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Observations from the game

Nor Cal Buff

Well-Known Member
1. A lot more playing time for the talented WRs. Still not a lot of Simmons but I don't remember seeing Espy or Ebner on offense all night. Probably a combination of the other guys learning the offense better and Cody not being in.

2. Strange vibe around and in the stadium before the game and in the early stages of the game. One parent was sitting in the student section and commented on how mellow it was compared to normal. All of this changed pretty quickly and the stadium was rocking in the 4th quarter. Hopefully we can win the KSU game and keep that going for Mizzou.

3. Definite unhappiness with both Hawkins in the crowd, especially early on. Would have been brutal had we not played as well as we did. Some a-hole was yelling insults at Cody about holding the clip board well. Fortunately (for both parties) he was too far up for anyone on the sideline to hear him.

4. The D-line is improving greatly. Give it two years and it has a shot at being one of the best in the country. The amount of youth on the line is crazy, especially for positions that usually take awhile to mature.

5. Hansen made a few mistakes as you'd expect, but I thought he played very, very well. He really energizes the crowd and the team. It was good to see Cody celebrating with him, which has to be very hard. He will continue to make mistakes but he is exactly what we need back there and he definitely has the tools to be an excellent QB. Some of his escapes were outstanding and he is looking to throw a bit more than last year but without looking hesitant when he does decide to run.

6. Would really like to see Lockridge on the field more either in the slot or at RB. He looks very, very fast. On the same note, our team speed appears vastly improved from early in the year.

7. Big 12 North is wide open. Not only are there no great teams in the North, I'm not convinced there is even a good team in the bunch. We have a long way to go, but if we keep improving, our shot at the North is as good as anyone's.

8. There is definitely renewed reason to be optimistic, but one win over Kansas should not let Hawkins off the hot seat. However, he should definitely finish out the season at the least now.
 
8. There is definitely renewed reason to be optimistic, but one win over Kansas should not let Hawkins off the hot seat. However, he should definitely finish out the season at the least now.

Uhh .. yeah ... I think that was actually a given considering the CU AD's financial situation right now.

But thank you for the comprehensive and perceptive analysis of the game for those of us who didn't have the good fortune to be there in person ... seriously .. well done. :thumbsup:
 
Very nice write-up, Nor Cal. Rep. :thumbsup:

I would add:

9. Special Teams. First the Positives. Vast improvement on our coverage teams. Goodman was "Money" tonight on placekicks and kickoffs. Darrell and B-Lock both continue to give us good field position. KU didn't get close to blocking a kick or punt tonight. Now the Negatives. Whatever DiLallo changed to guard against blocks, he can't punt the ball more than 30 yards. (Not sure if Riddle's to blame for this.) If that's what we can expect from him, he's a liability and we need to either put Scott back there or burn Grossnickle's redshirt. The other negative was the unforgivable punt fake that KU converted. Sitting in the stands, I said I was surprised we even sent our return team out there instead of our defense. Then, when we weren't even ready for the fake I almost burst a blood vessel. Riddle and Hawkins should be ashamed that they allowed that to happen in that situation.
 
Dilallo punting to the KU 40 at the end of the 1st half was bad. Reesing showed how good he can be. And Dilallo still takes too long to get the ball off his foot.
 
Some a-hole was yelling insults at Cody about holding the clip board well. Fortunately (for both parties) he was too far up for anyone on the sideline to hear him.

Some a-hole needs their ass kicked. HARD.... :huh:

Thanks for the write up NorCal. Good stuff.... :thumbsup:
 
First - My negatives

1) Some questionable playing calling. Why wasn't the ST unit thinking fake? I was sitting there thinking fake... everyone was thinking fake.

2) A few frustrating fakes. The late bomb by Reesing that was caught drove me nuts. We had 4 guys around the ball, but none of them made the easy play

3) Why can't DScott get any carries? The guy was electric on kickoffs, and he was fired up. Stewart ran well, but Scott should have gotten some more carries tonight.

4) Hansen is still rough around the edges. He wasn't able to pull the trigger when he needed to (screen pass for a fumble), and a few times he had some open corner routes that he double pumped on


Positives
1) Really nice crowd at the game. Took a few plays for everyone to get going, but the place was nicely filled

2) Hansen looked much better to me compared to last season. This year he would make as many progressions as he could, then break containment and scramble. We do not win this game with Cody Hawkins in at QB.

3) Nice to see ball spread around to some other WRs (aka Simas)

4) Dline was spectacular. Good pressure on Reesing, and NEGATIVE rushing yards on the game. Great job!
 
I would add my own observations from early in the 1st half ... which I believe are still valid:

Three observatons.


1. Our D has played lights out the last two games (at least so far in this one). Where the hell was it the three out of four games (and Wyoming's O was hardly a test).

2. Rodney Stewart runs both faster and tougher than Darrell Scott.

3. Tyler Hansen's running ability is why he is and should be starting ... as exhibited by that scramble for about 25 yds. And he doesn't throw bad either.


My enthusiasm for the season is re-igniting.:smile2:


http://www.allbuffs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40141&page=2
 
First - My negatives

1) Some questionable playing calling. Why wasn't the ST unit thinking fake? I was sitting there thinking fake... everyone was thinking fake.

I was yelling to MYSELF (yes ... I am THAT pathetic :sad1:)... WATCH FOR THE FAKE!!!.

How the hell does the coaching staff NOT anticipate that?!?
 
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First - My negatives

1) Some questionable playing calling. Why wasn't the ST unit thinking fake? I was sitting there thinking fake... everyone was thinking fake.

2) A few frustrating fakes. The late bomb by Reesing that was caught drove me nuts. We had 4 guys around the ball, but none of them made the easy play

3) Why can't DScott get any carries? The guy was electric on kickoffs, and he was fired up. Stewart ran well, but Scott should have gotten some more carries tonight.

4) Hansen is still rough around the edges. He wasn't able to pull the trigger when he needed to (screen pass for a fumble), and a few times he had some open corner routes that he double pumped on


Positives
1) Really nice crowd at the game. Took a few plays for everyone to get going, but the place was nicely filled

2) Hansen looked much better to me compared to last season. This year he would make as many progressions as he could, then break containment and scramble. We do not win this game with Cody Hawkins in at QB.

3) Nice to see ball spread around to some other WRs (aka Simas)

4) Dline was spectacular. Good pressure on Reesing, and NEGATIVE rushing yards on the game. Great job!

Good notes. Thanks.

But you left out the most important thing. How did Mrs. Dio like the game?? :cool:
 
I spent most of the 1st half explaining some basic rules... but she really enjoyed the tailgate and the game.

I messed up a little bit because she only has this a blue Buffs sweatshirt... exactly the same as KU blue :lol: I should have planned better. Anyway, I gave her my sweatshirt, so I was a little cold. But she comfy :smile2:
 
Dilallo punting to the KU 40 at the end of the 1st half was bad. Reesing showed how good he can be. And Dilallo still takes too long to get the ball off his foot.

Z- have to admit though, he had one HELL of a punt with 1:00 left in the 4th...

Still suspect about the Oline. At least Tyler's improvisation opens more things up and will make them look better - however, they still need massive work at the run blocks. A lot of Speedy's yards came due to HIS improvisation.

Going Deep....(and I've still had a lot of beer tonight!:thumbsup:)
 
3) Why can't DScott get any carries? The guy was electric on kickoffs, and he was fired up. Stewart ran well, but Scott should have gotten some more carries tonight.

Really? Really? I guess he deserves more carries because he was really good in high school!

I currently put Lock and Sumler ahead of DS at RB. I think he's trying, but he just doesn't hit the hole and he has yet to make anyone miss once. Seriously.
 
Really? Really? I guess he deserves more carries because he was really good in high school!

I currently put Lock and Sumler ahead of DS at RB. I think he's trying, but he just doesn't hit the hole and he has yet to make anyone miss once. Seriously.

Agreed. Scott has no vision right now.. Even on one of his kickoffs if he makes one cut on the long return he could have gotten another 15 yards..


Stewart is by far our best RB.
 
I'd like to see Scott as our 3rd down back right now. He was impressive on the screen pass he caught tonight and I believe he would have caught the passes that Sumler and Speedy dropped.
 
Agreed. Scott has no vision right now.. Even on one of his kickoffs if he makes one cut on the long return he could have gotten another 15 yards..


Stewart is by far our best RB.

I am kind of getting to that assumption now myself. I keep thinking 'Man, if the OL would make a few good seams, DS could really break this open so we could see what he can do!!'

Then realised-- what could Speedy do if the OL gave him some bigger seams to run through?? Be like shooting a clay out at a skeet shoot!!:smile2:


PULL!!!
 
I dunno. I saw some good blocking tonight, and some good schemes/reactions by a well coached defense. There was some good stuff goin' on out there, tonight.

On Stewart's last td, the line gave him a great hole, but real kicker was the downfield block by Kevin Moyd. There's at team-oriented, unselfish player. Great job young man.
 
1. Hansen. God he loooked awesome. He did scare me a couple of times, but made plays while doing so more often than not. His INT was unfortunate because it looked like the guy he was trying to throw to had a step, but Hansen didn't set his feet and throw it so it was underthrown. The fumble was a case of not knowing when to give up. A lot of times I thought he might get overwhelmed after having his passes dropped or him making a mistake, he didn't. The future is bright.

2. Tempto in the first half. I really wish we could play this way the entire game. That being said some of those throws and catches Briscoe was making were absurd. Hard to fault the players on some of those.

3. Coaching. I was pretty pleased with the coaching overall. There were a few things I wish they wouldn't do; Jeff Smart covering Briscoe?? Running the ball on first down 90% of the time in the first half and a few other insignificant things that don't really matter any more. I loved the TE sneak play from Kiseau, awesome play design and call. I don't really know what the coaches could do about the penalties, a lot of them are just inexperience I think. A lot of those were on freshman or sophomores.

4. Overall team effort. Not really sure what to call it, they just played awesome today. When Kansas made a rally with some incredible plays they didn't get down on themselves and just implode.

5. Winning without being handed the game. The turnovers and stupid mistakes and dropped passes would have ended this team for the last few months, but didn't tonight. Great to see.

6. The defense. I know they gave up a lot of yards and didn't play too great in the second half, but I thought they still played pretty good. Especially when it mattered, that final drive, the drive where Kansas got the ball after either the Hansen fumble or the Speedy fumble, I forget which. Only giving up a FG when Reesing gets the ball at the 40 is a win.

7. Can't wait until Reesing, Briscoe and Meier are gone. Those 3 are probably the best pass catch combo in the league. I don't see Kansas winning many games once those 3 have graduated.

8. We are just so young. I've been hating on Hawk for allowing us to be this young, but today I don't care why. We are and it only means we're going to get better and better. It seems like the only unit that is filled with seniors that won't be back next year in LB, we even have some promising young ones to fill in next year.

9. We seem to have been playing pretty good the last few weeks. That being said if we come out and get ran over by KSU, it's all for nothing. Can't let up now. We're still 2-4 when we should be 4-2. We have to win out for a chance at a bowl game and the North championship. NU KU and Mizz were our only competition for this and suddenly we are looking like the best team of that group.

10. Since I've been so defensive towards DS I'll critique him a bit. While running over the kicker twice was awesome and hilarious. If he just cuts back on the kicker he probably could have had two pretty awesome returns.

11. Also, come on Sumler, Simas and Stewart you have got to make those catches!
 
Oh yeah, forgot to mention one of the bad things. The fake punt! Come on Riddle! :pissed: I was shocked they weren't going for it, when I saw the punt team I figured after the Texas game we'd be all over any fake punt. We didn't have a clue.

Which brings me to Goodman. Made some ugly ones, but he made them.
 
Which brings me to Goodman. Made some ugly ones, but he made them.

I propose 'the Goodman rule'. Any FG attempt that hits the upright, regardless of where it falls is good 4 points. That kid has a gift for kicking the post. Glad to see one bounce the right way.
 
Nick Kasa was a beast out their on the field. He was getting good pressure on the end which helped to contain Reesing. This guy has a very bright future.
 
I was looking for accuracy-improvement from Hansen as the game went on. In his first 4 series, his passes were low, high, in front and behind receivers - and catches and YAC were predictably fewer.

But he was stepping away and around pressure in the pocket very well, and his 'when time to set feet' passes were hitting his receivers in good areas. Then those got better - leading them perfectly.

His on-the-run-scrambling passes became more accurate as the game went on, showing his comfort level. His 2nd half INT was thrown to a standing-still defender who crossed from the opposite direction - he was following his receiver but didn't expand his vision to pick up an almost still D-back.

I think he should get excellent marks - he improved his weaknesses series after series, and leading the team to re-take the lead - on a team used to losing - that's a good step forward.

No matter how bad KU's defense is, CU didn't get any cheap, 1-play TDs. They had to mount and maintain drives.

Those darned penalties, though...
 
I propose 'the Goodman rule'. Any FG attempt that hits the upright, regardless of where it falls is good 4 points. That kid has a gift for kicking the post. Glad to see one bounce the right way.

:yeahthat: I think he's like 1 for 8 on kicks that hit the uprights.

Those darned penalties, though...

:bang::pissed3::pissed: 6 games into the season, 5 false start penalties is un-****ing-acceptable.

We're schitzo on special teams. KO return is consistently getting 30 yard returns; put return is non-existent (Espy - if you're going to let the ball hit the ground, GET THE **** AWAY! you got lucky).

KO and Punt D was all over the KU return man - but the fake made us look like fools.
 
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You have to like what Hansen brings to the game, he keeps plays alive with his feet and doesn't throw the ball away at the first sign of a pass rush, yet still keeps looking to throw before taking off running. He does so much that just doesn't show up in the box score.

Stewart seemed to run as hard and tough as I've ever seen him run. Sure, I'd still like to see DS get extended time like he did for the Toledo game, but it's hard to argue against Stewart being the main guy right now with how he hits the hole quicker and makes those nice cuts.
 
Polk was flat footed and was not in position to run with the guy on the long td. he needs to work on technique cause i believe he has speed. Biggest thing, our db's are in the right position most of the time, but they play behind the receiver and don't make plays on the ball. i know Brisco is dominant, but come on, he's in triple coverage and he goes up and gets the ball with no problem. come on db's. also, don't just sit back drop everyone into coverage and let reesing post up. blitz throughout the game.
 
I've been harping for scott to get more carries but I don't know,stewart and lock have better quickness to the hole and the edge . Until we can find 5 OL who can block consistently speedy is the best choice with his ability to make something out of nothing.

This OL needs improving big time.
 
As a couple others mentioned above, it is time to change the punt returner. Espinoza was not even that reliable last night, seemed like he was having a tough time judging punts. We have to be able to get better field position from punts.
 
As a couple others mentioned above, it is time to change the punt returner. Espinoza was not even that reliable last night, seemed like he was having a tough time judging punts. We have to be able to get better field position from punts.

We need more than 2-3 yds in the punt return game.
 
Polk was flat footed and was not in position to run with the guy on the long td. he needs to work on technique cause i believe he has speed.

Polk is still on a learning curve at safety. It looks like opposing offensive coordinators like to pick on Polk and Anthony Perkins.

Jimmy Smith and Chap'pelle are making opposing QBs and recievers honest.

Polk did lay the wood on KR coverage. He had one of the more violent tackles of the evening on special team. Burton took out one of the KU recievers in mid flight. Has the big hitting defense returned?

Since the Texas game, the Buff D is starting to make some punishing hits. It would be nice if CU's defense establishes a reputation for having the kind of nasty streak that other teams dread.

Neither UT nor KU could establish a run game
 
Something else I enjoyed was the CU defense against the 'throw back against the grain' completions. KU had three of those and while all three gained yards, none picked up a first-down. That's a tough play to pull off, and a tough play to defend well. The defense gave up some yards each time, but it was never a drive-saver - and in previous weeks, all of those could have gone for long, long gains.

I realize this MIGHT also be an indication of how slow we are - so slow that "against the grain" still finds our defenders locked into their home positions! Or perhaps this was good defensive prep work, recognizing a formation and its resulting play.

I still considered those three to be good demonstrations of the Defense's improvement. Biggest of all remains that, even after giving up so many points and the lead, then getting it back, the Defense decided to win in the end.
 
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