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Concerns going into spring ball.

Highflyer

Club Member
Club Member
A couple of my concerns heading into Spring Ball and for 2008

The defense. Some good games (FSU, Miami, KU), some decent games (OU, CSU, Baylor, TT, Bama) some clunkers (KSU, NU, Mizzou, ISU, ASU). -They were wildly inconsistent all year. The losses of Wheatley and Dizon are huge, and those are gigantic shoes to fill. The Buffs need to have a DE breakout and become a pass rushing force. Imagine how much better this D would have been with an Abe Wright coming off the edge this year. Hopefully Lucas can finally put it all together (not holding my breath) or perhaps one of the young bucks (Obi, Herrod, Perri, Hudgins) can step it up.

-An offensive Identity. Not a smash mouth team, not a spread O, not a run and shoot, not a WCO. We saw lots of spread looks in the bowl game, but the results were suspect. Losing Charles is a bigger deal than most are willing to admit, and until PT Gates and Darrell Scott are actually on campus, we have a gaping hole at RB. Maybe it was all the youth on O that contributed to what I perceive as a lack of identity and hopefully that's cured in Spring Ball. A couple of the RS frosh are going to have to step up to replace Polumbus and Harrison.
 
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CU better find some DE'S who can actually rush the passer,get qb sacks and contain the outside.Size is great but we need SPEED on the corners.

SAFETY opposite walters is a big concern.

CB -who replaces wheatley.Is smith and Jalil Brown going to step up? Lots of hype on these two from coaches

TE-Devree turned out to be a damn solid te for cu,geer has been hurt and solder for all his hype didn't do anything this season.I'm looking for those two to step in a big way in 2008
 
How much of the bad defense in some of thoses games is attributible to a non-existent offense.....particularly Mizzou and ISU? In the Mizzou game the CU offense went nearly 2 quarters without a fricken first down. How much better could the D have been in that game if the offense had done squat. Also in the ISU game the Buff O did zippo in that disasterous 3rd quarter. I don't care who the defense is they are going to struggle at some point if the offense continually goes 3 and out which the Buff offense had a tendency to do in streaks this past season.
 
Not a huge concern, Polk coming in, plus Lockridge and Summler. It would suck if Gates or Scott DON'T come, but I think there are bigger needs.

You remember early on when Hugh was hurt right? Another year in the weight room should help Lockridge, but Summler seems like a tweener not quite a TB not quite a FB. I hope Polk is everything we hope he is, but that trio of RBs does not appear to be overly dynamic.
 
You remember early on when Hugh was hurt right? Another year in the weight room should help Lockridge, but Summler seems like a tweener not quite a TB not quite a FB. I hope Polk is everything we hope he is, but that trio of RBs does not appear to be overly dynamic.

Fair enough, but I will have more insight on my opinion of not just RB, but your whole topic after February 6th
 
I think a lot will depend on who signs on LOI day. Granted, most of those players will not be included in spring drills (Katoa would be, I assume).

If Scott is coming to Boulder, then my concerns are with the QB and the DB's. If he goes somewhere else (parish the thought!) then add RB to that list. I think Polk, Gates, Lockeridge and Sumler can get the job done, but having Scott would bring the offense to a whole new level.

My concerns with QB are mostly that I feel like Cody doesn't have all the tools to be a top flight college QB. Not that he can't manage a game well and know the offense. I just feel like he's a perfect back-up QB, not necessarily the starter. He's the guy you want to have around, being the extra coach.

DB's could have some difficulty next year if we don't get more of a pass rush from the front four. However, I like what I'm seeing from the front four and I think we'll have good success there.
 
I think a lot will depend on who signs on LOI day. Granted, most of those players will not be included in spring drills (Katoa would be, I assume).

If Scott is coming to Boulder, then my concerns are with the QB and the DB's. If he goes somewhere else (parish the thought!) then add RB to that list. I think Polk, Gates, Lockeridge and Sumler can get the job done, but having Scott would bring the offense to a whole new level.

My concerns with QB are mostly that I feel like Cody doesn't have all the tools to be a top flight college QB. Not that he can't manage a game well and know the offense. I just feel like he's a perfect back-up QB, not necessarily the starter. He's the guy you want to have around, being the extra coach.

DB's could have some difficulty next year if we don't get more of a pass rush from the front four. However, I like what I'm seeing from the front four and I think we'll have good success there.

Won't Mohler be here in the Spring if he is a JC guy?
 
I saw an interesting post at redout about the myths of recruiting.

"The difference between No. 1 and No. 20," SuperPrep's Allen Wallace said, "is probably about two or three big names."

Case in point: In 1999 Texas landed the top-rated quarterback in the country, Chris Simms, while Miami's QB signee, Ken Dorsey, was only the No. 62 prospect on the West Coast. Texas had the No. 1-rated class, Miami the 11th. If the two quarterbacks were switched, Wallace said, Texas would have fallen from No. 1 and Miami might have moved into the top five. Yet without Dorsey, the 'Canes probably wouldn't have won their championship in 2001.

Reality: You have to stop the run.
Run-stoppers
The nine title teams that have held opponents to a sub-100-yard rushing average (1994-2003)
Yr. Team Yds./
Gm NCAA
Rank
'03 USC 60.2 1
'03 LSU 67.0 3
'97 Nebraska 73.4 3
'02 Ohio State 77.7 3
'95 Nebraska 78.4 2
'94 Nebraska 79.3 4
'97 Michigan 91.0 7
'98 Tennessee 93.9 6
'99 Florida St. 98.8 10



Of all the categories SI.com examined, none proved a more common thread than this one. Amazingly, nine of the 12 teams ranked in the top 10 nationally in rushing defense, all nine allowing less than 100 yards per game. Only one, 2001 Miami, got away with allowing more than 110. In fact, last year's co-national champs, USC (60.2) and LSU (67.0), had the two lowest averages of any team. "A good defense starts with defending the middle of the field, and that starts with being able to stop the run," LSU coach Nick Saban said.

Said Lou Holtz, who won a national title at Notre Dame in 1988: "The ability of a defense to dominate and stop the run forces you into a one-dimensional game. You come out wanting to play ball control, field position, but by the second quarter, you're down by 17 and you're forced to throw."

Reality: Both the offensive and defensive
lines should be dominant.
Sack-masters
These seven title teams recorded twice as many sacks as they allowed (1994-2003)
Yr. Team Sacks Given
up
Ratio
'95 Nebraska 32 0 N/A
'97 Nebraska 44 4 11:1
'01 Miami 39 4 9.8:1
'94 Nebraska 43 6 7.2:1
'03 USC 55 15 3.7:1
'97 Michigan 38 18 2.1:1
'03 LSU 44 22 2:1


The numbers are staggering. Last season, USC produced 55 sacks while allowing just 15. In 2001, Miami gave up just four sacks the entire season. In 1995, Nebraska gave up zero. Seven of the 12 national championship teams averaged at least three sacks per contest on defense, and seven also had at least double the amount of sacks on defense as it allowed on offense.

"The game is won in the trenches," said N.C. State coach Chuck Amato, an assistant on Florida State's two national title teams, "and the defensive line is just as important as the offensive line. If you can harass the quarterback and handle the running game with four down linemen, you can do whatever you want."
 
RB and place kicker are my biggest concerns right now.

Even though Hugh didn't run as hard up the middle at times, as I would have liked, there was a pretty big drop off in production when Summler and Lockridge filled his spot.

I am also worried about finding a back who is good in pass protection. Ellis may not have gotten a lot of glory, but here was reason he was in in 3rd down pass plays. Lockridge doesn't look like he has the size to fill that spot, and the jury is still out on Summler.

I am not sure what to think about place kicker. Eberhardt was off and on this year. I am beginning to get a little worried about coaching at this postion. To me Crosby took a step backwards last year, and Eberhardt never really got it going this year. I am not jumping on coaching, just a little worried here is all, and it is something I will be watching next year to see if the trend continues or not. Ricky had problems in the kicking game as well when he was here, I hope we don't get back to that.
 
RB and place kicker are my biggest concerns right now.

A quick question for everyone: What does the kicking situation look like right now? In the recruiting forum someone posted the summary of all the players CU had by class, and there was one kicker (Tyler Cope out of Oregon) on the list. Who else is competing, and is there anybody that will be better than mediocre?
 
Special teams. Need to get better on kickoffs and be more consistent on field goals.
 
After watching WVU last night going in to spring ball we need more speed!!
 
I have no concerns. I recognize that we are really only in our second year of rebuilding under Hawk. I do not anticipate competing for the North title until the season after so I am content on whatever transpires after this season.
 
A center who can consistantly make the long snap. Maybe Sanders will click, but the QB exchange was poor this season.

Having a punt and kickoff return specialist would be nice. Seems like that position was auditioned to a half dozen players this year. None have the excitement that Bloom brought to that phase of the game. With the kickoff 10 yards back, this role shouldn't be undervalued.
 
If Gates and Scott are not here, RB still does not worry you?

Lockridge looked pretty good this year, but he's not a carry the load kind of back. He's more of a changeup.

I agree. RB worries me without Scott and Gates, although Polk is highly rated as well.
 
I agree with the identity comment. I thought all year this team had no identity on either offense or defense.

Concerns:

1) Overall Defense - The defense really struggled at the end of the season especially against the pass. Too many big plays given up. More pressure will help. The Buffs are high on some of the Freshmen that red shirted. Need Sipili and Burton back to help with the Mike and Will LB positions.

2) QB - I agree with Sackman that Cody is an okay QB but is limited too much to get the team in position to win the Big 12. In college football today good QB play is needed to win --- look at KU and Missouri. The offensive gameplan relied on Cody doing too much. Cody will probably be the starter so he will need to cut down on the ints and hopefully the running game will be there to keep the pressure off.

3) RB - I don't think that either Sumler or Lockridge are feature backs in a power running game. That is why Gates and Scott are so important. Teams are not running as much as they use to but CU did the best when they could run.

4) Special teams - I am still waiting for them to be electric. Play was better but not spectacular. Goodman should be solid at PK.

5) O Line - CU loses two starters (Polumbus and Harrison) and next year will be young with Sanders as a Senior and most everyone else either a sophomore or freshman - Head will be a junior. Faatagi could contribute.

6) DE - The Buffs need more pressure on the QB. Lucas should be a star - keep waiting. Need Herrod, Perri, and Kaynor to all step up.



Positions that appear solid are WR, TE, DT.
 
CU better find some DE'S who can actually rush the passer,get qb sacks and contain the outside.Size is great but we need SPEED on the corners.

Agree. A gazillion percent agree. We need threats coming off the edges.

SAFETY opposite walters is a big concern.

Yep. But not as worried about this position as the others

CB -who replaces wheatley.Is smith and Jalil Brown going to step up? Lots of hype on these two from coaches

Priority #2 (behind DE). Brown and Smith? hope so. McKay? would love to see him play up to his ability. C Brown? speedy, around the ball, play maker, but size issues. Need some more CB's

TE-Devree turned out to be a damn solid te for cu,geer has been hurt and solder for all his hype didn't do anything this season.I'm looking for those two to step in a big way in 2008

Right on the money. Need those 2 to emerge. Hope (really think) Deehan is the real deal and pushes the bunch from the git-go. Also think Pericak ends up at DE/DT, so lose-one-gain-one.
 
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