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Colorado Daily – Georgia Tech Week
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August 29th – Game Day!
… CU in a few minutes …
Buffs get first chance to prove naysayers wrong – “I fell like the team is very hungry”
From the Daily Camera … Hunter and Sanders were arguably the two biggest stars in college football a year ago and without them, the spotlight on Boulder isn’t as bright. The confidence, though? It’s there.
“Sure, there’s a couple athletes that were phenomenal (last year),” CU head coach Deion Sanders said, “but I think we – and I’ve been saying this for quite some while – we have a better team.”
Few outside of CU’s facility would agree, at least going into the season.
While the Big 12 chose not to do a preseason poll, those who have done predictions – preview magazines, etc. – generally have the Buffs tabbed to finish around 12th in the 16-team league. Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Buffs’ over/under win total at six. On Friday, the Buffs are underdogs on their own field.
Asked what outsiders don’t understand about this team, linebacker Jeremiah Brown said, “I feel like the team is very hungry.”
Brown is used to hearing the criticism. A fifth-year senior, he has played his entire collegiate career for Coach Prime, including two seasons at Jackson State.
When Sanders came to Boulder in 2023, there were plenty of doubters and critics. Although a 4-8 record in 2023 was a significant improvement over 2022 (1-11), it didn’t quiet critics, who then didn’t believe going into last year. CU was projected for an 11th-place finish in 2024, even with its stars.
“It’s always gonna be something, so you gotta use it as fuel,” Brown said.
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Drew Litton on CU v. Georgia Tech
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August 28th
… CU in a few minutes …
Georgia Tech Scouting Report
From the Daily Camera …
When Georgia Tech has the ball …
Tech’s leader is sixth-year senior quarterback Haynes King, who, along with Salter, is one of the more experienced and talented dual threats in the country. “You feel him on every play,” CU defensive coordinator Robert Livingston said. “And I think offensively, they go as he goes. We say he’s the straw that stirs the drink.” King has exceptional weapons around him at receiver, as well as running back Jamal Haynes, a preseason All-ACC selection. The last two years under Key, Tech has been one of the more balanced teams in the country, but does lean slightly more to the run (51.2% running plays, 48.8% passes). A year ago, Tech averaged 28.5 points per game (8th in the ACC), but King believes the Jackets have explosive potential. CU will have several new starters on defense, but it’s a group loaded with experience, even if a lot of it has come at other schools. “Defensively, I see they’re fast, they’re physical,” King said of the Buffs. “They’re like gnats, they’re energy bugs, always going. They don’t really have any quit, so we’re gonna have to play through the whistle going into this game, which is what we’re supposed to do anyway.”
Notables
• Colorado will debut its new AstroTurf field on Friday night. The Buffs installed the new artificial surface over the summer. Folsom Field had a natural grass surface from 1999-2024.
• Friday’s game has been sold out. It will be the 22nd sellout in 26 games of the Coach Prime era at Colorado. CU has sold out 11 of 13 home games under Coach Prime.
• In its history, CU is 86-45-4 all-time in season openers. That includes an 8-1 record in the last nine openers. Coach Prime is 5-0 in openers during his head coaching career.
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Coach Prime’s new AFLAC commercial debuts
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Buffs need to stop Haynes King: “As long as the ball is in his hands, they have a chance”
From the Daily Camera … For the Colorado football team to pick up a victory in its season opener on Friday, it will have to contain one of the most veteran, although unheralded, quarterbacks in the country.
Georgia Tech’s Haynes King isn’t receiving preseason All-American consideration. In fact, there are at least three other quarterbacks in his own conference, the ACC, that are more highly regarded by pundits.
CU knows, however, it will have its hands full in trying to stop King on Friday at Folsom Field (6 p.m., ESPN).
“The kid is unbelievable,” Buffs head coach Deion Sanders said. “I mean, he don’t make many mistakes. He’s a winner. He’s a leader, physical, tough. Not too flashy, he just makes the plays, man. This kid makes plays, and that alarms you, because as long as the ball is in his hands, they have a chance, and that team believes in him.”
Highly recruited out of Longview (Texas) High School in 2020, King played three seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to Georgia Tech in 2023. The Yellow Jackets had gone through five consecutive losing seasons before he arrived and he has taken them to back-to-back bowls, going 14-10 as their starter (with five one-score losses).
In his two seasons at Tech, King has thrown for 4,956 yards and 41 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,324 yards and 21 touchdowns. Last year he threw just two interceptions in 269 attempts.
With 14 starters back, Georgia Tech has high hopes for this year, and a lot of that is due to King, a sixth-year senior.
“That’s one thing that you want your team to believe in your quarterback,” Sanders said. “I mean, from top to bottom, they believe in this young man, and we gotta do everything we can, all hands on deck, to prevent him from being successful because the kid is a dawg. He can play. I love him. He can play.”
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August 27th
… CU in a few minutes …
WR Drelon Miller spending time at running back: “Wherever he puts me, I’m ready to roll with it”
From the Daily Camera … Last year as a freshman, receiver Drelon Miller started twice at running back, including in the season opener. He ran the ball four times for 10 yards, while also catching 32 passes for 277 yards.
On Tuesday, Miller said offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and running backs coach Marshall Faulk have kept him ready to go at both spots.
“We had that type of talk where he’s just like, ‘Today, you got to go to running back,’” Miller said. “Even coach Faulk, he just pulls me sometimes for (individual drills) to come to running back, just so I get that under my wing, just to know their type of steps and their motion, and then sometimes go to receiver and everything.
“(Shurmur) just told me to be ready, so I’m always gonna stay ready. Wherever he puts me, I’m ready to roll with it.”
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*Coach Prime’s Game Week Press Conference*
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August 26th
… CU in a few minutes …
11 Buffs (including BJ Green) make NFL 53-man rosters; 8 Buffs (including Laviska Shenault) cut
Made the 53-man cut in the NFL –>
ATH Travis Hunter (Jaguars)
QB Shedeur Sanders (Browns)
WR LaJohntay Wester (Ravens)
WR Jimmy Horn Jr. (Panthers)
WR Xavier Weaver (Cardinals)
TE Brady Russell (Seahawks)
DE BJ Green (Jaguars)
LB Nate Landman (Rams)
CB Chidobe Awuzie (Ravens)
CB Ahkello Witherspoon (Rams)
DB Isaiah Oliver (Jets)
On IR —>
WR Juwann Winfree (Texans)
Waived —>
WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Bills)
WR Will Sheppard (Packers)
OL Will Sherman (Broncos)
OL Arlington Hambright (Titans)
DT Josh Tupou (Colts)
OLB Derrick McLendon (Dolphins)
S Shilo Sanders (Buccaneers)
S Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig (Jaguars)
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*Coach Prime names Kaidon Salter starter for CU’s opener against Georgia Tech*
From ESPN … Colorado coach Deion Sanders named Kaidon Salter the Buffaloes’ starting quarterback on Tuesday, ahead of the team’s opener Friday against Georgia Tech.
“The kid has a ton of experience, dual threat, can throw the heck out of the ball as well,” said Sanders. “He’s the guy. He’s the guy at this point.”
Salter, who transferred to Colorado after three years as a starter at Liberty, was the presumed starter but had been competing with five-star true freshman Julian Lewis.
“He’s done it before,” said Sanders. “This is not his first time running out the tunnel and getting the start. … I like what he did in the spring, and he’s growing and growing and growing.”
Sanders credited offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and volunteer assistant coach Byron Leftwich for their work with Salter.
“I defer to those two coaches to allow me to understand what I see as valid,” said Sanders, who added that he is hopeful Lewis will also get game reps.
Salter appeared in two games for Liberty in 2021, before starting most of the team’s games of over the next three years. During that span, he threw for 5,889 yards with 56 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He also ran for 2,006 yards.
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*No Ralphie run for opener – Ralphie VI retiring; Ralphie VII identified*
Press release from CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado’s iconic live buffalo Ralphie VI, nicknamed “Ember,” is retiring after four years of service as college football’s greatest mascot.
Ember will now transition to a companion buffalo role, living with Ralphie V on their ranch. Due to an indifference to running, typical of many mammals both four-legged and two-legged, it was determined that it was in Ember’s best interest, based on her disposition, to focus on relaxing strolls on the pasture, which is her favorite hobby.
“Ember has been excellent in many aspects of her role as Ralphie, but she’s happiest relaxing on the ranch and we want to be respectful of her wishes,” said Taylor Stratton, Director of the Ralphie Live Mascot Program. “She will continue to get the same top level of love and care that all of our Ralphies receive and will enjoy socializing with Ralphie V.”
A succession plan has been in place for a number of months and more information on Ralphie VII will be provided when it’s available. Since top prioritization is given to the buffalo’s health, well-being, happiness, and safety there is no exact timeline for Ralphie VII’s debut while she continues training. In the interim, the Buffaloes football team will take the field without the university’s beloved live mascot.
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August 25th
… CU in a few minutes …
*OC Pat Shurmur and DC Robert Livingston talk with media*
… Note 1 … No announcement on a starting quarterback; if it is going to happen prior to kickoff, it will likely come at Coach Prime’s game week press conference on Tuesday …
… Note 2 … In case you were wondering, in order to have fans go to CU sponsored YouTube coverage, other outlets are limited to three minutes of video …
From Brian Howell at the Daily Camera …
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From Adam Munsterteiger at BuffStampede.com …
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August 24th
… CU in a few minutes …
WR Sincere Brown adjusting to Power Four: “He’s learning what the expectations of being here is”
From the Daily Camera … Sincere Brown began his collegiate career at South Florida, where he was teammates with future Buffs receivers Jimmy Horn Jr. and Xavier Weaver. When it became Brown’s turn to kick the tires on a possible transfer to Boulder, he leaned on the wisdom of his former teammates.
“Colorado a year ago was my favorite college football team if y’all didn’t know,” said Brown, who spent the past two seasons at Campbell. “I went to USF with Jimmy horn and Xavier Weaver. As I entered the transfer portal and was making a decision, I was talking to them throughout the process, and kind of just like watching them, like last year, a lot, I was watching their games. I was watching the type of content that they was having out. And just the Hall of Fame coaching staff is unbelievable. So yeah, that kind of was a huge decision on my (decision) to come to Colorado.”
Brown appeared in only 10 games over three seasons at South Florida, recording just a lone reception during that time. His transfer to Campbell provided a delayed but ultimately rewarding payoff, appearing in just one game in 2023 before putting together a breakout season last year. Brown earned first team all-league honors in the Coastal Athletic Association, finishing with 61 receptions for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Brown wanted a bigger challenge at the power conference level, but the move to Boulder hasn’t occurred without an adjustment period.
“He’s learning what the expectations of being here is,” CU receivers coach Jason Phillips said last week. “He’s continuing to mature that area. Right now, so far so good. If he continues to do that and eliminate mental mistakes, I think we’ll be pleased with what we have with Sincere.”
Brown admitted it hasn’t always been a smooth adjustment. Everything that worked at Campbell hasn’t necessarily transferred, with Brown and Phillips both recently recounting a rough first practice with the Buffs for Brown.
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Shilo Sanders waived by Tampa Bay after being ejected for throwing a punch
From ESPN … The Tampa Bay Buccaneers informed rookie safety Shilo Sanders on Sunday that he is being waived, his agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey told Schefter that they hope Sanders gets claimed on waivers.
NFL teams are currently in the process of trimming their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday’s deadline.
The news comes after Sanders was ejected from Tampa Bay’s third preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night for throwing a punch.
Sanders punched tight end Zach Davidson, who was blocking him, after some heavy pushing and shoving in the second quarter. Bucs linebacker John Bullock tried to calm Sanders afterward, and Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles looked at Sanders as he walked back to the sideline.
Bowles addressed the incident after Tampa Bay’s 23-19 loss.
“You can’t throw punches in this league — that’s inexcusable,” Bowles said. “They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that.”
Sanders was also flagged for a pass interference call in the first quarter on the game.
He had been competing for the fourth and final safety spot with Kaevon Merriweather and Rashad Wisdom to back up Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith and Christian Izien.
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August 23rd
… CU in a few minutes …
Camera: Seven players who will CU’s defense
From the Daily Camera … Unlike a year ago, Colorado won’t have the two most recognizable stars in college football.
With Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, record-setting quarterback Shedeur Sanders and others off to the NFL, the Buffaloes will rely on a new cast of characters. They aren’t devoid of star talent, however.
Defense
DL Anquin Barnes Jr., 6-5, 305, Sr.: Challenged by coaches to lose weight in the offseason, he did that, going from 340 to 305. His transformation has turned into having some dominant moments in practice, as he’s impressed coaches and teammates all month. “Watch out for Barnes this year, man,” defensive line coach Domata Peko said. “He’s gonna put on a show for you guys.”
DE Arden Walker, 6-2, 250, Sr.: The Cherry Creek High School graduate has improved every year of his career. Last year, he had 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks and he’s looking for even more this year as he steps up as a leader. “I’m really, really happy with his progress,” assistant coach George Helow said. “The thing about Arden is he leads by doing, so that’s, to me, the best form of leadership.”
DE Quency Wiggins, 6-5, 255, Jr.: Coach Prime has often praised the potential of Wiggins, but the former LSU Tiger hasn’t been able to put it all together and get on the field. He’s been making noise this month, though, and seems ready for a breakout season. “His attitude and effort has been tremendous every day,” Helow said. “I love where he’s headed right now. … I’m very, very proud of Quency. He’s had a great camp so far, and he’s going to continue to get better and better.”
ILB Martavius French, 6-2, 225, Sr.: At UTSA last year, he was tied for 10th nationally in tackles for loss, with 17. CU’s coaches have rotated linebackers, but French has consistently been working with the first-team defense, as he looks to be a disruptive force. “Very instinctual, making plays,” fellow linebacker Jeremiah Brown said of French. “His blitzes are amazing.”
DB Preston Hodge, 6-0, 195, Sr.: CU’s starting nickel back last year, he got an extra year of eligibility and has been better than ever this month in camp. Last year, he had 33 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups. “Preston has come miles and miles (from where he was) in how he’s practicing and how he’s approaching this year, and that feeds on the rest of the guys in that room,” cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis said.
CB DJ McKinney, 6-2, 190, Jr.: Perhaps CU’s best overall player on defense, McKinney earned preseason All-Big 12 honors. He started all 13 games last year and had 62 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups. “DJ McKinney is a pro,” Coach Prime said. “Every scout that comes here, that’s the first name they mention, DJ McKinney. DJ works his butt off every day.”
S Carter Stoutmire, 5-11, 210, Jr.: Entering his third year as a Buff, Stoutmire is finally on track to be a full-time starter. He spent the past two years playing behind Shilo Sanders and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, while also playing corner and nickel. Now, he’s focused on safety. “I know the scheme, but how to really play the position, being savvy, disguise the coverages all that (was a focus),” he said. “I have a full offseason under my belt, so I feel like I can reset my game to the next level this year.”
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CB coach Kevin Mathis: “If I get them to trust me they’re going to give me everything they got”
From the Daily Camera … Kevin Mathis is nearly two decades removed from his playing career, but he’s now nearly a decade into his coaching career.
As Mathis enters his third season as the cornerbacks coach for the Colorado Buffaloes, he said, “I’ve grown a lot.”
“It’s a different generation but it’s just trying to get the guys to really trust you, and what you’re trying to tell them,” Mathis, 51, said this week. “Understanding that I got their best interests at heart, but if I get them to trust me they’re gonna give me everything they got.”
Mathis played in the NFL from 1997-2006 and was teammates with current CU head coach Deion Sanders in his first three seasons, with the Dallas Cowboys. Mathis has been with Sanders throughout his coaching career, at Trinity Christian (Texas) School from 2017-20, Jackson State from 2020-22 and CU since 2023.
Sanders and CU defensive coordinator Robert Livingston have both praised Mathis’ coaching ability in the past year. This week, senior cornerback Preston Hodge said it is Mathis’ honesty that makes him a good coach.
“Especially as a (defensive back), you need someone to be honest with you,” Hodge said. “You don’t want someone to sugarcoat anything, tell you things you want to hear. He does a good job at telling you things you need to hear, especially to get you to where you want to be, which is, for me, the NFL.
“Any coaching points that he gives me, I’m gonna take that in and listen.”
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11 Replies to “Colorado Daily”
THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OTHER THAN LOSING THE GAME WAS #(1)… MISSING “RALPHIE.” WHEN THE FUTURE RALPHIE(S) GET SELECTED, I FOR ONE, WOULD LIKE RALPHIE TO BE NAMED AFTER OUR 80 PLUS YEAR (NEVER MISSED A GAME) TWIN FANS… THE LOVABLE COPPOM TWINS….AND, THE NEXT RALPHIE TO BE NAMED “MISS PEGGY”….. AND THE ONE AFTER THAT…. “MISS BETTY”…..DO THIS IN APPRECIATION OF THEIR DETERMINED LOYALTY… THEIR ENTHUSIASM… THEIR POSITIVE PRESENCE…AND THEIR PERSEVERANCE…AND, DO IT FOR ALL THE ARDENT AND RESPECTFUL REASONS.
BUFFTRAX
I’ve been a buff for life and always will be. Explanation would be nice.
I donate as well. Coaching was horrific. Worst I’ve seen. I feel bad for the kids.
And now I know for whatever reason I can’t chat on this site. Be an ostrich
You deleted my comment? Classy
You posted your comment under the Big 12 Notes section.
It’s there.
Dammit, nice. several in. Anyway I was right, there was no chance for a win come halftime.
I hope buff fans can be realistic in the facts. Prime is not going to be here long and every offseason is the question if he will be back.( I hope he goes, love him but….) I think we have learned from this experiment. We need an all in guy and not a let’s just cross our fingers guy. We don’t recruit, we bring in portal guys acting like they are going to be great because they have played 3-4 years. Instead of developing players like Dabo. I get it NIL and all that, but year three for a coach is suppose to be it because you were supposed to develop them.
So with that and me saying I hope he goes is because he honestly can’t coach. He is a motivator. He’s not X’s and O’s. Shummer is too old and out of his league. Livingston I thought would be the next HC, I don’t know what the hell he was doing tonight against the run. It wasn’t good. 320 yds avg 6.8 per carry. The only reason I can see two deep because this team has no idea how the coaches want it ran, so they play safe football. They were not coached properly and had zero packages. Honestly it was high school football.
Deion is a bad coach, hate me for it, but he will not end up in the NFL and if the SEC /ACC gives him a chance that’s, probably he’s best spot , he will have money and money to get coaches that will actually coach, and he will bring in players and give them motivational speeches
FIRE SHURMUR NOW!!!!
Don’t waste another second. Give the OC job to Leftwich. Feel bad for Pattie? Make him another analyst even though he cant analyze anything.
There cant be more than 8 real real basic plays in his play book and he runs the same 4 over and over and over again. My high school in 1966 was more diverse….and I wouldn’t even call it that.
There was no run game. Welch had a decent night but it was all him taking that straight ahead hand off and using patience, timing and YAC. there was no passing game either. They threw downfield twice before the one minute desperation at the end of the game. Every single one of those 5 or 6 sideline line at the line of scrimmage passes failed miserably. He even wasted a play on one in that last minute. Did anyone even see any pulling or trap blocking by the Buff O line?
Maybe 3 fake handoffs the whole game. Speaking of which GT was killing us with it. In the first half their QB would make that fake to the RB and revery Buff would fall for it and he would have another 10 yard gain. The vaunted Buff D line had a few moments, very few, but were dominated. Was GT ever stopped on a third down? Everyone knew they were going to run the ball and they ran it down our throats. Tackling by everyone was shoddy. Their YAC was awesome.
The few times I was able to see the GT pass routes in replays it looked like they had great combinations that confused out vaunted D backs.
I’m going to withhold any critique on the O line until we get a real OC. The game wasn’t as close as the score.
and while you are at it give Tad a nice retirement bonus for all his 20 win seasons
WITH RALPHIE…..ER, EMBER…. “OUT TO PASTURE” IT MAKES ME WONDER WHY THE UNIVERSITY IS BEING SO OBSCURE AND SECRETIVE ABOUT WHY SHE WAS DEMOTED.
(PLUS) I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW SHE WASN’T “RALPHIE.” I FEEL SORRY FOR THE ‘OL GIRL NOT KNOWING WHO SHE IS – OR, WAS…. SHE’S PROBABLY SUFFERING FROM A SCHIZOPHRENIC COLLAPSE.
OR…PERHAPS SHE IS AT A POINT WHERE SHE IS JUST GOING THRU – “THE CHANGE.” AH…YES, “THE CHANGE.”
ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN AROUND ANIMALS…ESPECIALLY…BOVINES… KNOWS THEY ARE NOT PREDICTABLE AND SHE MAY HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT SHE DIDN’T LIKE THE CONSTRAINT THAT HAD TO BE EXERTED ON HER. LET ME ASK, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE 6 PEOPLE MAKING YOU RUN AROUND A DELICIOUS LOOKING LAWN – NOT ALLOWING YOU TO STOP AND HAVE A LITTLE MUNCH AND/OR POOP – THEN… AT THE SAME TIME, THEY KEEP PULLING ON ROPES THAT ARE HOLDING YOU BACK AND THEY KEEP YELLING “GO RALPHIE, GO” ?
NOW…IF YOU’RE TRYING TO CONTROL A 1,200 + LB. ANIMAL THAT IS A BIT DISAGREEABLE AND PISSED… HANG ONTO YOUR HAT BUSTER, YOU MAY BE IN FOR A SURPRISE.
WELL, I FOR ONE WILL MISS THE ‘OL GIRL…WHEN THE UNIVERSITY GETS AROUND TO HAVING ANOTHER CANDIDATE TRAINED TO BE THE NEXT RALPHIE … I FOR ONE, WOULD LIKE HER TO BE NAMED, “MISS PEGGY”….. AND THE NEXT RALPHIE, “MISS BETTY”…..FOR ALL APPRECIATION AND THE OBVIOUS, ARDENT AND RESPECTFUL REASONS.
BUFFTRAX
Already nauseous for the game…after all these years, actually appreciate that I still have this reaction.
Also nauseous … but I can’t say that I appreciate it.
It’s been a long eight months waiting for today, and to see what the 2025 Buffs will look like.
At least my plane is showing on time … fingers crossed.
Speaking of RBs it has come to my attention that the Buffs, along with several other teams, are trying to flip Jamarcea Plater from his commit at Wake, who runs faster than Frank Azar chasing an ambulance. Boise is one of the other teams who undoubtedly ae pointing to Jeanty (sp?) in their spiel. Buff’s dont have a chance unless Shurmur actually creates a running game. Stay tuned tomorrow.
Dre’Lon at running back. I like it.
Go Buffs