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Monday, August 18, 2008
And the Reviews are Flowing...
Well after a lull of information coming out of camp the past couple of days (other than injury news), the conclusion of the second scrimmage has us feeling like Christmas has come with great write-ups coming from all the major news sources. Some shocking, some not so shocking but all good stuff.
- In the first big declaration of camp, Darian Hagan has named Demetrius Sumler the starting runningback for the 2008 Colorado Buffaloes. Not all that surprising seeing how the Buffs coaches probably want to ease Scott into his college career and not make the same mistake as one Gary Barnett did with Marcus Houston. What is surprising is that we are starting to read a few quotes about Scott that we weren't hearing previously that cause us to worry a little bit. All of a sudden this groin injury is becoming a lingering problem and frankly too convenient of an excuse. Now Hagan is quoted as saying that Scott isn't running like he wants him to and that Rodney Stewart is now ahead of Scott. Hopefully Scott won't just be a short yardage back this year as Sumler seems to be more fit for that as well.
Interesting news out of Boulder to say the least. Like I said, the Sumler starting news isn't shocking but the other items go completely against what I have heard and seen thus far in practice. It could also be a pressure reliever for the freshman. Let Sumler take the load the first couple of games and then spring Scott on after the train gets rolling. I see Eastern Washington being the game the transition begins and West Virginia getting the best of what Scott has to offer.
-Tons of good info in this article by the Longmont Times. I am in agreement with Cody Hawkins on the guard situation. I think that they have six capable guys who will be good fits. My guess would be Devin Head and Max Tuioti-Mariner get the nod. I think Tuioti-Mariner is a special talent and will probably emerge as the Buffs most consistent freshman this year. Also, it sounds like the special teams performance was electric yesterday.
-Another good write up, this time by the Daily Camera. It has about a paragraph or two from each coach talking about the current status of their positions and what they still need to accomplish after yesterday's scrimmage. The two biggest position battle still going on in my eyes is for the one remaining defensive end spot and the emergence of anyone to play corner. Jalil Brown's two picks and a big tackle on a swing pass to negate a first down have him in the running. With Jimmy Smith having back spasms and missing a lot of time, look for Anthony Wright to emerge as he has been getting a lot of pub lately.
-Here are the summary of stats out of yesterdays scrimmage from the Longmont Times:
Passing:
Cody Hawkins: 17-27, 1 Int., 2 Tds, 225 yards, Tyler Hansen: 3-4, 2 Tds, 54 yards, Matt Ballenger: 12-22, 1 int. 142 yards
Receiving:
Scotty McKnight 5-73, 1 TD; Ryan Deehan 5-71; Cody Crawford 4-47; Kevin Celestine: 3-65, 2 TD; Patrick Williams 3-45; Riar Geer 3-18; Ryan Wallace 2-38, 1 TD; Rodney Stewart 2-9; Steve Melton 1-26; Josh Smith 1-22; Devin Shanahan 1-7; Patrick Devenny 1-1; Maurice Cantrell 1-(minus 1).
Rushing:
Tyler Hansen 6-72; Corey Nabors 4-53, Darrell Scott 6-36, 1 TD; Kevin Moyd 10-31, 1 TD; Demetrius Sumler 9-27; Matt Ballenger 5-26; Rodney Stewart 4-25, 1 TD; Arthur Jaffee 4-25; Cody Hawkins 5-18, 1 TD; Ray Polk 5-13; Josh Smith 1-(minus 6).
Defensive leaders: Shaun Mohler, Michael Sipili, Patrick Mahnke, Marcus Burton made 7 tackles each Jalil Brown made two intercpetions.
-Looking at the stats, freshman Tyler Hansen put up some great numbers yesterday and there is our boy Shaun Mohler rocking the stats with seven tackles. And somewhat of a surprise is that Ryan Deehan had a great day out-stating Riar Geer. From the articles I have read to day, most say it is now going to be hard to keep Deehan off the field. A different tune to what I saw two weekends ago. Here is a good account from cubuffs.com about the second scrimmage and the overall improvement on both sides of the ball.
-In other good news, WR Kendrick Celestine was ruled eligible for this year. With Simas becoming academically ineligible last month, it was important for the Buffs to have Celestine as the fourth option behind Josh Smith, Patrick Williams and Scotty McKnight.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Saturday Links
Sorry for the quiet boards over the past couple of days. It was all for good reason and you will all understand why shortly as big news is coming to the Ralphie Report shortly. For now, here is some news.
-TE Riar Geer is one happy Buff. After spending 36 hours in jail this summer, I am guessing two-a-days in the heat of summer seem like a breeze. Like we said on our old site, Riar Geer far and away looks like the real deal and the other TE's on the roster don't even seem close. I think Geer can sneak in the mix with Gresham, Coffman and Pettigrew as the top TE's in the Big 12. Good thing for the Buffs is that he still has another year.
-Like I said in the opener, it has been like a monsoon in the Denver Metro area. The Buffs have been braving the weather and getting some good experience practicing with a wet ball and sloppy conditions as cubuffs.com reports. You could easily see the game in Jacksonville versus Florida State turning into a muggy, wet weather battle. Having a couple of days of practice in inclement weather should only help the Buffs for the season.
-Good story about potential starting guard Devin Head from the Daily Camera. There is a good reason he looks like he hasn't bathed in what looks like 8 years. The Buffs need Head to step up. I think Bryce Givens, Shawn Daniels and Max Tuioti-Mariner are capable of being excellent college football players but Head has experience and the Buffs have the ability to be very potent with a strong offensive line.
-Not to jump on Kansas but they released their schedule for the 2009 season and well, it looks a lot like the 2007 schedule. All we heard from the Kansas coaches last year and even this year was them calling out the media for questioning their schedule. Kansas is a good team, they beat Virginia Tech and deserved all the accolades but until they start scheduling quality non-conference teams, they are going to continue to get called out. How are they going to rationalize Northern Colorado, UTEP, Duke and Southern Mississippi. Luckily, they are going to have their hands full with @Colorado, Oklahoma, @Texas Tech, Nebraska, Missouri and @Texas in the conference slate.
-Check out this Big 12 Quarterback Ranker on ESPN.com. Vote and then you will see how delusional Texas A&M fans are in voting McGee the 7th best quarterback in the conference. Surprised Nebraska nation doesn't have Ganz #1.
-Tim Griffin of ESPN.com discusses the transition from the power Big 8 to the explosive Big 12.
-The trifecta of pre-season rankings has been completed. The AP has released their Top 25 and Georgia is now the official choice of the "experts" to win the National Championship.
-CollegeFootballNews.com has released their Colorado Buffaloes 2008 Football preview. They have the Buffs pegged at 6 - 6 going 6 -1 at home and not winning one single away game. They have CU beating Texas and losing to Texas A&M and Nebraska.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
What Do You Think About When You Hear the Words, "Intertubes" and "Water"
It's Water World day for the Buffs this afternoon where they will take a needed break from practice and hit up the wave pool at the biggest waterpark in the world. And with any mention of the Colorado Buffaloes, water and some sort of floatation devices, something goes off in peoples' minds that automatically brings back memories of one man - Rick Neuheisel. I have read a lot today from Slick Rick will be at Waterworld to try and steal one of the Buffs' six QB's or he is just a visiting to take an adventure down memory lane. All very clever and all leave me pondering a couple things - Do you think Buffs nation will ever get over Slicker? Probably not. Do you think Rick has another trick up his sleeve for UCLA that will leave him vulnerable and embarrassed like his past two head coaching stints?-LB Brad Jones had a great scrimmage on Saturday with 14 tackles and a sack. With B.J. Beatty being slowed by an ankle injury, look for the physically imposing Jones to be the guy with Beatty right behind him. Last Saturday, Beatty was the starter on the first team but that has obviously changed with the injury and Jones' performance. But as Cabral said in the article, Jones will have to be consistent and will need more than one scrimmage to solidify his spot. Either way, I really like the way our linebacker corp is shaping up, enough so to feel comfortable with the forced red-shirt on Katoa and a red-shirt of Jon Major and/or Doug Rippy. Right now, I see Jeff Smart solidifying the middle with Brad Jones and Marcus Burton on the edges. The second team squad would have Michael Sipili, Shaun Mohler and B.J. Beatty with special team players/subs consisting of Hartigan, Ahles, Goldberg and Gouin. Something tells me the Buffs would love to red-shirt the three big freshmen linebackers.
-Tough news for Buffs WR Jason Espinoza as he broke his collarbone in practice Tuesday. Espinoza was said to be in a position to compete for the return job. Coach Hawkins, I got your solution - Rodney Stewart. The Ralphie Report takes pride in its ability to problem solve. Something tells me when it is all said and done, Hawkins wouldn't need my advice and Stewart would be the man for the job.
-It's a very unsettling feeling in the state of Colorado these days around the kicking front. Over the past 6 years or so, the Denver sports scene has been able to rely on solid to excellent kickers. For the Broncos, we had Jason Elam for what seemed like an eternity. He's gone. His replacement - Matt Prater. Who? Exactly. FYI to the Denver Broncos - Jay Feely was just released by the Dolphins...can we get him please? The Buffs have relied on Mason Crosby and Kevin Eberhart. I remember Hawkins first spring game and Mason Crosby was the only excitement, nailing 60 yarders here and there. The Buffs now have to rely on Aric Goodman, which a couple months ago sounded like a risky proposition, but now it looks like he will be a solid fit in Boulder. Already tagged with the nickname, "Money," he has gained the respect of his teammates and made every big kick in camp that he has attempted. Something tells me playing at Invesco Field will be a whole different level of pressure but I would probably take him over the Broncos option right now.
- Good news, both Woodrow and I plan on attending the scrimmage this Sunday as it will be the last time we get to see the Buffs before they take on CU. Check back here either Sunday night or Monday of next week to get the same sort of review you got this past week.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Big 12 Rated 5th Best Conference in College Football?
Sports Illustrated (si.com) has created an index which ranks the best conferences in the BCS era based on BCS bowl record, nonconference performance (like the RPI formula used for college basketball), percentage of teams in the final Associated Press (AP) poll, record in other bowl games and NFL draft picks per team. Data from the 10 years of the BCS was used for the study, and it was divided into two five-year periods to account for the shift of teams from the Big East to the ACC. Each metric was rated on a point system, for example, six points were awarded for first place, five points for second and so on. The BCS and top 25 categories weighted doubly. Below are the results:
I was shocked that the Big 12 was that low and that the ACC was above them. Looking at the numbers, the Big 12 ranked 5th in terms of teams being ranked in the final AP Poll with 30% of the teams in the conference, on average, being included. The Big 12 ranked 4th in BCS bowl game record coming in at 3 -5 with Texas accounting for two of the wins and OU accounting for four of the five losses. Overall, the Big 12 barely finished over .500 in all bowl games, winning 16 and losing 15 slotting them in 4th place for this category. Non-conference RPI ranked third and Big 12 NFL draft picks ranked 5th, with 11.7 players, on average, being selected. It is a pretty hard method to argue with. I have been thinking about loopholes for a while now and can't come up with any other metrics that could put the Big 12 any higher on this list. Any thoughts?
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The Greatest 39 Yard Run of All-Time
-More scrimmage notes from other sources. Nothing really ground breaking that wasn't already reported yesterday. I was a little surprised that G Max Tuioti-Mariner was already in the starting lineup next to Matt Bahr. I thought Devin Head would have the nod in the first scrimmage but that just shows you that the recruiting sites got it right when they ranked Max a top lineman even though he didn't play his senior year of high school. I am also glad they are stressing the turnover issue as that is something that the Buffs cannot continue from last year. The Boulder Daily Camera also chimes in with another very similar review to all other pubs. They reiterated the point we made Saturday...it's Cody Hawkins and then there is nobody even close to him in talent at the quarterback position.
-Woody Paige is crazy. I had to read this article twice to try and understand what he meant by a few of his sayings? S-Troop? Woody likes Scott and Speedy a lot, thats all I took from the article.
-The 39 yard run heard around the world. Its going to be the play that everyone refers to as the day they knew Scott would be great and every publication is really really hyping it up for that reason. Soon the story will drop the fact that he got caught from behind and people will add in that it was a broken play and he eluded 3 would be tacklers.
-The word that you hear now more than you have in the last three years is "competition". The Colorado Buffaloes have not had the players for a deep competition race but now depth, although it might be full of youth, is breeding competition at key positions like offensive guard, linebacker, running back and at corner, that .
-Relive the biggest win in the Hawkins-era courtesy of FSN who will be showing a 1 hour cut of the OU game last year.
-Amen Ryan Thorburn, Amen. It is Jimmy Smith's time to shine. He brings up a very good point that if the Buffs hope to contend in the pass happy Big 12, the Buffs will need 4 to 5 cornerbacks to really excel. Pat White, Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing, Josh Freeman, Chase Daniel and Joey Ganz will all be knocking on the defense's door.
-Nate Solder will be the left tackle and Ryan Miller will be the right tackle. I thought for sure they would have put Miller on the left side to protect Hawkins' blind side. Plus, Miller is the more experienced of the two and you could possibly hide Solder on the right side away from the more skilled defensive end pass rushers.
-Woody Paige is crazy. I had to read this article twice to try and understand what he meant by a few of his sayings? S-Troop? Woody likes Scott and Speedy a lot, thats all I took from the article.
-The 39 yard run heard around the world. Its going to be the play that everyone refers to as the day they knew Scott would be great and every publication is really really hyping it up for that reason. Soon the story will drop the fact that he got caught from behind and people will add in that it was a broken play and he eluded 3 would be tacklers.
-The word that you hear now more than you have in the last three years is "competition". The Colorado Buffaloes have not had the players for a deep competition race but now depth, although it might be full of youth, is breeding competition at key positions like offensive guard, linebacker, running back and at corner, that .
-Relive the biggest win in the Hawkins-era courtesy of FSN who will be showing a 1 hour cut of the OU game last year.
-Amen Ryan Thorburn, Amen. It is Jimmy Smith's time to shine. He brings up a very good point that if the Buffs hope to contend in the pass happy Big 12, the Buffs will need 4 to 5 cornerbacks to really excel. Pat White, Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing, Josh Freeman, Chase Daniel and Joey Ganz will all be knocking on the defense's door.
-Nate Solder will be the left tackle and Ryan Miller will be the right tackle. I thought for sure they would have put Miller on the left side to protect Hawkins' blind side. Plus, Miller is the more experienced of the two and you could possibly hide Solder on the right side away from the more skilled defensive end pass rushers.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Scrimmage Notes and Links
As we anxiously await all of the reviews of the three hour scrimmage that occurred today, these links should hold you over for the next couple of hours as well as a few preliminary reports out of major publications on today's happenings. It has been busy around here these days with tons of great writeups and information out of training camp becoming available. About 20 days from now, we will have even more to talk about!
-From early reports, it sounds like the scrimmage went pretty well today with both sides of the ball having success according to the Rocky Mountain News and cubuffs.com. Great rushing statistics as well as Hawkins lighting it up (5 TD's (3 throwing, 2 rushing) and 267 yards threw the air). Scotty McKnight was Hawkins favorite target, bringing in two touchdowns. Darrell Scott and Ray Polk both averaged about 6 yards a carry with Stewart showing his speeed and scoring a touchdown. Scott fumbled again which he also did on Saturday when I was in attendance. Hopefully, this doesn't become an issue. I don't like the turnovers and the talk of Darrell being a little out of shape. Luckily, he has a couple weeks to get ready before CSU but this upward climb to deal with altitude and getting his legs might wear on him later in the season as he hits the freshman wall. That being said, we would take six yards a carry any day of the week. Plus, altitude and getting is shape is something he can fix quickly. Size, speed and strength is all there and can't be taught.
The statistics were great for the WR's with all prominent players have big YPC numbers. More on the influx of running backs for the Buffs this year from the Longmont Times. On the defensive side, it sounds like Brad Jones continued his success in camp, making 14 tackles with a couple of TFL and a sack. Maybe the most important statistic this early in the season is that K Aric Goodman was perfect on the day going 3 - 3 with two 50+ yarders mixed in there. Buffstv has a great 10 minute clip of today's scrimmage. Rodney Stewart stands out everytime he is on the field. Look for his great TD catch making a bunch of people miss. More to come as we get further word on the scrimmage but it sounds more like a arena bowl game than a college football game with all the yards!
-Playmakers Welcome! Something tells me that Coach Hawkins has more playmakers than he has ever had at CU this year. Look for Scott, Stewart, Sumler, McKnight and Smith to fill that void on the outsides with Geer handling the middle of field. Jeff Smart and the safeties to solidify the defense.
-More on the new uni's from this post. Its not terribly noticeable like Oregon. If they were gold or white spikes, it might be a different story.
-The CSU Rams named their new quarterback today...a senior named Billy Farris from Louisiana. If the name doesn't ring a bell, no worries, it doesn't with us either. Last year he played in three games completing 9 - 20 for 91 yards. No TD's, no INT's. He is a pretty big kid at 6'3" 230 lbs. The Rams definitely have some players on the offensive side of the ball in Sperry at TE and Kyle Bell at RB but the defense has been suspect the past couple of years. I expect the Buffs to really be able to control the ball in the Showdown.
-In sad and disheartening news, DE Drew Hudgins will miss his third season due to injury, this time due to his knee. He will petition for a sixth year from the NCAA. A tough break for a player that puts the hard work in the offseason and ends up unfortunate with a major injury.
-Here is a thanks to Coach Hawkins for letting us watch practice early in the year. I have all the respect in the world for OU and Coach Stoops (I root for OU in the South over Texas) but the whole conspiracy theory about losing to TCU because of open practices is a little far fetched. I guess West Virginia had cameras at the practice field too.
-Tim Griffin of ESPN put out a strong list of DE's in the Big 12 and has Hypolite in the Top 5. This is a very strong year for DE's in the Big 12 with most of them residing in Oklahoma.
-We have know the recruit DL Nosa Eguae is very high on the Buffs and after his visit this weekend with his brother, he is on the verge of committing. He wants to go and visit a few other schools before a solid commitment but I would say with some certainty that Nosa will be the fourth newcomer to next year's team. I see Nosa playing LB but the coaches might want him to bulk up due to the depth at the LB spot and weak depth at the DL position especially with a few seniors on the team.
-Freshman Rodney Stewart, I would go as far to say that he has been the surprise of the camp thus far, checks in with cubuffs.com. Seems like a good kid and glad he has taken a liking to coach Hagan.
-So Saturday at practice, they passed around a clipboard and got people's email addresses who were in attendance. I got this email today:
Hey Buff Fans!
Thank you for attending our practices! We appreciate your support and loyalty. We would love to see you enjoying our practices the next couple weeks until they are closed to the public. You can check out our website at Cubuffs.com for the schedule and any other questions. Thanks again for supporting YOUR TEAM. GO BUFFS!!!
I think the Buffs are doing everything right. They want to connect with the people of Colorado and to reach out like this is a nice touch to make CU football seem like a tight community. Like I said yesterday, go to practice. It is a great experience to be that close to the team.
-From early reports, it sounds like the scrimmage went pretty well today with both sides of the ball having success according to the Rocky Mountain News and cubuffs.com. Great rushing statistics as well as Hawkins lighting it up (5 TD's (3 throwing, 2 rushing) and 267 yards threw the air). Scotty McKnight was Hawkins favorite target, bringing in two touchdowns. Darrell Scott and Ray Polk both averaged about 6 yards a carry with Stewart showing his speeed and scoring a touchdown. Scott fumbled again which he also did on Saturday when I was in attendance. Hopefully, this doesn't become an issue. I don't like the turnovers and the talk of Darrell being a little out of shape. Luckily, he has a couple weeks to get ready before CSU but this upward climb to deal with altitude and getting his legs might wear on him later in the season as he hits the freshman wall. That being said, we would take six yards a carry any day of the week. Plus, altitude and getting is shape is something he can fix quickly. Size, speed and strength is all there and can't be taught.
The statistics were great for the WR's with all prominent players have big YPC numbers. More on the influx of running backs for the Buffs this year from the Longmont Times. On the defensive side, it sounds like Brad Jones continued his success in camp, making 14 tackles with a couple of TFL and a sack. Maybe the most important statistic this early in the season is that K Aric Goodman was perfect on the day going 3 - 3 with two 50+ yarders mixed in there. Buffstv has a great 10 minute clip of today's scrimmage. Rodney Stewart stands out everytime he is on the field. Look for his great TD catch making a bunch of people miss. More to come as we get further word on the scrimmage but it sounds more like a arena bowl game than a college football game with all the yards!
-Playmakers Welcome! Something tells me that Coach Hawkins has more playmakers than he has ever had at CU this year. Look for Scott, Stewart, Sumler, McKnight and Smith to fill that void on the outsides with Geer handling the middle of field. Jeff Smart and the safeties to solidify the defense.
-More on the new uni's from this post. Its not terribly noticeable like Oregon. If they were gold or white spikes, it might be a different story.
-The CSU Rams named their new quarterback today...a senior named Billy Farris from Louisiana. If the name doesn't ring a bell, no worries, it doesn't with us either. Last year he played in three games completing 9 - 20 for 91 yards. No TD's, no INT's. He is a pretty big kid at 6'3" 230 lbs. The Rams definitely have some players on the offensive side of the ball in Sperry at TE and Kyle Bell at RB but the defense has been suspect the past couple of years. I expect the Buffs to really be able to control the ball in the Showdown.
-In sad and disheartening news, DE Drew Hudgins will miss his third season due to injury, this time due to his knee. He will petition for a sixth year from the NCAA. A tough break for a player that puts the hard work in the offseason and ends up unfortunate with a major injury.
-Here is a thanks to Coach Hawkins for letting us watch practice early in the year. I have all the respect in the world for OU and Coach Stoops (I root for OU in the South over Texas) but the whole conspiracy theory about losing to TCU because of open practices is a little far fetched. I guess West Virginia had cameras at the practice field too.
-Tim Griffin of ESPN put out a strong list of DE's in the Big 12 and has Hypolite in the Top 5. This is a very strong year for DE's in the Big 12 with most of them residing in Oklahoma.
-We have know the recruit DL Nosa Eguae is very high on the Buffs and after his visit this weekend with his brother, he is on the verge of committing. He wants to go and visit a few other schools before a solid commitment but I would say with some certainty that Nosa will be the fourth newcomer to next year's team. I see Nosa playing LB but the coaches might want him to bulk up due to the depth at the LB spot and weak depth at the DL position especially with a few seniors on the team.
-Freshman Rodney Stewart, I would go as far to say that he has been the surprise of the camp thus far, checks in with cubuffs.com. Seems like a good kid and glad he has taken a liking to coach Hagan.
-So Saturday at practice, they passed around a clipboard and got people's email addresses who were in attendance. I got this email today:
Hey Buff Fans!
Thank you for attending our practices! We appreciate your support and loyalty. We would love to see you enjoying our practices the next couple weeks until they are closed to the public. You can check out our website at Cubuffs.com for the schedule and any other questions. Thanks again for supporting YOUR TEAM. GO BUFFS!!!
I think the Buffs are doing everything right. They want to connect with the people of Colorado and to reach out like this is a nice touch to make CU football seem like a tight community. Like I said yesterday, go to practice. It is a great experience to be that close to the team.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
It's Video Day on The Ralphie Report
So I have been patiently waiting until after I got my offensive and defensive reviews of yesterday's practice up before posting few great videos. The history of Colorado Football videos are pretty sweet. Gotta love Cody Hawkins awkward throwing motion in the beginning of the video. Ryan Miller and Devin Head = scary big men. Then there is Mason Crosby...very cool video. Go to you tube and check out the rest of NFL fantasy files. I know it isn't a Buff, but I also posted Andre Johnson's and Mike Nugent's Fantasy File as they are ridiculous.
History of Colorado Football #1
History of Colorado Football #2
Ryan Miller and Devin Head -
Cody Hawkins -
Ryan Walters -
George Hypolite -
Mason Crosby -
Andre Johnson -
Mike Nugent -
History of Colorado Football #1
History of Colorado Football #2
Ryan Miller and Devin Head -
Cody Hawkins -
Ryan Walters -
George Hypolite -
Mason Crosby -
Andre Johnson -
Mike Nugent -
My Day at Practice Round 2 - Defense
After my review of the offense last night, I couldn't wait to get to the defense because they really showed well from coverage to pressure. There was multiple times that Cody or the other QB's had to hold onto the ball for a long time. I was also amazed at how much they brought the linebackers on blitzes. We all know the offense is behind the defense at this point in any camp so I temper my feelings about the offense now showing well and the defense coming out and playing extremely well.
The injury to DL George Hypolite's knee was very concerning as he was down for a couple of minutes. He was able to get back and practice pretty quick but he is a guy that we cannot lose. I was relatively surprised at how hard they were letting the hitting go on. There were some pads popping out there. No big injuries as a result of it but there was a good amount of aggression. LB B.J. Beatty leveled Cody Hawkins on a backside sack. He was quickly yelled at and removed for the series by the coaching staff. I hope after yesterday they get red on the QB's.
I was really impressed with the linebackers. The first 11 -11 drill, the starting front 4 was DE Marcus Herrod, DL George Hypolite, DL Brandon Nicolas and DE Maurice Lucas. The linebackers consisted of B.J. Beatty, Jeff Smart and Brad Jones. Marcus Burton was also right in the thick of things, subbing in frequently. The front four didn't make a lot of noise. The defensive ends didn't beat Miller or Solder from my vantage point. Hypolite got some good push here and there and stuffed a lot of runs up the middle with the help of Nicolas.
The linebackers showed well and is the strength of the defense. Yes, Dizon might be gone but this group was active and made plays left and right. Other than the cheap sac
k, B.J. Beatty looks like a wild man out there and very aggressive. I thought it was going to be Mohler's OLB job but Beatty did everything necessary to hold onto that spot. Jeff Smart is a potential stud at the middle linebacker position. A few people I was with commented on how is a true football player. He made a lot of plays in the middle and on the edge. He had his hand in everything Brad Jones made the least noise of the starters but all three had good size and definitely were the most active group on the field. Mohler replaced Beatty a few times so he was playing with the other two starters. He looked very athletic but you can tell he is still trying to learn the defense. He had a few tackles in the middle for limited gains and definitely stuck his nose in there. Marcus Burton also subbed in and out with Brad Jones. Freshman Jon Major played mostly with the second and third team at linebacker and showed well. Doug Rippy was flexing between DL and LB. He surely does pass the eye test and 15 more pounds on him and he will be an animal. Once again, the freshman look great and fit in extremely well. They don't slow down practice and they look skilled.
The starting cornerbacks were Garder McKay and Cha'pelle Brown. Jimmy Smith also rotated in with the starting group. All I have to say is that it is extremely important that Jimmy Smith steps up and takes the position. When you look on the defensive side of the ball, Jimmy Smith looks like he should control his side of the field. He has great size. I thought the starting cornerbacks did pretty well. With the offense running a lot of base vanilla offense, the corners where not vertically tested and the tight end was used more prevalently. McKay and Brown never awed but never disappointed. It looks like these three are going to be all the Buffs have for the entire season as the depth seems to be non-existent. S Daniel Dykes had a few good hits and took on a very vocal role in today's practice. He returned Scott's fumble for a TD as well. Ryan Walters didn't have to make a lot of plays as the front 7 contained a lot up front.
Hit of the day went to red shirt freshman S Travis Sandersfeld on RB Corey Nabors. Nabors had about of seven yard run before Sandersfeld filled the hole and jarred the ball from Nabors. It received some good cheers from the older defensive players. DL Conrad Obi also got a sack for the second teams. He looked pretty active all day.
That sums up my Saturday at practice. Let me know if you want to know anything else about the practice.
The injury to DL George Hypolite's knee was very concerning as he was down for a couple of minutes. He was able to get back and practice pretty quick but he is a guy that we cannot lose. I was relatively surprised at how hard they were letting the hitting go on. There were some pads popping out there. No big injuries as a result of it but there was a good amount of aggression. LB B.J. Beatty leveled Cody Hawkins on a backside sack. He was quickly yelled at and removed for the series by the coaching staff. I hope after yesterday they get red on the QB's.
I was really impressed with the linebackers. The first 11 -11 drill, the starting front 4 was DE Marcus Herrod, DL George Hypolite, DL Brandon Nicolas and DE Maurice Lucas. The linebackers consisted of B.J. Beatty, Jeff Smart and Brad Jones. Marcus Burton was also right in the thick of things, subbing in frequently. The front four didn't make a lot of noise. The defensive ends didn't beat Miller or Solder from my vantage point. Hypolite got some good push here and there and stuffed a lot of runs up the middle with the help of Nicolas.
The linebackers showed well and is the strength of the defense. Yes, Dizon might be gone but this group was active and made plays left and right. Other than the cheap sac
k, B.J. Beatty looks like a wild man out there and very aggressive. I thought it was going to be Mohler's OLB job but Beatty did everything necessary to hold onto that spot. Jeff Smart is a potential stud at the middle linebacker position. A few people I was with commented on how is a true football player. He made a lot of plays in the middle and on the edge. He had his hand in everything Brad Jones made the least noise of the starters but all three had good size and definitely were the most active group on the field. Mohler replaced Beatty a few times so he was playing with the other two starters. He looked very athletic but you can tell he is still trying to learn the defense. He had a few tackles in the middle for limited gains and definitely stuck his nose in there. Marcus Burton also subbed in and out with Brad Jones. Freshman Jon Major played mostly with the second and third team at linebacker and showed well. Doug Rippy was flexing between DL and LB. He surely does pass the eye test and 15 more pounds on him and he will be an animal. Once again, the freshman look great and fit in extremely well. They don't slow down practice and they look skilled.The starting cornerbacks were Garder McKay and Cha'pelle Brown. Jimmy Smith also rotated in with the starting group. All I have to say is that it is extremely important that Jimmy Smith steps up and takes the position. When you look on the defensive side of the ball, Jimmy Smith looks like he should control his side of the field. He has great size. I thought the starting cornerbacks did pretty well. With the offense running a lot of base vanilla offense, the corners where not vertically tested and the tight end was used more prevalently. McKay and Brown never awed but never disappointed. It looks like these three are going to be all the Buffs have for the entire season as the depth seems to be non-existent. S Daniel Dykes had a few good hits and took on a very vocal role in today's practice. He returned Scott's fumble for a TD as well. Ryan Walters didn't have to make a lot of plays as the front 7 contained a lot up front.
Hit of the day went to red shirt freshman S Travis Sandersfeld on RB Corey Nabors. Nabors had about of seven yard run before Sandersfeld filled the hole and jarred the ball from Nabors. It received some good cheers from the older defensive players. DL Conrad Obi also got a sack for the second teams. He looked pretty active all day.
That sums up my Saturday at practice. Let me know if you want to know anything else about the practice.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
My Day at Practice Round 1 - Offense
Well how much do you want to hear about? I arrived at practice today, my first visit of the year, not knowing what to expect. You hear rumors and thoughts about who is doing what and who is shining but you always temper your thoughts until you see for yourself. I saw for myself and I have a lot to talk about. I took a ton of pictures that I will post (most later since my iphone is cooperating - pictures aren't the best quality but they should do). Today will be the offensive run down, next I will talk about the defense.
I guess I will start from the top. First of all, the setting for a fan to watch practice is amazing. Right outside Folsom Field, you really get pumped up to watch football again. At times, I was four feet away from the players and could easily see my knees getting crushed by players flying into the sideline. That being said, try and get up to see them practice before August 17th comes and goes because for any true football fan, you can't get much closer unless your playing or coaching.
I would have bet money that the first thing I would have looked for was
Darrell Scott but right in front of me was recruit Jarrod Darden (pictured in white t-shirt). A very easy target to spot with the fro and 6'5" frame, Darden looks to be a instant player at WR. The Buffs, other than Patrick Williams, don't have a lot of size at wide receiver. Darden instantly brings a redzone presence to the Buffs next year. Also recruit Nosa Eguae was in attendance. I didn't get a good look at him as he was on the opposite side of the field but compared to the other CU defensive lineman, he looked undersized but no doubt from his game film that he looks like a very active player.
Before I get into the position breakdown, there are a few overall observations. The Buffs look like a Big 12 team. They are very big up front. You will be amazed when you see the tackles. They are also spirited, especially on defense. The overall athleticism seems up as well. I have been to practices the last few years and this was by far the team with the most ability.
Drum Roll......let's start with Running Backs. FYI Darrell Scott (pictured #2 with Sumler #8) looks like a football player. He is thick and he hits the hole. One of my favorite things about his running style from the limited times I saw him today was that he is a
north - south runner. The one time I saw him get into traffic, he hit the defender with full force and did not shy away from contact. He caught the ball extremely well out of the backfield and has great body control and balance. Among the group of running backs he looks the part. He is well portioned with a strong lower body and height. Sumler got what seemed to be the starting nod at the start of every 11 - 11 but Scott quickly followed in the repetitions. The one negative note was Scott fumbled and S Daniel Dykes proceeded to take it to the house for a defensive touchdown after a 10 yard Scott run. It wasn't a jarring hit, just seemed like a opportunistic hit. Sumler is extremely well built as well in the lower body but is a little shorter than Scott. He looked impr
essive hitting the hole and getting up in there. Not as shifty as Scott but looks to have more power. I see Sumler being a more of short yardage player when it is all said and done. Scott's athleticism is too powerful to keep off the field.. He is a physical specimen. Speaking of a physical specimen, the hype about Rodney Stewart has been spot on (pictured #43). He is extremely thick, more so than I expected. He definitely impressed me more than Polk who still seems to be trying to figure things out a little bit. Stewart had runs where no one ever brought him down because he couldn't be touched. They got him on the edge a lot and put him into space effectively. He should be very fun to watch on Saturdays wherever they decide to line him up.
It isn't even close at the quarterback position in terms of competition so I won't even spend that much time on it. I was actually p
leasantly surprised in the freshman Tyler Hansen's arm strength. He looks like a deer in the headlights in 11 - 11 (who wouldn't be) but in passing drills he was pushing Nelson for the second best ball in practice. Ballenger is huge but he doesn't seem mobile. Cameron Wright was struggling getting a spiral on any ball and seemed to really be hurting the flow of the practice in passing drills. Cody Hawkins (pictured to the left) is far and away the starter no ifs ands or buts about it. He has a great presence and is a strong leader. He got on Celestine for drops and praised those who made great plays. You can tell his offseason workouts really helped with his ball strength as well. They almost worked exclusively out of the shotgun in all drills and 11 - 11. A few bad snaps here and there need to get worked out as that could be a quick deterrent to the no huddle speed offense.
I went with a purpose to watch the offensive guards but found myself not being able to take my focus off the
tackles. When they are over 6'7" 300 lbs, its hard to see around them or not be amazed. Ryan Miller (pictured to the left of #88 Devin Shanahan TE) is going to be a first round draft pick in a couple of years. He has the look, size, agility to make it at the next level. He has really filled out his body and controlled the line of scrimmage. The one time the coaches got on him, Miller replied to his question and the coach told him "stop admitting to things Ryan, its not good for you." Nate Solder (pictured #78) is also enormous, more so than Miller. He looked very strong and looks to be making the transition smoothly. There will be growing pains but both men are athletic which cures a lot of inexperience. Daniel Sanders took care of business like a highly touted center does. I thought Blake Behrens and Shawn Daniels did very well at the guard spot. Daniels received the most compliments after a couple of pancake blocks. To my disappointment, Max Tuioti-Mariner sat out practice with his left knee wrapped with ice. I am not sure if it is related to his knee injury in high school. Hopefully details become available and it isn't a serious injury. I would say that the offensive line depth is not there. I think we have 7-8 offensive lineman whom I would feel comfortable with while the others look a little undersized. Sione Tau is not undersized at all but the roster lists him as ineligible. I don't have any details behind that.
Riar Geer really impressed me today. He has the makings to keep the great TE tradition at Colorado going. I know there is a lot of talk about the youthful depth at TE and the excitement that they are drawing but like the quarterback position, the TE position belongs to one man and that is Geer. He was another one of the players that you looked at and couldn't believe his size. He has great hands. I didn't see him drop one ball and he caught everything with his hands, not his body. He is definitely a favorite target of Hawkins. Patrick Devenny was a disappointment today. He drop a lot of balls and really didn't get in the flow at all. There was hope that he would be able to cover for Geer if he was ruled out for the year and he just didn't seem to have it today. The freshmen TE's looked okay, nothing special yet but their is potential there. Big kids but need to fill out like Geer has which will come overtime. Geer is definitely the guy this year.
Last but not least is the wide receivers. With Jarrod Darden standing on the sidelines, I could start to see a solid corp group forming before my eyes. Coach Kiesau had to stop drills once to refocus the squad after multiple drops. None of the key guys were dropping balls, mostly the young guys and second and third teamers. It pains me to say this
but Patrick Williams looked good in practice again. He always gets my hopes up. Hopefully this year his production will skyrocket. He is so amazingly gifted from size and strength to foot speed that if he ever brought it all together (he has got one more chance), he could be a top 5 WR in the Big 12. Probably my favorite player to watch play football is Scotty McKnight. He isn't flashy like Josh Smith and doesn't have the size that Williams has but he is the ideal consistent WR that Hawkins needs. He works the middle extremely well and takes a lot of pride in everything he does. Josh Smith looked great as well. He made a great catch between two defenders about 25 - 30 yards down the sideline showing strength and the ability to get the ball at the highest point. It was probably the best completion of the day. Smith is very gifted. We should expect big things this year from him especially after a great yards per catch season last year. Markques Simas looked really good too. Too bad he is ineligible. He definitely has talent. Celestine looked pretty good as well. A few mental lapses and dropped passes but he was bigger than I remember him being. Chance Blackmon has good height but will definitely be a red shirt to get another year in the weight room. He caught the ball decent. Strength will do wonders for him.
The defensive review will be tomorrow as well as more pictures. The linebackers looked great today so make sure you check back tomorrow to hear about all things defense. Hope you enjoyed.
I guess I will start from the top. First of all, the setting for a fan to watch practice is amazing. Right outside Folsom Field, you really get pumped up to watch football again. At times, I was four feet away from the players and could easily see my knees getting crushed by players flying into the sideline. That being said, try and get up to see them practice before August 17th comes and goes because for any true football fan, you can't get much closer unless your playing or coaching.
I would have bet money that the first thing I would have looked for was
Darrell Scott but right in front of me was recruit Jarrod Darden (pictured in white t-shirt). A very easy target to spot with the fro and 6'5" frame, Darden looks to be a instant player at WR. The Buffs, other than Patrick Williams, don't have a lot of size at wide receiver. Darden instantly brings a redzone presence to the Buffs next year. Also recruit Nosa Eguae was in attendance. I didn't get a good look at him as he was on the opposite side of the field but compared to the other CU defensive lineman, he looked undersized but no doubt from his game film that he looks like a very active player.Before I get into the position breakdown, there are a few overall observations. The Buffs look like a Big 12 team. They are very big up front. You will be amazed when you see the tackles. They are also spirited, especially on defense. The overall athleticism seems up as well. I have been to practices the last few years and this was by far the team with the most ability.
Drum Roll......let's start with Running Backs. FYI Darrell Scott (pictured #2 with Sumler #8) looks like a football player. He is thick and he hits the hole. One of my favorite things about his running style from the limited times I saw him today was that he is a
north - south runner. The one time I saw him get into traffic, he hit the defender with full force and did not shy away from contact. He caught the ball extremely well out of the backfield and has great body control and balance. Among the group of running backs he looks the part. He is well portioned with a strong lower body and height. Sumler got what seemed to be the starting nod at the start of every 11 - 11 but Scott quickly followed in the repetitions. The one negative note was Scott fumbled and S Daniel Dykes proceeded to take it to the house for a defensive touchdown after a 10 yard Scott run. It wasn't a jarring hit, just seemed like a opportunistic hit. Sumler is extremely well built as well in the lower body but is a little shorter than Scott. He looked impr
essive hitting the hole and getting up in there. Not as shifty as Scott but looks to have more power. I see Sumler being a more of short yardage player when it is all said and done. Scott's athleticism is too powerful to keep off the field.. He is a physical specimen. Speaking of a physical specimen, the hype about Rodney Stewart has been spot on (pictured #43). He is extremely thick, more so than I expected. He definitely impressed me more than Polk who still seems to be trying to figure things out a little bit. Stewart had runs where no one ever brought him down because he couldn't be touched. They got him on the edge a lot and put him into space effectively. He should be very fun to watch on Saturdays wherever they decide to line him up.It isn't even close at the quarterback position in terms of competition so I won't even spend that much time on it. I was actually p
leasantly surprised in the freshman Tyler Hansen's arm strength. He looks like a deer in the headlights in 11 - 11 (who wouldn't be) but in passing drills he was pushing Nelson for the second best ball in practice. Ballenger is huge but he doesn't seem mobile. Cameron Wright was struggling getting a spiral on any ball and seemed to really be hurting the flow of the practice in passing drills. Cody Hawkins (pictured to the left) is far and away the starter no ifs ands or buts about it. He has a great presence and is a strong leader. He got on Celestine for drops and praised those who made great plays. You can tell his offseason workouts really helped with his ball strength as well. They almost worked exclusively out of the shotgun in all drills and 11 - 11. A few bad snaps here and there need to get worked out as that could be a quick deterrent to the no huddle speed offense.I went with a purpose to watch the offensive guards but found myself not being able to take my focus off the
tackles. When they are over 6'7" 300 lbs, its hard to see around them or not be amazed. Ryan Miller (pictured to the left of #88 Devin Shanahan TE) is going to be a first round draft pick in a couple of years. He has the look, size, agility to make it at the next level. He has really filled out his body and controlled the line of scrimmage. The one time the coaches got on him, Miller replied to his question and the coach told him "stop admitting to things Ryan, its not good for you." Nate Solder (pictured #78) is also enormous, more so than Miller. He looked very strong and looks to be making the transition smoothly. There will be growing pains but both men are athletic which cures a lot of inexperience. Daniel Sanders took care of business like a highly touted center does. I thought Blake Behrens and Shawn Daniels did very well at the guard spot. Daniels received the most compliments after a couple of pancake blocks. To my disappointment, Max Tuioti-Mariner sat out practice with his left knee wrapped with ice. I am not sure if it is related to his knee injury in high school. Hopefully details become available and it isn't a serious injury. I would say that the offensive line depth is not there. I think we have 7-8 offensive lineman whom I would feel comfortable with while the others look a little undersized. Sione Tau is not undersized at all but the roster lists him as ineligible. I don't have any details behind that.Riar Geer really impressed me today. He has the makings to keep the great TE tradition at Colorado going. I know there is a lot of talk about the youthful depth at TE and the excitement that they are drawing but like the quarterback position, the TE position belongs to one man and that is Geer. He was another one of the players that you looked at and couldn't believe his size. He has great hands. I didn't see him drop one ball and he caught everything with his hands, not his body. He is definitely a favorite target of Hawkins. Patrick Devenny was a disappointment today. He drop a lot of balls and really didn't get in the flow at all. There was hope that he would be able to cover for Geer if he was ruled out for the year and he just didn't seem to have it today. The freshmen TE's looked okay, nothing special yet but their is potential there. Big kids but need to fill out like Geer has which will come overtime. Geer is definitely the guy this year.
Last but not least is the wide receivers. With Jarrod Darden standing on the sidelines, I could start to see a solid corp group forming before my eyes. Coach Kiesau had to stop drills once to refocus the squad after multiple drops. None of the key guys were dropping balls, mostly the young guys and second and third teamers. It pains me to say this
but Patrick Williams looked good in practice again. He always gets my hopes up. Hopefully this year his production will skyrocket. He is so amazingly gifted from size and strength to foot speed that if he ever brought it all together (he has got one more chance), he could be a top 5 WR in the Big 12. Probably my favorite player to watch play football is Scotty McKnight. He isn't flashy like Josh Smith and doesn't have the size that Williams has but he is the ideal consistent WR that Hawkins needs. He works the middle extremely well and takes a lot of pride in everything he does. Josh Smith looked great as well. He made a great catch between two defenders about 25 - 30 yards down the sideline showing strength and the ability to get the ball at the highest point. It was probably the best completion of the day. Smith is very gifted. We should expect big things this year from him especially after a great yards per catch season last year. Markques Simas looked really good too. Too bad he is ineligible. He definitely has talent. Celestine looked pretty good as well. A few mental lapses and dropped passes but he was bigger than I remember him being. Chance Blackmon has good height but will definitely be a red shirt to get another year in the weight room. He caught the ball decent. Strength will do wonders for him.The defensive review will be tomorrow as well as more pictures. The linebackers looked great today so make sure you check back tomorrow to hear about all things defense. Hope you enjoyed.