Ever been fooled?Like it?
Seems the Colorado coaching staff wants us to think that Nick Nelson still has a shot at starting at quarterback. With each passing week it becomes more clear that only injury is going to stop Cody Hawkins from being the man under center when the season starts.
Nelson was recruited to be the opening act for Hawkins but Hawkins has shown he is the more dynamic player now. He is also having more big moments. Of course, if Hawkins shows he is not durable or becomes mistake prone once the games start, he will get a timeout and watch Nelson "manage" a game.
But that is not the plan CU coaches want. They know to jump-start the offense, to accelerate the growth of this program, Cody Hawkins has to be out with the starters and making plays in 2007.
Coach Dan Hawkins, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich and receivers coach Eric Kiesau know for them to get the most out of their efforts and their players, they need Cody Hawkins' skills, mind, and makeup on the field. He will make everyone look better -- the backs, receivers and the coaches. And the scoreboard will be prettier.
That said, don't expect many 30-point explosions this season.
But don't expect many 12-14 point games either.
Charles scores
So I hear Hugh Charles ripped off a long scoring run at practice. And had a long kickoff return. The coaches continue to push him to be more physical, run harder, be more well rounded and hopefully that all gets through to him because the fact is CU needed him on the field more last season and will need him between the lines this season because he is a game-breaker, something in short supply on the roster. The Buffs have to get playmakers on the field doin' their thing and Charles, if he's up to it, could have a significant season. He's never lacked talent or explosiveness.
Collins and BGT look at the coaching search
The BGT had to know more about the search for gold for the basketball program so it had a meeting of the minds with Mark Collins of the Buffalo Sports News to break it all down.
BGT: For the longest time, it was speculated that either Mike Dunlap or Jeff Bzdelik would replace Ricardo Patton as coach at Colorado -- that those two seemed like the usual suspects, the logical choices. Then Dunlap pulls out, leaving most to believe that the Bzdelik hiring is now rock solid. How accurate an assumption is that to make?
Collins: I think its' accurate to say that Bzdelik is still their no. 1 target but I don't know that its' accurate that it is rock solid at this point. I think Bzdelik has to finish his season at Air Force and still has to decide if he wants to come to Colorado.
BGT: Is it Bzdelik or bust for CU?
Collins: I think they have some plan B's and plan C's. I would hope they do, assume they do, and think they do.
BGT: Bzdelik can coach, there can't be many doubters on that, Mark, but is he markedly better in other areas where Patton was said to be deficient, like being a player in the community, with boosters, being out there selling the program?
Collins: I don't have a sense on that but I think that's something (CU athletic director) Mike Bohn really wants in the hire.
He does seem like a loyal employee and willing to be a team player.
BGT: If Bzdelik is Bohn's choice to run this program will the fans believe what they've been told, which is the search for Patton's replacement really was a wide sweep through the coaching ranks?
Collins: Down the road, if Bzdelik can bring a winner then no one will even remember. If he struggles, then that will be something that fans and media types could always mention -- how much did (CU) really look, was the focus too narrow?
My own personal bias is I wish they would get somebody who would come in here and employ an up-tempo running style of basketball. That style is entertaining whether you're making the NCAA Tournament every year or not. It's fun to watch and you can draw fans.
If (Bzdelik) comes here he might do more what he's done at Air Force and I don't think you can do that in one year, one offseason and get it up to speed.
BGT: What about hiring assistants? I had a conversation with a media member who told me it was imperative that Bohn ask a prospective hire who he plans to have on his staff. Can Bohn do such a thing with Bzdelik?
Collins: The other question mark on him is recruiting. That's where hiring really good assistants comes into play. Definitely, Bohn needs to bring that up (hiring assistants) and feel that out with him.
But I don't know that Bohn has the bargaining power at this point to say we want you to come here as long as you hire x-y-z as your assistants. I don't know if he quite has that juice at this time.
Quickies
For a 2-10 team, Colorado got some attention from Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com when he did his story on the top 10 quarterback battles for his blog. He believes Bernard Jackson is slated for "Slash" duty, something the BGT thinks is likely overstated since Jackson will not prove capable enough at wide receiver with such a short time to learn routes. Yeah, he might take some snaps in line up in the backfield, like, oh...rarely. Think B-Jack is going to collect a lot of dust this season unless he can catch punts and/or kicks, which, now that I think of it, might be a fantastic fit for him.
Iowa is having nothing to do with firekirkferentz.com so it bought all the rights to the site to avoid chumps from starting a forest fire should the Hawkeyes' football program go in the toilet. Too bad, CU was slow to act as I own firedanhawkinsbecausehewontletmecallplays.com.
Local Side Roads
Trading Al Wilson? For a possible mid-round choice, as reported by Bill Williamson of the Denver Post? Did Dan O'Dowd take over running the Denver Broncos too? Salary cap problems or no, how blatantly obvious of a salary dump is that and how foolish. There is never an excuse to give away talent of Wilson's caliber for money reasons. If you get a proven player in return or the draft pick or picks to compensate for his loss and yes, leadership, fine.
Such a move would be highly offensive to most Denver fans.
Ah, them Nuggets. They really have turned the corner haven't they? Give up 109 points and without Marcus Camby in the lineup, gave up a tip-in at the buzzer. The Denver backcourt played no defense, Luol Deng worked Carmelo Anthony on the boards and in the end, the Nuggets were left exposed for what they truly are -- vanilla. Nothing special despite all their high-priced ingredients.
Colorado State's hiring of Tim Miles to replace Dale Layer really can't be assailed too much as Miles is a winner and Rams' athletic director Paul Kowalcyzk once hired Southern Illinois' Chris Lowery but it is also fair to ask if this is best CSU could do? Miles will not sell tickets and I'd have to believe there were other hungry coaches who could have generated more enthusiasm and maybe have been better choices. But, then again, maybe this says more about CSU's relative unattractiveness than it does Kowalcyzk's decision.
By the way, Miles will have no say or sway on whether star forward Jason Smith returns to the team next season. If Smith projects to go in the first round, he's gone, especially if he's top-15, top-20. If he's seen as a second-rounder, he'll likely be back. Miles just has to wait for Smith's call.
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