and-out” to end the contest, but instead the Buffs rallied. A pass interference penalty set up the Buffs at the 47 yard line where, on fourth-and-ten, Hawkins hit Scotty McKnight for a 19-yard gain. Hawkins then followed that pass with a 27-yarder down to the Kansas seven yard line. Suddenly, it appeared that the game might go into overtime. Hawkins’ first pass was caught by Paul Richardson in the endzone, but the pass was ruled incomplete. A second attempt, as time expired, fell incomplete.

Final score: Kansas 52, Colorado 45.

“You’ve just got to finish, just got to learn how to finiah,” said Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins, acutely aware of what the loss to Kansas meant to his future at Colorado. “You’ve got to know what it’s like to be in the lead”. Unfortunately for the Buffs and their fans, with Hawkins’ record falling to 19-39 with the loss, the Buff players have had all too little experience in knowing what it’s like to be in the lead.

The loss overshadowed a strong offensive performance by the Buffs. Colorado had not scored over 31 points in a game all season, but had 35 points on the board by halftime. Rodney Stewart, held in check the last two games, had a career-best 175 yards rushing and three touchdowns. When combined with his 44 yards receiving, Stewart had his first 200-yard all-purpose yard day (219). True freshman wide receiver Paul Richardson set school records for receptions (11) and receiving yards (141) by a freshman. His two touchdowns gave him four on the year, besting the record for true freshman of three set by Donnie Holmes in 1979.

Senior quarterback Cody Hawkins also set a new record. In going 29-for-44 for 322 yards, Hawkins set the new standard for attempts (1,139). His two interceptions only added to his already school record high in that category, now up to 39.

Overall, the Buffs set new season highs for points (45) total yards (464), and first downs (31). Still, there was little on the stat sheet which could bring consolation in allowing the greatest comeback ever mounted by a Colorado opponent.

“You think you have it in the bag and all of a sudden the bag rips open and everything starts going against you . . . this is probably the worst I’ve ever felt after a game,” Cody Hawkins said. “We put our defense into some tough spots when we turned the ball over down there . . . the back-to-back turnovers hurt us.

“Those guys were playing like they were the best team in the country and we were allowing them to do that.”

Kansas had not played like a good team since knocking off Georgia Tech in the second game of the season. After averaging only ten points per game in their first four Big 12 games, the Jayhawks found a way to score 52 against Colorado.

Aware that the call for the head of Dan Hawkins had reached a crescendo, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn gave the following quote to the Boulder Daily Camera:

“It goes without saying that this game was extremely disappointing on many levels and obviously these developments do not meet our expectations,” Bohn told the Camera in a phone interview. “That`s not to disparage Kansas` accomplishments in any way. While we share many of the same frustrations and serious disappointment as our fans, I have confidence in this group of seniors to represent this team and the university with both pride and a competitive spirit the rest of the season. I am cognizant and most appreciative of our fans` support of the players all season long. Their loyal following will be integral to our immediate and long-term success.”

The end of the Dan Hawkins’ era, be it the week before the Iowa State game or the week after the Nebraska game, was forever sealed in the fourth quarter of the 2010 Kansas game. The discouraging loss, unforeseeable when the fourth quarter began, somehow provided an appropriate bookend to Hawkins’ career in Boulder, which began with a 19-10 loss to 1-AA Montana State in 2006.

Notes -

- Rodney Stewart, with a career-high of 175 yards against Kansas, now had 912 yards for the season, poised to become the first 1,000-yard rusher for Colordo since Bobby Purify went for 1,017 in 2004. Stewart also moved into the top ten in career rushing yards, with his 2,338 yards moving him ahead of such notables as Cortlen Johnson (2,199; 1998-2001); Lamont Warren (2,242; 1991-93) and Lee Rouson (1981-84). His 19 rushing touchdowns put him 17th on that list.

- Stewart also became the first Buff to rush for three touchdowns in a game since Hugh Charles had three rushing scores against Nebraska in 2007.

- Cody Hawkins, only the second quarterback in Colorado history to have over 1,000 pass attempts, moved past Joel Klatt (1,095 attempts; 2002-05), with the new standard being 1,139. Hawkins, with 322 yards passing against Kansas, moved into second place in that category. Hawkins now has 6,778 yards passing, moving past Kordell Stewart (6,481; 1991-94), second only to Klatt (7,375; 2002-05). Before his second quarter interception, Hawkins had gone 114 straight passes without an interception, second longest streak in that category (Klatt had a streak of 139 straight passes without a pick).

- True freshman wide receiver Paul Richardson continues to impress. His 11 catches for 141 yards both set freshman records, with the 11 catches tied with five other players for most catches in a game by any receiver. His four touchdown catches for the year are also a freshman receiving record.

- Red-shirt freshman tight end DaVaughn Thornton made his first career catch count. It went for a 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

- True freshman defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe made his first career start; true freshman kicker Justin Castor had his first kickoff attempts (he previously had his only field goal attempt of the season blocked at Missouri).

- True freshman defensive back Terrel Smith had his first career interception, the first true freshman Buff to have an interception since Curtis Cunningham had a pick against Florida State in 2008.

- The 45 points were the most by Colorado in a losing effort since the infamous 82-42 track meet against Oklahoma in 1980 … somehow, that seems fitting …