The final score may not look so bad on paper, but the reality of the matter is that the Colorado State Rams are a much better football team than the University of Colorado. This writer, for one, hopes that CSU wins the remainder of their games. If they can get by Boise State and Boston College, they have a chance to run the table.
The thing they need to find out now is whether they were really that dominating or whether Colorado really is as bad as they looked. Can an offensive line made up of new starters all across the board (after the starting left tackle was injured early in the game) really be counted on to open holes big enough to drive hybrid four wheel drive vehicles through? Or is the Colorado defensive line really that bad? Only time will tell.
Unfortunately for Colorado, their offensive line played as poorly as their defensive line. Just like last year, the Buffs cannot run the ball, especially when they are lined up to do nothing but run the ball. They get a first down inside the 5 yard line and bring on the power run package of blockers as if challenging the defense to stop them from running the ball. Sadly, the challenge was accepted and the CSU defensive front DID stop them on three consecutive running plays. From that point on, Colorado State completely dominated the rest of the game.
After Colorado kicked a field goal to take a 10-0 lead, the play calling of Offensive Coordinator Brian Lindgren became truly offensive. It was unimaginative and certainly showed that Lindgren is incapable of adjusting his play calling during the game. Coach McElwain of CSU and his staff adjusted well and turned the game around after CU dominated the first quarter.
Colorado plays two teams in the next three weeks that only went 1-11 last year. After the sorry display against Colorado State put on by the Buffs, it is certainly possible that Hawaii and UMass are licking their chops to get onto the field with Colorado. Even if the Buffs do win against those teams, chances are that they will be the only two victories the Buffs can expect to see this year.
Earlier today I wrote about the Buffaloes being a team in search of an identity. The sad fact is that the Buffs has found an identity, and that is they there are a poorly coached football team. It would be pointless to single out individual players as the cause for Colorado's disgraceful performance. Football is a team game and the Buffs lost as a team.
The coaches, however, deserve to be called on the carpet. They failed in every aspect of the game. The coordinators (Lindgren and Kent Baer) , the line coaches (Gary Bernardi and Jim Jeffcoat), and the so-called special teams coach (Toby Neinas). They came up with the game plans, and they are responsible for the results.
The clock is ticking now and the job security that MacIntyre and his staff felt during the offseason and camp is a whole lot less secure. All fall camp, fans have heard nothing except how much better the Buffs would be in the trenches and on special teams. At this point, those claims are nothing but lies.
It doesn't look to get any better with a fierce Pac-12 schedule ahead. Buff fans and their dwindling confidence in the CU football program figures to take another big hit when the Arizona State Sun Devil juggernaut comes to Boulder on September 13th for the season's home opener. It may very well be the first of many lopsided scores in conference play. Also look for it to be the first in a long line of dwindling attendance at Folsom Field.
Unless magical changes occur in the very near future, this season looks to rival the infamous 2012 season for Colorado football futility. Mac needs to shake up his team from top to bottom, including the coaches. It's obvious that going with they guys with the "most experience" only works when those guys have experience winning.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Colorado Buffaloes a Team in Search of an Identity in 2014 and Beyond
Heading into today's Rocky Mountain Showdown, the University of Colorado Buffaloes enter the game as a team in search of an identity. If they hope to win six games and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007, they need to establish who they are and then be that team.
The Buffs have been a team in search of a real identity for a long time.
Their run toward to the bottom of the football pile began with Dan Hawkins, whose only apparent goal was to make his son Cody the all time leading passer in Colorado history. He accomplished that goal, but he turned a team that had been to bowl games 17 of the previous 21 seasons into a program that was a shell of its former glory. Hawkins destroyed the foundation of the house that Bill McCartney built, and left the program in a shambles with no depth, horrible player development and in-fighting on the team by young men who wanted to be more than supporting players for the head coach's son.
The run continued when the CU Brass decided to hire two ex-Buffs from the glory days to come in and run the program. Enter Jon Embree and Eric Bieniemy, who were great players for the Buffs but who were completely unqualified for their new jobs as Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Their main tone during their two year stay was to curse and yell at their players and to whine and sulk about how the school was not committed to football.
In truth, the school brass was definitely NOT committed to the football program and they showed that to the entire country by having the lowest paid football coaches and Athletic Director in the Big 12 and the Pac-12 following the change in conferences. However, lack of support from the top does not excuse the horrible relationship the coaches had with their players, the woeful recruiting of student athletes who were unqualified to get into the program, and game-day play calling that was so bad that it was embarrassing to CU fans around the country.
Colorado found its identity under Bill McCartney.
Following the horrible days of the Buffs under Chuck Fairbanks, the Buffs turned to Michigan assistant coach Bill McCartney, who was highly recommended by the Wolverines' legendary coach Bo Schembechler. McCartney played college ball at Missouri under another coaching legend, Dan Devine.
It took time for Mac to transform the the Buffaloes. They won only 7 out of 33 games during his first three years. What he did, however, was instill a philosophy of playing hardnose defense. He was named the Big 8 coach of the year in 1985 after his team went from one win in '84 to seven wins in '85. They gave up on average only 14.5 points per game, and all four of their losses in the regular season were to ranked teams (3 in the top 7, and one ranked #12).
To take advantage of his strong defensive team, McCartney abandoned the pass-happy days under Fairbanks in which the Buffs once gave up 82 points to Oklahoma while scoring 42 of their own. The 124 combined points was a shocker to the nation (this was before overtime games added 4 or 5 touchdowns to the real score).
McCartney went completely in the other direction and changed to the wishbone offense for the 1985 season. It was an offensive scheme that allowed a team without as much talent to compete against more dominant programs. They committed to running the ball with the triple option and began a run of nine bowl games in the next 10 years under McCartney (including a national championship).
McCartney knew that controlling the ball on the ground also controlled the clock and gave his strong defense a chance to stay fresh and dominate the other team. The coaching staff also went after great punters during recruiting. They realized that during defensive struggles with top teams like Nebraska and Oklahoma that they could move down the field slowly just by trading punts several times.The Buffs had three All-American punters during the late 1980's.
As the Buffs found more and more success, better players came knocking. With the addition of great talent, the Buffs were able to move back toward a traditional offense that more equally used both running and passing. Three years after winning the national title as a predominantly running team, the Buffs had Rashaan Salaam earn the Heisman Trophy playing for a team with a strong passing attack as well as a dominant running game.
Bill McCartney retired after the 1994 season.
After Mac stepped away from college football, the Buffs had 10 win seasons the next two years under Slick Rick Neuheisel. Buff fans thought that it would just be a continuation of the good times under McCartney. By year three, however, it became clear that Neuheisel was just a kid who had found the keys to his daddy's Ferrari and had taken it out for a two-year joyride.
When it came time for the players that he was responsible for developing to play, the Buffs were no longer a top program. The Buffs lost 10 games in the last two years of Neuheisel's reign. Mac's last six teams lost a combined 11 games. Knowing that the cupboard was bare and that NCAA rules had been broken, Neuheisel bolted to Washington after the '98 season. (His time in Washington also led to run-ins with the NCAA, but this article is about CU, not the Slickster.)
What lessons can be learned by Mike MacIntyre?
The first thing that Mac and his staff had to do when they got to Colorado was to take a group of individuals and turn them into a team. All indications are that his staff has done an excellent job of restoring a sense of family to a program had become completely dysfunctional.
They have had to work on developing skills for individual players while also facing down the fact that prior coaches had left important positions on the team bare of recruits. 2013 saw a total of nine offensive linemen available for nine positions. It also saw a bunch of underclassmen defensive backs getting their trial by fire in the Pac-12 while also learning a new system.
This year, the Buffs have much better depth and higher level of talent across the board. But they also play in the toughest conference in the country. If they want to compete and become a team that once again looks to go to a bowl at the end of each season, they need to commit to an offensive and defensive philosophy that will allow them to do that.
If their defense is weaker than their opponents offense, they need to find ways to control the ball to limit the opportunities to score by the other team. The Pac-12 offers an excellent example.
Look at how Stanford has consistently shut down the Oregon Ducks.
The Quackers want to score on every play, to wait only 10 seconds to run each play, and as many possessions as they can get. They want a minimum of five possessions per quarter and want their scoring drives to last less than minute.
Unfortunately for Oregon, Stanford knows how to control the ball and limit the Oregon possessions to 2 or even 1 per quarter. They know that Oregon cannot score touchdowns unless they have the ball. And Stanford also plays hard-nose, knock-down, rough-you-up defense. The do not allow the Ducks to get into a rhythm, and every year the Ducks high flying offense and national title aspirations are dashed by the boys from Palo Alto.
Stanford usually falls short once or twice a season, but their whole philosophy is designed to beat Oregon. And they implement that philosophy very well.
What will Colorado's "philosophy" be during the 2014 season?
Every team in the country "wants" to run and/or pass the ball well. They all "want" to play good defense. They all "want" to be winning teams. The question for Mike MacIntyre and his Colorado staff and team is:
What are they willing TO DO to make their wants come true? Are they going to give lip service to running the ball, or are they going to do it? Same goes for the passing game. As Yoda said a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
"Do or do not. There is no try."
The Buffs have been a team in search of a real identity for a long time.
Their run toward to the bottom of the football pile began with Dan Hawkins, whose only apparent goal was to make his son Cody the all time leading passer in Colorado history. He accomplished that goal, but he turned a team that had been to bowl games 17 of the previous 21 seasons into a program that was a shell of its former glory. Hawkins destroyed the foundation of the house that Bill McCartney built, and left the program in a shambles with no depth, horrible player development and in-fighting on the team by young men who wanted to be more than supporting players for the head coach's son.
The run continued when the CU Brass decided to hire two ex-Buffs from the glory days to come in and run the program. Enter Jon Embree and Eric Bieniemy, who were great players for the Buffs but who were completely unqualified for their new jobs as Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Their main tone during their two year stay was to curse and yell at their players and to whine and sulk about how the school was not committed to football.
In truth, the school brass was definitely NOT committed to the football program and they showed that to the entire country by having the lowest paid football coaches and Athletic Director in the Big 12 and the Pac-12 following the change in conferences. However, lack of support from the top does not excuse the horrible relationship the coaches had with their players, the woeful recruiting of student athletes who were unqualified to get into the program, and game-day play calling that was so bad that it was embarrassing to CU fans around the country.
Colorado found its identity under Bill McCartney.
Following the horrible days of the Buffs under Chuck Fairbanks, the Buffs turned to Michigan assistant coach Bill McCartney, who was highly recommended by the Wolverines' legendary coach Bo Schembechler. McCartney played college ball at Missouri under another coaching legend, Dan Devine.
It took time for Mac to transform the the Buffaloes. They won only 7 out of 33 games during his first three years. What he did, however, was instill a philosophy of playing hardnose defense. He was named the Big 8 coach of the year in 1985 after his team went from one win in '84 to seven wins in '85. They gave up on average only 14.5 points per game, and all four of their losses in the regular season were to ranked teams (3 in the top 7, and one ranked #12).
To take advantage of his strong defensive team, McCartney abandoned the pass-happy days under Fairbanks in which the Buffs once gave up 82 points to Oklahoma while scoring 42 of their own. The 124 combined points was a shocker to the nation (this was before overtime games added 4 or 5 touchdowns to the real score).
McCartney went completely in the other direction and changed to the wishbone offense for the 1985 season. It was an offensive scheme that allowed a team without as much talent to compete against more dominant programs. They committed to running the ball with the triple option and began a run of nine bowl games in the next 10 years under McCartney (including a national championship).
McCartney knew that controlling the ball on the ground also controlled the clock and gave his strong defense a chance to stay fresh and dominate the other team. The coaching staff also went after great punters during recruiting. They realized that during defensive struggles with top teams like Nebraska and Oklahoma that they could move down the field slowly just by trading punts several times.The Buffs had three All-American punters during the late 1980's.
As the Buffs found more and more success, better players came knocking. With the addition of great talent, the Buffs were able to move back toward a traditional offense that more equally used both running and passing. Three years after winning the national title as a predominantly running team, the Buffs had Rashaan Salaam earn the Heisman Trophy playing for a team with a strong passing attack as well as a dominant running game.
Bill McCartney retired after the 1994 season.
After Mac stepped away from college football, the Buffs had 10 win seasons the next two years under Slick Rick Neuheisel. Buff fans thought that it would just be a continuation of the good times under McCartney. By year three, however, it became clear that Neuheisel was just a kid who had found the keys to his daddy's Ferrari and had taken it out for a two-year joyride.
When it came time for the players that he was responsible for developing to play, the Buffs were no longer a top program. The Buffs lost 10 games in the last two years of Neuheisel's reign. Mac's last six teams lost a combined 11 games. Knowing that the cupboard was bare and that NCAA rules had been broken, Neuheisel bolted to Washington after the '98 season. (His time in Washington also led to run-ins with the NCAA, but this article is about CU, not the Slickster.)
What lessons can be learned by Mike MacIntyre?
The first thing that Mac and his staff had to do when they got to Colorado was to take a group of individuals and turn them into a team. All indications are that his staff has done an excellent job of restoring a sense of family to a program had become completely dysfunctional.
They have had to work on developing skills for individual players while also facing down the fact that prior coaches had left important positions on the team bare of recruits. 2013 saw a total of nine offensive linemen available for nine positions. It also saw a bunch of underclassmen defensive backs getting their trial by fire in the Pac-12 while also learning a new system.
This year, the Buffs have much better depth and higher level of talent across the board. But they also play in the toughest conference in the country. If they want to compete and become a team that once again looks to go to a bowl at the end of each season, they need to commit to an offensive and defensive philosophy that will allow them to do that.
If their defense is weaker than their opponents offense, they need to find ways to control the ball to limit the opportunities to score by the other team. The Pac-12 offers an excellent example.
Look at how Stanford has consistently shut down the Oregon Ducks.
The Quackers want to score on every play, to wait only 10 seconds to run each play, and as many possessions as they can get. They want a minimum of five possessions per quarter and want their scoring drives to last less than minute.
Unfortunately for Oregon, Stanford knows how to control the ball and limit the Oregon possessions to 2 or even 1 per quarter. They know that Oregon cannot score touchdowns unless they have the ball. And Stanford also plays hard-nose, knock-down, rough-you-up defense. The do not allow the Ducks to get into a rhythm, and every year the Ducks high flying offense and national title aspirations are dashed by the boys from Palo Alto.
Stanford usually falls short once or twice a season, but their whole philosophy is designed to beat Oregon. And they implement that philosophy very well.
What will Colorado's "philosophy" be during the 2014 season?
Every team in the country "wants" to run and/or pass the ball well. They all "want" to play good defense. They all "want" to be winning teams. The question for Mike MacIntyre and his Colorado staff and team is:
What are they willing TO DO to make their wants come true? Are they going to give lip service to running the ball, or are they going to do it? Same goes for the passing game. As Yoda said a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
"Do or do not. There is no try."
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Delusional CSU Fans Looking for an Upset Against Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Showdown
Lots of folks around the country and even Colorado like to make fun of Boulder and its lifestyle. That's okay. It's all in fun. And in many cases it's jealousy. That's okay too. Nobody makes much ado about Fort Collins because, frankly, most people around the country have no idea where the home of Colorado State University is located (other than being in Colorado, that is).
Boulder, however, is a completely different matter. It's the home of the University of Colorado. It's the location of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is here. IBM is in Boulder. Google has offices in Boulder. The home of Mork and Mindy is in Boulder. A Heisman Trophy and an NCAA football championship trophy also have a place in Boulder. CU has the greatest live mascot in all of college athletics. And the magic little town below the Flatirons also has the most highly educated population level in the United States.
It's easy to see why those up in Fort Collins might be a little jealous. It also makes sense why more Ram-leaning folks go the CSU game against Colorado than to any other game. I mean, really, where else can they see a real live buffalo leading a team onto the gridiron? It's a lot more impressive than a sheep with horns.
In any case, we digress. The subject at hand was delusions. An article published earlier today in the Coloradoan talked about the three keys for CSU to beat Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver tomorrow. The first thing the article mentioned was running the ball and doing it well. Good advice nearly always.
The delusional part came next. The writer made the claim that "top to bottom, CSU has more talent at running back than it did last season." Really? Last year, the Rams had Kapri Bibbs, who set a CSU record by rushing for 1,741 yards and became only the 3rd player in D-1 history to rush for 30 touchdowns in a season. Bibbs now plays for the Denver Broncos. Unless the Rams plan to change their offensive philosophy to running the wishbone (thus having 3 backs behind the quarterback), there is no chance "top to bottom" or even sideways that they will have more talent on the field at the running back position than they had last year.
The next "key" was to keep Colorado under 300 yards passing. Sad to say, the Buff having under 300 yards passing will most likely be due to them rushing for more than 250 yards and eating up the clock while they do it. What the CSU faithful need to hope for is that the revamped Colorado line does not dominate the clock and wear down their defense. If Colorado has big passing numbers and small rushing numbers, it means that offensive line of Colorado is not doing its job.
The Buffs passed for 400 yards last year but took 46 passes to do it. Take away the 157 yards on two Paul Richardson TD catches and Colorado only had 243 yards on 44 passes, which works out to 5.5 yards per pass. Those numbers are good enough to beat the likes of CSU, but they will not hold up against the rigors of Pac-12 play.
The last "key" listed in the Coloradan was the play of CSU wide receivers. They will have their hands full since the Colorado defensive backfield finally has some depth as well as talent, and should be better than it has been since Gary Barnett was coaching. That's saying a lot, since the 2011 NFL draft took Colorado cornerbacks in the first and fourth rounds.
The real key to CSU beating Colorado is if the Buff team and its fans get stuck in construction traffic on highway 36 and don't make it to the game on time. Don't count on it, though. The best advice would be for CSU fans to stay in Denver for the weekend and take in a show or go to the zoo. That way the trip down won't be a total bust. Colorado wins this one in a more impressive fashion than last year, and won't need Paul Richardson to do it.
Boulder, however, is a completely different matter. It's the home of the University of Colorado. It's the location of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is here. IBM is in Boulder. Google has offices in Boulder. The home of Mork and Mindy is in Boulder. A Heisman Trophy and an NCAA football championship trophy also have a place in Boulder. CU has the greatest live mascot in all of college athletics. And the magic little town below the Flatirons also has the most highly educated population level in the United States.
It's easy to see why those up in Fort Collins might be a little jealous. It also makes sense why more Ram-leaning folks go the CSU game against Colorado than to any other game. I mean, really, where else can they see a real live buffalo leading a team onto the gridiron? It's a lot more impressive than a sheep with horns.
In any case, we digress. The subject at hand was delusions. An article published earlier today in the Coloradoan talked about the three keys for CSU to beat Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver tomorrow. The first thing the article mentioned was running the ball and doing it well. Good advice nearly always.
The delusional part came next. The writer made the claim that "top to bottom, CSU has more talent at running back than it did last season." Really? Last year, the Rams had Kapri Bibbs, who set a CSU record by rushing for 1,741 yards and became only the 3rd player in D-1 history to rush for 30 touchdowns in a season. Bibbs now plays for the Denver Broncos. Unless the Rams plan to change their offensive philosophy to running the wishbone (thus having 3 backs behind the quarterback), there is no chance "top to bottom" or even sideways that they will have more talent on the field at the running back position than they had last year.
The next "key" was to keep Colorado under 300 yards passing. Sad to say, the Buff having under 300 yards passing will most likely be due to them rushing for more than 250 yards and eating up the clock while they do it. What the CSU faithful need to hope for is that the revamped Colorado line does not dominate the clock and wear down their defense. If Colorado has big passing numbers and small rushing numbers, it means that offensive line of Colorado is not doing its job.
The Buffs passed for 400 yards last year but took 46 passes to do it. Take away the 157 yards on two Paul Richardson TD catches and Colorado only had 243 yards on 44 passes, which works out to 5.5 yards per pass. Those numbers are good enough to beat the likes of CSU, but they will not hold up against the rigors of Pac-12 play.
The last "key" listed in the Coloradan was the play of CSU wide receivers. They will have their hands full since the Colorado defensive backfield finally has some depth as well as talent, and should be better than it has been since Gary Barnett was coaching. That's saying a lot, since the 2011 NFL draft took Colorado cornerbacks in the first and fourth rounds.
The real key to CSU beating Colorado is if the Buff team and its fans get stuck in construction traffic on highway 36 and don't make it to the game on time. Don't count on it, though. The best advice would be for CSU fans to stay in Denver for the weekend and take in a show or go to the zoo. That way the trip down won't be a total bust. Colorado wins this one in a more impressive fashion than last year, and won't need Paul Richardson to do it.
Monday, August 25, 2014
It's Time for Colorado Buff Fans to Get Over Paul Richardson
With less than four days before the start of the 2014 Colorado Football season, some Buff fans are doing some serious hand-wringing and fretting over the fact that Paul Richardson has moved on to the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. They need to stop worrying.
The 2014 CU Buffs will be a better TEAM without Richardson.
While reading the stories and blogs (and their comments) about CU football, a common theme is that the Buffs will be unable to overcome the loss of Paul Richardson. Many of the comments by younger folks than myself give the impression that they think that Paul Richardson was the best player ever to don the Black and Gold. These people need to listen to their elders when we tell them that is not the case. In reality...
Richardson was the best player on some of the worst Colorado teams ever.
Colorado's record while he was in Boulder was 13 wins and 36 losses, and many of those were some of the worst losses in CU history. Although Paul stood out as a shining light in some very dark times for Colorado football, the fact remains that he was not enough of an impact player to make CU a winning team.
His stats from 2013 were impressive:
Compare Richardson's season with that of Mike Pritchard in 1990.
His stats from CU's National Championship team were amazing:
The moral of the story is that Pritchard was a great player on a great team.
A winning team is not made by lots of passes to just one guy.
In addition to the National Champion team in 1990, every Buff fans should know about the 1989 and 1994 teams.
The '89 team went undefeated in the regular season and lost in the Orange Bowl as the #1 team. That 1989 team threw a grand total of only 102 passes the entire year. But they had 4 receivers who averaged more than 24 yards per catch. They also rushed for 4,090 yards as a team.
The 1994 team may have been the most talented in Colorado history.
Quarterback Kordell Stewart threw for 2071 yards and rushed for 639. His top 5 receivers that year were:
(Those numbers do not reflect the bowl game -- Salaam rushed for 3 touchdowns, while Stewart took the Offensive MVP with 205 yards passing and 143 rushing.)
The team blew one game to arch-rival Nebraska to be denied the National Championship game. I watched from the stands as they destroyed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl 41-24 to finish the season ranked #3.
The 2013 Buffs threw lots of passes. They had to. The were one of the worst teams in the country at rushing the ball.
Last year, the Buffs threw four times as many passes as the 1989 team that played for the National Championship.
They threw twice as many as the team that won the National title in 1990.
They threw 155 more passes than the 1994 team.
The 2014 Buffs must be able to run the ball and control the field.
Last year, the Buffs were the worst in the Pac-12 at getting into the red-zone and also into the end zone for touchdowns on their way to a four win season.
This year, if they want to be competitive in the best conference in the country, they need to change that. They need to compete in the trenches. If they continue to get manhandled on the lines, a great talent like Paul Richardson cannot make them a winning team.
Football is a TEAM sport, and great numbers for one guy don't mean squat.
The 2014 CU Buffs will be a better TEAM without Richardson.
While reading the stories and blogs (and their comments) about CU football, a common theme is that the Buffs will be unable to overcome the loss of Paul Richardson. Many of the comments by younger folks than myself give the impression that they think that Paul Richardson was the best player ever to don the Black and Gold. These people need to listen to their elders when we tell them that is not the case. In reality...
Richardson was the best player on some of the worst Colorado teams ever.
Colorado's record while he was in Boulder was 13 wins and 36 losses, and many of those were some of the worst losses in CU history. Although Paul stood out as a shining light in some very dark times for Colorado football, the fact remains that he was not enough of an impact player to make CU a winning team.
His stats from 2013 were impressive:
- 83 catches for 1,343 yards.
- 1 rush for 7 yards.
- 10 touchdowns.
- Total all purpose yards -- 1,350 on 84 touches.
- An average just over 16 yards every time he touched the ball.
Compare Richardson's season with that of Mike Pritchard in 1990.
His stats from CU's National Championship team were amazing:
- 28 catches for 733 yards.
- 29 rushes for 450 yards.
- 16 kickoff returns for 331 yards.
- 11 touchdowns.
- Total all purpose yards -- 1,514 yards on 73 touches.
- More than 20.7 yards every time he touched the ball.
The moral of the story is that Pritchard was a great player on a great team.
A winning team is not made by lots of passes to just one guy.
In addition to the National Champion team in 1990, every Buff fans should know about the 1989 and 1994 teams.
The '89 team went undefeated in the regular season and lost in the Orange Bowl as the #1 team. That 1989 team threw a grand total of only 102 passes the entire year. But they had 4 receivers who averaged more than 24 yards per catch. They also rushed for 4,090 yards as a team.
The 1994 team may have been the most talented in Colorado history.
Quarterback Kordell Stewart threw for 2071 yards and rushed for 639. His top 5 receivers that year were:
- Michael Westbrook -- 36 catches for 689 yards.
- Christian Fauria -- 35 catches for 356 yards.
- Rashaan Salaam -- 24 catches for 294 yards.
- Phil Savoy -- 17 catches for 283 yards.
- Rae Carruth -- 14 catches for 255 yards.
(Those numbers do not reflect the bowl game -- Salaam rushed for 3 touchdowns, while Stewart took the Offensive MVP with 205 yards passing and 143 rushing.)
The team blew one game to arch-rival Nebraska to be denied the National Championship game. I watched from the stands as they destroyed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl 41-24 to finish the season ranked #3.
The 2013 Buffs threw lots of passes. They had to. The were one of the worst teams in the country at rushing the ball.
Last year, the Buffs threw four times as many passes as the 1989 team that played for the National Championship.
They threw twice as many as the team that won the National title in 1990.
They threw 155 more passes than the 1994 team.
The 2014 Buffs must be able to run the ball and control the field.
Last year, the Buffs were the worst in the Pac-12 at getting into the red-zone and also into the end zone for touchdowns on their way to a four win season.
This year, if they want to be competitive in the best conference in the country, they need to change that. They need to compete in the trenches. If they continue to get manhandled on the lines, a great talent like Paul Richardson cannot make them a winning team.
Football is a TEAM sport, and great numbers for one guy don't mean squat.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
A Look at the Newcomers for the CU Buffs on Defense and Special Teams to Keep an Eye On
It's officially game week in Boulder.
On the horizon this Friday is the annual clash in Denver with CSU at the Rocky Mountain Showdown. Yesterday featured a look at newcomers (Freshmen, Redshirt Freshmen, and Transfers) on Offense for the 2014 Colorado Buffaloes football team.
Today features a look at the newcomers who might make an impact on Defense and Special Teams.
Mike MacIntyre's first year in Boulder was last year. He took over a squad that was lucky to win one game in 2012 that many Buff fans feel was the worst team in Colorado's long and storied history. He took that 2012 squad, and with the help of some marvellous newcomers to the program, turned it into a 4 win team.
On offense, freshmen QB Sefo Liufau and RB Michael Akins II worked their way into the starting line-ups and were major causes for hope among the Buff faithful.
On defense, Linebacker Addison Gillam had perhaps the best freshmen defensive year in the history of the program. He was a freshman All-American and set the CU record for tackles by a freshman.
Who will be the newcomers this year that will make an impact?
Among defensive backs, these young men are looking to make a name for themselves guarding the fleet hordes of wide receivers in the Pac-12 and chasing down speedy return men.
Witherspoon caught everyone's attention in Spring practices and has maintained it throughout fall camp. He has all the intangibles of a great cornerback at both the collegiate and professional level. He has the size, speed and physicality to be the next great cornerback at Colorado.
Moeller rushed for over 3000 yards and averaged over 40 yards per catch as a receiver. As a defensive back, he had 8 interceptions, two of which were returned for TD's. He was the 3A player of the year and also on the Denver Post All-Colorado team as well as being a small school All-American.
Ryan redshirted last year and has quickly moved his way up to being 2nd on the depth chart at Free Safety. With the season ending injury to starter Jered Bell, look for Ryan to compete for playing time and to be a terror on special teams.
Coach MacIntyre is a big proponent of redshirting freshmen whenever possible, but has noted that it will be very hard to keep Evan White off the field on special teams.
As a true freshman in 2012, Wright was tossed into the fire and fed to the wolves of NFL caliber wide receivers in the Pac-12. He started six games that season, missing four games to injury.
Due to injuries and a desire to help the young man develop physically and academically, Coach MacIntyre chose to redshirt Wright last year. Look for Wright to compete for playing time in the nickel and dime packages so often used in the pass-happy Pac-12.
---------------------------------------------
At Linebacker, Buff fans are hoping to strike gold for a 2nd year in row.
In high school, Rippy was a celebrated 4-star recruit and was considered one of the top prospects in the state of Pennsylvania. His cousin (Doug Rippy) was talented four year letterman at CU.
Buff fans are hoping that Rippy lives up to his promise and makes an impact sooner rather than later as a big time linebacker.
------------------------------------------
The Defensive Line is an area with a lot of questions. These newcomers may make the difference between 4 wins and 6 wins.
Last year during his redshirt, Derek was selected as the scout team player of the year. This spring, he was selected as the most improved defensive lineman. Buff fans and coaches are hoping that bloodlines make a difference and that Derek can grow into a top-tier defensive lineman in the Pac-12.
Eddy comes to Colorado from El Paso, Texas, where he was the co-defensive player of the year. Even though he is a true freshman, his work in camp will make it very hard for coaches to keep him off the field.
---------------------------------------------------
To the casual fan, Special Teams can be somewhat of a mystery. In reality, the work done by these performers can be as much of a determinant on the win/loss column as the Offense and the Defense.
On punts and field goals, everything starts with the guy holding the ball to begin the play. His job is to get the ball on target to the punter or the holder on field goals. The name of this position is Long Snapper.
He is currently #1 on the depth chart at his position.
--------------------------------------------
Another special teams performer that fans are anxious to see is a combination of Punter and Placekicker.
As only those who have seen Diego practice can attest to, this young man has an extraordinarily powerful leg. The ball explodes off his foot. The sound it makes coming off his foot on kickoffs is unlike anyone at Colorado since Mason Crosby, the current Green Bay Packer kicker. The only other kicker at CU that I can remember that sound coming from a kicked ball came from two-time All-American punter Barry Helton back in 1985 and 1986.
If this young man can adjust to the speed of the game at the level of the Pac-12 and learn to be highly accurate, he will have a long career ahead of him in the NFL.
On the horizon this Friday is the annual clash in Denver with CSU at the Rocky Mountain Showdown. Yesterday featured a look at newcomers (Freshmen, Redshirt Freshmen, and Transfers) on Offense for the 2014 Colorado Buffaloes football team.
Today features a look at the newcomers who might make an impact on Defense and Special Teams.
Mike MacIntyre's first year in Boulder was last year. He took over a squad that was lucky to win one game in 2012 that many Buff fans feel was the worst team in Colorado's long and storied history. He took that 2012 squad, and with the help of some marvellous newcomers to the program, turned it into a 4 win team.
On offense, freshmen QB Sefo Liufau and RB Michael Akins II worked their way into the starting line-ups and were major causes for hope among the Buff faithful.
On defense, Linebacker Addison Gillam had perhaps the best freshmen defensive year in the history of the program. He was a freshman All-American and set the CU record for tackles by a freshman.
Who will be the newcomers this year that will make an impact?
Among defensive backs, these young men are looking to make a name for themselves guarding the fleet hordes of wide receivers in the Pac-12 and chasing down speedy return men.
- Ahkello Witherspoon -- 6'3'' 185 lbs (Soph.)
Witherspoon caught everyone's attention in Spring practices and has maintained it throughout fall camp. He has all the intangibles of a great cornerback at both the collegiate and professional level. He has the size, speed and physicality to be the next great cornerback at Colorado.
- Ryan Moeller -- 6'0" 205 lbs. (RS-FR)
Moeller rushed for over 3000 yards and averaged over 40 yards per catch as a receiver. As a defensive back, he had 8 interceptions, two of which were returned for TD's. He was the 3A player of the year and also on the Denver Post All-Colorado team as well as being a small school All-American.
Ryan redshirted last year and has quickly moved his way up to being 2nd on the depth chart at Free Safety. With the season ending injury to starter Jered Bell, look for Ryan to compete for playing time and to be a terror on special teams.
- Evan White -- 6'2" 195 lbs. (Freshman)
Coach MacIntyre is a big proponent of redshirting freshmen whenever possible, but has noted that it will be very hard to keep Evan White off the field on special teams.
- Yuri Wright -- 6'1" 170 lbs. (Soph.)
As a true freshman in 2012, Wright was tossed into the fire and fed to the wolves of NFL caliber wide receivers in the Pac-12. He started six games that season, missing four games to injury.
Due to injuries and a desire to help the young man develop physically and academically, Coach MacIntyre chose to redshirt Wright last year. Look for Wright to compete for playing time in the nickel and dime packages so often used in the pass-happy Pac-12.
---------------------------------------------
At Linebacker, Buff fans are hoping to strike gold for a 2nd year in row.
- Deaysean Rippy -- 6'2" 220 lbs. (Soph. Transfer)
In high school, Rippy was a celebrated 4-star recruit and was considered one of the top prospects in the state of Pennsylvania. His cousin (Doug Rippy) was talented four year letterman at CU.
Buff fans are hoping that Rippy lives up to his promise and makes an impact sooner rather than later as a big time linebacker.
------------------------------------------
The Defensive Line is an area with a lot of questions. These newcomers may make the difference between 4 wins and 6 wins.
- Markeis Reed -- 6'4" 245 lbs. (RS-FR)
- Derek McCartney -- 6'3" 240 lbs. (RS-FR)
Last year during his redshirt, Derek was selected as the scout team player of the year. This spring, he was selected as the most improved defensive lineman. Buff fans and coaches are hoping that bloodlines make a difference and that Derek can grow into a top-tier defensive lineman in the Pac-12.
- Eddy Lopez -- 6'4" 300 lbs (Freshman)
Eddy comes to Colorado from El Paso, Texas, where he was the co-defensive player of the year. Even though he is a true freshman, his work in camp will make it very hard for coaches to keep him off the field.
---------------------------------------------------
To the casual fan, Special Teams can be somewhat of a mystery. In reality, the work done by these performers can be as much of a determinant on the win/loss column as the Offense and the Defense.
On punts and field goals, everything starts with the guy holding the ball to begin the play. His job is to get the ball on target to the punter or the holder on field goals. The name of this position is Long Snapper.
- Wyatt Tucker Smith -- 6'2" 230 lbs. (Junior Transfer)
He is currently #1 on the depth chart at his position.
--------------------------------------------
Another special teams performer that fans are anxious to see is a combination of Punter and Placekicker.
- Diego Gonzalez -- 5'11" 210 lbs. (Soph. Transfer)
As only those who have seen Diego practice can attest to, this young man has an extraordinarily powerful leg. The ball explodes off his foot. The sound it makes coming off his foot on kickoffs is unlike anyone at Colorado since Mason Crosby, the current Green Bay Packer kicker. The only other kicker at CU that I can remember that sound coming from a kicked ball came from two-time All-American punter Barry Helton back in 1985 and 1986.
If this young man can adjust to the speed of the game at the level of the Pac-12 and learn to be highly accurate, he will have a long career ahead of him in the NFL.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
2014 Colorado Buffaloes Offensive Newcomers to Watch
The 2014 Colorado Buffaloes football season is starting in less than one week.
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre has closed practices so the Buffs can prepare for Jim McElwain's Colorado State Rams this coming Friday at the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver.
As with most programs across the country, the opening game of the season gives fans a chance to see new players for the first time. Since MacIntyre has opted to not share the depth chart heading into the big rivalry game with little brother up in Fort Collins, this will give a look at some of the young men who will be playing Offense (and Special Teams).
To qualify for the list of newcomers, these players have to be either Transfers, Redshirt Freshman, or True Freshman.
Starting with "Big Men" who toil in the trenches, CU fans are likely to see three new faces playing at various times.
Offensive Line Coach Gary Bernardi is a strong proponent of having his men know how to play several positions across the line. With that being the case, don't be surprised to some of these guys playing Tackle during one series and Guard later in the game. Or some might move from Guard to Center (or vice-versa).
This will be vastly different from last year, where the same five guys played nearly every snap at the same positions the entire season. That was necessary because of horrible depth last year, along with the desire to redshirt as many young linemen as possible.
New Offensive Linemen to Keep an Eye On -
Shane is a Colorado native who was a four star recruit to Auburn University. He was a backup last year for a team that made it to the National Championship game.
Due to some family issues here in Colorado, Shane transferred to CU and was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA. His arrival makes the Colorado offensive line a much better unit.
The only depth chart issued by CU was August 2nd before the start of camp. Since Callahan had not officially joined the team yet, he is not even listed. Expect to see A LOT of Shane Callahan this fall and for the next two years.
Like Callahan above, Weifels gives CU much needed depth along the front line. Expect to see him tried at various positions as CU coaches come up with the best unit to lead the team.
He entered fall camp listed 2nd on the depth chart at both Left Guard and Center. Expect to see Jonathan at several positions this season.
Like Huckins and Callahan, expect Sam to be on the field this fall at various junctures.
New Skill Position Players to Look For this Season -
He was named the Offensive Scout Player of the Year during his redshirt year, and received the Fred Casotti Award this spring as the most improved running back.
Even though Phillip enters a crowded backfield competition with Christian Powell, Michael Adkins II, and Tony Jones, expect coaches to get him on the field to showcase his moves and enthusiasm.
CU coaches have raved about the young man this spring and fall camp. Expect Bryce to be a favorite target of QB Sefo Liufau this fall and in coming years.
Although Shay is a true freshman, expect him to get playing time both as a wide receiver and on special teams, where he excelled in high school as a return man.
With the uptempo offense of Coordinator Brian Lindgren, expect to see quite a bit from Walker this season.
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre has closed practices so the Buffs can prepare for Jim McElwain's Colorado State Rams this coming Friday at the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver.
As with most programs across the country, the opening game of the season gives fans a chance to see new players for the first time. Since MacIntyre has opted to not share the depth chart heading into the big rivalry game with little brother up in Fort Collins, this will give a look at some of the young men who will be playing Offense (and Special Teams).
To qualify for the list of newcomers, these players have to be either Transfers, Redshirt Freshman, or True Freshman.
Starting with "Big Men" who toil in the trenches, CU fans are likely to see three new faces playing at various times.
Offensive Line Coach Gary Bernardi is a strong proponent of having his men know how to play several positions across the line. With that being the case, don't be surprised to some of these guys playing Tackle during one series and Guard later in the game. Or some might move from Guard to Center (or vice-versa).
This will be vastly different from last year, where the same five guys played nearly every snap at the same positions the entire season. That was necessary because of horrible depth last year, along with the desire to redshirt as many young linemen as possible.
New Offensive Linemen to Keep an Eye On -
- Shane Callahan -- 6'6" 300 lbs. (Soph.)
Shane is a Colorado native who was a four star recruit to Auburn University. He was a backup last year for a team that made it to the National Championship game.
Due to some family issues here in Colorado, Shane transferred to CU and was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA. His arrival makes the Colorado offensive line a much better unit.
The only depth chart issued by CU was August 2nd before the start of camp. Since Callahan had not officially joined the team yet, he is not even listed. Expect to see A LOT of Shane Callahan this fall and for the next two years.
- Sully Weifels -- 6'3" 300 lbs. (Junior Transfer)
Like Callahan above, Weifels gives CU much needed depth along the front line. Expect to see him tried at various positions as CU coaches come up with the best unit to lead the team.
- Jonathan Huckins -- 6'3" 305 lbs. (RS-FR)
He entered fall camp listed 2nd on the depth chart at both Left Guard and Center. Expect to see Jonathan at several positions this season.
- Sam Kronshage -- 6'5" 285 lbs. (RS-FR)
Like Huckins and Callahan, expect Sam to be on the field this fall at various junctures.
New Skill Position Players to Look For this Season -
- Phillip Lindsay, Running Back -- 5'8" 175 lbs. (RS-FR)
He was named the Offensive Scout Player of the Year during his redshirt year, and received the Fred Casotti Award this spring as the most improved running back.
Even though Phillip enters a crowded backfield competition with Christian Powell, Michael Adkins II, and Tony Jones, expect coaches to get him on the field to showcase his moves and enthusiasm.
- Bryce Bobo, Wide Receiver -- 6'2" 190 lbs. (RS-FR)
CU coaches have raved about the young man this spring and fall camp. Expect Bryce to be a favorite target of QB Sefo Liufau this fall and in coming years.
- Shay Fields, Wide Receiver -- 5'11" 170 lbs. (Freshman)
Although Shay is a true freshman, expect him to get playing time both as a wide receiver and on special teams, where he excelled in high school as a return man.
- Lee Walker, Wide Receiver -- 6'0" 175 lbs. (Freshman)
With the uptempo offense of Coordinator Brian Lindgren, expect to see quite a bit from Walker this season.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Colorado Football 2014: A look back and a look forward
Every year at this time, Buff fans ready themselves for another season of college football at the University of Colorado. They count the days and the hours until that opening kickoff. Hope springs eternal like a guiding light, and fans hope that light shines on a better tomorrow. Here before the first game, all teams are undefeated and looking forward to a winning season that is rewarded by a trip to a bowl game.
The last time the CU Buffs went bowling was way back to the 2007 season, in the one year in five that Dan Hawkins coached the team to six wins. His predecessor, Gary Barnett, had handed over a team that had won its division of the Big 12 four times in the previous five years. Barnett was the last coach to lead the Buffs to a bowl game victory following the 2004 season.
Historically, the Buffs have only performed marginally during bowl games, with a record of 12 wins and 16 defeats. That may seem like a poor record but the competition at the bowl level is certainly higher than the regular season.
The legendary Bill McCartney led the Buffs to the most bowl games, with nine appearances. After a rough first three years as head coach at CU, those nine bowl games came in the last ten years of his tenure. Only three of Mac's seasons ended with a bowl victory, but one of them was for the National Championship. It was the 2nd straight year that the Buffs had gone bowling as the #1 team in the country.
Gary Barnett and Eddie Crowder each led the Buffs to five bowl games. Crowder's Buffs won three times, and Barnett led them to two victories. The best record in bowl games for the Buffs goes to Rick Neuheisel, whose teams won all three of their bowl games in his four years in Boulder. All three of his bowl teams finished in the AP Top 10.
-------------------------------------------------
Getting ready for the 2014 season, Buff fans are very hopeful that the team might win six games. The Buffs won four games last year under new head coach Mike MacIntyre, which was four times as many as they won the year before under Jon Embree, when they finished 1-11. And those familiar with the struggles of the Buffs over the last seven years know that the one win in 2012 was an absolute fluke, when Washington State imploded and lost a 20 point lead in the last 8 minutes of the game.
When MacIntyre was hired, Colorado was arguably the worst team in the FBS. Players brought in by prior coaching staffs were washing out of school at an alarming rate, and those who stuck it out played for coaches who did little to develop them as either football players or students.
That's all changed under MacIntyre. Due to proper training techniques, games lost to injury dropped drastically in 2013. Players are held accountable as students first, and only then can they play on the gridiron. Those who stray outside the lines when it comes to legal matters are dealt with severely and correctly. (This is NOT Nebraska, which seems to welcome felons with open arms as long as they can help the team.)
Due to attrition, Mac and staff last year had one of the youngest teams in the country. This year they are THE youngest. It will be an uphill struggle to compete on a week to week basis in the Pac-12.
Most top teams in the country have a system in which new recruits come in and redshirt for a year, and then serve as backups for a couple years before becoming starters as upperclassmen. Those 3 years of learning the system, training and developing their bodies allows them to be as strong as they can be before taking the field of battle.
Because of their youth and lack of depth, the Buffs have had to play many true freshman and sophomores over the last several years. It showed as they were manhandled by stronger men, especially in the trenches.
For the first time in way too long, the Buffs finally have some depth on the offensive line. In the past several years, it has been hard for the Buffs to even split the team into two squads for scrimmages because there were not enough offensive linemen to man two squads. Now their numbers are way up and there are enough men to create competition at every position.
There is an old saying, "May the best man win!" When someone has no competition, they win their position just by the virtue of being there. Finally, this year, there are talented and numerous men fighting for the jobs manning the trenches. This alone could be the difference between a winning season and another losing one.
Unfortunately, even if the Buffs make a great improvement, it may not be reflected on the win totals. As fans, we may need to look at the scores and the stats to see the improvement. A loss by 7 points may be heartbreaking, but it is a massive improvement over the days when Colorado lost by 30, 40, or even 50 points.
The biggest "wins" this year may very well be losses in which we are still in the game in the 4th quarter. A big win this year is if we are not giving up touchdowns on defense at the same rate we are making first downs on offense. The Buffs have a tough road ahead, and must work the process put together by the coaches.
They may not go bowling this year... but they should be light years ahead of 2012 and significantly stronger and better than 2013.
The last time the CU Buffs went bowling was way back to the 2007 season, in the one year in five that Dan Hawkins coached the team to six wins. His predecessor, Gary Barnett, had handed over a team that had won its division of the Big 12 four times in the previous five years. Barnett was the last coach to lead the Buffs to a bowl game victory following the 2004 season.
Historically, the Buffs have only performed marginally during bowl games, with a record of 12 wins and 16 defeats. That may seem like a poor record but the competition at the bowl level is certainly higher than the regular season.
The legendary Bill McCartney led the Buffs to the most bowl games, with nine appearances. After a rough first three years as head coach at CU, those nine bowl games came in the last ten years of his tenure. Only three of Mac's seasons ended with a bowl victory, but one of them was for the National Championship. It was the 2nd straight year that the Buffs had gone bowling as the #1 team in the country.
Gary Barnett and Eddie Crowder each led the Buffs to five bowl games. Crowder's Buffs won three times, and Barnett led them to two victories. The best record in bowl games for the Buffs goes to Rick Neuheisel, whose teams won all three of their bowl games in his four years in Boulder. All three of his bowl teams finished in the AP Top 10.
-------------------------------------------------
Getting ready for the 2014 season, Buff fans are very hopeful that the team might win six games. The Buffs won four games last year under new head coach Mike MacIntyre, which was four times as many as they won the year before under Jon Embree, when they finished 1-11. And those familiar with the struggles of the Buffs over the last seven years know that the one win in 2012 was an absolute fluke, when Washington State imploded and lost a 20 point lead in the last 8 minutes of the game.
When MacIntyre was hired, Colorado was arguably the worst team in the FBS. Players brought in by prior coaching staffs were washing out of school at an alarming rate, and those who stuck it out played for coaches who did little to develop them as either football players or students.
That's all changed under MacIntyre. Due to proper training techniques, games lost to injury dropped drastically in 2013. Players are held accountable as students first, and only then can they play on the gridiron. Those who stray outside the lines when it comes to legal matters are dealt with severely and correctly. (This is NOT Nebraska, which seems to welcome felons with open arms as long as they can help the team.)
Due to attrition, Mac and staff last year had one of the youngest teams in the country. This year they are THE youngest. It will be an uphill struggle to compete on a week to week basis in the Pac-12.
Most top teams in the country have a system in which new recruits come in and redshirt for a year, and then serve as backups for a couple years before becoming starters as upperclassmen. Those 3 years of learning the system, training and developing their bodies allows them to be as strong as they can be before taking the field of battle.
Because of their youth and lack of depth, the Buffs have had to play many true freshman and sophomores over the last several years. It showed as they were manhandled by stronger men, especially in the trenches.
For the first time in way too long, the Buffs finally have some depth on the offensive line. In the past several years, it has been hard for the Buffs to even split the team into two squads for scrimmages because there were not enough offensive linemen to man two squads. Now their numbers are way up and there are enough men to create competition at every position.
There is an old saying, "May the best man win!" When someone has no competition, they win their position just by the virtue of being there. Finally, this year, there are talented and numerous men fighting for the jobs manning the trenches. This alone could be the difference between a winning season and another losing one.
Unfortunately, even if the Buffs make a great improvement, it may not be reflected on the win totals. As fans, we may need to look at the scores and the stats to see the improvement. A loss by 7 points may be heartbreaking, but it is a massive improvement over the days when Colorado lost by 30, 40, or even 50 points.
The biggest "wins" this year may very well be losses in which we are still in the game in the 4th quarter. A big win this year is if we are not giving up touchdowns on defense at the same rate we are making first downs on offense. The Buffs have a tough road ahead, and must work the process put together by the coaches.
They may not go bowling this year... but they should be light years ahead of 2012 and significantly stronger and better than 2013.
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