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Colorado Daily – Postseason
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January 19th
… CU in a few minutes …
Mock Draft: Travis Hunter taken before Shedeur
From The Athletic … There are still plenty of unknowns at this point in the NFL calendar, including multiple teams with head coach, general manager and coordinator openings yet to be filled. Between those soon-to-be hires and the impending roster upheaval that’ll happen in free agency, team needs will fluctuate over the next three months.
What do we know at this point? We know the draft order for the first 24 picks. We know almost all of the underclassmen who have officially joined this draft class (players in the College Football Playoff championship have until Jan. 24 to declare). And we know that quarterback questions will drive draft debates over the next three months.
This year’s quarterback class isn’t remotely close to last year’s — I don’t know any evaluator who would dispute that. But “quarterback desperation” is a real thing, and with very few options in free agency or the trade market, several teams will feel forced to reach or possibly even trade up into the top 10.
As always, this mock is based on team needs and information gathered from conversations with sources in the NFL and college football, not my personal rankings or what I believe each GM should do. There also are no projected trades in this two-round exercise.
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The incoming general manager in Tennessee will inherit a great opportunity — either invest in a quarterback at No. 1 or trade the pick to a quarterback-needy team. Any other outcome would be surprising.
If the Titans opt not to take a QB, the ideal scenario would be to trade back two spots with the Giants. The Titans wouldn’t receive close to what the Bears scored in compensation from the Panthers for the No. 1 pick two years ago, but they would gain additional draft capital and still be in position to take Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter at No. 3.
However, in this mock, the Titans decide Ward is an upgrade over their current quarterback situation. His loose play style won’t be for everyone, but his ability to create explosive plays and the gradual improvements he has shown each year are promising aspects of his profile. Some scouts have compared Ward’s upside to that of Steve McNair, which would be music to the ears of fans in Nashville.
3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
If the Giants are unable to move up for Ward, would they like Shedeur Sanders enough to draft him at No. 3? In this scenario, they don’t and instead opt for arguably the best player in the draft. Hunter would give New York an upgrade at corner — and he’d be a fun weapon for Brian Daboll to mix into the offense for the Giants’ TBD quarterback.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
There are a ton of mixed opinions in the league about Sanders, and it will be interesting to see how (or if) that changes throughout the draft process once coaches get involved. But with Mark Davis and Tom Brady heavily influencing this pick, I’m not sure the Raiders could pass on Sanders — although, hopefully the new head coach and general manager will have a say in that decision.
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January 18th
… CU in a few minutes …
CU under Coach Prime: Record revenues; record expenses
From YahooSports.com … The Colorado athletic department reported record revenue and football ticket sales in fiscal year 2024, leading to an $8.2 million “profit” after posting deficits in five of the previous six years, according to a financial report filed by Colorado recently with the NCAA.
Colorado released the report this week for fiscal year 2024, which covers July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, including the first football season under coach Deion Sanders and also the last full fiscal year for Colorado in the Pac-12 Conference. The Coach Prime Effect of Sanders’ hiring helped lead the department to a record $146.6 million in reported revenue and a record $31.2 million in football ticket sales, which is roughly double the previous school record.
But the overall athletic department revenue still includes a school-record $31.9 million in allocated funds from the university in the form of direct institutional support ($27.1 million), indirect institutional support ($3.1 million) and student fees ($1.7 million). Without that, Colorado still would have posted record generated revenue but not nearly enough to keep up with its reported expenses.
The report underscores the power of the Prime Effect at Colorado while also showing the challenges the university faces during a turbulent time in college sports for all schools, especially if Sanders leaves for the NFL as speculation about it swirls. The pending House lawsuit settlement with the NCAA permits schools to pay players directly for the first time, putting pressure on athletic departments to come up with the money for it.
In preparation for that, Colorado has cut ties with the 5430 Alliance, the third-party collective that was paying Colorado players for use of their names, images and likenesses (NIL).
The school instead is now encouraging donors to give money to the athletic department’s fundraising arm, which would make giving money to third-party collectives “unnecessary,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said in email to supporters Jan. 13.
… Continue reading story here …
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January 17th
… CU in a few minutes …
CU football achieves highest semester GPA ever; CU’s student-athletes earn highest cumulative GPA ever
Press release from CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado Boulder student-athletes continue to set new standards of excellence in the classroom, racking up a 3.287 grade point average for the Fall 2024 semester, the highest mark in CU Athletics history. CU’s 354 student-athletes have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.254, also a record.
In addition to achieving a 3.2 GPA for the first time ever, all 15 teams earned a 3.0 or higher for the semester, also a CU Athletics record. Fall 2024 was the 10th straight semester CU student-athletes achieved a 3.0 and the eighth time in the last 10 semesters they earned a 3.1 or higher.
“I’m so proud of our student-athletes for continuing their superb work in the classroom,” said Athletic Director Rick George. “Achieving a 3.2 GPA at CU is an incredible accomplishment and balancing their studies with their athletic responsibilities takes an immense amount of hard work. I’m so appreciative of their dedication as well as the dedication of Kris Livingston and her excellent team at the Herbst Academic Center for this impressive achievement.”
Eight individual teams, including women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, women’s tennis, women’s track & field, men’s track & field, men’s basketball, and football earned their highest semester GPAs ever, while the women’s ski team led all teams with a 3.704 GPA, their 47th consecutive semester over 3.0.
Led by Coach Prime, the football team recorded a 3.011 GPA, their first time with a semester GPA over 3.0 in program history. The football team has also earned a cumulative GPA of 3.083, also a program record.
“There is so much time and energy poured into this that creates these results,” said Kris Livingston, Executive Senior Associate AD for Student Success. “The student-athletes work really hard juggling their schoolwork and their sport. The Herbst Academic Center staff provide support and resources so they can excel at both. The coaches know the importance of an education and hold the student-athletes accountable. It’s a team effort and a formula that works.”
“Our student-athletes are outstanding representatives of CU Boulder in both their academic and athletic pursuits and this milestone is another example of our university’s commitment to excellence,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “I am so proud of their efforts to achieve the highest semester GPA in our university’s history, and I know that it takes tremendous focus, diligence and commitment to make it happen.”
In addition to setting an overall record with the highest cumulative GPA in CU history, 14 of 15 teams have a cumulative GPA above 3.0 and 12 of 15 have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. Cumulative GPA is a reflection of course work completed throughout a student-athlete’s career at CU.
Fall 2024 Semester Highlights:
| Team | GPA | |
| Women’s Ski | 3.704 | 47th consecutive semester over 3.0 / 26th over 3.3 |
| Women’s Cross Country | 3.660 | Highest GPA Ever! 41st consecutive semester over 3.0 |
| Women’s Lacrosse | 3.635 | Highest GPA Ever! 21st consecutive semester over 3.0 / 15th over 3.2 |
| Women’s Golf | 3.563 | 29th consecutive semester over 3.0 |
| Women’s Tennis | 3.563 | Highest GPA Ever! 12th consecutive semester over 3.2 |
| Women’s Track & Field | 3.528 | Highest GPA Ever! 32nd consecutive semester over 3.0 |
| Men’s Ski | 3.451 | 29th consecutive semester over 3.0 / 13th over 3.2 |
| Women’s Basketball | 3.427 | Highest GPA Ever! 11th consecutive semester over 3.0 |
| Women’s Soccer | 3.295 | 31 of last 32 semesters over 3.0 |
| Women’s Volleyball | 3.283 | 12th consecutive semester over 3.0 |
| Men’s Cross Country | 3.263 | 9 of last 10 semesters over 3.0 |
| Men’s Track & Field | 3.254 | Highest GPA Ever! 10th consecutive semester over 3.0 |
| Men’s Basketball | 3.145 | Highest GPA Ever! |
| Men’s Golf | 3.107 | 18 of last 19 semesters over 3.0 |
| Football | 3.011 | Highest GPA Ever! First semester with GPA over 3.0 |
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January 15th
… CU in a few minutes …
Tommie Robinson elevated to assistant running backs coach
From CUSports Report … Tommie Robinson, Colorado’s director of quality control working with special teams, is expected to be elevated as the Buffs’ assistant running backs coach, per a video published by Thee Pregame Show.
Gary “Flea” Harrell has been Colorado’s running backs coach the last two years, but his status moving forward is unclear.
Robinson has 38 years of coaching experience, primarily at the collegiate level, as well as stints in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys (1998-2000) and the Arizona Cardinals (2010-2012). Robinson adds further NFL experience to the Buffs staff in addition to head coach Deion Sanders, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and four other assistants that played in the NFL.
In between Robinson’s NFL experience, he worked at a variety of college programs serving as Oklahoma State’s running backs coach in 2001, Georgia Tech’s wide receiver and tight ends coach from 2002 to 2005. He then spent a year at Memphis as the Tigers running backs coach in 2006 and later coached Miami’s running backs from 2007-2009.
… Continue reading story here …
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George Helow replacing Vincent Dancy as CU’s edge coach
From BuffStampede.com … George Helow is expected to replace Vincent Dancy as Colorado’s edge coach in 2025, while Michael Pollack was introduced to the team as the Buffaloes new special teams coordinator, with the spring semester work beginning in Boulder.
Both were on Colorado’s 2024 staff in a different role.
An addition to the Buffs staff mid-way through preseason camp last August, Helow’s title was senior defensive coach. He did a respected job as defensive coordinator Robert Livingston‘s eyes from the press box during games this past season.
“Honored to be here,” Helow said while assuming the role of Colorado’s edge tutor this week. “Today is about buy in. Everybody has to be on the same page. Everybody has to be bought into the principles and values of (Deion) ‘Coach Prime’ (Sanders) and this program. Because we’re going to do something really special around here.
“I am excited to be here and look forward to filling you guys up physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually… and on the field, being tough, playing with great physical effort, and mental energy, and being the best defense in the country.”
The 38-year old Helow spent time on Alabama’s staff as a special assistant to Nick Saban before joining the Buffaloes. He previously served as the linebackers coach at Michigan in 2021 and 2022, as the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Maryland in 2020, as an assistant coach at Colorado State from 2017-19, and as a safeties coach at Georgia in 2014 and 2015.
… Continue reading story here …
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January 14th
… CU in a few minutes …
Michael Pollock promoted from quality control analyst to special teams coach
From the Daily Camera … Michael Pollock, who has spent the past two years as a quality control analyst for the Colorado football team, will now lead the Buffaloes’ special teams units.
On a video posted by Thee Pregame Show, Pollock was introduced to the team as the special teams coordinator.
“I’m excited,” Pollock told Thee Pregame Show. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me personally and professionally. I think we brought in a couple of really good weapons that’s gonna make my job a lot easier.”
Pollock has worked with CU head coach Deion Sanders for the past four years, including the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Jackson State. Pollock had various roles at JSU, including as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, offensive line coach and director of football operations.
During his career, Pollock has also been a high school head coach in Georgia for nine seasons. He has also been an assistant coach and athletic director at the high school level.
A 1993 graduate of Georgia, Pollock was a long snapper for the Bulldogs.
Tommie Robinson led CU’s special teams this past season. The Buffs had a roller coaster year in that phase of the game.
… Continue reading story here …
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January 13th
… CU in a few minutes …
Rick George gives Buff fans an update on CU’s revised NIL procedures
- Financially investing in the holistic CU student-athlete experience through donations to the Buff Club’s AD Excellence Fund or Sport Excellence Fund, which makes giving to third-party collectives like the 5430 Alliance unnecessary.
- Working with student-athletes directly to enhance your business’s brand through CU’s NIL Exchange.
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January 12th
… CU in a few minutes …
First team meeting without Shedeur and Travis; new S&C Coach Andreu Swasey introduced
New strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey was introduced at CU’s first team meeting on Sunday.
“I love the platform, this opportunity to help change lives and help y’all get to your goals,” Swasey told the Buffaloes. “We didn’t sign up here with Coach Prime to be average. When we go in there, you better buckle up.”
Swasey spent 15 years with the Miami Hurricanes as their head strength and conditioning coach, developing a reputation as one of the best in the industry. He also directed Miami’s strength and conditioning coaches in other sports.
Brandon Reyes and Maurice Sims will be retained on the Buffs’ strength and conditioning staff. Sims served as the leader in the role the prior two seasons in Boulder.
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January 11th
… CU in a few minutes …
**Bill McCartney, ‘Coach Mac’, passes away at the age of 84**
Full press release from CUBuffs.com … Bill McCartney, one of the most visible and successful head coaches in all sports in the University of Colorado’s 135-year athletic history, passed away peacefully here after a long illness shortly after 9 p.m. Friday evening with family members by his side. He was 84.
The family issued the following statement Friday evening:
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Bill McCartney, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, who left this world peacefully at the age of 84 after a courageous journey with Dementia.Our father surrendered his life to Jesus at 33 years old setting a trajectory for our family and many others. We share his faith in Jesus and truly believe our Dad has been reunited in Heaven with his beloved bride and our Mother, Lynne Marie.
Coach Mac touched countless lives with his unwavering faith, boundless compassion, and enduring legacy as a leader, mentor, and advocate for family, community, and faith. As a trailblazer and visionary, his impact was felt both on and off the field, and his spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those he inspired.
While we mourn his loss, we also celebrate the extraordinary life he lived and the love he shared with everyone around him. We are grateful for the outpouring of prayers and support during this time and ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult moment.
Details about memorial services will be shared in the coming days. Coach Mac deeply believed that investing in the local church was the most impactful way to transform a community. In honor of his legacy, and in lieu of flowers, we invite you to consider making a donation—beyond your regular tithes and offerings—to a local church in Bill’s name.
With love and gratitude, The McCartney Family
When “Mac” first set foot on the CU campus in Boulder in June 1982, little did he – or anyone – know at the time that just over a dozen years later he would retire as the winningest coach in CU football history. He orchestrated a turnaround with a program that had won just 14 games over the previous six seasons to one that claimed three Big Eight Conference titles and the 1990 consensus national championship.
He is one of 11 with CU ties in the College Football Hall of Fame, as he was inducted in 2013, the first (and only) Colorado coach to be recognized. He coached four players in the college hall: outside linebacker Alfred Williams (inducted in 2010), wide receiver Michael Westbrook (2020), the late running back Rashaan Salaam (2022) and cornerback Deon Figures (2024). Eighteen of his players are in CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
CU athletic director Rick George, who McCartney hired as his recruiting coordinator in 1987, remained life-long friends with him and spent time with him recently – one final chance to visit with one of his greatest mentors.
“I am very saddened at the passing of Coach Mac,” George said. “I was fortunate to be able to say goodbye to Coach in person last week. Coach Mac was an incredible man who taught me about the importance of faith, family and being a good husband, father and grandfather. He instilled discipline and accountability to all of us who worked and played under his leadership. The mark that he left on CU football and our athletic department will be hard to replicate. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mike, Tom, Kristy, Marc and their families. I have many fond memories of Coach Mac and will hold those close to my heart. God bless Coach Mac.”
[ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO MCCARTNEY WILL FOLLOW SATURDAY IN ADDITIONAL STORY]
McCartney was 93-55-5 in 13 seasons at the reins of the Buffaloes, guiding the program to its first and only national championship in football in 1990, doing so by playing the nation’s toughest schedule, just the second time that feat was ever accomplished. He coached CU in more bowl games, nine, than anyone before or after him, as well as to three consecutive Big 8 titles in 1989-90-91 during a run of 10 consecutive winning seasons in league competition. After a 4-16-1 start in conference games, the Buffs finished 58-29-4 against Big 8 competition, going an impressive 54-13-3 over his last 10 seasons.
In the six-year span from 1989-94, Mac’s last six seasons, Colorado was 58-11-4, the fifth-best record in the nation behind Miami, Fla. (63-9), Florida State (64-9-1), Nebraska (61-11-1) and Alabama (62-12-1). CU’s 36-3-3 record in the conference games in the same period was the nation’s best. CU finished in the nation’s top 20 each of those six years, including a No. 3 ranking his final season.
All 93 wins came against Division I-A/FBS competition, with just nine against so-called “non-Power 5” schools (though five of those were with in-state rival Colorado State). He coached the most games ever (153) at Colorado, with his 13 seasons second to only the legendary Fred Folsom (15) in the number of seasons working on the “hilltop.”
When Mac was inducted into the College Football HOF, he was quick to credit two specific groups for his election to the Hall.
“It all started with my first recruiting class, that winter of ’83,” he recalled. “I asked all the in-state players not to make a decision until they visited CU, and we wanted them to come in the last weekend before signing day. They gave their word and most of them held to it. They stuck together, and they helped recruit our great class in ’87 that made up the core of the national championship team.
“That’s how I am in the Hall of Fame,” he said boldly. “This means something to the state of Colorado, it’s part of our history. What led us to the national championship is that seven years earlier, the in-state kids stayed home.”
He also had great assistant coaches through the years, those he only hired because they could also recruit; he would pass on coaches they were great with X’s and O’s if they weren’t great recruiters.
And those who worked under him formed a pool that eventually would produce 12 future collegiate head coaches: Gary Barnett, Jim Caldwell, Ron Dickerson, Jon Embree, Gerry DiNardo, Karl Dorrell, Les Miles, Rick Neuheisel, Bob Simmons, Lou Tepper, Ron Vanderlinden and John Wristen. Neuheisel, Barnett, Embree and Dorrell would all follow in his footsteps and coach the Buffaloes a combined 14½ seasons, while Wristen won the Division II national championship in 2014 at CSU Pueblo.
During his 13 seasons, he had 32 assistant coaches under him at various times, and 337 players lettered under his staffs, including some who did for the first time after he retired in 1994.
McCartney knew had coaching in his blood almost from the get-go.
“When I was 7 years old, I knew I was going to be a coach,” he said in 2013. “My friends, other kids at that age were going to be president, businessmen, attorneys, firemen. Ever since I was a little kid, I imitated my coaches, critiqued them, always followed and studied them. I was a student of the great coaches. I was a disciple of Bobby Knight’s when I was (high school) basketball coach.”
McCartney attended the University of Missouri on a football scholarship and lettered three times as a center-linebacker for the Tigers. He played in two Orange Bowl games and was named second-team All-Big 8 as a senior.
He graduated from Missouri in 1962 with a degree in education and immediately turned his attention to coaching. His first job was as an assistant at Joplin (Mo.) High in 1963 and 1964. He then returned to Michigan to coach the basketball team at Holy Redeemer High School in Detroit. He coached there from 1964 to 1968.
The next stop for Mac was at Divine Child High in Dearborn, where he was the head basketball coach from 1969 to 1973 and the head football coach from 1971 to 1973. His ’69 hoops team won the Detroit Catholic League title, and his ’73 team won the state class B crown. His three Divine Child football teams compiled a 30-5 record, winning the DCL title all three years and the state championship in ’71 and ’73.
His feats of winning state titles in football and basketball in 1973 made him the first coach ever in Michigan high school history to win both the same season, and it would serve as his entry into the college ranks. After his teams won the state championship in both sports, the University of Michigan’s Bo Schembechler and Johnny Orr both offered him an assistant’s job within one week of each other. He picked the football position because he said he “played college football but wasn’t good enough to play college basketball, so that settled that.” That, and his first love was football, and being a Michigan native (born and raised in Riverview), he felt “to become a part of Schembechler’s staff was the opportunity of a lifetime.”
McCartney gained national recognition at Michigan in 1980 when he devised a scheme to stop Purdue quarterback Mark Herrmann (using six defensive backs to neutralize Herrmann and his receivers). He was named the Big Ten’s “player” of the week for his plan, in which the Wolverines shut out the 16th-ranked Boilermakers, 26-0. That Michigan team won the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl, allowing just nine points over its last five games.He always first credited Schembechler as the coach he owed the most for his successful coaching career.
“Bo won more games in a 20-year stretch than any other coach in history,” he said prior to his induction into the College Hall of Fame. “Fame comes in a moment, but greatness comes with longevity. I had the privilege of serving under him for eight and half years, and that’s what prepared me for the Colorado job.”
That call came the first week of June in 1982. The late Chuck Fairbanks abruptly resigned on June 1 to become president and head coach of the New Jersey Generals in the fledgling United States Football League. (The late) athletic director Eddie Crowder was faced with hiring a new coaching staff with the season opener just 102 days away.
Mac had started entertaining thoughts about becoming a head coach.
“When the Colorado job opened, it was the perfect time for me,” McCartney recalled. “Because of the timing, there was really no head coach in America who could have applied for the job, because if you didn’t get it, you would have been run out of town because you were willing to abandon your team. I didn’t have to fight several head coaches who would have been interested had the job opened at a more opportune time.
“When I saw that Chuck resigned, I was immediately interested, I went in and saw Bo. At the appropriate time, Bo called Eddie Crowder. He was instrumental in my getting strong consideration. It was my good fortune, the timing was such that I was in position to be a candidate because of the success Michigan had had and the fact that I worked for Bo.”
“Colorado was one of the premier jobs in the country,” he continued. “It was in a prestigious conference, the location, the history, and there was something about raising your family in a college town. All the opportunities you can ask for in a dynamic collegiate environment. Boulder is just the right size, not too big, not too small and has access to a major city in Denver. The populace and all that goes with that, the professional teams, the arts, a major airport providing access to wherever you’d want to go. The aesthetic beauty of Boulder, Colorado is that it has no parallel and offers what I call the ‘maximum experience.’
“When I was recruiting, I would say there are other schools that have won more games, others that have better academics, others that might have a better campus. But not all three in a package like the University of Colorado. I personally believed I had the greatest product to sell, and I truly believed what I was saying. I never had a kid say to me even once, ‘Coach, you oversold me on Boulder.'”
It wasn’t a slam dunk that Crowder was going to hire him, though. In fact, he was the longshot. He wasn’t even contacted until six days into the search. He told the story best to CUBuffs.com back in 2007:
“What happened was that Eddie Crowder called me on a Sunday night (June 6) and asked if would I be interested; I said absolutely. He said ‘When can you be here?’ And I said the next morning. I took the first flight out of Detroit and got to Colorado pretty early in the day, but I got here so fast that they weren’t ready to interview me. It took him until Tuesday morning to put together an interview panel. That gave me a day here where nothing was happening and I was able to get acquainted. I had been here before as an assistant with Michigan and as a player with Missouri, so I had a little familiarity with the place. Eddie assigned me to (the late associate AD) Fred Casotti; when the interview took place Tuesday morning, there were about 15 people representing all kind of factions on campus and the alumni. About 15 minutes before I was going to go before them for the interview, I said to Fred, ‘What do you think my chances are?’ He said, ‘Coach, it’s third and long. You’d better make a big play.’
“That was the best thing he could have told me, otherwise I might have tip-toed into the interview. But after Fred told me that, I threw caution to the wind, decided to get aggressive and put my best foot forward. The format was for them to ask me questions, or that’s what they had in mind. But I stood up, and I said before I take any questions, I want to make a statement. I spoke for about 20 minutes and told them who I was, my background, what I had done at the University of Michigan, my philosophies and values, and what I would bring to the University of Colorado if I was to get the job. I was the only one talking, and after I was done speaking, nobody asked me a question.
McCartney was hired as the 20th head coach in CU history on June 9, 1982, taking over a team which had just suffered through three of its worst seasons in an otherwise tradition-rich football program.Upon his arrival in Boulder, he had but 94 days to hire a staff and prepare for his first season. When the season opener against California rolled around some three months later, he had only 77 players on scholarship, and only 73 in uniform to line up and play.
His first three teams posted records of 2-8-1, 4-7 and 1-10. The offense came alive his second season, primarily the passing game, helping CU to improve its record. His third team was better than the record showed (four of the 10 losses by seven points or less), but was also injury plagued. Though those three teams passed for over 6,700 yards, the rushing game was almost nonexistent and the defense nowhere near McCartney’s standards.
The foresight of athletic director Bill Marolt, just two months into the job, also played a tremendous role. Despite a 1-7 record at the time, Marolt extended McCartney’s contract. Mac was now working with a net, and it led to one of the boldest and most daring moves in CU history, if not college football’s.
He announced in March ahead of the 1985 season that the Buffaloes were switching to the wishbone formation on offense. What did the move from a passing to a running game do for CU? Colorado posted a 7-5 mark, the most wins in seven years at the school, and netted the Buffs the NCAA’s Most Improved Team honor. CU also went from last to ninth in rushing offense and from last to first in net punting, two of the most dramatic turnabouts in NCAA history. And CU’s 4-3 league mark, which tied the Buffs for third place, helped McCartney gain the Big Eight’s Coach of the Year award. Colorado also earned its first bowl appearance in almost a decade in 1985, opposite Washington in the Freedom Bowl, but dropped the contest by a 20-17 count.
In 1986, the Buffs staggered to an 0-4 start, but McCartney’s fifth team never threw in the towel. Colorado rebounded to post a 6-1 mark in the Big Eight, finishing second in the league’s race, CU’s best effort since winning it in 1976. And McCartney’s Buffs became the first at CU to defeat Nebraska (20-10) since 1967. Colorado made its second straight bowl appearance (a 21-9 loss against Baylor in the Bluebonnet Bowl). His 1987 team posted a 7-4 record, but to the surprise of many, the team was left out when the bowl committees made their selections.
The 1988 Buffaloes posted the best record at CU since 1976 by going 8-4 (with a new-fangled “I-bone” offense), which included a win at No. 19 Iowa. Mac’s team again battled the Big Eight’s top two to the wire, losing 17-14 to Oklahoma and 7-0 at Nebraska; CU placed fourth with a 4-3 mark. However, the Buffs fell short again in postseason play, losing 20-17 to Brigham Young in the Freedom Bowl. The biggest stride the 1988 team made was a return to the national Top 20 for the first time in over a decade.
As the unanimous National Coach-of-the-Year selection for 1989 (UPI, Kodak/ AFCA, Bear Bryant/ FWAA, The Sporting News, Dodge/ Maxwell Football Club, CBS/ Chevrolet), McCartney’s eighth CU team roared to an 11-0 regular season record and the first ever No. 1 national ranking in CU’s 100-year football history. The Buffs won their second outright Big Eight title, to go with 1961, which earned McCartney unanimous Coach of the Year honors in the league. Colorado became the first team since 1969 to defeat Oklahoma and Nebraska in the same year and all told the Buffs defeated five top 25 and three bowl teams.
The team had bonded together after the death of its leader, quarterback Sal Aunese, to stomach cancer; diagnosed just prior to the start of spring football, he passed away on September 23. CU rolled its non-conference opponents – Texas, Colorado State, Illinois and Washington – and a 20-3 win at Oklahoma set the stage for a nationally televised battle of 8-0 teams, No. 2 CU and No. 3 Nebraska.
The Huskers scored on their first play to take their only lead, as CU stormed back to tie the game on one of the most celebrated plays in school football annals—a 70-yard touchdown run where Darian Hagan sprinted to the NU 30 and then pitched the ball to a trailing J.J. Flannigan who took it into the end zone. The Buffs went on to win, 27-21, the players carried McCartney off the field, and the Folsom Field scoreboard remained lit through the weekend with “Things Have Changed” on its message board. Wins over Oklahoma State and Kansas State completed the undefeated regular season. Only a 21-6 loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl kept CU from being crowned the national champion, but the No. 4 final ranking was still the second best ever for the Buffaloes at that time.
His ninth Colorado team won the biggest prize possible in college football: the national championship. The 1990 team, with an 11-1-1 record, was also the first Buffalo team to claim back-to-back Big Eight titles. He was once again named as the league’s Coach of the Year, the third time he was afforded that honor.
The Buffs “survived” one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the school’s history, if not in college football history, defeating Stanford, Texas and Washington, tying Tennessee and dropping a one-point decision at Illinois. Texas and Washington won their league titles, Illinois shared its, and Tennessee finished second, a half-game out of first. Colorado then went undefeated in Big Eight play, with the key win a 27-12 rally in Lincoln after Nebraska led 12-0 going into the fourth quarter.
Colorado’s 10-9 win over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl paved the way for the Associated Press along with most of the other recognized organizations to select the Buffaloes as the 1990 consensus national champion. Nine members of the 1990 team were drafted into the NFL, and three players earned Colorado’s first ever unanimous All-America honors (Eric Bieniemy, Joe Garten and Alfred Williams). Williams won the Butkus Award, with Garten finishing second for the Outland Trophy and Bieniemy third in the Heisman Trophy race. In the end, CU played the nation’s toughest schedule and joined the ’82 Penn State team as the only schools at the time to win the national championship while doing so.
His 1991 team became the first at CU to win three straight Big Eight titles, going 6-0-1 in league play. He did this despite having the second youngest team in the nation’s top 25, as he started nine freshmen or sophomores and utilized 24 of the pups in each week’s game plan. Center Jay Leeuwenburg earned unanimous All-America honors, Mac’s fourth unanimous selection in two years. His 10th team went 8-3-1 overall, earning McCartney’s sixth bowl appearance (the Buffs lost to the following season’s national champion, Alabama, 30-25, in the Blockbuster Bowl).
McCartney and his staff did another excellent coaching job in 1992, leading the Buffs to a 9-2-1 record, despite a total overhaul in the offensive system. The Buffs switched gears to a one-back, more pass-oriented attack, and the season produced a school and conference record 3,271 yards passing. The team was also McCartney’s best defensively, surrendering only 278 yards a game and boasting the Thorpe award winner in cornerback Deon Figures. The ’92 squad also featured offensince tackle Jim Hansen, CU’s first Rhodes Scholar in 30 years. The 9-1-1 regular season mark was the fifth best in school history, with the loss to Nebraska ending a remarkable 23-0-2 run in league games dating back to 1988. CU went to its seventh bowl under McCartney, a 26-22 loss to Syracuse in the Fiesta Bowl.
In 1993, he assumed the responsibilities of coaching the quarterbacks, the first time during his head coaching career that he worked with a specific position other than special teams. This team posted an 8-3-1 mark, the losses by a combined 14 points. The team earned a sixth consecutive bowl appearance, defeating Fresno State by a 41-30 count in the Aloha Bowl. The offense continued to evolve, finishing 10th in the nation, averaging 470 yards per game. It was the first CU team in history to average over 200 yards in both rushing and passing, and the first time since 1975 that Colorado led the league in total offense. A youthful defense matured during the league season, overcoming five seniors’ graduation from the previous year’s team into the NFL.
What would be his final CU team in 1994 posted an 11-1 record and was ranked in the nation’s top 10 the entire season (17 consecutive weeks, a school record). His 13th and last Buffalo team had several memorable moments, from Kordell Stewart’s 64-yard touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook (via a Blake Anderson tip) to beat Michigan, 27-26, on the final play of the game, to Rashaan Salaam’s dramatic 67-yard touchdown run in the season finale against Iowa State that pushed the eventual Heisman Trophy winner’s season rushing total to 2,055 yards. Cornerback Chris Hudson won the Thorpe Award with Ted Johnson finishing second for the Butkus Award. The Buffs finished second in the Big Eight with a 6-1 record, losing only at Nebraska, which cost CU a chance at the national championship in what would eventually be the last year McCartney strolled the CU sideline.
From 1985, when he made the bold move to the wishbone, until the end of his career, McCartney’s teams posted an 86-30-4 record in registering 10 straight winning seasons, both overall and in league play. His 1988 to 1992 teams went those 25 straight games without a loss in the Big Eight, the fourth longest streak in the now-defunct conference’s history. In 1989, his teams started the run of 143 consecutive weeks in the AP rankings, still the eighth-longest streak of all-time.
He worked under four contracts at CU, with a 15-year deal signed in 1990 one of the longest contracts ever in college football history. It would have expired in the year 2005, but he had the option after five years of stepping down if he so chose. He did just that on November 19, 1994, deciding to retire after that team’s final game, a New Year’s appearance in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Buffs were inspired to send him out a winner, and Stewart, Salaam and company had huge games as Colorado routed the Irish, 41-24, the game literally over in the second quarter after CU built a 31-3 lead. The Buffs had denied Irish head coach Lou Holtz his 200th career win; prior to the game when asked what he thought of Colorado, he said, “You tell them they’d better pack a lunch because we’ll be ready to play.” hen McCartney took the podium to speak at the pregame luncheon for both teams, in a surprising moment of humor, he pulled out a brown bag, opened it and said to Lou: “I see a ham sandwich … some chips and a cookie, but I don’t see your 200th win.” It brought down the house.
When asked before his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame what his favorite games during his CU tenure were, they resonate with most of the fan base. “Without a doubt, when we beat Nebraska in Lincoln when we were behind 12-0 going into the fourth quarter and scored 27 in one of the most dominant quarters on both sides of the ball we ever had. The win at Washington the week after Sal passed away, not only for the game, but when the players on their own took a knee and pointed to the sky. And then the second Orange Bowl against Notre Dame, because it was our only national championship. That Notre Dame team was as good a Notre Dame team as (coach) Lou Holtz had. We lost our quarterback at halftime and still found a way to win that game.”
In 1999, he was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, just the sixth coach at the University of Colorado to be honored so. He was enshrined in CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
McCartney was extremely active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and was voted the FCA’s “Man-of-the-Year” in Colorado for 1986. He was also one of the co-founders of “Promise Keepers,” one of the nation’s fastest-growing Christian organizations in the late 1990s and whom he worked and represented for almost a decade after retiring from coaching. He remained visible with the university, often visiting with every coach hired after him from Rick Neuheisel to Deion Sanders, and attended most football games and many men’s basketball games until his illness progressed to the point where it was too hard for him.
“All you have to is recruit, and if you recruit the right kids and get them, you’ll find yourself playing in a lot of big games,” Mac once said. “So it was never about me, it was about the University, what a great place it is, it was about all the good assistants we had, and it was about that first recruiting class that got things going for us.”
William Paul McCartney was born on Aug. 22, 1940 and raised in Riverview, Mich., where he graduated from Riverview High School in 1958, having earned 11 letters in three sports (football, basketball, and baseball). He was captain of the football and basketball teams his senior year. He was married to the former Lynne (Lyndi) Taussig of Santa Monica, Calif., for just over 50 years until her death in 2013. He is survived by four children, Michael, Thomas, Kristy and Marc, 10 grandchildren, including T.C. McCartney, who was the quarterbacks coach this past season with the New England Patriots, and three great-grandchildren.
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January 10th
… CU in a few minutes …
Preston Hodge returning to CU for 2025 season
From Brian Howell at the Daily Camera … Taking advantage of the new NCAA waiver that grants former JUCO players an extra year of eligibility, Colorado cornerback Preston Hodge has announced on IG that he will return to CU for the 2025 season. Hodge was having a nice season before an injury late in the year
Hodge was named honorable mention all-Big 12 this past season despite missing action due to injury, including four full contests at the end of the year. He finished the campaign with 33 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups.
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January 9th
… CU in a few minutes …
Alamo Bowl numbers: Viewership most in Alamo Bowl history; largest attendance in non-CFP game
From the Daily Camera … On Thursday, the Valero Alamo Bowl released some numbers from this year’s game between the 23rd-ranked Buffs and No. 17 BYU.
The attendance (64,261) was the highest among non-College Football Playoff games and the 12th sellout in Alamo Bowl history, while TV viewership (8 million) was the most in Alamo Bowl history and the most for any non-CFP bowl game in the last five years.
In addition, the economic impact on the city of San Antonio was north of $57 million, the highest figure for the Alamo Bowl since 2007. And the local scholarship contribution of $1.245 million was the largest in Alamo Bowl history and led all bowl games.
CU and BYU received a combined $9.5 million payout, which was the largest in Alamo Bowl history.
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January 8th
… CU in a few minutes …
Shedeur happy with NFL Draft order: “I love it”
From the Daily Camera … With the NFL regular season coming to a close, the top of the 2025 draft order has been set.
The order is impactful for now former Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who are projected to be among the first picks when the draft begins April 24.
Sanders reacted to the order this week on his own podcast, which also featured his older brother, Deion Sanders Jr.
For much of the season, it appeared the New York Giants were in line for the top pick, but when the dust settled, it was the Tennessee Titans who wound up at No. 1. The Cleveland Browns have the second pick, followed by the Giants at No. 3, New England Patriots at No. 4 and Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 5.
Shedeur and Hunter are likely to be selected within the first five picks, with one of them very possible to go No. 1.
“I love it,” Shedeur said of the order. “Honestly, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. What’s meant to happen is gonna happen. I don’t feel like God would ever put me in a place I’m not supposed to go.”
Tennessee is certainly in the market for a quarterback, with Shedeur and Miami’s Cam Ward being the unquestioned top QB prospects for the draft.
Cleveland and the Giants are also in the market for a quarterback. Several mock drafts this week have Shedeur, Hunter and Ward as the first three players selected, with no clear cut favorite for the top spot.
Shedeur seems ready to go to whichever teams wants him.
“We made it everywhere that we have went and been successful,” Shedeur said. “I’m happy of the order. Whatever happens happens. I know at the end of the day God is gonna put me on the right team.”
… Continue reading story here …
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January 7th
… CU in a few minutes …
FanStake raising funds to lure USC athletes to CU
FanStake website can be found here
(If you donate funds, and the player signs elsewhere, you get your money back)
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January 6th
… CU in a few minutes …
CU Signee Quentin Gibson named MaxPreps National Player of the Year
From MaxPreps.com … Quentin Gibson of North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) is the 2024 MaxPreps National High School Football Player of the Year. The senior wide receiver joins the likes of Derrick Henry (2012), Kyler Murray (2013, 2014), Bryce Young (2019), Jaxson Dart (2020), Caleb Downs (2022) and D.J. Lagway (2023) as winners of the award.
Gibson led North Crowley to its best season in school history, going 16-0, winning the Class 6A Division 1 state championship and finishing ranked No. 3 nationally by MaxPreps.
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound playmaker hauled in 93 receptions for 2,009 yards (ninth in state history) and 36 touchdowns (fourth in state history). He added a 75-yard touchdown pass, 40 yards rushing and two more scores and a punt return TD.
Gibson was named Offensive MVP of the state title game after posting seven catches for 181 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-21 win over Westlake (Austin). Chris Jimerson connected with Gibson for a 75-yard score on the first play of the game to set the tone and his three TD receptions tied the championship game record.
Regarded as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Gibson signed with Colorado in December after fielding more than 20 FBS offers.
Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year
2010 — Dano Graves, QB, Folsom (Calif.)
2011 — Johnathan Gray, RB, Aledo (Texas)
2012 — Derrick Henry, RB, Yulee (Fla.)
2013 — Kyler Murray, QB, Allen (Texas)
2014 — Kyler Murray, QB, Allen
2015 — Derrick Brown, DL, Lanier (Sugar Hill, Ga.)
2016 — Tate Martell, QB, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
2017 — J.T. Daniels, QB, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2018 — Bru McCoy, WR, Mater Dei
2019 — D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) / Bryce Young, QB, Mater Dei
2020 — Jaxson Dart, QB, Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)
2021 — Cade Klubnik, QB, Westlake (Austin, Texas)
2022 — Caleb Downs, S, Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.)
2023 — D.J. Lagway, QB, Willis (Texas)
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Linebacker LaVonta Bentley declares for the NFL Draft
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Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig declares for the NFL Draft
... Not a surprise … What would have been a surprise would have been Silmon-Craig, after a great senior season, playing a fifth year of college football …
From msn.com … After two seasons with the Jackson State Tigers and another two with the Colorado Buffaloes, safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig has declared for the 2025 NFL draft.
The Birmingham, Alabama native played his final two high school football seasons at Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill, Texas) under current Colorado linebackers coach Andre’ Hart. Silmon-Craig signed with Jackson State to play for head coach Deion Sanders and then followed Coach Prime to Boulder before the 2023 season.
During his two years at Colorado, Silmon-Craig accounted for 138 total tackles (12 for loss), five pass breakups, four interceptions and three sacks.
Often credited for his reliability and versatility in space and the run game, Silmon-Craig’s team-high 93 tackles were the most by a Buffs defensive back since Cha’pelle Brown had 96 in 2009. In September, he also tied for the second-longest fumble return in CU history, a 95-yard scoop and score against the UCF Knights.
Now, the vocal galvanizer of a much-improved Buffaloes defense is pursuing his NFL dreams.
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Daily Camera 2024 Report Card: CU’s Offense gets a “B”
From the Daily Camera … Naysayers will point to the negatives.
Colorado didn’t beat any ranked teams; got humbled by BYU in the Valero Alamo Bowl a week ago, 36-14; and didn’t win its conference.
That’s all true, but to judge the 2024 Colorado football season requires knowledge of where the program has been. And in the end, head coach Deion Sanders has done a remarkable job with the Buffaloes in his two seasons in Boulder.
… While the Buffs have already turned the page to building for 2025, BuffZone takes a look back at the 2024 campaign with a final report card and individual awards.
Grades
Offense: CU wound up averaging 32.9 points per game, which tied for fourth in the Big 12. That’s the best scoring averaging for the Buffs since the 2001 team averaged 33.0. Led by Big 12 offensive player of the year Shedeur Sanders at quarterback, the Buffs had the best passing attack in the conference, averaging 318.0 yards per game through the air. As dynamic as the passing attack was, though, the run game was often non-existent. CU was last in the country for the second year in a row with 65.2 rushing yards per game – even worse than last year’s 68.9. The lack of a run game cost the Buffs in some losses and prevents this grade from being an A. Grade: B.
Defense: First-year coordinator Robert Livingston and a host of seniors led a dramatic turnaround for the defense this season. Overall, the Buffs were sixth in the Big 12 in scoring defense (allowing 23.1 points per game) and eighth in total defense (allowing 351.9 yards per game). Those numbers don’t jump off the page, unless comparing them to last year (34.8, 453.3). This is the first time in CU history that total defense improved by at least 100 yards (101.4) and the 11.7-point improvement in the scoring defense is the best for a CU team in nearly 40 years (the 1985 team made a 19.1-point improvement). CU also led the Big 12 in sacks (39) and tackles for loss (93), finished second with 27 takeaways, and had the Big 12 defensive player of the year in Travis Hunter. Grade: B.
… Continue reading story here …
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January 4th
… CU in a few minutes …
First look at CU’s 2025 wide receiver room
From the Daily Camera … Omarion Miller has flashed star potential in his two seasons with the Buffs.
Playing behind veterans as a true freshman in 2023, he caught 11 passes for 234 yards. That included a breakout game against USC, when he caught seven passes for 196 yards and a touchdown.
This season, he caught 10 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown, including eight catches for 145 yards against Kansas State on Oct. 12. He suffered a season-ending injury, though and didn’t play in the second half of the year.
Drelon Miller, meanwhile, flashed his potential as a true freshman this year. He wound up fifth on the team in catches (32) and receiving yards (277) and fourth in TD receptions (three).
He also has the ability to line up as a running back and started two games in the backfield.
Aside from that duo, the Buffs are excited about the potential of rising senior Terrell Timmons. Playing behind the veterans and battling a few injuries, he never got on track this year, finishing with four catches for 22 yards. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has great potential, however.
Versatile Isaiah Hardge, who like Hunter can play cornerback and receiver, has exceptional talent as well, as he looks ahead to his redshirt sophomore season. True freshman Kam Mikell is another young talent who missed this season because of an injury.
CU has already added to the group, as well.
Former Tulsa receiver Joseph Williams has committed to the Buffs. As a true freshman this season, he caught 30 passes for 588 yards and five touchdowns was named the AAC freshman of the year.
Incoming freshmen Quanell Farrakhan Jr., Quentin Gibson and Adrian Wilson were all highly recruited players who chose the Buffs.
While the Buffs will miss their highly productive veterans, the pieces appear to be in place to be explosive again in 2025.
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January 2nd
… CU in a few minutes …
Defensive lineman BJ Green declares for the NFL Draft
… Green was a first-team all-Big 12 conference selection on defense after leading the Buffs with seven-and-a-half sacks in 2024 … Green transferred to CU last spring, coming to Boulder from Arizona State …
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Practicing with Shedeur helpful to incoming freshman Ju Ju Lewis – “I think it’s very meaningful”
From the Daily Camera … On Sunday, incoming Colorado quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis posted a photo on social media of his locker at the Alamodome next to the locker of senior quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“You left huge shoes to fill, but I promise to work to leave (CU football) even better than I found it,” Lewis wrote to Sanders.
The night before, CU’s season came to a disappointing finish with a 36-14 loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. But one of the positives from the bowl experience was the opportunity for Lewis and incoming transfer Kaidon Salter to spend time around Sanders.
“Tremendous,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said of the benefit of having the new QB recruits practice with CU before the bowl game. “Seeing first of all how (Shedeur) operates at practice and how he focuses as the game approaches, as well as how we move at practice; and the expectation, intensity and the passion for the purpose in practice. And how defined we are and the speed and how the competition level is.
“That was vital on them.”
Lewis, originally a class of 2026 recruit who chose to graduate high school a year and a half early, played in his final prep game just 10 days before the Alamo Bowl. After falling in a Georgia state title game, Lewis spent a week around the Buffs in San Antonio.
“I think it’s very meaningful,” CU offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. “JuJu has a bright future. He was just playing in a high school championship game here a few days ago, but to be around … quarterbacks are always looking for perspective. They’re always trying to learn from other quarterbacks, how you think about things, how you see this. So any time JuJu can spend with Shedeur is time well spent.”
… Continue reading story here …
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January 1st
… CU in a few minutes …
Ju Ju Lewis makes NIL deal to help lure recruits to play for CU
From Sports Illustrated … After a season-ending loss in the Alamo Bowl to BYU, the Colorado football program is officially kicking off their post-Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders era, as the star duo is expected to be among the top selections in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Buffaloes’ heir apparent to Sanders – 5-star recruit Julian “JuJu” Lewis – who already dressed for practice with the team ahead of the Alamo Bowl, has now made his first NIL move as Colorado’s next Heisman hopeful.
The record-setting signal caller from Carrollton High School (Carrollton, GA) signed with fan-driven NIL platform Fanstake, that directly involves fans in recruiting top players and retaining transfer targets.
Marking his first equity deal in the NIL space, Lewis becomes the inaugural athlete to partner with Fanstake, that allows fans to pledge financial support – or “stakes” – to athletes they want to join or stay with their college team.
“This is a chance to bring the fans in and really build something special here in Colorado,” Lewis said. “I’m all about winning, and with Fanstake, we can tap into the electric energy here in Boulder and give everyone a way to help us build a championship team.”
According to Fanstake, if the athlete commits to the school, the funds are used to finalize a NIL endorsement deal for them. However, if the athlete chooses a different path elsewhere, fans’ pledged funds are credited back to them.
“Our partnership with Julian really shows what we’re all about – supporting athletes and building strong teams while making sure every player gets the recognition they deserve,” said Greg Glass, CEO and Co-Founder of Fanstake. “What I admire about JuJu is that he gets that NIL is about influence, not just money. This isn’t just about him; it’s about using his NIL to lift up his teammates and help everyone know their worth. His ability to leverage his position to influence other recruits really highlights his strong leadership.”
… Continue reading story here …
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December 31st
… CU in a few minutes …
CU v. BYU the most watched Alamo Bowl ever
From the Daily Camera … The BYU/CU , with 8.0 million viewers, was an Alamo Bowl record, topping the Jan. 2, 2010 game between Michigan State and Texas Tech (7.829 million). It’s also the most-viewed non-CFP/NY6 bowl game since the Citrus Bowl between Alabama and Michigan on Jan. 1, 2020.
The Buffs have lost five consecutive bowl games, dating back to a victory against UTEP in the 2004 Houston Bowl. … Saturday’s attendance was 64,261, the 13th-best in Alamo Bowl history. It was second-best for a game with no Texas teams. … With a 48-yard missed field goal in the first half, Alejandro Mata saw a streak of 10 straight makes come to a close. He tied the school record with his streak. … The Buffs’ LaJohntay Wester closes his career with 326 receptions, the sixth-most in FBS history. … CU had two sacks on Saturday and finished the season with 39. That’s the sixth-best single-season total in program history and the most since the 1995 team had 40.
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December 30th
… CU in a few minutes …
*Coach Prime Season 3 – Official Trailer*
Press release from Amazon Studios … Today, Prime Video released the official trailer and key art for Coach Prime Season 3. Premiering January 7 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, the Emmy-nominated series will once again take viewers inside the locker room and on the field during games and practices throughout the Buffalos remarkable 2024 season. This season all episodes of Coach Prime will release as a binge drop on January 7. Coach Prime Season 3 is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime Video members enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership.
In his second season as Colorado head coach, Deion Sanders leads the Buffaloes in their return to the Big 12. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter aim to live up to their great expectations with the attention of the nation upon them, as the Buffalos ascend the college football rankings.
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December 29th
… CU in a few minutes …
Report: CU assistants Phil Loadholt and Vincent Darcy leaving for Mississippi State
From BuffStampede.com … According to GenesPage.com’s Steve Robertson and 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Buffaloes assistants Phil Loadholt and Vincent Dancy are both expected to join Mississippi State’s coaching staff. The news comes just a day after Colorado’s 2024 season concluded.
But Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders was expecting this.
“I’m pretty sure a couple of them are going to come in my office about elevation because people are going to want them on their staffs, and that’s what we’re here for,” Coach Prime told reporters moments after the Buffs’ loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. “We’re here to advance people. You either get terminated or elevated; it’s either going to be one of the two sooner or later.”
Is a move to Starkville really an elevation? Well, Loadholt has a strong relationship and long history with Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby. They spent time coaching together at Central Florida (2018-19), Ole Miss (2020-21) and Oklahoma (2022-23). And Dancy is a Mississippi native. Prior to his two-year stint on Colorado’s staff, he served as a coach at Mississippi Valley State for eight years, including five as its head coach.
Loadholt joined Colorado’s staff as its offensive line coach last winter, helping the unit improve in 2024. Still, the Buffs allowed 43 sacks, more than any other Big 12 program and more than all but five other FBS programs nationally. Sack numbers don’t tell the full story, but CU also struggled to get its ground game going for the second straight season. Loadholt’s starting line down the stretch included two true freshmen, with a walk-on rotating at right tackle, so it was a challenging coaching task. Loadholt was well-respected in Colorado’s program.
Dancy came to Boulder initially as a defensive quality control coach in 2023, then he was elevated to be the Buffaloes’ outside linebackers coach in 2024, working closely with Damione Lewis and Warren Sapp. Dancy’s edge group was among the most successful on the team this past season. Colorado racked up 39 sacks, ranking first in the Big 12 and 15th nationally. Arden Walker, Samuel Okunlola, Keaten Wade and Taje McCoy all showed improvement under Dancy’s watch.
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Pat Rooney: Alamo Bowl result doesn’t diminish 2024 accomplishments
From the Daily Camera … Colorado’s return to glory campaign ended with an emphatic thud at the Alamo Bowl, as Brigham Young dominated in all facets to end the Shedeur Sanders/Travis Hunter era with a 36-14 defeat on Saturday night.
There wasn’t much to applaud. Buff Nation brought the party to San Antonio, but the Buffs forgot to show up for the game. Even Ralphie set a tone of indifference with her half-hearted pregame walk (not run).
In the end, the things that plagued the Buffs in their relatively few low moments this season all piled up in one unsightly mess. The offensive line that improved all season reverted to early-season form. Same with the defensive front, which was dominated by the far more physical Cougars. CU’s nonexistent run game didn’t suddenly experience a postseason revival.
And the special teams. Yikes.
I’m not going to second-guess the decision to play made by Hunter and Sanders to play on Saturday when so many of their high-draft pick peers would have taken a knee. It was a refreshing reversal of the trend in college football. Yet Sanders might do the second-guessing himself as he begins his NFL prep by recovering from the beat down delivered by a BYU defense all too happy to take advantage of CU’s overmatched offensive line.
It was a sad way to go out for a pair of players who, along with head coach Deion Sanders, spearheaded the Buffs’ abrupt two-year turnaround. Hunter provided the few highlights of the night with a couple electric catch-and-runs. Beyond that, however, it wasn’t at all the show the duo expected to script in their collegiate finale.
Still, the ugly result — in a glorified exhibition, I’ll reiterate — shouldn’t diminish what the Buffs, led by Hunter and Shedeur, were able to achieve in just two seasons under coach Sanders. In 2022, CU was the worst power conference program in the nation. Two years later, CU became the home of a Heisman Trophy winner, the best quarterback in the nation and nine wins. The dramatic turnaround will forever be prominent in program lore.
… Continue reading story here …
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22 Replies to “Colorado Daily”
The best part about the finances of CU athletics? That doesn’t even include the 2024 season. And the Alamo bowl payout of $8mill was it?
Go Buffs
The Alamo Bowl money goes to the “Pac-12”.
CU doesn’t get any more out of the revenue than if Washington State or USC had gone to San Antonio.
Bummer. I thought I read somewhere that due to the massive ticket sales and viewership, each school got a nice bump too. Must have misread it. Oh well.
Go Buffs
I feel like we are getting a little too ahead of our ski’s in this case. The schools can’t pay athletes and now we are recruiting, I think we need 5430 until the settlement is signed…..
I moved to Colorado from NZ in December, 1981. I adopted the Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies (Rocky Hockey now the NJ Devils) and CU fan.. I stuck with them all and have been a fan ever since. Coach Mac was the first one to win a championship and I absolutely loved him for it. I was fortunate to be able to watch the team grow under his leadership. I was saddened to hear this news and wish his family well. God Bless you Coach Mac!
RIP Coach
I showed up to Boulder in the fall of 1985, CU footbal became and still is one of great things in my life.
So many good quotes in the read, thanks Stu of posting
Interested in Primes comments about man and wonder whether next season will be devoted to him in some shape or form
RIP Bill. Alzheimer’s is a tough way to go. It is cool seeing TC progress through his coaching career.
Go Buffs
This from another on line source:
“When I was on the football team. I disagreed with some of his views, but it did not change how I felt about him because he always respected you,” Brown said. “It’s very different than the times we live in today. His ability to bring people together, to help them overcome adversity for a common cause, it is what made him such a great man.”
RIP Coach. I hope I’m blessed to see you in our Lords Kingdom. Prayers to the McCartney family and his friends.
Bummer, Coach Mac died today.
Forget where I saw it (SI?) but Prime said the only way he would coach in the NFL is if he could coach both his sons. Do I hear a LeBron-Bronny type thing?
I saw the clip on a local good morning show (local somewhere, not where we are). It was a follow on to his Good Morning America piece. He’s promoting the third season of Coach Prime.
He modified his response to the same old question about NFL coaching opportunities, to say something like “The only way I’d entertain coaching in the NFL is if I could coach my sons.” After a pause, he added “my sons. Plural.” Does that also mean Travis? It very well could.
The way I see it? He ain’t goin’ anywhere. Not yet, at least. At some point? Probably. Whether to retire, or take on his next challenge. But, I think he’s about to get comfortable, and accomplish some things, first.
I can probably dig up the clip and post the link here, if anyone’s curious.
And yeah, we know every coach everywhere says “I ain’t going nowhere” but I think Deion’s more into his mission in Boulder and loves the place more than people realize. Hopefully I’m right.
Go Buffs
That didn’t take long to find after my post below. It was actually from buffstampede, 247sports that linked to the piece:
https://247sports.com/college/colorado/article/watch-deion-sanders-reveals-the-only-way-hell-leave-colorado-for-the-nfl-243800696/
Go Buffs
The receivers should continue being a dangerous bunch, as long as the qb can get three seconds.
Really curious about the next offensive line, and their coach.
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I got it! What we need is an offensive coordinator who runs a bit of the west coast offense. But modified. Probably should include a little bit of spread concepts. But maybe out of the pistol. With a twist of the triple option. And of course a lot of pro style two tight end sets. We’ll kill it once we get that.
Happy new year, people.
Go Buffs
Mike Shanahan is available, so is Gary Kubiak! 😉
After watching these college games, it is apparent CU did not have a college (or pro) offense This year.
I don’t know what to call it. Backyard ball. It was fun, kinda
There were only like 7 plays. With the best being. Travis go get open I’ll find you.
Ya ok but
Really
were there actually 7?
Coach Prime should go after Stink to coach the OL.
Would immediately bring an attitude of nastiness to the group and I guarantee the run game would see a nice bump as well.
Eric B. for OC (can’t be any worse than Pat) and his rep. for being too hard, demanding too much, may be good for this team (Prime is the good cop). And of course it’s a ‘natural fit’ for CU.
No thank you.
Go Buffs
Agreed, went down that road once before and it was a disaster