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."

Colorado Must Stretch the Field and Utilize Goodson to Win in Washington

Colorado has four games remaining this season. If they want to make it to a bowl game, they need to win 3 of those games. Against a quality opponent like Washington, the only way the Buffs can achieve that goal is to stretch the field more in order to utilize the talents of Paul Richardson, Sefo Liufau, and the underutilized speedster D.D. Goodson.

This blog has pointed out over and over the strong tendency of offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren to have his quarterbacks focus their throws to the outside quarters of the field. The Buffs worked to rectify that tendency a bit during last week's game with UCLA.

After throwing a grand total of six passes between the hash marks against Arizona and Charleston Southern, Sefo Liufau directed five of his 36 passes against the Bruins over the middle. It is still a very low percentage, but much better than the Buffs have normally used this season. See the graphic below for the location of passes by CU against UCLA. The incomplete pass behind the line of scrimmage and between the hash marks was actually a ball that was batted down by a defensive lineman and was not intended to land in the middle of the field.

At least as troubling as the fact that such a high percentage of passes are thrown to the numbers or outside is the fact that only TWO of 36 passes went more than 12 yards down the field. A little trigonometry shows that a 12 yard pass to either sideline must travel as far in the air as a pass thrown 25 yards directly down the field. That the being the case, the Buffaloes should be doing more to clear out that 10 yard box in front of the line.

Making linebackers and defensive backs from the other teams cover more yardage up the field will open up the running game for the Buffaloes as well, since a missed tackle or good hole would lead to a bigger yardage gain than a play with a safety or linebacker sitting in the hole.

Another thing the Buffs could do to open up their offense is to get D.D. Goodson more involved. Since his five catches in the first game, Goodson has had only 10 additional catches in the 7 games since. That is a waste of talent. In yards per catch, Goodson is only a single yard behind Paul Richardson. Why is it that Richardson gets FOUR times as many balls thrown his way? These two are the most explosive guys on the Colorado offense, yet only one is being utilized to the proper degree.

Why isn't Goodson being used as a return man? His ability to bring back the ball on kicks was one of the reasons he was sought after as a recruit in the first place. And he certainly has a lot more moves and shakes and speed than the guys returning kicks now. Goodson also has averaged more than 13 yards per carry for his 3 carries. MacIntyre and Lindgren need to figure out a way to get Goodson a minimum of 10 touches a game to help take the pressure of double and triple coverage off Paul Richardson.

Of course, certain other things will be necessary for the Buffaloes to pull off the upset against the Huskies. Liufau needs to hold form and complete 65-70% of his passes and help his team convert close to 50% of third down opportunities. The Buffs need to limit dumb, drive killing penalties. And the defense needs to control the yards of Washington tailback Bishop Sankey, the #3 rusher in country.

They did a fine job of containing the top running back in the FBS in Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey, but did so only at the expense of letting the Arizona quarterback have a career day rushing himself. Fortunately for the Buffaloes, Washington quarterback Keith Price is not really a rushing threat. They will have to keep pressure on him, however, or he will pick them apart like last year when he threw for five touchdowns.

Lastly, if the Buffs can win the turnover game, they have a chance to come out of Seattle with their long-sought first conference win since September of 2012. That game was also in the state of Washington. Maybe it's just what the Buffs need to get over the hump.

Youth, Lack of Depth in the Trenches Biggest Obstacles for Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes

When Mike MacIntyre accepted the Colorado job, he knew he had a big rebuilding job on his hands. After all, Colorado had not had a winning season since 2005, and had not ended up in the Top 25 to end the year since 2002. Did that scare Mac? Not at all. Rebuilding is what MacIntyre does. It's in his blood. He did it at San Jose State, just like his father George did before him at Vanderbilt.

The 2012 Buffs were arguably the worst team in Colorado history and the worst team in the FBS. They finished 1-11, and most of the losses were of the VERY ugly variety. Fresno State scored 35 points before the end of the 1st quarter. The team and its players were as down as a team could be. They did not enjoy football. They did not enjoy each other, and, as a team, they just went through the motions.

This is what faced MacIntyre when he came aboard at Colorado. He had to change the culture. He had to change the attitude. He had to instill desire and create a work ethic and a dedication to fun which had been sorely missing. To his credit, he did all that.

The results showed on the field. After six games, the Buffs had tripled their win total from the previous year. For the first time in a long time, the Buffaloes were actually winning the games they were supposed to win.

What made this amazing was that MacIntyre had done so much even though he faced something that could not easily be changed. Other than the recruiting class he brought in this year, Mac's only choices for players were the ones that were already here, brought in by other coaches.

Coaching the players here would be no problem for MacIntyre and his staff, but the one thing they could not do was coach players who were NOT in Boulder. Poor and destructive recruiting by prior coaching staffs left MacIntyre without the most important parts of any football team, the "big guys" in the trenches.

Any football coach will tell you that the games are won or lost on the backs of the linemen. The offensive line protects the quarterback, allows for a passing game, and opens holes for the running backs. The O-line allows the offense to function.

As Colorado seemingly struggles against the high and mighty competition of the Pac-12, it is important to remember what MacIntyre and offensive line coach Gary Bernardi have had to work with. The CU roster includes 17 offensive linemen. Of those 17, only TWO are seniors and only TWO are juniors. That means that 13 of the 17 offensive linemen are either freshman (8) or sophomores (5). That being said, it's pretty darn amazing how well the group has done.

Colorado lost two starting offensive linemen from last year that could have certainly helped the Buffs make it to a bowl game this year.  David Bakhtiari left school early and is now a starter for the Green Bay Packers. And Alexander Lewis announced he was transferring to Nebraska, and then was arrested for assaulting an Air Force cadet. He is currently free on bond awaiting trial.

How bad is it for the offensive line coach at CU? The November 4th depth chart shows only a total of NINE players for the 3-deep of FIVE offensive line positions. Mac and Bernardi are doing their best to give every freshman on the line a chance to redshirt this year, while also doing their best to win as many football games as they can this year.

It's a tough task. But the coaches know that the best thing for the future of the program is to let these young men adjust to college life, get stronger, and grow their bodies. Two of the young men listed on the depth chart have yet to play a down and are scheduled to redshirt if injuries to starters do not force the hand of CU coaches.

Things on the defensive line of the ball are not much better for Colorado and defensive line coach Jim Jeffcoat. Like the O-line, the defensive line has 17 players listed on the roster. Among those 17 are only TWO seniors and THREE juniors. Five more (including two starters) are sophomores, and the final seven are freshmen. Two freshmen and five sophomores from the DL are listed on the current depth chart and playing.

As Colorado gets ready to head to Washington this weekend, Buff fans should look at what the CU coaches have accomplished this year, especially in the trenches, and truly appreciate how fine a job they have done against one of the toughest conference schedules in the country.

The team is remarkably better. It is tougher. It plays hard for the entire game. And most importantly, the young men seem be be enjoying college football for the first time in years. They are having fun, and working harder each week to win. Their results on the field are telling in the eyes of coaches and students of football, even if they do not show up just yet in the final score for the casual fan. Those days are coming, however, and the magic of MacIntyre and his staff will remake the Colorado Buffaloes into the team that CU expects and deserves.

*********************************

Postscript note--

Many folks commenting on blog sites and news sites have been complaining about the status of the O and D lines at CU. Those complaints should be directed at Jon Embree and Dan Hawkins.

At least one of these folks pointed out that UCLA had three true freshman starting on the offensive line, and came to the conclusion that "youth" could not be used as an excuse by CU.

UCLA and head coach Jim Mora had the #3 recruiting class in the NCAA this past February. TWENTY of those recruits were rated as either 4-star or 5-star recruits by both main recruiting services. Those 20 highly rated recruits by UCLA also roughly equals what CU has brought into Boulder in the last 11 years combined. Colorado had ZERO 4 or 5-star recruits this past year.

The star rating of recruits is not always a predictor of how good a high school player will be in 3-4 years, but highly rated (4-5 star) recruits are usually much more ready to play as freshmen. Things tend to even out as the young men grow and mature. For example, David Bakhtiari was only a 2-star recruit, but now he's starting as a rookie in the NFL.

What Colorado Buff Fans Should Expect Against UCLA at the Rose Bowl

Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes take on the Bruins of UCLA today at the famed Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The game will be televised at 5:30 pm (Mountain Daylight Time) on FS1.

The Bruins were undefeated and riding high with a national ranking to match after their first five games to the season. The were scoring points at the clip of almost 46 points per game, while giving up a mere 18.

But that was before running into the conference buzz saws of Oregon and Stanford, both on the road, the last two weeks. During those contests, their offensive output dropped to 12 points per game in the two losses, while the Bruins surrendered 33 points per game.

The Bruins are quite happy to be back home in the Rose Bowl to face Colorado, and they are hoping to get their numbers back to "normal" and another win. A win by UCLA would make them bowl eligible. Future games that will be harder to count on as wins include a tough trip to Tucson to face Arizona before welcoming Washington and the red hot Arizona State Sun Devils to Pasadena. The Bruins finish off the regular season a few miles down the road against bitter rival and rejuvenated USC at the Coliseum. For UCLA, the Colorado game looks to be the only "gimme" left in a conference where gimme's are hard to come by.

The Buffaloes arrived in Los Angeles with four big losses in conference games this year, and a losing streak in the Pac-12 that goes back to early in the 2012 season. Coach Mac and his Buffs know that they have tough row to hoe to pull off the upset.

What do the Buffs have going for them? 

Well, for starters, more than 40 players for CU grew up in and played their high school football in the Golden State. Lots of them will have friends and family in the stands and they do not want to look bad in front of their peeps. On top of that, many of them played with and against the players from UCLA, and they share rivalries that go back to high school and before.

The Colorado kickoff returns continue to get better and better each week. Ryan Severson has gotten very close to breaking one for a touchdown and may be able to take one to the house today. As it is, he now stands 2nd in the Pac-12, averaging 28.6 yards per return. Buff fans hope, however, that Severson does not get too many opportunities to break one.

Although CU starting quarterback Sefo Liufau is only a freshman making his third start, he is becoming more aware of the speed of Pac-12 defenders and adjusting his game. Fortunately, Sefo should have his favorite receiver Paul Richardson available for the game. Having a guy who is a threat to take it all the way every time he touches the ball makes life as a quarterback a little less stressful.

The Buffs have the Pac-12's leading tackler in freshman Addison Gillam. Greg Henderson leads the conference in interceptions per game and also passes defended. And Chidera Uzo-Diribe leads the conference and the nation in fumbles forced per game.

What problems do the Buffs face?

The offensive and defensive lines of the Buffaloes have been consistently overpowered within conference play. They have sometimes held their own for a quarter or even close to a half, but then tend to wear down.

The play-calling by CU offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren, especially when throwing the ball, has been VERY predictable and easy to defend. Even with the skills of Richardson, the Buff passing game is not nearly as big a threat as it could be.

The running game, or lack thereof, can most certainly be attributed to the youth of the offensive line. Unfortunately for the Buffs, the most effective running back, Michael Adkins, will miss (most likely) the game due to a concussion suffered last week.

Do the Buffs stand a chance?

Realistically, not much of one. But it certainly would not be the biggest upset ever if they do pull out a win. Colorado would have to play their best game in several years to win this one unless UCLA hurts itself over and over again with turnovers and penalties.

Keys to the Game for Colorado:

• Win the turnover battle
• Convert 3rd downs at 50% (or close) level
• Liufau needs to complete a high percentage of his passes with no interceptions
• Score touchdowns instead of field goals when in the red zone
• Get Paul Richardson the ball, and mix it up to avoid double coverage
• Pressure UCLA QB Brett Hundley
• Limit "home run" plays over 25 yards by the Bruins
• No dumb penalties that kill drives or extend drives for UCLA

Go Buffs!

Colorado vs. Oregon State: Why it is a Winnable Game for the Buffs

After three long weeks off courtesy of a bye week and 100 year flooding, the Colorado Buffaloes head off to Corvallis with a chance to extend their 2013 record to 3-0. Nobody outside of Boulder seems to think the Buffs have much of a chance, but the view from here is that the Beavers and everyone else in the conference are going to be re-evaluating Colorado after the game. Or just maybe, they will be taking a harder look at Oregon State.

Let's go back to August and remember that these Beavers were ranked in the top 25 to start the season. There were high expectations as they took the home field against FCS team Eastern Washington... and proceeded to give up 49 points in a LOSS. An update to the dominating offense shown by EW shows they scored only 21 points in their latest game, a loss to powerhouse Toledo.

It it true that OSU has responded to their shocking opening game loss to EW by winning three straight games... but they have been very uninspiring in those games which they should have won easily if they were really a top 25 caliber team. After all, Hawaii and San Diego State are a combined 0-6.

Even then, it took a collapse of damn near biblical proportions for San Diego State to lose their game against Oregon State. Even though they were way ahead deep in the fourth quarter, the Aztecs decided to keep throwing and gave up two interceptions (including a pick 6) to seal their stunning come from ahead loss. If they had opted for the old "3 yards and cloud of dust" followed by a couple of punts, the Aztecs would be reveling in a big win this week.

In retrospect, the Beavers did go on the road and earn a big win over Utah. Like Colorado, not  much was expected of Utah this year. But they beat Utah State, an 11 game winner last year, and a team that should have defeated USC at the Coliseum in Los Angeles had their coaches not been so poor in clock management. They also beat BYU a week after the Cougars destroyed the Texas Longhorns. Even so, BYU's record still stands at 1-2, while Utah is 3-1.

That means that OSU has won three straight against teams with a combined record of 3-7. It is not something that should be inspiring fear in any future opponent, including Colorado.

Despite the 2-0 start for the Mike MacIntyre's Buffaloes, many CU fans have been wringing their hands at the lack of a running game. As bad as it has been running the ball for Colorado, it has been much worse for OSU. This reason alone shows why Sean Mannion has to throw so much. Hell, he threw 50 times against Hawaii and the game wasn't even close. But if you cannot run the ball, there really is no other option.

While the college football world seems to be caught up in calling Mannion the greatest thing since Beaver pelts in pre-industrial America, the fact is that his stats are only marginally different than those of CU's Connor Wood. And Mannion has had to throw the ball more than 48 times a game, which is 7 more per game than Wood has heaved it up.

One of the reasons that Mannion has put up such large numbers passing has been that the Beavers have HAD to throw the ball while trying to play catch-up or being caught in a shoot-out. The OSU defense has been a little shell-shocked this year, and not to some very good teams.

It is a FACT that the Beavers have not had to play a receiver of the caliber of Colorado's Paul Richardson this year. Richardson leads the country in yards per game with back to back 200 yard games. How good is that? In more than 100 years of CU football, there had only been three 200 yard games by receivers before Richardson arrived in Boulder. With his start this year, Richardson now has 3 all by himself. That's pretty good when you consider how many NFL wide-outs have played their college ball in Boulder over the years.

Taking a long hard look at Colorado and Oregon State offers the promise of an exciting game. One HUNDRED passes and more than 1000 yards of total offense look likely. There will be LOTS and LOTS of highlights.

What the game will most likely come down to is DEFENSE. Whoever can make the most big plays and create some turnovers will win. Whoever can pressure the quarterback effectively and minimize big plays will win. Both teams have shown they can come back and both have fought through adversity to win. Neither team can count on the other team giving up, even if they are down.

These facts will make this an exciting game. It is a winnable game for both teams. Methinks the Buffs come out with a 3-0 record, and a pride that has not been seen for a long, long time. It is a win that should earn them a brick in the wall.

FUCK 'EM UP, FUCK 'EM UP... GO CU!

Pac-12 Football: Colorado's Road to Respectability a Combination of Autobahn Speeds and Road Contruction Woes

After suffering through the worst year ever for Colorado Buffaloes football in 2012, perhaps it is still a bit too early to hope for an easy win. Easy or not, though, Mike MacIntyre's Buffs improved their season record to 2-0 after scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to come back from a 7 point deficit to Central Arkansas. The final score at Folsom Field was 38-24.

Just about everyone conceded that the road to rebuilding Colorado Football by  Mac and staff would have a fair share of bumps and detours. Two games in, that is certainly the case. The difference this year from prior years is that the Buffaloes do not fold when the going gets tough. On the contrary, to borrow a boxing term, when these Buffs get knocked to the canvas they get right back up and start swinging.

In both games, late heroics were enough to pull out victories. Colorado scored 18 points in the fourth quarter in game one against CSU, and bettered that with the 21 points in the final stanza against Central Arkansas. The 39 points scored by CU in the last quarter this year is near the top of the NCAA rankings. Last year, the Buffs scored an average of 17.8 points per GAME. This year, the Buffs are beating that by nearly two points in just the fourth QUARTER!

Overall, the Buffs are averaging 39 points per game. That puts CU at 33rd in the country in scoring. Last year, they were 120th! Paul Richardson is the #1 receiver in the country with 417 yards, 4 touchdown and 21 catches. Connor Wood is 7th in the country in passing, while last year the Buffs finished 99th in that category. While the Buffaloes are still looking for a breakout game on the ground, the passing game has more than made up for it so far this season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the difference has been just as dramatic. Last year, the Buffs had just three interceptions the entire year. That was bad enough to have them ranked 122nd in the country. This year, they equaled that total in one game against Central Arkansas. Moreover, they returned two of the interceptions for touchdowns. After two games, the Buffs are tied for #2 in the country. Add the fumble recovery for a touchdown by Greg Henderson in game one, and the Buffs Defense is averaging 1.5 TD's per game.

Does that mean everything is going smoothly for the Buffs in 2013? Not by a long shot. The kickoff return coverage is so bad that Buffs are by far the worst in the country. Right now it is so bad that kicking the ball out of bounds on purpose to let the opponent start their series on the 35 yard line would be a significant improvement. As for punting, only the mad skills of All-American candidate Darragh O'Neill has kept the punt return stats from being as bad as the kickoff returns.

Strangely enough, other than on kick and punt returns, the overall tackling of these Buffs has been light years better than last year. Coach Mac and special teams coach Toby Neinas are working feverishly to rectify the situation. Neinas is no newbie in the profession, with more than 15 years on his resume. Chances are that some fine tuning on proper lane coverage will eventually lead CU back to respectability. If not that, Buff fans can hope that the team at least gets to the point the every kick does not lead to serious hand wringing.

Through two games in 2013, the Buffs road to respectability has been a combination of Autobahn speeds and road construction woes. So far, the improvements in offense and defense have allowed CU to win despite the setbacks on special teams and rushing. They are working hard, but they knew it wouldn't be clear sailing the entire way, not this early in the process.

This week the Buffs face a Fresno State team which decimated them last year by a score of a score of 69-14. It is obviously a major step up in competition.  These Buffs are a drastic improvement over last year, most notably in their hearts and dedication. They may not beat this FS team which is close to joining the Top 25, but their hearts will be in it to the very end. They may take some damaging shots, and even find themselves on the canvas, but they will land some haymakers of their own. Indeed, count on them to start earning back the respect that disappeared last year in Fresno.

Mike MacIntyre Era at Colorado Begins with Monster Win over CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown

The Colorado Buffaloes took care of business at the Rocky Mountain Showdown and downed the CSU Rams 41-27 at the Broncos' Sponsor of the year at Mile High Stadium. (Yes, I know who the sponsor is. I am not going to give them a plug because everyone knows where I am talking about and I don't think the game should be played in Denver.)

Coach Mike MacIntyre started what (hopefully) will be a long era at CU with a win. Not a big win. Not a very big win. But a monstrously huge and important win. After seven straight losing seasons and coming off the worst season in Colorado football history last season, this win was absolutely needed for the mental well-being of the Buff players.

Colorado had lost eight straight games since their miracle last win against Washington State last year. Some may balk at the "miracle" designation, but with the worst and most disorganized coaching staff in the country last year, winning that one game on the last play after coming from way back in the last half of the fourth quarter had providence written all over it. Mike Leach must be wondering if he is cursed when it comes to CU, because his teams have lost many games to the Buffs that his teams were "supposed" to win.

When MacIntyre was hired as head coach of the Buffs, his biggest challenge was getting inside the heads of his new team. Their confidence was gone. Their game plans were a shambles. In reality, their coaches were in way over their heads and had no idea how to lead a team.

Thus, Mac and staff had to get in and get everyone started from ground zero. They got every player moving in a coordinated effort to improve every aspect of their CU experience. And the coaches only judged them on what they were doing now, this year. And the coaches gave them the opportunity to earn a good place on the depth chart based on the now, and forgetting the past.

MacIntyre and his band of brothers worked hard to rebuild the commitment that each player must have for one another. It was a tough task, and some of the players chose to leave instead of living up to higher expectations. But many of those who decided to stay have been swung over by the enthusiasm and organization that the new coaching staff brought in.

Any holdouts on the team that were still reluctant to buy in whole-heartedly to the new program have now been born again. Seeing the joy on the faces of the young men as they made their way to the student section to sing the CU fight song was a sight to behold.

Seeing the tears in the eyes of MacIntyre as he talked about his father, and the pride and happiness he felt for his players was breathtaking. Mac obviously loves coaching and teaching his team. His commitment is obvious. And his commitment, and that of his staff is contagious and spreading quickly among the players.

After losing a lead due to two long returns, the Buffs had the chance to fold. Last year, it was almost a weekly occurrence due to the lack of leadership. But this year, when their backs were against the wall, they came out swinging and dominated the fourth quarter. We can thank the new coaching staff for instilling the pride again.

I have watched the rise of enthusiasm of the Buff players during fall practice, but that enthusiasm will now be sky high, looming over the flatirons that tower over their practice fields. Those young men now KNOW that they can believe in what their coaches are trying to teach them. Many of them had started to buy in to the new program, and it showed in the win against CSU. But that belief is now becoming FAITH in themselves and each other and their coaches. They have turned the corner to becoming a team in the finest sense of the word.

This team will make the Buff faithful proud. They may not win every game, but their hearts and souls will be committed every step of the way. They will not give up and they will not back down. And every team they play will KNOW they've been in a fight. And every Buff fan should join them, standing shoulder to shoulder, and never giving in, as the Colorado Buffaloes fight for victory.

***********************************
Look for the upcoming post about the players and the game.

Colorado Buffaloes 2013 Opinion: Please Spare us the Musings of Slick Rick Neuheisel

The University of Colorado Buffaloes continued fall camp on Thursday and played host to the Pac-12 Network and their resident weasel "Slick Rick" Neuheisel. As a horrible past head football coach to no less than 25% of the teams in the new Pac-12, the weasely-one now returns as an "analyst" and "media celebrity." This apparently impressed the local media enough to have a plethora of articles written about whatever drivel leached out of his lips about the state of CU football, the University of Colorado, and Boulder.

It is truly an indictment of the local media that they chose to waste space that should have been allocated to Mike MacIntyre's Buffaloes by instead writing about the musings of a man who has been disgraced, fired, and frequently accused of being a liar and lawyer. I digress, of course, and must admit that calling anyone a liar and a lawyer would be redundant. But hey, after all, this is 2013 and fame is more important than anything, especially honesty and integrity.

Unfortunately for NewWeasel and the local media, some of us have been around long enough to remember the first go-round. I worked at the Daily Camera Newspaper when the boy wonder first made his way into Boulder in 1994 to work with the great Bill McCartney.

Mac had won one National Championship during his tenure coaching in Boulder, but more importantly, had come within two bad games of winning two more championships (the NC game against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl following the 1989 season, and the 1994 game against Nebraska in Lincoln). If you had been there to see those games and those seasons, then you know what I am talking about.

McCartney shocked everyone by announcing his retirement following the game in which Rashaan Salaam wrapped up his Heisman Trophy by going over 2000 yards in a season during the season ending game with Iowa State. The 1994 team was so good that NINE Buffs were selected in the NFL Draft the following April, including SEVEN in the first three rounds.

Colorado surprised a great many people by choosing a very young Neuheisel over more experienced coaches with at least coordinator experience to become the next head coach of the Buffs for the 1995 season. I have to admit that I was excited that CU was showing rare foresight (or so I thought then) by hiring a guy who was nearly the same age I was. Judith Albino was wrong to hire Ricky Boy then, and I was wrong in thinking that a guy smart enough to get through law school and pass the bar had the dedication to be a great head coach.

As an aside, I realize that the Wikipedia page dedicated to Rick Neuheisel says he was the Offensive Coordinator for the Buffs in 1994, but that is wrong. The OC during Mac's final year was Elliot Uzelac.

Neuheisel inherited a perennial top-5 team built by Mac, and then got way too much credit when the Buffs won 10 games each of his first two seasons. In hindsight, the Buffs would have won 10 games in '95 and '96 no matter who was the coach because of the depth of the program built by McCartney. Once the program was in the hands of players developed by Neuheisel's staff, however, the wheels started to come off the program.

It was bad enough that the Buffs went from their typical 10 wins in a season to only 5 in 1997, more embarrassing still was that CU had to later forfeit their wins because they used an ineligible player. Also came revelations that there were recruiting improprieties from the very top (the big dog, or, in this case, the big weasel). Those things alone had me and other serious Buff fans calling for Ricky's job.

What really pissed me off about the articles written by the local media is that they really don't know anything about the people they are writing about. Several mentioned their incorrect belief that Buff fans were angry with Neuheisel for leaving CU to go to Washington. Nothing could be further from the truth. I became chat room friends with several people at UW fansites during that time. In a much more civilized era of college sporting discussions, I explained my misgivings about Neuheisel.

Several years later, after the general consensus that Neuheisel had embarrassed their school as well, they thanked me for trying to warn them. Years later, we marveled at the warped mentality that led UCLA to hire a man who had twice run afoul of the NCAA, leading to sanctions of his teams, and then successfully sued the NCAA and Washington for doing their own jobs poorly.

One would think that nowadays that any hiring Rick analysis would come with a comprehensive risk analysis. That is, considering his high pay, profile, and position, what does he offer as a benefit compared to potential risks to the prestige and financial health and wellbeing of the program?

All said, like most lawyers, you have to take anything Rick says with a grain of salt. Better yet, in the case of Neuheisel, you should probably add the wedge of lime and shot of tequila to make anything he says palatable. I am sure the local media, in their obsequious desire to pay homage to fame and/or infamy, believe they are entitled to share the opinions of such a man “who is like any other man, only more so.” (Casablanca). I think I share the opinions of many long time Buff fans who have the image of Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men come to mind when we say we “don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.”

The ART of Leadership: A look at Patton, the 1958 Packers and the 2012 Colorado Buffs

One of the greatest misconceptions about college football is that it is an individual player driven sport. Nothing could be further from the truth. Football requires more concerted teamwork by a larger number of players than any other sport. The main orchestrator of this teamwork is the head coach, and it is disseminated to the team through the coaches and the players respected as leaders among them.

Winning in football is generated from the top down more than any other sport. Being a great college football player does not make one a great NFL player. By the same token, being a great high school player does not make one a great college player. At the same time, while it is possible to be a great player on a lousy team, it is virtually impossible for a lousy coach to lead a team to greatness.

On paper, the 1958 Green Bay Packers and the 2012 Colorado Buffs have a lot in common. The Packers ended the season with a record of 1-10-1, while the Buffs ended the season with one victory and 11 losses. Each team had what is generally considered to be the worst season ever for their franchise or school.

Another thing CU and the Pack had in common is that conventional wisdom held that the main reason behind the horrible records in those years was due primarily to a lack of quality players. Vince Lombardi arrived in Green Bay in 1959 and proved that assumption to be wrong.

Five players on that horrible 1958 Packer team went on to have careers under Lombardi that earned them a place in the NFL Hall of Fame. It's kind of stunning just how much difference that a coaching change made in the the lives and careers of five NFL players who played on the worst team ever for their franchise.


The more one listens to new Colorado Buffalo football coach Mike MacIntyre, the more one hears commitment to the ideals shown by Vince Lombardi. Like the man who is considered to be  the greatest football coach ever, CU's new head coach stresses hard work and sacrifice, conditioning and perseverance, dedication and respect, and most of all, a commitment to the success of the TEAM.

Mike MacIntyre respects and realizes these ideals by leading from the top down. He demands it of himself and expects it from his coaches and his players as well. Those who refuse to show commitment to the law, their schoolwork, their teammates, their coaches, and themselves have no place on this TEAM. Anytime someone is not held accountable for their actions or inaction, it is a slap in the face to those who have committed themselves.

In football, the greatest player at any position can be reduced to insignificance by the players around him. Imagine Jerry Rice without Joe Montana or Steve Young to throw him the ball. Imagine John Elway or Barry Sanders without great linemen to block for them. A dominating defensive player can be double or triple teamed if his teammates do not do their jobs. Football is truly a team sport.

Lombardi used to say that "football is only two things -- blocking and tackling." But he also emphasized that TEAM was the only way to make that work. He also knew that fitness and strength, individually and as a team, made it possible to compete in the athletic arena. He stressed this with his famous mantra that "fatigue makes cowards of us all."

It is a belief similar to that held by General George Patton during World War II. He took over a demoralized army that had been ransacked by the Germans in their first battle and built those men into the most dominating force in the war. According to the Academy Award winning film about his life, Patton was reputed to have said about the men when he arrived in North Africa that "they don't look like soldiers, they don't act like soldiers, why should they be expected to fight like soldiers?"

Before Patton's arrival, both the officers and the servicemen had no discipline. And this fact showed on the battlefield. What this same group of men achieved under new leadership showed that a change at the top can bring about a radical and almost immediate change in performance. Lombardi showed how to do it again in 1959, and MacIntyre is poised to do it now with the Buffs like he did at San Jose State.

Leadership takes many forms and styles, of course, but all great leaders who have achieved radical turnabouts have done it with discipline and high expectations of themselves and everyone under their command.

Why CU Buff Football Fans Should FORGET About the Recruiting Services

There are more than EIGHT months to go before the 2014 National Signing Day for college football, yet many CU Buff football fans are worried about coach MacIntyre's next recruiting class and how it is ranked by the well known recruiting services Scout.com and Rivals.com. These fans should really STOP giving so much credence to these and other recruiting services.

WHY should fans take what the services say with a grain of salt?

• Rivals and Scout each use a network of about 300 "sources" to come up with their ratings of players.
• According to USA Football, there are roughly 1.134 MILLION high school football players at 15,513 high schools across the US.
• That would mean each "source" used by these recruiting services would be responsible for well over 50 high schools, which would not be an easy task.
• If that were not daunting enough, according to the Digest of Education Statistics there are actually over 37,000 public and private high schools in the US. This is well more than double the number listed by USA football.
• This would raise the number of schools to be watched over by each "source" to about 120, a much harder task.
• Many of the "sources" used by recruiting services are unpaid fans of local football. Most of them depend on simple calculations like height, weight, and 40 yard dash times to determine the number of "stars" a recruit will get from them.
• Most never have access to whether potential recruits have the grades or test scores that indicate probable success as a STUDENT at the college level.
• They are not trained or paid (in most cases) to evaluate growth and strength capabilities of rapidly growing young men.
• Some so-called recruiting services can be persuaded to UP their evaluations if the price is right. Basically, this means the are being paid to promote athletes.

Compare this if you will with college football coaching PROFESSIONALS.

• These men are paid handsomely to build relationships with high school coaches and prospective recruits.
• They have to get inside the heads of their recruits. They meet their families and learn about how dedicated to schoolwork the young men are.
• Meeting the parents and siblings (especially older ones) allows these men to ascertain how much the recruit is likely to grow, and how much family support is there for the University of Colorado.
• The coaches also have to evaluate prospective players psychologically. They have to determine if they are dedicated TEAM players, or if they are a potential prima donna who will be disruptive to the team.
• Sadly, they also have to determine if the prospective student is likely to have "legal problems" or thrive in an environment which might be VERY different than they are used to. 
• These men take these responsibilities very seriously because their jobs and career depend upon it.

Recruiting is an inexact science at best. If the recruiting services were right then USC would be handed the National Championship trophy just about every year. What is much more important than star ratings of recruits is coaching, Coaches are trained and paid to know and evaluate young men.

If a coach from a FBS school offers a scholarship to a young man who is unrated or a two-star recruit according to the recruiting services, what it usually means is that the coaches know a lot more about the recruit than the "services" do. We should let them do the jobs they are PAID to do.

A case in point here is the young man named Connor Center who recently signed on to play for the Buffs. He is an excellent athlete who played another sport in high school. So what? His numbers (6' 8" tall, 250 lbs., and 4.68 in the 40 yard dash) would have made him a top ten recruit at tight end. Even though he never played high school football, many schools offered him a scholarship based solely on a workout video he sent out this spring. But CU coaches liked what they saw and sent a coach across the country to work him out in person. A visit to Boulder later, and the Buffs now have one of the biggest coups of the 2013 recruiting class. As the old saying goes, you can't teach height or speed.

Another example is David Bakhtiari, who left school early and was drafted recently into the NFL. Coming out of high school, David was listed by the recruiting services as a TWO star recruit.

------------------------------------------
On another note, USC was in the news recently for offering a scholarship to an 8th grade kid who hasn't even gotten to high school yet. Brave move by a coach that many Trojan fans want gone. The one way to nip this idiotic trend in the bud is to make schools live up to that offer no matter what happens to the kid in the next four years. Is the offer still good if the young man blows out his knees or gets multiple concussions? No coach is bound to honor scholarship offers, especially those made by prior coaches. Even the ones they offer themselves can be rescinded at any time. And recruits can also change their minds at any time. Nothing is set in stone until the Letter of Intent is signed, sealed and delivered.

In Defense of Mike Bohn -- CU's Leadership is Lacking at the Very Top

Like a lot of people, it was easy for me to think that Mike Bohn was doing a horrible job as the Athletic Director for the University of Colorado. After considerable research, I can freely admit that I was wrong. Mike Bohn has been devoted to the university he loves and did as well as could be expected despite the lack of commitment from CU.

When one digs deep enough to find the true power structure behind CU athletics, the facts are that Mike Bohn was the best fundraiser that CU has ever had in the position and that the true bosses at CU (President Bruce Benson and Chancellor Phil DiStefano) want all the benefits of having a top notch athletic program while making none of the investments needed to achieve that goal.

Case in point: Mike Bohn had a salary of  $310,000 per year. Some folks might say that 310k is a lot of money. However, those who hire athletic directors at major universities would say that Colorado was trying to get off cheap. Real cheap.

The true bosses at CU have been quoted as of late saying that CU needs someone in the AD position who can  help us compete with the BIG BOYS of college athletics. Really? Are they willing to make the financial commitment to hire one of those people? Mike Bohn was the lowest paid athletic director in the Pac 12. And before that he was the lowest paid AD in the Big 12.

The average AD in the Pac-12 at the public schools is $534,000. Stanford and USC most likely pay much more than average, but as private schools they do not have to divulge their AD pay. Compared to CU's old conference, however, the typical Pac-12 school is certainly not among the big boys when it comes to AD pay. CU's old rivals in the Big 12 pay their Athletic Directors an average of $837,000 per year, which is closing in on 3 TIMES the amount that CU invests.

Jon Embree was paid $725,000 a year to be CU's head football coach. Compare that salary with the average Pac-12 rival coach of $2.29 MILLION or the pay enjoyed by Big 12 coaches of $2.76 MILLION. Embree's pay was less than the coaches of nationally renowned football powerhouses like Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Up in Fort Collins, their head coach pulled in almost double what Embree earned.

Not only did CU pay the head of the team for CU's traditionally only revenue generating sport less than a third of what other schools were paying their head coaches, Embree also had to foot the bill for bottled water for his staff. CU's illustrious leaders would not even pay for water? That made CU a much bigger joke around the country than lack of wins on the football field.

It has been said that Benson is a master of getting big donors to give to CU. If that is the case, why the hell is tuition going up at so many times the rate of inflation? Not only that, but CU has a long proud history of treating their students like an unwelcome burden. You guys ought to try being nice to students. Don't you idiots realize that it is the students of today who are the potential donors of tomorrow? If you want dividends in the way of donations in the future, you need to invest in students today. If you want your football program to fund all of your other sports, you need to invest in the program.

Everyone seems to know that the football program lost money this past year. Does that really surprise anyone? It shouldn't. The switch to the Pac-12 cost CU money. They had to pay to get out of the Big 12 and as a new member of the Pac-12 they only got ONE FOURTH of the television money that the other schools got, same as Utah. Next year, that goes up and CU's athletic program will once again be flush with money.

Mike Bohn worked tirelessly to get Colorado into the Pac-12. This was a very good thing, Most of CU's out of state students come from the west. The TV revenue that comes from the new conference is more than double what CU used to make in the Big 12.

Thanks to Mike Bohn and his hiring of Tad Boyle, Colorado now has another revenue generating sport in basketball. Not only do the B-Ball Buffs sell out the Events Center, they also earn big dollars by making it to the NCAA's Big Dance. Based on Boyle's coaching and the quality of his recruits, that will not change anytime soon. Under Bohn, Linda Lappe has rebuilt the Women's Basketball program almost to the point of its former glory under Acting AD Ceal Barry. Stories like this abound in CU athletics. A lot of the thanks for those successes rest with Mike Bohn.

Many forget that Mike Bohn came into his job as AD to rescue CU from a bad situation. The real and fabricated scandals around Gary Barnett were causing CU a great deal of embarrassment. Bohn did his best to mitigate the situation and fired Barnett. It needed to be done. Then, Bohn went out and hired the hottest coaching candidate in the country. When Dan Hawkins was hired away from Boise State, he was considered to be a great hire. His teams as head coach before CU were 93-22. Nobody predicted that Hawkins would go 19-39 at Colorado.

Then came the Embree hire. Following the dismissal of Hawkins, Bohn took the meager funds available to him from the Big Bosses at CU and hired an ex-Buff to revitalize the program. The commitment that CU showed Embree was as small as his pay, and Colorado dropped further and further away from their former glory. Two years in to an untenable position with little support from the university, Mike Bohn was forced to fire Jon Embree. Mike Bohn's handling of the firing of his third head coach gave everybody the impression that Bohn was to blame for all the woes of the football program. And the puppet masters pulling the strings behind the scenes, who also held the purse strings, did nothing to change that view.

Finally, Benson and DiStefano, with Bohn as the fall guy, decided to fire the guy who did more with less money than just about any AD in the country. How delusional are these folks? They sat quietly by and spoke of a "national search" for the new AD. More comically, they mentioned as possible candidates guys who already make significantly more money than Bohn. One guy mentioned makes more in interest on his investments every year than Bohn earned in eight years on the job. As he eloquently stated in letter to the Denver Post, he is NOT a candidate.

Well, the ball is now in the court of two guys who have never shown a commitment to CU athletics. Let's see how much money they are willing to spend on a new AD. One thing is certain, no matter who they hire, they will not have the same love and devotion to the Buffs as Mike Bohn did. At least they had the good sense to let Bohn hire Mike MacIntyre and actually pay him commensurate with his peers.

Andre Roberson's Next Challenge the NBA

Colorado basketball star Andre Roberson has decided to forego his senior season in Boulder for the challenge of the NBA. He notified coach Tad Boyle of his decision on Sunday. The 2013 NBA draft is comprised of two rounds and will be held on Thursday, June 27th.

Roberson is generally regarded as a mid 2nd round pick, but that may change as teams get the opportunity to work him out in person over the next two months. Roberson has been one of the top rebounders in the country each of the last two years, and was also named the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Year this past season. In addition to taking the ball off the glass, steals and blocked shots have also been mainstays of Roberson's game.

He is known as a fierce competitor, and that mindset will make him a valuable addition to most NBA rosters. While his offensive skill set is still developing, his intense defense and nose for the ball will keep Andre in the mix come draft time. On top of that, Andre has shown himself to be a TEAM player who is dedicated to the success of the team much more than personal glory or statistics.

The NBA will offer a great challenge to Roberson, but as the first notable recruit for head coach Tad Boyle, Roberson knows all about challenges. Prior to his arrival in Boulder, Colorado had only been to the NCAA Tournament two times in over 40 years. Since Andre took the court for the Buffs, Colorado has been to March Madness twice and made it to the NIT championship game in the other year. To put it bluntly, Roberson has helped head coach Tad Boyle turn Colorado into a basketball school with some of the most vocal fans in the Pac-12. Indeed, every team in the league knows about the C-Unit.

Colorado is considered to be loaded with talent going into next season, with some prognosticators having the Buffs penciled in as a top 15 team. The loss of Roberson may temper expectations a bit, but he has blazed a trail that other recruits are following to Boulder. I want to join all Colorado fans in thanking Andre for his time and dedication to the university. Although CU has had other players over the last 20 years that moved on to NBA careers, Roberson has arguably done the most to lift his team into the realm of teams that need to be reckoned with on an annual basis when it comes time for the Big Dance.

Thanks for the memories and good luck Andre!

The Ominous Tale of Jordan Webb: It's Time for Colorado Football Fans to Show Some Class

As a University of Colorado graduate and die-hard football fan since attending CU in the 1980s, there have been very few times that I was more embarrassed by Buff football than last year's season-long disgraceful display. That changed drastically on Tuesday following the reports that CU quarterback Jordan Webb had torn his ACL and would be lost for the year. It was sad to hear that a young man like Webb would need to devote many months of his time to rehab after surgery. It was sadder still to read some of the comments of so-called Buff fans rejoicing at the injury. To be blunt, it made me sick that fellow supporters of the Buffs could be so classless.

As everyone knows, the Buffs last year were arguably the worst D-1 team in the country, and certainly the worst in Colorado's long and storied football history. The fault for that lies squarely on the noggins of the former paid heads of the program - Head Coach Jon Embree, Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and Defensive Coordinator Greg Brown, and also previous head coach Dan Hawkins, who left the program in shambles.

Even though these men all made many hundreds of thousands of Colorado taxpayer dollars, there seems to be small but vocal group of professed fans who would like to blame Jordan Webb for the woes of the football team last year. The idea is asinine. The CU football team is made up around 100 young men who are full time students who are also required to devote hundreds of hours a year devoted to football. None of them, including Jordan Webb, are personally responsible for the woes of the Buffs last year. For that matter, Webb deserves credit for leading the team to their only win last year by scrambling into the end zone for the game winning touchdown as time expired against Washington State.

Buff fans should rejoice that they finally have a head coach in Mike MacIntyre who has proven that he can develop talent and lead a moribund program into national prominence. He has done it before and he will do it again. He and his fellow coaches that he brought with him to Colorado deserve the chance to do their jobs.

By the same token, Jordan Webb and every one of his teammates should be honored for their commitment to the University of Colorado. Only a handful of these young men will go on to play in the NFL. They know this. Most of them do the jobs they do to earn an education and because they love to play football. Their dedication to CU and the very real risk of injury should be applauded and respected. None of them should ever again have to read stupid comments about how the school is better off with a player being injured.

It is interesting to note that some of the same "fans" who delight in the injury to a young man also seem infatuated with the idea that high school kids who are highly rated by recruiting services are the only way for Colorado to become relevant once again on the gridiron. The fact is that none of the recruiting services has the manpower to effectively cover all high schools throughout the country. One of the reason that D1 football coaches are paid so much is their ability to evaluate talent. Another skill is being able to develop high school players into good college football players. We need to let our new coaches do this. Having vocal fans speaking positively about injuries to our own players gives rival coaches yet another chip to add to the pot in the poker game that is college football. We do not want to lose out on the opportunity to get good players to come to CU because rival coaches can point to published reports of Buff fans who talk about how great it is when players they do not like get hurt.

I do not know Jordan Webb personally, but I would like to apologize to him for the lack of class showed by some Colorado football fans. Good luck with your surgery and rehab. And please know that the vast majority of CU fans would never ever cheer an injury by any CU player, or any player we play against either. We support you and the team, but realize that it is just a game after all.

CU Buffs Depth Chart: The Only Positions that Matter!

The Colorado Buffs have released their first "pencil" depth chart of the team since beginning spring practices. Unfortunately, the general consensus among fan sites devoted to the Buffs and also comments on news stories has been a worried and collective wringing of hands. Seriously? Only halfway though the 2013 Spring Practices, and there seems to be an irrational worry about who is where and why.

RELAX PEOPLE.

There are only ten positions on the Colorado Buffs football team that really matter right now. Fortunately, after the worst season in CU football history, all ten of those positions have changed since last year. Fans should be looking only at these 10 guy right now, because these are the men who will determine how the entire team does this coming season and for the foreseeable future.

Mike MacIntyre -- Head Coach

Kent Baer -- Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers

Brian Lindgren -- Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks

Klayton Adams -- Running Backs / Tight Ends

Gary Bernardi -- Offensive Line

Charles Clark -- Safeties

Jim Jeffcoat -- Defensive Line

Andy LaRussa -- Cornerbacks

Toby Neinas -- Special Teams

Troy Walters -- Wide Receivers / Recruiting Coordinator

CU fans need to let these men do their jobs and quit fretting about who will be at QB (or LB, DT, etc.) These men are professionals whose jobs are to evaluate the talent of the players they have available. Unlike the casual fans, these guys are paid to coach, train, and evaluate all the players and utilize them to put the best team on the field when the season begins.

The enthusiasm of the fans writing blogs and commenting on news stories is commendable, but some of them need to calm down. If one looks at the upcoming season as a war with 12 battles, fans need to realize that D-Day is not until August 31st. We are barely into basic training at this point. In time, the captains and leaders and starters will rise to the top. It is up to these 10 commanders to make sure the best players do so and to encourage all the others to improve as well.

Fans should resist the temptation to look at what individual players did prior to this coaching staff arriving in Boulder. The sad fact is that the main reason that CU has had seven straight losing seasons has been the coaching, or more accurately, the lack of coaching.

Winning the battles each week for a football team is made possible by the work of the coaches both before and during the games. That being the case, it was really dumb luck that CU won a single game last year. The blame goes not to the foot soldiers, but should be put on the heads of the officers (coaches). Jon Embree and Eric Bieniemy were great players for CU. Scooter (EB) is one of my favorite Buffs ever. But the sad truth is that neither man had any idea how to do the jobs they were hired to do. So we move on.

Athletic Director Mike Bohn has taken a lot of heat for the last two hires before Mac to lead the Buffs football program. Some of the criticism is undoubtedly deserved, but football fans need to recognize that Bohn is the AD for the entire school. CU won another national championship in skiing this year. The men's basketball program and fan support are at an all-time high. The women's basketball program is starting to look a lot like the dominant days under Ceal Barry. And Bohn was instrumental in getting CU into the much more lucrative Pac-12. So, while deserved criticism needs to be acknowledged, deserved praise needs to be as well.

All said, for the first time in way too long, the football team appears to be in the hands of people who know what they are doing. Good battle plans will allow the Buffs to be competitive, and the winning will follow as the culture is changed. These men have done it before, and they can do it again.

Go Buffs!

CU's Basket Buffs Lay a Big Fat Egg against Oregon State

After Tad Boyle's team put a whipping on the 19th ranked Oregon Ducks on Thursday, the volume of the music accompanying the Buffs' victory parade to March Madness got turned way up. Someone apparently forgot to tell them there was one more game to play before the end of the regular season. The result of this oversight was the Pac-12's last place Beavers strolled into the Coors Events Center and took down the Buffs 64-58.

Although Tad Boyle has done an excellent job of building the Buffs into a consistent 20 win team, which is a remarkable accomplishment considering that the history of CU basketball is that of a .500 team over the 110 years of the program, the fact remains that Colorado is viewed around the country as primarily a football school. And over the last half dozen years, CU has been looked at as a mediocre football school at best and the worst in the NCAA in football this past season.

What's the point? The point is that Colorado does not yet have a history of basketball excellence to fall back on when they stumble into the end of the season. Last year, the Pac-12 only had TWO representatives out of the 68 teams in March Madness. Colorado earned one of those by winning four games in four days to claim the conference tournament championship. Arizona earned the other one because, quite simply, they have been to the tournament every single year except one since 1984. Those on the NCAA Selection Committee have Arizona penciled in every year because they have been a top tier school for almost 30 years.

Outside of the Pac-12, little thought is given to the Buffs as a basketball school. Most college basketball fans around the country equate the Pac-12 with TWO schools, Arizona and UCLA. The Bruins have 18 Final Four appearances and 11 NCAA championship banners. Arizona has 13 Sweet 16 appearances in the last 25 yeas and one National Championship. By comparison, while Colorado has 3 tournament appearnces in the last 16 years, it was another 28 years, all the way back in 1969, to get to the Buffs' prior appearance. To make the math simple, that's four trips to March Madness in 44 years.

Since joining the Pac-12, Colorado has done a remarkable job against the top teams in the conference. Their downfall is when they follow victory over top 20 programs with losses to teams at the bottom of the standings. Those losses say as much to the tournament selection committee as the big wins. Until Colorado establishes the reputation of being a good basketball program year in and year out, they are going to have to scratch and claw to keep their name in the running when it comes time for the tournament.

These Buffs need to decide what they really want. When it comes time for Spring Break, do they want to hang out on the beach? Or do they want to DANCE? They Pac-12 tournament starts this week in Las Vegas, and the Buffs' first round foe is this very same Oregon State team. Which Buff team will show up for that game? We will see. But one thing is certain, CU fans and the NCAA Selection Committee will all be watching.

CU Buff Hoopsters Fight Back, Demolish Oregon Ducks

Deep inside, Tad Boyle must be smiling this morning. Following the 16 point loss to Cal this past weekend, and the news that Andre Roberson (the number one rebounder in the NCAA) would not be able to play, CU found itself facing the daunting task of hosting the the Pac-12's first place team, the Oregon Ducks. In danger of slipping onto the dreaded "Bubble" of teams hoping to get into the NCAA's postseason showcase, how did Boyle's Buffs respond to the challenge? They handed the Ducks their tail feathers with a 76-53 drubbing at the Coors Events Center.

The win was important for several reasons as they get ready to end the regular season by hosting Oregon State this weekend. It puts the Buffs in the position to be on a roll when the Pac-12 tournament gets started in Las Vegas next week. Boyle's team swept through the tournament last year with four wins in four days to earn the conference's automatic tourney berth. The Buffs would love nothing more than to stretch that streak to eight games and secure the best possible seeding to the Big Dance.

The big win also allowed the Buffs to avoid the prolonged malaise that engulfed the team following the overtime loss at Arizona to begin the year. That game was notable for having a game winning three-pointer by Sabatino Chen waived off by officials despite video showing time on the clock when the ball left his hands. Arizona went on to win the game in overtime. The emotional loss put the Buffs into a tailspin which saw them lose four of five games to dig themselves into a big hole at the beginning of conference play.

The Buffs have fought back to now hold the number five position in the conference heading into the final game of the regular season. Following the blowout of the Ducks, CU has to hold serve against Oregon State, who is tied for last place in the Pac-12 with Washington State. A win against the Beavers and a couple of wins in Vegas will give the Buffs the chance to continue their string of 24 win seasons under coach Boyle. March Madness indeed!

The good news for the Buffs heading to Las Vegas is that they hold a 4-3 record against the top four teams in the conference, and they also tend to play very well at neutral venues. Another positive for the Buffs is that their fans, led by the famed C-Unit, travel very well and have the reputation as the loudest and rowdiest fans in the conference. As the saying goes, "VEGAS BABY!"

A New Dawn for Colorado Buff Football

It's a new dawn in the land of the Golden Buffaloes. After the longest and darkest night in the history of the Colorado football program, a light has begun to show on the horizon. The view outside is beautiful and so is the weather. The flatirons loom above campus and snow in the hills and high country complete the wondrous sight. Yet another of the more than 300 days of sunshine we enjoy every year, without the high heat of the desert or the crushing humidity of the south.

As an old coach here once said, the University of Colorado and Boulder have EVERYTHING that money can't buy. It is stunningly gorgeous. The town itself is the fittest in America, and Boulder is also the most highly educated city in the US. World class skiing and snowboarding, cycling and mountain biking, hiking and mountain climbing, hunting and fishing, tubing and camping are all right here. And CU itself is a world class school.

What has been missing for much of the last decade is a decent football team. Those of us who were fortunate enough (or, as some would say, old enough) to watch Bill McCartney take a program in shambles and build it into a national powerhouse have longed for the school to regain the glory. The new man in town, the new Big Man on Campus, appears to be the man the Colorado faithful have been waiting for. He's sincere, he's knowledgeable about the game as the son of a college coach, he's trained at the side of coaching great Bill Parcells, and most importantly, he and the staff he has assembled have done the job before. And since he has been able to do it before, he has a plan to do it again.

To be more specific, Mike MacIntyre and his staff know how to turn around a program. They took a very down program at San Jose State and turned it from a team with one win in a season into a team that won 11 games last year and came up just short of downing Pac-12 champion Stanford. And this turnaround happened in only 3 years. More importantly for those involved, the new Coach Mac has done it the right way. He stresses academics and accountability. It is the discipline that young men need to succeed in life. He stresses stength and knowledge both on and off the field. And he and his staff of assistants excel at teaching their young men how to do things right.

The Universty of Colorado is my family university, and I am proud that no one in Boulder is willing to sacrifice our community and our reputation by being willing to lower our standards and expectations. Coach MacIntyre goes after young men who are not only good athletes but also good students and citizens. I am glad that he won't be willing to dismiss a prospective recruit's multiple arrests or horrible grades just because he runs a 4.3 forty yard dash. Being fast can only help you in life if you know where you are going.

As a fan for 30 years, since I arrived in Boulder to marry my sweetheart and attend CU, I look forward to watching these young men represent themselves and my university with honor and integrity. And I look forward to them learning that you can win at the highest levels without sacrificing those values. Go Buffs!