Wanted: A “Splash Hire”


Wanted: A “Splash Hire”

//posted 11.30.2018

Who will be CU’s next head coach? … Will the hire be a clear sign that Mike MacIntyre left a program ready to rise, enticing a nationally recognized candidate? Or will it be an “up-and-comer”, with great potential, but no proven track record of success? …

READ MORE >>

Buffs open non-conference play with a 4-1 November record, with wins over Drake, Omaha, Air Force and Portland, but a road loss to San Diego … Buffs picked 60th in the nation in Sports Illustrated’s national rankings … Pac-12 media pick Buffs to finish 7th …

READ MORE >>

California 33, Colorado 21

//posted 11.24.2018

Colorado quarterback Steven Montez threw two interceptions for touchdowns in the first two minutes of the game, with the Buffs committing five turnovers overall in falling to California, 33-21. The five first half turnovers, including three interceptions by Montez and two fumbled punts by Ronnie Blackmon, led to 24 Bear points and a deficit the Buffs were unable to overcome.

The Colorado defense held the California offense to 217 total yards, and one-of-17 conversions on third down, but the Buffs were only able to muster 318 total yards of their own. A three-yard touchdown pass from Montez to Juwann Winfree late in the third quarter made it a 27-21 game, but the Buffs would get no closer.

The game did produce a CU milestone, however, on the Buffs’ final scoring drive of the season. On successive plays, Travon McMillian went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season (1,009) and Laviska Shenault went over 1,000 yards receiving for the season (1,011), marking the first time in school history in which the Buff offense produced a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver in the same season.

READ MORE >>

On August 9, 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as President.

As Nixon’s helicopter left the White House lawn, Vice-President Gerald Ford retreated back into the East Room, where he took the oath of office and became the 38th President of the United States.

Addressing the nation, Ford acknowledged that he was taking office “under extraordinary circumstances” – the Watergate scandal which had led to the first-ever resignation by a sitting President.

“My fellow Americans,” Ford said. “Our long national nightmare is over”.

For Buff fans, the loss to Cal meant that the slow, excruciatingly painful march to 5-7 was finally over.

READ MORE >>

Game Day! … Steven Montez: “Do or die game, bowl game or bust — as players we understand that” … Neill Woelk Fast Five Keys to the the Cal game … Kurt Roper focused on Cal, not future employment …

READ MORE >>

Friday Fast Facts

//posted 11.23.2018

Cal 100th or worse nationally in passing offense, total offense, and scoring offense … CU is 2-2 all-time with interim head coaches … The last two times Cal defeated CU, it took overtime to do it … Pac-12 has five of the top ten rushers in the nation …

READ MORE >>

The Legacy of Mike MacIntyre

//posted 11.22.2018

Mike MacIntyre finished his career at Colorado with a 30-44 overall record … The Oregon State game was his Waterloo, but the Buffs didn’t make consistent progress under his watch, which is MacIntyre’s true legacy …

READ MORE >>

“T.I.P.S.” for CU’s trip to Berkeley … Cal has the 103rd-ranked offense in the nation, but can the Buffs (and their lame duck coaching staff) find a way to score against a defense which has given up 43 points in its last three games? …

READ MORE >>

Neill Woelk: Foundation in place; rebuild not required … Transcript of AD Rick George’s press conference …. “I want to see a coach that sees the same passion about this place that I do” …

READ MORE >>

No. 21 Utah 30, Colorado 7

//posted 11.18.2018

In the first game played during a snowstorm at Folsom Field since 2000, the No. 21 Utah Utes dominated the second half, turning a 7-7 halftime tie into a 30-7 rout. Utah gained 390 yards, holding the Buffs to 196 total yards.

Utah quarterback Jason Shelley completed 11-of-23 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. The second scoring pass, a 47-yarder to Jaysen Dixon, being the back-breaker for the Buffs, making it a 17-7 game late in the third quarter.

The anemic Colorado offense was held to 34 yards rushing, 4-of-15 on third downs, and turned the ball over three times. Quarterback Steven Montez went 13-for-22 for all of 84 yards, with a costly interception in the second quarter when the score was tied and the Buffs were actually driving. The Buffs were held to one touchdown for the second week in a row, having fallen to Washington State, 31-7, the week before.

“We are just inept on offense right now,” said Mike MacIntyre. “We have to find a way to move the ball better. Defense played okay at times, they just got worn down. We’re really poor on offense.”

The loss left the Buffs with a 5-6 record, with only one game left (on the road at California) to try and avoid turning a 5-0 record and a national ranking into a 5-7 finish.

READ MORE >>

Snowed Under

//posted 11.17.2018

Well, that was a bad idea.

Over the years, I have attended fewer and fewer November home games. First, years ago, when I still drove from Bozeman to Boulder for home games, I decided to cut back on my late season trips to Boulder because driving across Wyoming in November is often a weather gamble not worth taking. Later, when flying replaced driving, there was still the concern that the weather might turn for the worse in Boulder if I made plans to attend a game at Folsom Field in November.

Q.E.D.

While the official stats indicate that the attendance for the 2018 Colorado/Utah game was 39,360, that total was far from the actual number of fannies in the seats. The official figure represents tickets sold, including season tickets purchased months before anyone knew that the Buffs and Utes would play the first Folsom Field game in a snowstorm in 18 seasons.

So, what was the actual number of fans who braved the snow and 28-degree temperature at kickoff?

16,627.

READ MORE >>

Pac-12 Notes – Utah

//posted 11.17.2018

Arizona State’s loss to Oregon gives Pac-12 South title to Utah … USC falls to 5-6 after 34-27 loss to UCLA – with Notre Dame up next … “Big Game” between Cal and Stanford postponed due to fires …

READ MORE >>