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Quarterback Attrition at CU

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News Junkie
By Stuart



[h=3]Quarterback Attrition at Colorado[/h]Remember way back when, when the Colorado coaching staff had to divide spring practices into two levels of tryouts for the starting*quarterback position? Back when the first half of spring practices was an open tryout, with no fewer than six quarterbacks vying for the attention of the coaches?
That was so 2013.
As it stands now, Colorado will have only two quarterbacks in camp for spring practices, 2014. What’s even more amazing is that neither of the two quarterbacks – Sefo Liufau nor Jordan Gehrke – were amongst the six quarterbacks looking to impress Mike MacIntyre and his staff last March.
Attrition is part of the game of college football. There will always be players looking to move on to what they perceive to be greener pastures and/or more playing time. There will always be players looking to / asked to move on when new coaching staffs and new coaching schemes come to town.
But six quarterbacks … in one year?
Before we can look at where the Buffs are currently, and where they*might be heading into the*2014 campaign, we have to look back at where the Buffs*were a year ago*…
Spring practices, 2013
Coming off of a disastrous 1-11 season in 2012, the*Buffs were looking at open competition at every position. New head coach Mike MacIntyre declared that all six of*the quarterbacks on the roster would be given a chance to win the starting job, with the competition to be pared down after the coaches evaluated the*players’ practice film*during spring break.
The six candidates:
- Senior Jordan Webb … Webb had started nine games for the Buffs in 2012, and had the most game experience of any candidate. Webb had thrown for 1,434 yards, with eight*touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2012,*completing 54.3% of his passes. Webb had transferred in from Kansas in the spring of*2012, after starting 19 games for the Jayhawks over two seasons.
- Junior Nick Hirschman … Hirschman had played in eight games for Colorado in 2012, starting two. Hirschman hit on 59.1% of his passes the previous year, going for two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
- Junior Connor Wood … Wood played in seven games in 2012, with one start (against Washington), completing half of his passes (21-for-42) for 265 yards, with one touchdown and four interceptions. Wood had transferred to Colorado from Texas, after spending two seasons*sitting*on the bench in Austin.
- Sophomore Stevie Joe Dorman … After a red-shirt season in 2011, Dorman, nephew of Koy and Ty Detmer, had sat out his freshman season of*2012 after suffering an abdominal strain.
- Sophomore John Schrock … The only walk-on amongst the six candidates, Schrock had nonetheless seen action for the Buffs in 2012. Granted, Schrock threw only one pass in his two appearances, but he did complete it, with the pass going for seven yards.
- Red-shirt freshman Shane Dillon … Dillon sat out the 2012 season as a true freshman, but was prepared to compete for playing time in 2013. A three-star recruit as part of the Recruiting Class of 2012, Dillon was rated by Rivals as the No. 13 pro-style quarterback in the nation. Despite the game experience of the Buff upperclassmen, many thought that Shane Dillon would emerge from the logjam as the next starter at quarterback for Colorado.
After spring break, two of the candidates, John Schrock and Stevie Joe Dorman,*were eliminated from the competition for the starting quarterback position. Senior Jordan Webb was still in the mix despite not participating in the first half of spring practices with an*injured*thumb.
Were the CU coaches happy with what they were seeing from the remaining candidates after the first half of spring ball?
Coach MacIntyre was diplomatic … On Connor Wood: “Wood has “made some very good throws and had a couple of good two-minute drives” … On Nick Hirschman: “He’s been physical and made some plays . . . he’s done a good job” … On Shane Dillon: “He’s shown ability to move around and kind of make plays. He’s still very young and raw in some aspects, but getting him some more repetitions and more live action will help him keep maturing”.
And the end of spring practices, Mike MacIntyre named Nick Hirschman and Connor Wood as co-starters. The competition was far from over, however.* During the spring, Colorado flirted with bringing in Nelson Fishback, a junior college quarterback from Butte College in California, before signing Jordan Gehrke, who came to Colorado on May 18th from Scottsdale Community College.
But by the time Gehrke had arrived on campus, though, to make the six man competition an eight man competition (with the addition of Sefo Liufau, who arrived in early June), the attrition from the quarterback position had already begun.
Nick Hirschman was the first to go, leaving right after spring practices concluded. Not happy with a split decision on the quarterback battle, Hirschman decided to transfer. “I decided to move on from CU and continue my graduate education and football career elsewhere,” Hirschman announced
via his Twitter account. “I loved my time here and the relationships I’ve had with my fellow teammates; I wouldn’t trade for*anything,” he later tweeted. “Part of me will always be a Buff and thank you to*Buff Nation for all the support”. Hirschman transferred to Akron, where last fall*he completed 8-of-15 attempts for 162 yards in a backup role for the 5-7 Zips.
John Schrock was next to leave, though his departure was less of a surprise. Schrock, a walk-on who never figured to be in the mix for the starting job, quit football after spring practices to focus on academics.
Shane Dillon left the team*last July, stating that he was leaving to return to his first love,*basketball. “I always kind of felt my decision that I had to play football was forced upon me a little bit,” Dillon told BuffStampede.com. “People told me I had to make a decision by the end of my junior year between football and basketball because quarterbacks all seemed to commit pretty early. Basketball has always been my passion, and even*though I really enjoyed my year here, I felt the time is now for me to make the change.”
Jordan Webb, after being the starter for much of the 2012 season,*was never able to get back on the field*at CU. After suffering a thumb injury which kept him out of the first half of spring practices, Webb suffered a torn ACL later in spring drills, and was never able to make his case to the new coaching staff. Webb had already graduated from Kansas in three years, and decided to call it a career at the end of the 2013 season.
Stevie Joe Dorman also left at the end of the 2013 season. *Fourth on the depth chart – with Jordan Gehrke and Cade Apsay still looking to*join the*competition for playing time in 2014*- Dorman could see the writing on the wall, deciding to transfer to West Texas A&M, a Division II where Dorman would be able to play right away. “I’m leaving because I would really like to play my final two years of eligibility, it’s as simple as that,”*Dorman told BuffStampede.com in December. “Sefo* Liufau is doing a great job here, and I honestly don’t think I could take his spot. But I really enjoyed my three years here at CU. I liked my coaches,* and appreciated what everyone did for me, especially the academic support you receive here”.
Connor Wood then became the last – and perhaps the most surprisingly – of the 2013 spring roster six to defect. With the Buffs down to three quarterbacks for spring practices, including transfer Jordan Gehrke, Wood decided to give up on football, making his announcement this past week. He intends to walk at graduation in May and finish up his requirements for his degree in Business (Finance) by August; he is not looking to then transfer and complete his career elsewhere.
“First of all, I want to thank my family for sticking by me through the thick and thin,” Wood said. “Whether I was the starting quarterback or battling for third string, their unwavering support for me was beyond compare. Secondly, I want to thank (Texas) coach Mack Brown for giving me a scholarship and the opportunity for me to pursue my dream of playing college football.
“And mostly,” he continued, “I would like to give a special thanks to the University of Colorado football team, and coach MacIntyre for allowing me to be a member of its family for the last three years. Coach Mac has this program going in the right direction, and I’m excited to see the Buffaloes fight their way back to the top.”
So, six quarterbacks were on the roster at the start of spring practices, 2013 … and all six are gone less than a year later.
Does this speak ill of the University of Colorado? Of Mike MacIntyre and his coaching staff? Does it hurt the Buffs going forward
No, no, and maybe.
You have to*look at*each*of the six losses at the quarterback position*individually. On the list, only the defections of Nick Hirschman and Connor Wood really count as unexpected losses. The reality for both, however,*is that*both had their chance with the new coaches, both had accumulated sufficient practice and game time film to make their case, and Mac & Co. felt that the Buffs had better chances to win with another player.
But that leads us to …
Spring Practices, 2014
Where does the loss of six quarterbacks in a year*leave the University of Colorado, heading into the 2014 spring practices, and into the 2014 season?
The real problems will come this spring, with only two quarterbacks – Sefo Liufau and Jordan Gehrke – available to take snaps. This will cause organizational issues, but, if the two signal callers can avoid injury, the Buffs*could get through. Still, with only two quarterbacks to participate in drills, there will be lost time as wide receivers wait in line to run patterns, and defensive backs wait in line to defend. (One possible solution would be to draft a current player with quarterback experience – defensive back Josh Moten jumps to mind – to assist in drills this spring).
This fall, three quarterbacks on the roster should be sufficient. True, CU hasn’t gone a season with just one quarterback in almost a decade, and if Sefo Liufau can’t survive an entire campaign,*the Buffs will be throwing a freshman*backup – whether it proves to be Gehrke or Apsay – into the fray. But the Buffs played with a freshman quarterback for most of the 2013 season, and that worked out okay.
Still,*it should come as little surprise that the Buff Nation is out there,*everyday, searching*for quarterback No. 4 to add to the roster.
Almost every announcement*that*a quarterback at a Division 1 school is leaving their team has spawned a thread in the chat rooms, wondering whether that player would become a good fit for Colorado. Alabama’s Luke Del Rio, he of Highlands Ranch origin? Sorry, he’s heading to Oregon State. Florida’s Tyler Murphy? Heading to Boston College. Former Buff commit Brock Berglund? Leaving North Texas for Northern Colorado. Minnesota’s Philip Nelson? Texas Tech’s Michael Brewer (or Baker Mayfield)? Indiana’s Cam Coffman?
Yes, there has been much speculation about a transfer coming to play quarterback at Colorado, but little basis in reality to date. (Okay … Air Force’s former quarterback, Jaleel Awini, might actually sign on with Colorado, but that remains a big “if“).
The thing is, while*having three quarterbacks on the roster is not ideal – especially*with all three being underclassmen – it could prove fruitful in recruiting for the Class of 2015. If Colorado improves its play on the field, a quality recruit from the Recruiting Class of 2015 could look at the CU roster and see an opportunity for quick advancement. Even if Sefo Liufau cements his role as the starter, he would be a junior in 2015, which would be the new recruit’s true freshman year. Sefo would then be a senior when the new star would be a red-shirt freshman. Thus a quarterback recruit who believes in Mike MacIntyre & Co. could look at the current CU depth chart and see a very good opportunity to become a three-year starter come 2017.
That, however, is making a lot of assumptions for a program which can’t seem to generate a roster with a proper*changing of the guard. Due to attrition and changing*coaching staffs, too many of the current Buffs have been forced into*action as true freshmen. The current roster for 2014 shows 22 seniors – a fair number. Of those 22, however, nine of them*never used their red-shirt season. Think of it: How much better would the 2015 Buffs be if they still had the likes of D.D. Goodson, Tyler McCulloch, Juda Parker, Brady Daigh, Woodson Greer, K.T. Tu’umalo, and Greg Henderson coming back for their fifth years?
Yes, attrition is a way of life in college football.
No, the University of Colorado is not immune to attrition.
But, as the loss of six quarterbacks in one year attests, attrition can*significantly*impact a program.
And if either Sefo Liufau or Jordan Gehrke get hurt this spring, the Buff Nation will – unfortunately – see just how much*of an impact attrition can have.





Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie
 
OCBL needs to take the blinders off. 59-7 and keeping the starter in? I'm surprised there are two left.

Newbs - you've made 4 posts all basically about the same thing in varying levels of coherent. Yes Sefo played the whole game, he was a true freshman and getting the snaps for him has value, as we've just learned giving them to Wood was not the right plan, nor was burning a redshirt for a few pointless plays, AKA "the Klatt."
 
Trying to compute how a "Pac 12 die hard" is overly concerned about the backup quarterback at CU. Concerned enough to post 4 times.
 
Trying to compute how a "Pac 12 die hard" is overly concerned about the backup quarterback at CU. Concerned enough to post 4 times.

If you aren't overly concerned with high school coaches and dad's getting all the info in today;s immediate and easy access to five QB;s leaving and two recent de commits, you should be. High school coaches are telling their players "stay away from that place" . Don't kid your self. I believe in MM, the coach and person, and the players leaving aren't helping his cause at all. I strongly feel if Stevie Joe or Connor could have taken just a few series on Sefo blowouts, they would have stayed. Maybe not both, but one would have. Taking "needed snaps" against third teams on blowouts doesn't help the starter much. Any respected OC will tell you that. Putting in either or both would not have made a difference in some games. A plus, perhaps. Being part of the team and having a sense of belonging are two different things. If the opposing team puts in reserves because the game is a blow out, do likewise. If you don't think kids take notice of that, on any team, hoops, football, Little League, D1, think again. Kids practice so they can play.
 
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If you aren't overly concerned with high school coaches and dad's getting all the info in today;s immediate and easy access to five QB;s leaving and two recent de commits, you should be. High school coaches are telling their players "stay away from that place" . Don't kid your self. I believe in MM, the coach and person, and the players leaving aren't helping his cause at all. I strongly feel is Stevie Joe or Connor could have taken just a few series on Sefo blowouts, they would have stayed. Maybe not both, but one would have. Taking "needed snaps" against third teams on blowouts doesn't help the starter much. Any respected OC will tell you that.

Which ones are we talking about here?
 
If you aren't overly concerned with high school coaches and dad's getting all the info in today;s immediate and easy access to five QB;s leaving and two recent de commits, you should be. High school coaches are telling their players "stay away from that place" . Don't kid your self. I believe in MM, the coach and person, and the players leaving aren't helping his cause at all. I strongly feel is Stevie Joe or Connor could have taken just a few series on Sefo blowouts, they would have stayed. Maybe not both, but one would have. Taking "needed snaps" against third teams on blowouts doesn't help the starter much. Any respected OC will tell you that.

If Connor still loved football he could have left as a grad transfer and played immediately so I don't see how 20 snaps against UW makes him stay. Read that because it is important Connor can graduate, transfer and play right away, but he's not going to.

One thing we are starting to see fairly consistently from guys brought in by the preceding staff is a lot of guys just giving up on football all together. We took a number of character, academic, and heart risks under the last staff and we are paying the price for that. at the QB position since that is what you seem concerned with here is what we have seen:

Shane Dillon - signed while possibly having a torn labrum, came in had surgery, wasn't handed the starting job he'd been promised so he quit football.
Stevie Joe - Koy Demeter cousin/nephew something, signed as a favor during the "re-live the glory-days plan." Was in all likelihood not a D1 QB and this fall came into camp in less than ideal shape (lack of passion?).
John Shrock - who I actually really liked - Grand father was the previous coach's agent, coach left, he quit football.
Connor Wood - could graduate and play football elsewhere if he wanted to, instead he quit football.
Nick Hirschman - This one I think you can argue a little, at least he didnt quit football, was #2 coming out of spring ball and would likely have played this year. Decided to transfer to Akron instead where he started no games and only played meaningful minutes in 1

And in case you missed it SJD's comments when he left:
"I'm leaving because I would really like to play my final two years of eligibility, it's as simple as that," Dorman said in a statement released by the school. "Sefo (Liufau) is doing a great job here, and I honestly don't think I could take his spot. But I really enjoyed my three years here at CU, I liked my coaches, and appreciated what everyone did for me, especially the academic support you receive here.

http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-colle...rado-football-stevie-joe-dorman-leaving-buffs

If you really think 20 odd snaps in the UW game would have kept him here I dont know what to tell you.
 
If Connor still loved football he could have left as a grad transfer and played immediately so I don't see how 20 snaps against UW makes him stay. Read that because it is important Connor can graduate, transfer and play right away, but he's not going to.

One thing we are starting to see fairly consistently from guys brought in by the preceding staff is a lot of guys just giving up on football all together. We took a number of character, academic, and heart risks under the last staff and we are paying the price for that. at the QB position since that is what you seem concerned with here is what we have seen:

Shane Dillon - signed while possibly having a torn labrum, came in had surgery, wasn't handed the starting job he'd been promised so he quit football.
Stevie Joe - Koy Demeter cousin/nephew something, signed as a favor during the "re-live the glory-days plan." Was in all likelihood not a D1 QB and this fall came into camp in less than ideal shape (lack of passion?).
John Shrock - who I actually really liked - Grand father was the previous coach's agent, coach left, he quit football.
Connor Wood - could graduate and play football elsewhere if he wanted to, instead he quit football.
Nick Hirschman - This one I think you can argue a little, at least he didnt quit football, was #2 coming out of spring ball and would likely have played this year. Decided to transfer to Akron instead where he started no games and only played meaningful minutes in 1

And in case you missed it SJD's comments when he left:


If you really think 20 odd snaps in the UW game would have kept him here I dont know what to tell you.

Thank you for the detailed, polite, explanation. I truly appreciate it. Not a demented, sick comment as I have seen so far. I am new on this post and people warned me that some probably are on porn sites all day because of their comments. Sick. I just want the Buffs to win. So much frustration. Great place to play football. Academics, scenery, safe, small town college town feel, CU has it all! One has to wonder why so many at one position have left recently and not at other positions. I actually am a fan of RB's and we have very good ones returning with Powell, Jones and Atkins. I hope our OC utilizes them more. I think MM will turn this program around an anm looking forward to at least 5 wins this year, possibly a bowl barring injuries. Go Buffs!
 
Well, my friends were right. Smart alec remarks, wanna be's who never have played college football and criticize and put down former players, nothing better to do, a clique of morons. Trolls are dolls I bought my kids back in the late seventies. Every reply except the classy gentleman has been offensive. I was warned, and my fellow senior age boosters were correct. Something we can laugh over cards.
 
Well, my friends were right. Smart alec remarks, wanna be's who never have played college football and criticize and put down former players, nothing better to do, a clique of morons. Trolls are dolls I bought my kids back in the late seventies. Every reply except the classy gentleman has been offensive. I was warned, and my fellow senior age boosters were correct. Something we can laugh over cards.

Apologies if we offended you, returning fire with insults doesnt really make you any better than us.

It does bear repeating though our ranks include: former players, the parents of players former and current, cabinet members, journalists, all of the major CU Bloggers, and some of the most avid CU fans in the world. If our collective or my reaction to 4 or 5 posts from a new member with an apparent axe to grind on one subject bothers you, then you need to grow a pair.

If you can do that, learn to take the occasional joke; and understand there are people here with real passion for, history with, and time/money invested in the program feel free to stay. If not we'll survive.
 
Apologies if we offended you, returning fire with insults doesnt really make you any better than us.

It does bear repeating though our ranks include: former players, the parents of players former and current, cabinet members, journalists, all of the major CU Bloggers, and some of the most avid CU fans in the world. If our collective or my reaction to 4 or 5 posts from a new member with an apparent axe to grind on one subject bothers you, then you need to grow a pair.

If you can do that, learn to take the occasional joke; and understand there are people here with real passion for, history with, and time/money invested in the program feel free to stay. If not we'll survive.
way too measured of a response iyam.
 
Well, my friends were right. Smart alec remarks, wanna be's who never have played college football and criticize and put down former players, nothing better to do, a clique of morons. Trolls are dolls I bought my kids back in the late seventies. Every reply except the classy gentleman has been offensive. I was warned, and my fellow senior age boosters were correct. Something we can laugh over cards.

this is pretty accurate.
 
Thank you for the detailed, polite, explanation. I truly appreciate it. Not a demented, sick comment as I have seen so far. I am new on this post and people warned me that some probably are on porn sites all day because of their comments. Sick. I just want the Buffs to win. So much frustration. Great place to play football. Academics, scenery, safe, small town college town feel, CU has it all! One has to wonder why so many at one position have left recently and not at other positions. I actually am a fan of RB's and we have very good ones returning with Powell, Jones and Atkins. I hope our OC utilizes them more. I think MM will turn this program around an anm looking forward to at least 5 wins this year, possibly a bowl barring injuries. Go Buffs!

Hard to believe you still don't understand why so many QBs have left. You are aware that Schrock and Dorman were NEVER going to play (they might have gotten that hint after Spring ball when the staff went and signed a Juco over the SUMMER as an emergency backup. They GOT THE MEMO. Wood had his heart broken after being a 5-star and not being competitive at Texas, came here and lost the job twice, the last time to a TRUE freshman (and by all accounts, deservedly so). Wood GOT THE MEMO

Plain as day.... you need to also GET THE MEMO
 
And any HS QB's father who advises his son to stay away without first investigating what is going on is doing his son a huge disservice and probably only feeding his own overblown ego.

To me what has happened would be a positive. Any QB coming in to CU in the next couple of years is going to be walking into an opportunity. He will have a chance to compete right away, if not to start then to be a primary back-up. He is not going to be lost behind a logjam of upperclassmen who will never start anyways, he won't be stuck behind some guy who gets practice and playing time simply because of some recruiting promise. He will get coaching attention and a fair shot to compete. Not much more that a young QB could or should ask for.

This shows that M2 is serious about running a program the right way and those who are willing to be a part of it get a fair chance, those who don't are treated with respect but get nothing given to them. The way it should be.
 
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