Sunday Night Buff Notes, post-game quotes

The game is over.

The loss still stings but it's time to bury it and look ahead.

After all, what else can you do?

Colorado State is the only game the Buffs can use to right the ship for now. Learn from all that went wrong in week 1, correct what you can and execute more consistently against the Rams and Montana State will seem miles ago in the rear-view mirror.

As Thaddaeus Washington said, "flush it."

Did you happen to read Neill Woelk's column in the Daily Camera? He said the better team won on Saturday. Notice he didn't say that the team with better talent won, but the better team, the one that put it all together. Hopefully the Buffs learned something from that lesson.

Bobcats' coach Mike Kramer pulled off the ruse even though we all knew he was sandbagging, inferring his team was going to get bounced and big in Boulder, yet Montana State held Colorado to just over 200 yards of total offense and 10 points.

Woelk went on to add that "like those before him, Hawk (coach Dan Hawkins) inherited a sinking ship." Contrary to what many believe, Woelk is accurate in that assessment. The talent drain over the years, TheBuffaloTruth says, is significant. The hits the program has taken, on and off the field, have left their mark, and it will take time to rebuild.

Hawkins has a track record of success and understands people. Who knows what the final line will be in the book of what will be his CU career, but personally I wouldn't bet against him. There is a vibe that he is going to do something powerful in Boulder. Maybe not Mack Brown, Pete Carroll big but something to make the fanatics smile.

MoreTruth...let's break down the post-game quotes, courtesy of Dave Plati's university media relation's machine at cubuffs.com.

Hawkins commented "it's only devastating if you let it be that way. We understand that most people here will jump on our loss, but we all find out about ourselves when we're losing, and in some respect it might be a blessing."

Breakdown...Hawkins is not only speaking about football, he's talking about life. We all feel the hammer fall on us but in the end all we can do is accept that reality, and do as Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski describes as "learn how to attack a loss." You look at what you did wrong, own it and do what you do to get better and make sure it doesn't happen again. Hawkins thinks deeper than most of us, and he knows that there is, as Napolean Hill once wrote "a seed of equal or greater benefit" in all adversity. CU can choose not to lie down and die and regardless of the talent level on this team, I don't think they will. Hawkins didn't get a ready-made product when he signed on.

Hawkins on quarterback James Cox: "Clearly you'd love your quarterback to be more productive, at some point he's got to a little bit of a learning curve, too."

Breakdown...Yes, we'd all like Cox to have had a Kordell Stewart-like debut as a starter but it didn't happen, not even against Montana State Intramural. Cox has nothing in the memory bank to be confident. Hawkins knows he has to be patient with his QB since he picked him as the most able to lead his team. To pull the plug already puts doubt into the ranks. Continue to develop your starter, and get him making plays. In the end, however, CU has to run the ball effectively or else the Buffs will not score points. That starts up front with what should be a more-than-capable offensive line.

Hawkins on Bernard Jackson: "We had some stuff schemed up for him too."

Breakdown...Really? Is that why he hardly played? This is a two-sided issue. First, if B-Jack is not playing in games it's because he isn't creating magic in practice, the coaches don't trust his decision-making. Next, we all know Jackson can create offense with his legs and if your offense is stuck in mud, why not utilize your resources and let Jackson try to do something with his legs and feet. Seems like a wasted opportunity. I do believe Jackson will be developed and at some point in the season will find a role.

Hawkins on losing the game: "No, I'm not really (surprised)."

Breakdown...Did I hear that right? Not surprised? What does this comment say boys and girls? What it says to TheBuffaloTruth is Hawkins saw this loss coming, to a Division 1-AA team. Saw it coming. He knew the team wasn't executing, that the team scrimmages were telling, that it was possible to lose, regardless of the chasm of prestige between the two schools.

Mike Kramer on the Buffs: "Because of their devastating losses last year, they would start doubting themselves, and that's exactly what happened."

Breakdown...CU would start doubting itself, Kramer said. He touched on that fact twice in his post-game comments. As a follower of the program, you believe each season is a new one, and players learn to rid themselves of bad memories but a coach says that isn't true. Personally, TheBuffaloTruth thinks this is Montana Mad Cow Malarky. Colorado wasn't thinking about Iowa State, Nebraska, Texas or Clemson. It simply didn't have the athletes of legend like it used to possess and it didn't play well.

Jordan Dizon, one of TheBuffaloTruth's favorite quotemakers: "You have to remember it is a new system for our whole team. It is the first time using our new offense and our new defense." He went on to add that "on both sides of the ball there were just a lot of little things that killed us."

Breakdown...Dizon, future analayst or coach. Book it. He is stating the obvious, yet that which is being overlooked. Hawkins is building something and it takes time to see the final product. Look at what CU lost in experience and talent, look what the program has been through. Not executing was costly in series, quarters and scoreboard.

More Dizon: "Sometimes your biggetst fall is your biggest learning experience."

Breakdown...Building on what Hawkins said, Dizon is the money man with his honesty and perspective. This loss is embarrassing and it will be a difficult lesson but the Buffs will have bright moments this season. Colorado State is the next test. CU is back in the classroom.

TheBuffaloTruth