Although the Colorado Buffaloes sit at 3-1, one third of the way through the regular season, things seem to be amiss in the Buffaloes program. After finally having a breakthrough winning season last year, most fans expected Colorado to double down on all the hard work that had brought them from worst to first in 2016.
With one of the easiest non-conference schedules in the FBS, the Buffaloes were expected to romp in their first three games and then show the country how far they'd come in the rematch of last season's Pac-12 Championship game. Instead, Mike MacIntyre's team seemingly sleepwalked to 3-0 against over-matched opponents and then were bulldozed yet again by the Washington Huskies in a carbon copy of their beat-down last December.
Now the Buffaloes venture outside the State of Colorado for the first time this season, and travel to Pasadena to take on UCLA in the Rose Bowl. Even though the Bruins have struggled mightily this season, they are still favored to beat Colorado. How will the Buffs react to that?
Washington is a Top 5 or 6 team, so CU knew they would be the underdog. Although UCLA has some outstanding players who are destined to end up in the NFL, collectively they are not a very good team. They are ranked worse than 100th in numerous categories on defense. Yet they are still favored to beat Colorado. It will be telling to see how the CU coaches and players play out this game.
If Colorado comes out and plays a full game for the first time this season, and dominates the Bruins, they can fully expect to contend for the Pac-12 South title. This is especially true with USC having already lost this weekend.
If the Buffaloes are manhandled by UCLA like they were Washington, however, it could turn into a long and disappointing season in Boulder. Coach MacIntyre's coach of the year trophies from last year will make interesting resume topics if the Buffaloes fall back to their losing ways.
This game may very well be the most important game of the year for MacIntyre as the Buffaloes. Indeed, it will be a bellwether game for good or bad if the score isn't close.
If it's a close game win for Colorado, they can still move forward and improve their team. If it's a close loss, the Buffaloes can learn and still go bowling. But a loss of any sort or magnitude will likely take them out of the running for the Pac-12 South.
The question at hand, 90 minutes before kickoff, is whether the 2016 inspired Buffaloes finally show up and show they care or not. The next few hours will be very telling.
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Rest In Peace Rashaan Salaam 1974-2016
- Rashaan Salaam -- October 8, 1974 - December 5, 2016
- 1994 Heisman Trophy Winner & Consensus All-American
- 4th Player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season
- Rushed for 3,057 yards on 486 carries for his Colorado career (6.29 yards per carry)
- 1st Round NFL draft pick (1995)
- NFC Rookie of the Year (Chicago Bears)
- Youngest player in NFL history to rush for 1000 yards in a season
Friday, October 3, 2014
Colorado Earns Respect as Buffs Prove They Can Score Big Points in Pac-12 Play
In the first three years that Colorado was playing in Pac-12 games, their opponents scored 40 or more points 22 times. In fact, their Pac-12 opponents scored 50 or more 8 times during from 2011-13.
During that same time span, Colorado only scored more than 40 points twice in Pac-12 play. That 22-2 difference pretty much sums up that the first three years in the league were extraordinarily tough. Mike MacIntyre was the head coach in only one of those first three years, but his Buffs have made steady improvement and are now poised to shoot it out with their conference foes.
The Pac-12 is an offensive league. Points are scored at a high rate and no team can ever be counted out. Arizona scored 36 points in the 4th quarter to come back and beat California. Utah gave up a 21 point lead to Washington State to lose by one. Colorado was twice up by 14 points against Cal only to lose the game by three points in double overtime. The "Berkeley Shootout" saw 115 points scored and 14 touchdown passes.
Colorado showed against Arizona State that they could move the ball up and down the field against a very good Pac-12 team. Turnovers and mistakes led them to lose after dominating the last three quarters against the Sun Devils. Against California, the Buffs again put massive yards up, but this time put up a score to match with 56 points. Unfortunately, Cal scored 59, but the game confirmed that the Buffs finally possessed the offensive firepower to put big points on the board in conference play.
The next step for Colorado is continuing improvement toward eliminating big plays by the competition. Take away five defensive breakdowns for Colorado against Cal and the Buffs win by 20 or more.
California scored 35 points on plays of 25, 26, 40, 75, and 92 yards. Those 258 yards in five plays represented 44% of the Golden Bears' yardage on the day. They also led to almost 60% of the Bears' points.
By comparison, Colorado's ball control offense moved the ball in much smaller chunks. The yardage on their longest 5 touchdowns combined was only 96 yards total. Those scores covered 30, 25, 22, 12 and 7 yards. The yardage on those 5 touchdowns represented only 15% of their total offense of 630 yards.
What the Buffs have going for them is that their offensive style allows them to control the ball and the clock. If opposing defenses play deep to take away the long ball, the Buffs are adept at chipping their way down the field. If opponents play too close to the line, the Buffs can go over the top to score. Going forward, that style of ball control gives the Buffs their best chance to win. As they continue to improve and their running game becomes more reliable, the Buffs will be harder and harder to stop.
The Buff defense is still giving up a lot of points, but other league teams are working much harder to score them. In years past, the Buffs were usually going against 2nd and 3rd stringers (or 4th!) in the second half. This year, Cal and ASU had their starters in the entire game. The Buff D has also developed a swagger that has not been seen in Boulder for a long time. It's good to see and a sign of better things to come.
If fans only look at the final scores, it might seem hard to see the great improvements made by the Buffs in 2014. It is necessary to watch the games to see how improved they are. They are hitting harder as a group and scoring more points as well. They are scratching and clawing to become relevant in the best conference in the country. Before our very eyes, they are learning to compete to the final whistle. And before long, they will be learning to win in the Pac-12 on a consistent basis.
--------------------------
Seeing the Buffs play this year, especially in person at Folsom Field, will also give Buff fans a chance to see Nelson Spruce obliterate the record book for receivers at Colorado. Just as casual fans turned out to watch Chauncey Billups play hoops at CU, they should also do the same for Spruce. They should also cross their fingers that Spruce blesses Colorado with one more year before going off to the NFL.
During that same time span, Colorado only scored more than 40 points twice in Pac-12 play. That 22-2 difference pretty much sums up that the first three years in the league were extraordinarily tough. Mike MacIntyre was the head coach in only one of those first three years, but his Buffs have made steady improvement and are now poised to shoot it out with their conference foes.
The Pac-12 is an offensive league. Points are scored at a high rate and no team can ever be counted out. Arizona scored 36 points in the 4th quarter to come back and beat California. Utah gave up a 21 point lead to Washington State to lose by one. Colorado was twice up by 14 points against Cal only to lose the game by three points in double overtime. The "Berkeley Shootout" saw 115 points scored and 14 touchdown passes.
Colorado showed against Arizona State that they could move the ball up and down the field against a very good Pac-12 team. Turnovers and mistakes led them to lose after dominating the last three quarters against the Sun Devils. Against California, the Buffs again put massive yards up, but this time put up a score to match with 56 points. Unfortunately, Cal scored 59, but the game confirmed that the Buffs finally possessed the offensive firepower to put big points on the board in conference play.
The next step for Colorado is continuing improvement toward eliminating big plays by the competition. Take away five defensive breakdowns for Colorado against Cal and the Buffs win by 20 or more.
California scored 35 points on plays of 25, 26, 40, 75, and 92 yards. Those 258 yards in five plays represented 44% of the Golden Bears' yardage on the day. They also led to almost 60% of the Bears' points.
By comparison, Colorado's ball control offense moved the ball in much smaller chunks. The yardage on their longest 5 touchdowns combined was only 96 yards total. Those scores covered 30, 25, 22, 12 and 7 yards. The yardage on those 5 touchdowns represented only 15% of their total offense of 630 yards.
What the Buffs have going for them is that their offensive style allows them to control the ball and the clock. If opposing defenses play deep to take away the long ball, the Buffs are adept at chipping their way down the field. If opponents play too close to the line, the Buffs can go over the top to score. Going forward, that style of ball control gives the Buffs their best chance to win. As they continue to improve and their running game becomes more reliable, the Buffs will be harder and harder to stop.
The Buff defense is still giving up a lot of points, but other league teams are working much harder to score them. In years past, the Buffs were usually going against 2nd and 3rd stringers (or 4th!) in the second half. This year, Cal and ASU had their starters in the entire game. The Buff D has also developed a swagger that has not been seen in Boulder for a long time. It's good to see and a sign of better things to come.
If fans only look at the final scores, it might seem hard to see the great improvements made by the Buffs in 2014. It is necessary to watch the games to see how improved they are. They are hitting harder as a group and scoring more points as well. They are scratching and clawing to become relevant in the best conference in the country. Before our very eyes, they are learning to compete to the final whistle. And before long, they will be learning to win in the Pac-12 on a consistent basis.
--------------------------
Seeing the Buffs play this year, especially in person at Folsom Field, will also give Buff fans a chance to see Nelson Spruce obliterate the record book for receivers at Colorado. Just as casual fans turned out to watch Chauncey Billups play hoops at CU, they should also do the same for Spruce. They should also cross their fingers that Spruce blesses Colorado with one more year before going off to the NFL.
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.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Ode to Colorado Wide Receiver Paul Richardson
Following the end of the football season, Buff fans are dealing with the reality that Paul Richardson has decided to move on from the University of Colorado and try to make the jump to professional football. In honor of #6 and his goal of playing in the NFL, we present a little ditty from "The Graduate" (one of my favorite movies). The song "Mrs. Robinson" was, of course, was written by Paul Simon, one of the greatest poets of modern music.
To help you get in the mood, listen to the real song here.
To help you get in the mood, listen to the real song here.
"Mr. Richardson"And here's to you, Mr. Richardson,Buff fans love you more than you will know.God bless you, please, Mr. RichardsonThe NFL has place for those who play,hey, hey, hey
They'd like to know a little bit about your for their files
So we'd like to help you learn to help yourself.
Look around you all you see are evaluating eyes,
Wow 'em at the Combine until they take you home.And here's to you, Mr. Richardson,Buff fans love you more than you will know.God bless you, please, Mr. RichardsonThe NFL has a place for those who play,hey, hey, hey
Lift hard in the weight room where no one ever goes.
Fill your pantry with some protein.It's not a little secret that Mr. Paul needs some weight.
Most of all you've got to keep your blazing speed.
Koo-koo-ka-choo, Mr. Richardson,
Buff fans love you more than you will know.
God bless you, please, Mr. Richardson.
The NFL has a place for those who play,
Hey, hey, hey
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon.
Watching the NFL's great race.Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way we look at this we lose.
Where have you gone, Paul Richardson,
Buff fans turn their lonely eyes to you.
What's that you say, Mr. MacIntyre
Blazing Paul has left and gone away,
Hey hey hey.
Thanks to Paul Simon for writing such incredible songs and thanks also to Paul Richardson for providing such a bright beacon of light in some of the darkest days of Colorado Buffaloes football. We would also like to encourage Mr. Richardson to finish his degree and become a graduate in real life. Thanks for the memories.
Interesting note: The YouTube video above of Mrs. Robinson was to honor the song as #6 in a ranking by the American Film Institute of the best songs in the first 100 years of cinema. Paul Richardson wore #6 for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Interesting note: The YouTube video above of Mrs. Robinson was to honor the song as #6 in a ranking by the American Film Institute of the best songs in the first 100 years of cinema. Paul Richardson wore #6 for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Monday, July 29, 2013
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.
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.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Friday Night CU Buff Musings: Hirschman, Bakhtiari, and Roberson
It's a beautiful late April Friday night/Saturday morning in Boulder...
Normally, this time of year is pretty slow on the news for Colorado Buff fans of hoops and pigskin, but 2013 has offered some interesting tidbits. Here are the subjects, the pertinent details, and my humble opinions on each.
Nick Hirschman:
-- Nick entered the spring practices under new coach Mike MacIntyre with five other QB's all starting from scratch.
-- After the first half of the practices, he was one of four named as still competing for number one QB.
-- By the end of spring he had elevated himself to co-starter with Connor Wood after last year's starter Jordan Webb injured his knee and Shane Dillon was moved down the depth chart.
-- He was identified by the coaches as one of the leaders of the team being counted on to help lead the team through summer workouts.
-- Then, he surprised everyone by announcing via Twitter that he would transfer to another school. Since he is graduating next month, he can transfer to another school without having to sit out a year. He has two years of football left before he runs out of eligibility.
-- MacIntyre released him from his scholarship with a few restrictions on where he could transfer.
-- Then, Hirschman gave an interview saying that he left because he was not named the starter at the end of spring.
Opinion:
First, I want to congratulate Nick on his impending graduation and wish him all the luck and success that life has to offer. That said, I think that Nick leaving the Buff football program is probably for the best. As the backup QB for the worst FBS team in the country last year, methinks that Nick was in no position to be demanding as far as a starter position goes this fall. He was offered the opportunity to compete and he was doing well, but then he decided to walk away. This was not the sign of a leader that Colorado needs right now. Fortunately, Connor Wood really seems to be coming into his own at this time, and is showing signs of why he was one of the most highly sought after QB's in the country coming out of high school. It's possible the development of Wood and the impending arrival of Sefo Liufau this summer provided too much of a challenge and Nick wanted to head somewhere that he might be guaranteed a starting spot. Good luck with that.
David Bakhtiari:
-- David was one of the bright spots for the Buff football team the last several years.
-- He opted not to go through another head coaching change at Colorado and decided to enter himself in the NFL Draft.
-- He became the 7th Buff ever to declare for the NFL. The first six were all drafted.
-- Somebody convinced him that he would go in the first or second round of the draft, which would come with a pretty good payday.
-- Someone convinced him that he was the 6th best offensive tackle in the draft.
-- After the first three rounds of the 2013 NFL draft, David has not heard his name called. A total of NINE offensive tackles have already been chosen in the first three rounds.
Opinion:
I really hope that David hears his name called soon when the draft resumes with round four. He is a talented guy who might very well have a NFL future. I commented early on when David declared for the draft that he could use another year of development before he was truly ready. The NFL is a hard club to get into, as David should know. His older brother has been cut something like 14 times trying for a career in the NFL. The best of luck to David, although I really wish he was going to be back in Boulder this fall as the Buffs try to get things turned around.
Andre Roberson:
-- Andre has been one of the stalwarts of the resurgence of Colorado Basketball under Tad Boyle.
-- Over the last two seasons, Andre has been one of the best rebounders in all of college basketball, and is one of the reasons why CU has been to the Big Dance two years in a row.
-- Andre was named the Pac 12 Defensive Player of the Year for this past season.
-- Andre is currently deciding on whether to end his Colorado career early and try to get into the NBA. He scheduled a press conference on Friday to announce his decision... and then cancelled the press conference at the last minute.
Opinion:
Like his head coach has stated in interviews, it seems that someone is pressuring Andre to declare for the NBA draft. As good as Andre is on the court, the fact is that his offensive game is not yet at an NBA level. There is a great chance that if Andre declares for the draft that he faces the very real chance of not being drafted. Unlike the NFL, the NBA draft has only TWO rounds. While there a few undrafted free agents doing well in the league, such as Jeremy Lin, the fact is that having his game ready at all levels will help Andre make it to the next level. The Buffs look to be loaded with talent next year and having that kind of support can only help Andre grow his game. If he does decide to leave, I wish him all the luck in the world... which he might need because the next stop if the NBA turns you down is usually Europe. Good luck whatever you decide to do, Andre.
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