Brooks breaks down Buffs recruiting efforts

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins and his staff are exploring and blazing paths in outer territories in it's effort to upgrade the talent base. The lands traveled to may not be familiar to past years, yet this might be the way of the future.

The Buffs have secured verbal commitments for the 2007 recruiting class from players in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Florida and South Carolina, places the program doesn't normally pull talent from, instead choosing to expend its' resources in locales like Colorado, California and Texas.

So what's going on, how is CU getting it done?

The Black and Gold Breakdown chased down B.G. Brooks of the Rocky Mountain News to ask him those questions.

Read on and see what he sees, recruiting comparisons, an athlete he sees as a player on the rise, what the Buffs still need and more.

BGB: Colorado continues to secure verbal commitments from areas outside the norm, B.G. What's happening in Boulder, what change?

Brooks: They've recognized the need to spread out, where as previous staffs looked primarily at California and Texas.

I know (assistant coach Darian) Hagan left for Cleveland (Thursday). They've really bounced all over the map. You've got to give them credit for at least getting the map and compass out and going to work on it.

BGB: What are we seeing from Hawkins and his staff as recruiters?

Brooks: The word that comes to mind is tireless. They have really, really gotten after recruiting.

You mention the star system to (Hawkins) and stand back; he'll really go off on it, say stars, schmars.

Take a guy like (running back) Ian Johnson from Boise State (1,466 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns in 10 games). If he had a star, if he was even recognized, (Hawkins) was not aware of it. He turned into a fairly decent running back. He's a guy a lot of schools would like to have in their backfield.

BGB: Is it more the responsibility of the player or the coaches to develop talent once they set foot on campus?

Brooks: If a coach sees a player might be considered marginal by other schools, it is really incumbent on the coach. If he offers a guy a scholarship, it's imcumbent on him to develop that talent.

Now, a lot is going to go into the coach forming an opinion before the offer is made -- talking to a high school coach, watching tape, the whole bit.

They have to make good on their gambles and maybe that's what we're going to see from Hawkins. Too early to tell.

Michael Sipili, the freshman linebacker, for example. I think he's going to be a terrific player. Not sure what he was rated by the recruiting analysts but I think that guy's really going to be something.

BGB: Are the Buffs going to get those wide receivers that they need in this class?

Brooks: (Hawkins) has got to. They've got to address the receiver position or they'll find themselves in a similar situation as this year. If they can't get the ball deep and they wind up with the same kind of passing game as they've had this year, they're going to have to make some adjustments they don't want to make next year.

(Derek) McCoy and (D.J.) Hackett, remember those guys? They made (Joel) Klatt a terrific quarterback. Not that he was short last year but he didn't have the receivers last year, he had tight ends.

So Hawkins has to to get some big-time, high-profile receivers in here and nobody has to tell him that; he and (receivers coach Eric) Kiesau are very aware of it.

I think B-Jax has done well considering the circumstances -- learning the position, learning the scheme on the fly and he doesn't have terrific receivers to compliment him there.

BGB: Are there any other positions that are evident to you, outside of receiver, that Colorado still needs to add to its' recruiting class?

Brooks: I think they need depth in the defensive line.

I think (George) Hypolite has exceeded expectations. I think (Brandon) Nicolas has done the same. I think CU is very happy with those guys but they need depth at that position.

They're going to need for someone to step in at defensive end as Abe Wright leaves.

However, I think the interior will be key for them.

BGB: I send out thanks to B.G. for sharing such quality insight with us, as always. As a closing note, in one man's opinion, it appears CU wants a presence in all parts of the country, where in the future, if it sees a player they want, the school is not an alien walking in, requesting access. It will always be a longshot to bring talent from certain regions of the country to Boulder, but it can be done. Nebraska has done it, even schools like Kansas State and Iowa State have brought valuable assets to their campuses. No reason the Buffs can't do the same, similar to when Bill McCartney was mining Louisiana for Kordell Stewart, Shannon Clavelle, Vance Joseph and more. Or going South for a running back named Herschel Troutman.

This is an enlightened approach by Hawkins. How it turns out remains to be seen but the man does bring fresh thinking to the program, one desperately in need of it. It is also important to go back to something Brooks said about Hawkins, labeling him as tireless as a recruiter. The coach and his staff are not afraid of work, realizing that success is a byproduct of work, and as Eddie Crowder told us once, as Scott Wilke reiterated, building relationships.

Hawkins is putting the effort in on the front end. If it is consistently good work, the results will be tangible and positive on the back end in a couple more years.

Also of note is Jay Leeuwenburg's comments in the past in this space about repetitions in a new scheme. CU is getting that this year. If the talent base can increase, the reps continue and if the off-the-field shenanigans (did I really use that word?) of the past do not resurface frequently, there is no reason this program can't rebound and rise again.