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From CU at the Game

2010 Colorado Preview - Defense/Special Teams


Kick/Punt Returners

Personnel: Senior Jalil Brown; junior Brian Lockridge; junior Arthur Jaffee

New in 2010: Senior Travon Patterson; junior Toney Clemons

Losses from 2009: Darrell Scott, despite playing in only five games in 2009, still led the team in kickoff returns with a 26.9 yards/return average. His 21 returns were second only to the 30 kicks returned by Brian Lockridge. On the punt return team, Jason Espinoza (22 returns), Scotty McKnight (seven), and Rodney Stewart (one) all return, but none are listed on the depth chart this fall.

Strengths: Speed is the operative word this fall with respect to Colorado's kick return teams. Former USC wide receiver Travon Patterson had, as one of his main attributes when he was being courted by Colorado this summer, his ability to step right in as a punt and kick returner for Colorado. Toney Clemons, who has a size advantage (at 6'2", 210 pounds), will serve as a nice compliment to Patterson on punt returns. On kickoff returns, the Buffs ranked 21st nationally (thanks in part to Darrell Scott's numbers), with Brian Lockridge returning to show that his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Oklahoma State last fall was no fluke. Colorado was also, it is worth noting, was 27th in the nation in kickoff return defense, an admirable position considering some of the other kicking numbers posted in 2009.

Weaknesses: The Colorado punt return team in 2009 was ... (insert appropriate vile term here) ... let's go with "awful". The Buffs ranked 117th out of 120 teams in punt returns in 2009, posting a microscopic 3.3 yards per return average. It got to the point late in the season that it appeared Colorado had given up on attempting a punt return. It seemed as if the hope was that, if Scotty McKnight was able to field the ball cleanly, and not lose yardage on the return, it was considered to be a positive result. While the infusionn of speed, by way of the additions of Patterson and Clemons, will certainly help, there also needs to be a change in attitude amongst all of the members of the punt return team. Jason Espinoza, who had 22 of Colorado's 30 punt returns in 2009, is not without speed or agility, so there is also the reality that the punt return team personnel was not creating opportunities for big returns. That simply must improve.

Colorado can go 8-4 if ... Travon Patterson and/or Toney Clemons and/or Brian Lockridge is in the top half of the conference in punt and kickoff returns. The Buffs were 5th in the conference in kickoff returns in 2009, so the main focus will be on punt returns. A change in field position is mandatory for an offense which struggled last year (104th in total offense; 92nd in scoring offense), so a short field on occasion would be very welcome.

Colorado will go 4-8 if ... the punt return team continues to struggle. Another season with a 3.3 yards/return average would be devastating for a Colorado team looking to improve its field postion, score more points, and, ultimately, win more games.

Simply put - and this can equally be applied to the every unit on the Colorado defense and special teams - there cannot be a weak link on this team if a winning record is to be realized. Having a great secondary makes no difference if the opposing quarterback is not pressured. Decent linebacker talent won't win games if the tackles are all being made five yards past the line of scrimmage. Long drives by the offense won't win games if the field goal kicker cannot turn the drives into points. Hard work by the defense will be wasted if the opposition is playing on a short field all game long.

A 3-9 team cannot turn into an 8-4 team unless many breaks go their way. Through fall camp, one break has gone Colorado's way - few long term injuries (only sophomore wide receiver Dustin Ebner and sophomore safety Vince Ewing have suffered injuries which will keep them out for an extended period of time).

A few more breaks wouldn't hurt.

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