Bernard Jackson is ready.
Like his teammate at the position of quarterback, Jackson has waited a long time for his opportunity. For James Cox, it was patience to become the starter. For Jackson, it was standing still when that's what is most difficult for him, anywhere, to just get on the field.
The CU coaching staff may not visualize Jackson as refined enough to pilot the Buffs as a starter but they aren't going to dock his talent either. They are smart enough to realize Jackson might be able to make big plays with his feet, and occassionally with his arm.
It's never been a secret that the Corona, Calif. product has skills. It's been a matter of whether he could round out his game and become a quarterback, a passer and not just a tailback playing under center.
Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, who knows something about offense having coached at Boise State and Arizona State, two high-powered, touchdown-producing schools, knows enough to know he has to find out what he has in Jackson.
"Just like any other player we're trying to find what a guy's strengths are and get the most out of him," Helfrich said in a Daily Camera article penned by Zak Brown. "We are going to experiment with different things and try to play to his strengths."
It says here that the decision to use Jackson, whether it be for a couple of snaps a game is a wise, low-risk investment that could pay big dividends. An occassional option play, quarterback draw, handing the ball off to him as a running back or splitting him out wide would create film study anxiety for opponents, and force defenses to think, to doubt, maybe just for a moment, putting them on their heels.
Of course, all that is dependent on Jackson making plays and not making mistakes.
He waited a long time for a glimpse of hope, to show what he can do and what he's all about. Count on him getting some snaps Saturday. His advantages? Athleticism, desire, and creative offensive minds working to maximize his ability. Look for BJax to make at least one big play against the Bobcats.
TheTruth
Cox support system
The Camera's Kyle Ringo wrote a piece on starting quarterback James Cox that shows what a supportive family is all about. Fine work. Cox didn't quit when it would have been easy to do so. His father, his inspiration. His mother, his confident supporter. What kid wouldn't want all that at home. If Cox has a successful season, you'll know why. Not saying a child from a single-parent home can't make it. They do, if that one parent is committed. Cox, though, had the advantage of the right set up for him, and his determination, commitment, and ability to shake off disappoints and embarrassments shows what kind of character he has, and if the offense is structured around all the talents in it, and Cox plays within his abilities, he could be just enough at the position to lead the Buffs to a winning, successful season.
TheTruth
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Pick the Score, get your name in lights
Here's your opportunity to name the score in the weekly Buffs game and answer questions on why you think that way. Write the mailbag at thebuffalotruth@yahoo.com, lay down the score of CU & Montana State and why the score will end up that way.
Go a step further and name which players will be most effective for Colorado.
Come closest to the actual result and you'll get a headline with your name on it, and a victory statement, if you write the mailbag again on Sunday.
How 'bout more?
Share your favorite Buff moment and why and the best will be printed. Just leave a name and the city and state in which you live.
You game for one more?
Want to be spotlighted as a fan?
Share a little about who you are, the city and state you live in, how and why you're a CU fan, your favorite moment, and what's best about being a Buff fan.
Want to send a pic, I'll try to get that on, too. Your choice.
TheTruth
Go a step further and name which players will be most effective for Colorado.
Come closest to the actual result and you'll get a headline with your name on it, and a victory statement, if you write the mailbag again on Sunday.
How 'bout more?
Share your favorite Buff moment and why and the best will be printed. Just leave a name and the city and state in which you live.
You game for one more?
Want to be spotlighted as a fan?
Share a little about who you are, the city and state you live in, how and why you're a CU fan, your favorite moment, and what's best about being a Buff fan.
Want to send a pic, I'll try to get that on, too. Your choice.
TheTruth
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Buffs in NFL camps falling like flies
Another Buff falls victim to the turk, getting cut, as wide receiver Derek McCoy was waived by Tampa Bay. McCoy played at CU from 2000-03 and finished his career fifth all-time in receptions with 134 and in yards with 2,038. The man also knew how to find the end zone, with 20 scores, tied with Rae Carruth for first.
Just in....Buff linebacker, Drew Wahlroos, is also a cut, by the St. Louis Rams. The 26-year-old Wahlroos had 17 tackles in 2 years with the team after going undrafted out of college.
Buff Bottom Line...McCoy was a true success story as he came from deep on the depth chart to become a highly productive player. He had marginal speed, lacked electric moves but was big, got open and caught the ball. A lot. Not a 5-star player but played better than many of those types.
Just in....Buff linebacker, Drew Wahlroos, is also a cut, by the St. Louis Rams. The 26-year-old Wahlroos had 17 tackles in 2 years with the team after going undrafted out of college.
Buff Bottom Line...McCoy was a true success story as he came from deep on the depth chart to become a highly productive player. He had marginal speed, lacked electric moves but was big, got open and caught the ball. A lot. Not a 5-star player but played better than many of those types.
Another CU quarterback cut, the anti-Hawkins
This week's cut-down mandate has been disappointing to CU Buffs as Koy Detmer becomes the latest, joining Hannibal Navies and Joel Klatt. Jeremy Bloom was also placed on injured reserve Tuesday.
Detmer threw for nearly 5,400 yards and 40 scores while in school between 1992-96, numbers that would have been much higher if not for injury. He left CU as a 7th-round pick of the Eagles and was rarely needed, considering Donovan McNabb was drafted in the first round in 1999.
Detmer has completed 184 of 354 passes for 1944 yards with 10 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his career.
His college performances were of much higher quality, holding the school record for passing yards in a season with 3,156, tying a school record for TD strikes in a game, with 5 against Iowa State, and most TD passes in a season with 22. All those marks came in 1996.
A small-but-accomplished prep quarterback from Texas, who, like his brother Ty (a Heisman Trophy winner at Brigham Young), was coached by his father, Sonny, had confidence, composure and a gunslinger attitude.
Detmer might not be done yet as a team in need of a steady hand, team-first player could sign him as a third quarterback, at minimum and maybe, in the right situation he could be a backup.
Montana State not coming to Boulder with it's tail between its' legs
Despite the woe-is-me act that Bobcats' coach Mike Kramer is practicing these days, his team is coming to Boulder to win. You can bet at practice and meetings Kramer is preaching a different sermon, maybe David vs. Goliath, although a victory by Montana State, while big, wouldn't quite measure out on a biblical scale.
Kramer was quoted in a Rocky Mountain News article that the game shouldn't even be played.
"I don't want to play any of those games" he said in reference to Division I-A opponents. "I'd be a fool, a liar and a hypocrite if I said otherwise. For a coach, they serve no purpose."
"Anything we do well could be lost under an avalanche of points. We could play very well and still, my guys might look at the scoreboard and say 'Good God, we're not very good."
Give the man credit for being honest. He knows his program is not in the Big 12, it doesn't have the resources that CU does, and his players aren't, on whole, as big, fast and as talented as those in black and gold.
Can you imagine the Buffs' coach making such a statement?
Ever?
As a coach, being a realist works when talking to a player about his potential and what he has to do to play but as a pre-game talk, it is counter-productive, setting the stage for a blowout.
How does any coach know what's going to happen in a game. Coaches, of all people, know that all too well. Maybe CU is flat, stumbles and fumbles it's way through a penalty-marred game and your team busts some plays and the Buffs go into a shell.
Every year there are upsets, especially at the beginning of the season.
You build up your team, telling them what might be possible if you all come together and execute consistently, have faith and play hard.
Right?
Playing CU will be a tall order but the Buffs are not a Top 25 team.
Kramer is doing a disservice to his team, selling them short, and teaching them not to dream of accomplishments ordinary men can't fathom.
What are the players in the Bobcats' helmets going to be thinking when they walk out on to the field Saturday?
Yes, he is selling something different at Montana State practices but to make any comments to the contrary in the press has to leave players wondering his confidence in them.
The Buffs will take any advantage they can get to kick off the Dan Hawkins' era.
NOTES...former CU safety Tyrone Henderson is expected to play significant minutes against his former team and you can bet your Coors he will be bringing the wood. This is Henderson's Super Bowl. Yes, Hawkins did him a big favor but he still wants to show CU it made a mistake in dismissing him from the team. Look for some spirited play. Isaac Garden, a great name for an award-winning physicist or Nobel Peace Prize winner, will start at punter for the Buffs. Junior wide receiver Alvin Barnett has had his one-game suspension go by the waistside, the Denver Post has reported. Barnett was ticketed for DUI this spring but the courts did not prosecute the case. Barnett caught just 17 passes for 131 last years after more was expected of him. The Post also reported that Hawkins, ever thinking of new ways to connect with recruits and his players, sends his team encouraging text messages. Who is this guy! How could a recruit or player be unaffected by his style? If he can coach in the Big 12 and then recruit at a higher level than his two predecessors, he's going to be a winner in Boulder. Those are big "if's" but how can you not get the feeling something special is already happening at CU. It won't happen overnight, but the proram is in motion, and better things should be on the horizon.
Detmer threw for nearly 5,400 yards and 40 scores while in school between 1992-96, numbers that would have been much higher if not for injury. He left CU as a 7th-round pick of the Eagles and was rarely needed, considering Donovan McNabb was drafted in the first round in 1999.
Detmer has completed 184 of 354 passes for 1944 yards with 10 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his career.
His college performances were of much higher quality, holding the school record for passing yards in a season with 3,156, tying a school record for TD strikes in a game, with 5 against Iowa State, and most TD passes in a season with 22. All those marks came in 1996.
A small-but-accomplished prep quarterback from Texas, who, like his brother Ty (a Heisman Trophy winner at Brigham Young), was coached by his father, Sonny, had confidence, composure and a gunslinger attitude.
Detmer might not be done yet as a team in need of a steady hand, team-first player could sign him as a third quarterback, at minimum and maybe, in the right situation he could be a backup.
Montana State not coming to Boulder with it's tail between its' legs
Despite the woe-is-me act that Bobcats' coach Mike Kramer is practicing these days, his team is coming to Boulder to win. You can bet at practice and meetings Kramer is preaching a different sermon, maybe David vs. Goliath, although a victory by Montana State, while big, wouldn't quite measure out on a biblical scale.
Kramer was quoted in a Rocky Mountain News article that the game shouldn't even be played.
"I don't want to play any of those games" he said in reference to Division I-A opponents. "I'd be a fool, a liar and a hypocrite if I said otherwise. For a coach, they serve no purpose."
"Anything we do well could be lost under an avalanche of points. We could play very well and still, my guys might look at the scoreboard and say 'Good God, we're not very good."
Give the man credit for being honest. He knows his program is not in the Big 12, it doesn't have the resources that CU does, and his players aren't, on whole, as big, fast and as talented as those in black and gold.
Can you imagine the Buffs' coach making such a statement?
Ever?
As a coach, being a realist works when talking to a player about his potential and what he has to do to play but as a pre-game talk, it is counter-productive, setting the stage for a blowout.
How does any coach know what's going to happen in a game. Coaches, of all people, know that all too well. Maybe CU is flat, stumbles and fumbles it's way through a penalty-marred game and your team busts some plays and the Buffs go into a shell.
Every year there are upsets, especially at the beginning of the season.
You build up your team, telling them what might be possible if you all come together and execute consistently, have faith and play hard.
Right?
Playing CU will be a tall order but the Buffs are not a Top 25 team.
Kramer is doing a disservice to his team, selling them short, and teaching them not to dream of accomplishments ordinary men can't fathom.
What are the players in the Bobcats' helmets going to be thinking when they walk out on to the field Saturday?
Yes, he is selling something different at Montana State practices but to make any comments to the contrary in the press has to leave players wondering his confidence in them.
The Buffs will take any advantage they can get to kick off the Dan Hawkins' era.
NOTES...former CU safety Tyrone Henderson is expected to play significant minutes against his former team and you can bet your Coors he will be bringing the wood. This is Henderson's Super Bowl. Yes, Hawkins did him a big favor but he still wants to show CU it made a mistake in dismissing him from the team. Look for some spirited play. Isaac Garden, a great name for an award-winning physicist or Nobel Peace Prize winner, will start at punter for the Buffs. Junior wide receiver Alvin Barnett has had his one-game suspension go by the waistside, the Denver Post has reported. Barnett was ticketed for DUI this spring but the courts did not prosecute the case. Barnett caught just 17 passes for 131 last years after more was expected of him. The Post also reported that Hawkins, ever thinking of new ways to connect with recruits and his players, sends his team encouraging text messages. Who is this guy! How could a recruit or player be unaffected by his style? If he can coach in the Big 12 and then recruit at a higher level than his two predecessors, he's going to be a winner in Boulder. Those are big "if's" but how can you not get the feeling something special is already happening at CU. It won't happen overnight, but the proram is in motion, and better things should be on the horizon.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
New breed of coach, NFL Buffs
Is Dan Hawkins unique?
Is he for real?
The more stories you read, the more you have to wonder if this guy is one of the more interesting coaches in college football.
His intelligence, approach to people, the ability to bring others together to create something bigger than the whole, and inspire is mesmerizing.
You might already be able to make the distinction that he is more substance than the last social butterfly to float through Boulder, the infamous Rick Neuheisel, who could charm the pants off the media and a few recruits homes, but eventually was seen as more salesman than honest, partly leading to his downfall on the field.
The latest Hawkins tidbit, courtesy of The Boulder Daily Camera and writer Kyle Ringo, was today's article that he addressed the Boy Scouts at a leadership conference. Now, most college coaches would find a way to be too busy for such an endeavor because, after all, how many future recruits are boy scouts? Not this new breed of coach, the anti-Barnett, who was a accomplished coach and man of principle, yet was not known for being smooth and engaging with nearlyeveryone he met.
That's not a stuff on Barnett, just a realization of them being two entirely different personalities.
In Barnett's defense, Hawkins hasn't won a game yet in Boulder, Barnett won north division titles and a conference championship and rallied the community initially after Neuheisel won the lottery, getting a Pac-10 job to head back west, and for a whole lot of juice.
The advantage Hawkins has is that his people skills, seeming sincerity and football acumen might combine to make him highly successful. He will have to be mighty determined as he is facing large obstacles of resources and tradition that he will never be able to match. Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno likely wouldn't be able to overcome it. The faces of those monsters are Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
What else seems different?
The so-called directive for his assistants that encourages Hawkins staff to exercise (don't assume these men are always in great shape), eat healthy (ditto), get sufficient rest (rarely) and make sure their families are a priority (what, coaches can have a family life?). This man is going to make everyone soft. He has to be stopped!
A happy, healthy family makes a happy, healthy coach, which means he's giving his best and getting better results, right?
That remains to be seen.
The man named Hawkins, who seemingly blew in from the northwest on some wind and captured the community, may turn out to be an abject failure but it seems difficult to imagine that happening. There just seems to be something special about him, like he's a home run hire or something.
Know what I mean?
NFL Buffs...Three Buffs had bad days, as linebacker Hannibal Navies was released by Cincinnati, maybe because he couldn't keep up with the lawbreaking Bengals, quarterback Joel Klatt was dismissed by Detroit, and wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Bloom was placed on injured reserve by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Navies came into the league as a fourth-round pick of Carolina in 1999. He also played with Green Bay, having his best season in 2003, when he registered 88 tackles.
Klatt, who went undrafted, had been facing an uphill battle with the Lions, where Jon Kitna and Josh McCown are expected to be the top 2 at the position.
Bloom was a fifth-round selection in this year's draft and just back into football. He was placed on injured reserve with an injured hamstring. Bloom without speed is like a sports car without its' engine. It doesn't matter how it handles because the experience isn't the same without the power.
Is he for real?
The more stories you read, the more you have to wonder if this guy is one of the more interesting coaches in college football.
His intelligence, approach to people, the ability to bring others together to create something bigger than the whole, and inspire is mesmerizing.
You might already be able to make the distinction that he is more substance than the last social butterfly to float through Boulder, the infamous Rick Neuheisel, who could charm the pants off the media and a few recruits homes, but eventually was seen as more salesman than honest, partly leading to his downfall on the field.
The latest Hawkins tidbit, courtesy of The Boulder Daily Camera and writer Kyle Ringo, was today's article that he addressed the Boy Scouts at a leadership conference. Now, most college coaches would find a way to be too busy for such an endeavor because, after all, how many future recruits are boy scouts? Not this new breed of coach, the anti-Barnett, who was a accomplished coach and man of principle, yet was not known for being smooth and engaging with nearlyeveryone he met.
That's not a stuff on Barnett, just a realization of them being two entirely different personalities.
In Barnett's defense, Hawkins hasn't won a game yet in Boulder, Barnett won north division titles and a conference championship and rallied the community initially after Neuheisel won the lottery, getting a Pac-10 job to head back west, and for a whole lot of juice.
The advantage Hawkins has is that his people skills, seeming sincerity and football acumen might combine to make him highly successful. He will have to be mighty determined as he is facing large obstacles of resources and tradition that he will never be able to match. Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno likely wouldn't be able to overcome it. The faces of those monsters are Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
What else seems different?
The so-called directive for his assistants that encourages Hawkins staff to exercise (don't assume these men are always in great shape), eat healthy (ditto), get sufficient rest (rarely) and make sure their families are a priority (what, coaches can have a family life?). This man is going to make everyone soft. He has to be stopped!
A happy, healthy family makes a happy, healthy coach, which means he's giving his best and getting better results, right?
That remains to be seen.
The man named Hawkins, who seemingly blew in from the northwest on some wind and captured the community, may turn out to be an abject failure but it seems difficult to imagine that happening. There just seems to be something special about him, like he's a home run hire or something.
Know what I mean?
NFL Buffs...Three Buffs had bad days, as linebacker Hannibal Navies was released by Cincinnati, maybe because he couldn't keep up with the lawbreaking Bengals, quarterback Joel Klatt was dismissed by Detroit, and wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Bloom was placed on injured reserve by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Navies came into the league as a fourth-round pick of Carolina in 1999. He also played with Green Bay, having his best season in 2003, when he registered 88 tackles.
Klatt, who went undrafted, had been facing an uphill battle with the Lions, where Jon Kitna and Josh McCown are expected to be the top 2 at the position.
Bloom was a fifth-round selection in this year's draft and just back into football. He was placed on injured reserve with an injured hamstring. Bloom without speed is like a sports car without its' engine. It doesn't matter how it handles because the experience isn't the same without the power.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
DeVree Sidelined, Depth Chart Out
Tight end Tyson Devree, a transfer from Western Michigan that the team has high hopes for has suffered a setback.
Slated to start this season, DeVree is not practicing due to an air bubble in his lung, according to a report in today's Boulder Daily Camera.
However, DeVree, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior, is not expected to be out long. Coach Dan Hawkins says DeVree will practice this week and should be ready for Saturday's opener at Folsom Field against Montana State.
A lot is expected and needed from DeVree, as he steps in for the departed Joe Klopfenstein (St. Louis Rams) and Quinn Sypniewski (Baltimore Ravens). He earned freshman All-American and All-MAC honors at Western Michigan before leaving for Boulder.
Buff Bottom Line...this was a scare, definitely, not only for a player's health but for the offense who cannot afford to lose talent, especially a big target for the passing game. DeVree should be able to heal and play. The tight end has always been a valuable and highlighted position on the better Buff teams as I think of Christian Fauria, Matt Lepsis, Dan Graham, and Klopfenstein and Sypniewski. I'll wait for you to write in to extoll the days of J.V. Cain, Don Hasselbeck and others.
Depth Chart Changes
The career of wide receiver Blake Mackey is not going according to plan. The highly-touted recruit has not delivered, then suffers an injury just when you think he is ready to take off, and back for his senior season, he takes a hit in practice and now finds himself, according to the Boulder Daily Camera, fourth in line at the "Z" position.
Meanwhile, in-state recruit Mo Lucas, a sophomore, has jumped junior Alonzo Barrett for the right to start at right defensive end.
Buff Bottom Line...Mackey has to force himself on the coaches. He is simply too big and too fast to be sitting on the sideline. As much as he needs this season to make himself marketable to the NFL, the offense needs him to stretch defenses and make big plays. A marriage made in heaven if all plays out right. The question is if Mackey will leave the school as potential unrealized. See Buster Wilbon and Jesse Warren.
Lucas showed flashes of future stardom as a freshman and is a player the Buffs are counting on to apply pressure upfront and create havoc in the backfield. It's been a long time since the defense had a long, lean, menacing talent like him up on the line. If he's half the player Alfred Williams was then he's going to be labeled a success.
Crosby Getting Media Love
Kicker Mason Crosby, soon-to-be owner of more school records (most field goals, career scoring leader) is all over the news. Those are the spoils of being the most highly thought of player at his position in the country. It's been reported that he was the 3rd-ranked kicker in the land coming out of high school. The 3rd-ranked? Those other two guys must have really been something, don't you think? They're likely making plans to go to grad school these days.
More Depth Chart
No surpises along the offensive line. The interesting thing I notice is 3 former Colorado prep boys are starters in LT Tyler Polumbus, LG Brian Daniels and RT Jack Tipton.
Patrick Williams was being lauded as the next great thing at WR last year and yet did little. Williams, who has the size and talent to excel is not faced with such flowery praise this season and that might be a plus as he can now just go out and play without the glare of the spotlight.
James Cox doesn't have to be an All-Conference pick. He doesn't even have to be Joel Klatt. He does have to lead, keep his composure and not make mistakes. He has the physical skills to succeed.
A puzzling position for me is tailback, where you'd think Hugh Charles would be a lock to start. He isn't. The opinion here is he will have a very strong season, nonetheless. Mell Holliday gives the offense the power back it needs and Byron Ellis has been a surprise this summer after a disappointing season a year ago. At fullback there is probably the perfect name for the position...Samson Jagoras. Just sounds rough and tumble. But who knows, maybe he's into knitting or ballet like former Chicago Bear Willie Gault. With Holliday and Jagoras playing for CU it either says a lot for them overcoming recruited players or the lack of sufficient talent on the roster. Time, baby, will write that story.
The linebackers as a group, in the opinion here, may evolve into a formidable bunch and history makers at CU. Thaddaeus Washington is an established thumper, Jordan Dizon reminds me of an undersized dude name Dat Nguyen who played at Texas A & M and the Dallas Cowboys, and Brad Jones might be physically more talented than anyone.
Ben Burney and Ryan Walters may not have been must-have recruits but the word out of Boulder is they can both be players. Walters is dinged right now and Burney is stepping up. Hurry back, Ryan or Burney might not let you back on the field.
J.J. Billingsley might need baling wire, tape and a soldering gun to put his body out there but the guy makes plays and the defense needs them from him.
Terrance Wheatley...ditto.
Special note...Hawkins made a comment the other day that may have slipped by some. He inferred his special teams could be electric. Seeing Charles and Stephone Robinson returning kicks makes me smile. Throw in Crosby kickin' the pig and I like that all as a team strength.
The Truth
Send questions, bold comments and predictions to the mailbag at thebuffalotruth@yahoo.com.
Slated to start this season, DeVree is not practicing due to an air bubble in his lung, according to a report in today's Boulder Daily Camera.
However, DeVree, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior, is not expected to be out long. Coach Dan Hawkins says DeVree will practice this week and should be ready for Saturday's opener at Folsom Field against Montana State.
A lot is expected and needed from DeVree, as he steps in for the departed Joe Klopfenstein (St. Louis Rams) and Quinn Sypniewski (Baltimore Ravens). He earned freshman All-American and All-MAC honors at Western Michigan before leaving for Boulder.
Buff Bottom Line...this was a scare, definitely, not only for a player's health but for the offense who cannot afford to lose talent, especially a big target for the passing game. DeVree should be able to heal and play. The tight end has always been a valuable and highlighted position on the better Buff teams as I think of Christian Fauria, Matt Lepsis, Dan Graham, and Klopfenstein and Sypniewski. I'll wait for you to write in to extoll the days of J.V. Cain, Don Hasselbeck and others.
Depth Chart Changes
The career of wide receiver Blake Mackey is not going according to plan. The highly-touted recruit has not delivered, then suffers an injury just when you think he is ready to take off, and back for his senior season, he takes a hit in practice and now finds himself, according to the Boulder Daily Camera, fourth in line at the "Z" position.
Meanwhile, in-state recruit Mo Lucas, a sophomore, has jumped junior Alonzo Barrett for the right to start at right defensive end.
Buff Bottom Line...Mackey has to force himself on the coaches. He is simply too big and too fast to be sitting on the sideline. As much as he needs this season to make himself marketable to the NFL, the offense needs him to stretch defenses and make big plays. A marriage made in heaven if all plays out right. The question is if Mackey will leave the school as potential unrealized. See Buster Wilbon and Jesse Warren.
Lucas showed flashes of future stardom as a freshman and is a player the Buffs are counting on to apply pressure upfront and create havoc in the backfield. It's been a long time since the defense had a long, lean, menacing talent like him up on the line. If he's half the player Alfred Williams was then he's going to be labeled a success.
Crosby Getting Media Love
Kicker Mason Crosby, soon-to-be owner of more school records (most field goals, career scoring leader) is all over the news. Those are the spoils of being the most highly thought of player at his position in the country. It's been reported that he was the 3rd-ranked kicker in the land coming out of high school. The 3rd-ranked? Those other two guys must have really been something, don't you think? They're likely making plans to go to grad school these days.
More Depth Chart
No surpises along the offensive line. The interesting thing I notice is 3 former Colorado prep boys are starters in LT Tyler Polumbus, LG Brian Daniels and RT Jack Tipton.
Patrick Williams was being lauded as the next great thing at WR last year and yet did little. Williams, who has the size and talent to excel is not faced with such flowery praise this season and that might be a plus as he can now just go out and play without the glare of the spotlight.
James Cox doesn't have to be an All-Conference pick. He doesn't even have to be Joel Klatt. He does have to lead, keep his composure and not make mistakes. He has the physical skills to succeed.
A puzzling position for me is tailback, where you'd think Hugh Charles would be a lock to start. He isn't. The opinion here is he will have a very strong season, nonetheless. Mell Holliday gives the offense the power back it needs and Byron Ellis has been a surprise this summer after a disappointing season a year ago. At fullback there is probably the perfect name for the position...Samson Jagoras. Just sounds rough and tumble. But who knows, maybe he's into knitting or ballet like former Chicago Bear Willie Gault. With Holliday and Jagoras playing for CU it either says a lot for them overcoming recruited players or the lack of sufficient talent on the roster. Time, baby, will write that story.
The linebackers as a group, in the opinion here, may evolve into a formidable bunch and history makers at CU. Thaddaeus Washington is an established thumper, Jordan Dizon reminds me of an undersized dude name Dat Nguyen who played at Texas A & M and the Dallas Cowboys, and Brad Jones might be physically more talented than anyone.
Ben Burney and Ryan Walters may not have been must-have recruits but the word out of Boulder is they can both be players. Walters is dinged right now and Burney is stepping up. Hurry back, Ryan or Burney might not let you back on the field.
J.J. Billingsley might need baling wire, tape and a soldering gun to put his body out there but the guy makes plays and the defense needs them from him.
Terrance Wheatley...ditto.
Special note...Hawkins made a comment the other day that may have slipped by some. He inferred his special teams could be electric. Seeing Charles and Stephone Robinson returning kicks makes me smile. Throw in Crosby kickin' the pig and I like that all as a team strength.
The Truth
Send questions, bold comments and predictions to the mailbag at thebuffalotruth@yahoo.com.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Big Hits
Ready to hear Dan Hawkins bellow, "how 'bout them Buffs" any day now. And know what? I like it! The man is energy personified. Enthusiasm, when genuine, sells, and right now, I'm suited up. Yeah, I'm not gettin' on the field, like, ever, but I'm suited up. Not in pads, just a jersey I bought at Footlocker. And my helmet is on backwards. Thanks to Thaddaeus Washington.
Columnists are rarely loved. If they earn a consistent and large-enough readership, they have done their job. If they receive constant feedback, they have done their job. The Boulder Daily Camera's Neil Woelk has a way of spinning hardline comments with just enough diplomacy that he receives a loyal, respected following. The Denver Post's Mark Kiszla, a man of talent, is a bit too biting, to gather the same support, seen almost like Ross Perot was. You have to be good with people to thrive. Just ask Al Gore.
Woelk ran a column Saturday picking CU to win 8 games and go bowling against Wisconsin. In the opinion here, despite the juicing many fans are doing on optimism, is that is a bar the team won't reach this year. For now, many see the defense as the best in school history, even without one preseason All-American on the unit. Many see the offense as ready to bust out, without one truly given commodity.
The most recognized player on the team?
The kicker.
Doesn't that say it all?
That said, Kiszla's edgy style, reputation for negativity, whether deserved or not, had the masses up in arms with his comments stating that 7 wins with the current talent level would be a better job of coaching by Hawkins than former coach Gary Barnett ever accomplished.
Better than north division titles and a conference championship?
Yes, overstated.
The point being made was that the Buffs are devoid of enough star-quality talent, especially at QB. No one knows what starter James Cox or his backup, Brian White, can be, or worse, are currently. Doesn't mean they won't develop into proficient players. Only means the unknown is mighty, well, unknown, and that creates anxiety in people. O.K., maybe only me.
Buff Bottom Line...both columnists are stating their opinions, which is what they are supposed to do. Both are paid to provoke thought. Woelk and Kiszla do their jobs. What readers think of them, and those different views and styles, is immaterial to their professions.
The team's latest scrimmage, we hear, was full of offense. Maybe it was an electric show of what's to come, but of course, didn't such news also lift the spirits of those who were wondering about that unit's ability to move the football. The season will be the proof in the pudding, and in the opinion here, the offense will be more about grind-it-out scores, with a lack of gamebreaking talent, than ESPN highlight plays. Find a way to put up wins, play exciting and sell, sell, sell and Hawkins should be able to get the talent for his system and young, intriguing coaching staff.
Colorado has accepted a transfer, with The Boulder Daily Camera announcing that former Idaho safety Daniel "D.J." Dykes will be doing it the hard way, walking on to the team with hopes of earning a scholarship. Dykes isn't just some wanna be, either, as he racked up 141 tackles and 6 interceptions in two years with the Vandals, showing some ballhawk skills the CU defense needs.
He also brings size to the position as he's listed at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. Dykes was a two-year starter at strong safety and was getting preseason all-conference honors before deciding to leave Idaho.
Buff Bottom Line...transfers are another way to add talent, as Tyson DeVree and Dykes show. Both players were established, productive starters at other schools. The key to getting more transfers is making sure all is done to develop those who do decide CU is an ideal fit for their skills.
TheTruth
Columnists are rarely loved. If they earn a consistent and large-enough readership, they have done their job. If they receive constant feedback, they have done their job. The Boulder Daily Camera's Neil Woelk has a way of spinning hardline comments with just enough diplomacy that he receives a loyal, respected following. The Denver Post's Mark Kiszla, a man of talent, is a bit too biting, to gather the same support, seen almost like Ross Perot was. You have to be good with people to thrive. Just ask Al Gore.
Woelk ran a column Saturday picking CU to win 8 games and go bowling against Wisconsin. In the opinion here, despite the juicing many fans are doing on optimism, is that is a bar the team won't reach this year. For now, many see the defense as the best in school history, even without one preseason All-American on the unit. Many see the offense as ready to bust out, without one truly given commodity.
The most recognized player on the team?
The kicker.
Doesn't that say it all?
That said, Kiszla's edgy style, reputation for negativity, whether deserved or not, had the masses up in arms with his comments stating that 7 wins with the current talent level would be a better job of coaching by Hawkins than former coach Gary Barnett ever accomplished.
Better than north division titles and a conference championship?
Yes, overstated.
The point being made was that the Buffs are devoid of enough star-quality talent, especially at QB. No one knows what starter James Cox or his backup, Brian White, can be, or worse, are currently. Doesn't mean they won't develop into proficient players. Only means the unknown is mighty, well, unknown, and that creates anxiety in people. O.K., maybe only me.
Buff Bottom Line...both columnists are stating their opinions, which is what they are supposed to do. Both are paid to provoke thought. Woelk and Kiszla do their jobs. What readers think of them, and those different views and styles, is immaterial to their professions.
The team's latest scrimmage, we hear, was full of offense. Maybe it was an electric show of what's to come, but of course, didn't such news also lift the spirits of those who were wondering about that unit's ability to move the football. The season will be the proof in the pudding, and in the opinion here, the offense will be more about grind-it-out scores, with a lack of gamebreaking talent, than ESPN highlight plays. Find a way to put up wins, play exciting and sell, sell, sell and Hawkins should be able to get the talent for his system and young, intriguing coaching staff.
Colorado has accepted a transfer, with The Boulder Daily Camera announcing that former Idaho safety Daniel "D.J." Dykes will be doing it the hard way, walking on to the team with hopes of earning a scholarship. Dykes isn't just some wanna be, either, as he racked up 141 tackles and 6 interceptions in two years with the Vandals, showing some ballhawk skills the CU defense needs.
He also brings size to the position as he's listed at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. Dykes was a two-year starter at strong safety and was getting preseason all-conference honors before deciding to leave Idaho.
Buff Bottom Line...transfers are another way to add talent, as Tyson DeVree and Dykes show. Both players were established, productive starters at other schools. The key to getting more transfers is making sure all is done to develop those who do decide CU is an ideal fit for their skills.
TheTruth
Out of the Tunnel
The Dan Hawkins' tenure has begun. The games haven't.
They will.
Soon.
Montana State is a game that may not excite those outside of BuffCity, but to the legions of devoted followers of the program, it is big...as in HIGHLY ANTICIPATED.
Yes, the beginning of any new season gets the blood pumping on a fall day but it's also because hope springs eternal with the arrival of Hawkins, his sparkling resume, high-scoring offense, and masterful salesmanship of himself and the program.
The man gets it.
He combines the charm of the great Bobby Bowden of Florida State, & notorious recruiter and coach of the national champion Texas Longhorns, Mack Brown, the energy and charisma of USC's Pete Carroll, and Buff fans hope, the recruiting and coaching prowess of a program builder and future star amongst the coaching ranks, ala Bob Stoops of Oklahoma or former LSU head man and current Miami Dolphins leader, Nick Saban.
Fans want to believe in the worst way, and will buy into anything, drink any Kool Aid, to do so, but Hawkins also appears to have the goods, as his record in coaching shows significantly more successes than failures.
One other strength Hawkins impresses with is what former coach Bill McCartney described as "humilty." Hawkins doesn't claim to know all or remind you he knows all. In fact, he has reconnected the past with McCartney, the most successful coach in school history, and Eddie Crowder, who's service and commitment to the school makes him synonomous with CU football.
Only time will tell with athletic director Mike Bohn's hire. That's obvious. But the money here is on the new coach, with his energy, passion, people skills, and strategic accumen, becoming a success in a conference loaded with tradition, top resources, and much more talent.
It won't come overnight as many envision and dream of, but it will likely come.
TheTruth
They will.
Soon.
Montana State is a game that may not excite those outside of BuffCity, but to the legions of devoted followers of the program, it is big...as in HIGHLY ANTICIPATED.
Yes, the beginning of any new season gets the blood pumping on a fall day but it's also because hope springs eternal with the arrival of Hawkins, his sparkling resume, high-scoring offense, and masterful salesmanship of himself and the program.
The man gets it.
He combines the charm of the great Bobby Bowden of Florida State, & notorious recruiter and coach of the national champion Texas Longhorns, Mack Brown, the energy and charisma of USC's Pete Carroll, and Buff fans hope, the recruiting and coaching prowess of a program builder and future star amongst the coaching ranks, ala Bob Stoops of Oklahoma or former LSU head man and current Miami Dolphins leader, Nick Saban.
Fans want to believe in the worst way, and will buy into anything, drink any Kool Aid, to do so, but Hawkins also appears to have the goods, as his record in coaching shows significantly more successes than failures.
One other strength Hawkins impresses with is what former coach Bill McCartney described as "humilty." Hawkins doesn't claim to know all or remind you he knows all. In fact, he has reconnected the past with McCartney, the most successful coach in school history, and Eddie Crowder, who's service and commitment to the school makes him synonomous with CU football.
Only time will tell with athletic director Mike Bohn's hire. That's obvious. But the money here is on the new coach, with his energy, passion, people skills, and strategic accumen, becoming a success in a conference loaded with tradition, top resources, and much more talent.
It won't come overnight as many envision and dream of, but it will likely come.
TheTruth
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