Yea, I just looked at who cast that vote and it completely confirms your statement. :lol:
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Yea, I just looked at who cast that vote and it completely confirms your statement. :lol:
somebody
Well-Known Member
Actually, depending on field goals is part of the problem. Making a few FGs won't help this anemic offense put up more than a few more points, and that's just not enough.
It's not just the points. It's what it does for you in field position. Getting our averages up would be like adding a 1,000 yard performer to our offense. It's huge.
Additionally, there's the momentum factor. I don't think you can discount the importance of momentum in college sports. Short punts and missed field goals are deflating to one team while they fire the other team up.
Additionally, there's the momentum factor. I don't think you can discount the importance of momentum in college sports. Short punts and missed field goals are deflating to one team while they fire the other team up.
buffs04
Well-Known Member
The overwhelming majority of talented players on our roster next year are going to be juniors and seniors. When they are gone, CU football is going to be terrifying IMO. 2008 (full of talented guys who didn't all pan out) followed by 2009 and 2010 average-at-best recruiting classes demands that we get some real talent in the 2011 class. With Hawk at the helm, I have no confidence in that happening.
There's a ton of talent from our 2008 class on the current roster. I'll grant that we've lost Scott, Katoa, Wallace, Blackmon, Hicks and Davis. But I don't know who you're saying didn't pan out. And we've got a number of unheralded guys in that class who have been much better than expected (Cunningham, Hansen, Stewart, Pericak, etc.).
On defense, it is likely that we'll have 7 senior starters in 2012: Kasa, Pericak, Bonsu and West on the DL. Major and Rippy at LB. Polk at SS. We'll have to replace a lot of OLs (Givens, Max and Dannewitz will be seniors, though) and find both a starting QB and RB since our 2008 class guys were forced to play as true freshmen. But I see no reason why that should be a bad team.
On defense, it is likely that we'll have 7 senior starters in 2012: Kasa, Pericak, Bonsu and West on the DL. Major and Rippy at LB. Polk at SS. We'll have to replace a lot of OLs (Givens, Max and Dannewitz will be seniors, though) and find both a starting QB and RB since our 2008 class guys were forced to play as true freshmen. But I see no reason why that should be a bad team.
I'd feel better about the players we have coming back if we had somebody who knew what he was doing running the show. Somebody once asked Bob Stoops what makes him a good recruiter. He said he's a good coach. Good coaches are good recruiters. If you can coach, you'll get the players you need.
Clearly we're deficient in this area. The pain will continue until there's a change made.
Clearly we're deficient in this area. The pain will continue until there's a change made.
Depth.
Certainly. But everyone from the 2009 class was pretty much able to be redshirted except for the DLs and Jefferson. How could anyone possibly judge whether our redshirt freshmen (Vigo, Olatoye, Orms, Nobriga, Webb, Harris, Handler, Bakhtiari, Simon coming in from JUCO next year, Thornton, Evans, Darden and Ussery) are any good? It's too early to tell. And it's certainly too early on the 2010 class. Plus we don't know what JUCOs we'll supplement with as part of the next couple recruiting classes.
What I'm saying is that I look at our roster and I think the following:
2010: If it's a good season (8+ wins), I'm confident that Hawkins will recruit well for us. He's done it in the past when he had some momentum in the win column (2008's top 15 class). If it's not a good season, Hawkins is fired and our class could go either way depending on the new hire but would probably still be decent (top 35 range on the excitement of a new coach).
2011: Safe assumption that it's a good season. Easier schedule than 2010 and we only graduate a handful of starters from this year's team. If Hawk gets it together this year, he should meet or exceed that success in 2011. A new coach would have a full cupboard and he should win right away.
2012: We'll have a veteran, talented and fast defense. Offensively, we should be talented and veteran on the OL and it looks like our TEs will be good. Skill positions/playmakers need to be found and/or developed. Scares me a lot that we've got to replace starters at QB, RB and 2 WRs that year, but we haven't seen what we have or are going to recruit.
Am I wrong about this? I don't think I am. I think it's more that those who don't share my confidence in the near-term future of Buffs football are simply convinced that our HC, AD and administration are so incompetent that they'll find a way to completely screw this up. I get that. I just will never agree that we don't have the talent to begin something special over the next few seasons.
Even with a new coach coming on board at the beginning of December and salvaging a top 30-35 class, along with a strong (8+ wins) 2011 season, I still think 2012 will be a bit of a step back because we will be losing a lot on offense. The question will be how big of a step back IMO.
(And yes, I have no confidence in Hawkins turning it around, so I am banking on the next hire to be much better)
(And yes, I have no confidence in Hawkins turning it around, so I am banking on the next hire to be much better)
Reminds me of a quote we use often on subs when he have a tyrant CO: "And the beating shall continue until morale improves."
I have this "sinking" feeling we will have to endure several beatings this year.
The optimist in me says:
We will finally have a deep, talented O-line. Solder is a phenom talent, potential 1st rounder, Miller is a physical freak, we will have a quality starting 5 and for the first time in years quality depth. They have had time to develop some coordination and we will no longer be looking at freshman starters unless someone really steps up.
We finally have a recieving corp that gives defenses a reason to worry. Simas has an ability to get open and catches the ball, a legit Big XII reciever, Clemons has the speed to force people to adjust to him and the size and athletic ability to make catches and do someting with it, Scotty gets man coverage in the slot because of the other two and makes frequent big catches to move chains. TEs are inexperienced but athletic as well.
Speedy is healthy at RB, Lock is talented, Tony Jones could make an impact right away. The O-line in front of them should be much better providing holes.
At QB Tyler looks ready to take over and run the team. He hasn't proven to be great but he has the arm to throw a wide range of passes and the legs to help his improved O-line, Cody should be one of the best backups in the conference.
On D if Bonsu makes it back healthy we have a rotation of quality interior D-linemen with the physical ability to play in the Big XII and experience as well, D starts up front. Cunningham is a rock, Pericak was good last year and could be a game changer this year, Goree and Obi along with Bonsu give us a solid rotation. Herrod has paid his dues at DE, a healthy Kasa could show why every school in the country wanted him, and West is ready to explode as a big play guy.
The LBs will be young but are talented as well. Young guys like Major and Rippy are ready to join Sipili in controlling the middle of the field at ILB, OLB is thin but Beatty and the young guys can get the job done.
At safety we finally have athletic ability with Polk as athletic as anyone in the Big XII, Perkins is solid and Orms is a leader and playmaker behind them. No much depth but the first three are better than we have been in a while. The corners will be experienced and athletic with Brown and Smith looking for years that will put them into the draft and talent backing them up.
Kicking can't help but to be improved. Grossnickle is a major improvement in ability at punter and some incoming talent on the way. Goodman is actually good on KO and inside of 40. His leg is much longer but his head hasn't let him succeed at longer distances.
Again the return game can't be worse and with some new speed returning the ball and more talent on the field specials should be better all around.
I look at all of this and think that this team can't help but to be better. Add to this the fact that prior to CU Hawk was a very successfull coach who won and won big. He has and can do it.
Then reality hits me and I see the past four years. I see a team that hasn't lost because of talent but instead has lacked focus, lacked organization, lacked motivation on the field. I have seen a team that doesn't adjust to opponents, that gives up a ridiculous number of big plays and that shoots itself in the foot with penalties, turnovers, and blown assignments. I have seen a team that at times has a hard time getting eleven guys on the field, calling a play, and lining up without a penalty or a time out, and sometimes even with a timeout. I have seen a coach who plays less talented, less effective players inexplicably when he has much better players stuck on the bench or on the field but being ignored in the gameplan. I have seen him return time and again to his son at QB when he has shown that he can't consistently move the team when opponents have a week to prepare for him.
We have the talent to win but our losing has not been a question of talent, it has been a problem in coaching and I have not seen any reason to believe that a change is happening there.
Heart says 8 wins, brain says 8 losses.
We will finally have a deep, talented O-line. Solder is a phenom talent, potential 1st rounder, Miller is a physical freak, we will have a quality starting 5 and for the first time in years quality depth. They have had time to develop some coordination and we will no longer be looking at freshman starters unless someone really steps up.
We finally have a recieving corp that gives defenses a reason to worry. Simas has an ability to get open and catches the ball, a legit Big XII reciever, Clemons has the speed to force people to adjust to him and the size and athletic ability to make catches and do someting with it, Scotty gets man coverage in the slot because of the other two and makes frequent big catches to move chains. TEs are inexperienced but athletic as well.
Speedy is healthy at RB, Lock is talented, Tony Jones could make an impact right away. The O-line in front of them should be much better providing holes.
At QB Tyler looks ready to take over and run the team. He hasn't proven to be great but he has the arm to throw a wide range of passes and the legs to help his improved O-line, Cody should be one of the best backups in the conference.
On D if Bonsu makes it back healthy we have a rotation of quality interior D-linemen with the physical ability to play in the Big XII and experience as well, D starts up front. Cunningham is a rock, Pericak was good last year and could be a game changer this year, Goree and Obi along with Bonsu give us a solid rotation. Herrod has paid his dues at DE, a healthy Kasa could show why every school in the country wanted him, and West is ready to explode as a big play guy.
The LBs will be young but are talented as well. Young guys like Major and Rippy are ready to join Sipili in controlling the middle of the field at ILB, OLB is thin but Beatty and the young guys can get the job done.
At safety we finally have athletic ability with Polk as athletic as anyone in the Big XII, Perkins is solid and Orms is a leader and playmaker behind them. No much depth but the first three are better than we have been in a while. The corners will be experienced and athletic with Brown and Smith looking for years that will put them into the draft and talent backing them up.
Kicking can't help but to be improved. Grossnickle is a major improvement in ability at punter and some incoming talent on the way. Goodman is actually good on KO and inside of 40. His leg is much longer but his head hasn't let him succeed at longer distances.
Again the return game can't be worse and with some new speed returning the ball and more talent on the field specials should be better all around.
I look at all of this and think that this team can't help but to be better. Add to this the fact that prior to CU Hawk was a very successfull coach who won and won big. He has and can do it.
Then reality hits me and I see the past four years. I see a team that hasn't lost because of talent but instead has lacked focus, lacked organization, lacked motivation on the field. I have seen a team that doesn't adjust to opponents, that gives up a ridiculous number of big plays and that shoots itself in the foot with penalties, turnovers, and blown assignments. I have seen a team that at times has a hard time getting eleven guys on the field, calling a play, and lining up without a penalty or a time out, and sometimes even with a timeout. I have seen a coach who plays less talented, less effective players inexplicably when he has much better players stuck on the bench or on the field but being ignored in the gameplan. I have seen him return time and again to his son at QB when he has shown that he can't consistently move the team when opponents have a week to prepare for him.
We have the talent to win but our losing has not been a question of talent, it has been a problem in coaching and I have not seen any reason to believe that a change is happening there.
Heart says 8 wins, brain says 8 losses.
dcbuffman
Member
Mtn -- it's nice to see a little optimism around here every once in a while. I agree with most of your assessment. There's a good bit of talent and experience on this team. The only place where I'm more pessimistic than you is the kicking game. It couldn't have been much worse than it's been the past couple of years and I'm not sure it's about to improve in a significant way. That really worries me.
But, even if the kicking still sucks, this team has enough talent on both sides of the ball to be pretty good. I think 8 wins would be a lot, but I really don't think we're looking at 8 losses. 6, 7 or, God willing, 8 wins should be attainable. Unfortunately, the schedule isn't favorable.
I am still hopeful that Hawk can coach this team successfully. At the risk of getting DBT'd, I think there's some truth to Dan's "couple of plays here, couple of plays there" point of view. Yeah, the Buffs got blown out in a couple of games during his tenure and played horribly in a couple of games against lesser opponents. But they also lost a bunch of games in which blown field goals and horrible punting contributed overwhelmingly to the outcome.
Finally, I don't think Hawk's decision-making with respect to the quarterback position has been irrational. Cody played darned well at the beginning of his career and there was good reason to believe he might just be able to win games on grit and determination rather than size and talent. Hansen, though he's shown flashes of brilliance, really hasn't demonstrated that he's the answer. I suspect that lots of coaches whose names aren't Hawkins would have handled this situation more or less the same. Having said that, it's clearly time to make Hansen the starter. If he and Cody are more or less even, given Cody's lack of success it's time to go in a different direction. I'll be astounded if Tyler is not the starting qb.
But, even if the kicking still sucks, this team has enough talent on both sides of the ball to be pretty good. I think 8 wins would be a lot, but I really don't think we're looking at 8 losses. 6, 7 or, God willing, 8 wins should be attainable. Unfortunately, the schedule isn't favorable.
I am still hopeful that Hawk can coach this team successfully. At the risk of getting DBT'd, I think there's some truth to Dan's "couple of plays here, couple of plays there" point of view. Yeah, the Buffs got blown out in a couple of games during his tenure and played horribly in a couple of games against lesser opponents. But they also lost a bunch of games in which blown field goals and horrible punting contributed overwhelmingly to the outcome.
Finally, I don't think Hawk's decision-making with respect to the quarterback position has been irrational. Cody played darned well at the beginning of his career and there was good reason to believe he might just be able to win games on grit and determination rather than size and talent. Hansen, though he's shown flashes of brilliance, really hasn't demonstrated that he's the answer. I suspect that lots of coaches whose names aren't Hawkins would have handled this situation more or less the same. Having said that, it's clearly time to make Hansen the starter. If he and Cody are more or less even, given Cody's lack of success it's time to go in a different direction. I'll be astounded if Tyler is not the starting qb.
dc
I try to see the positives. I look at this team and throwing out Texas and OU we have talent that would play on every other team in the Big XII, compared to a number of teams in the league our talent is better. I agree with you and Hawk about only being a few plays away from being a completely different team as well. The trouble I have is that Hawk has shown me nothing here that says that he can change the issues that lead to us being on the bad end of the key plays far more often than not. Does he have it in him? I think so, he won big at Boise, has been a winner everywhere he went prior to CU, his players seem to like and respect him. Somehow he failed to establish a winning environment here, he talks about the little things but his teams continue to do the little things wrong, he talks about bringing it and his teams fall flat against teams that have much less talent.
I don't fault him for starting Cody at the beginning of his career, he truthfully had no other options and remember Cody was considered a top 10-15 QB prospect coming out of HS so Dan wasn't the only one who thought he could play. My problem is once it was shown that teams could scheme Cody out of the game taking advantage of his lack of mobility, lack of ability to throw the deep or even medium ball without time and space to fully step into the throw, and his problems seeing downfield due to his height, his effectiveness was gone. By playing musical chairs at the position the team doesn't have a chance to identify with one guy to lead them. Cody makes mistakes, he gets another shot, Tyler makes a mistake and Cody is on the field. I believe that Tyler will start this year at QB as well, my problem is that I also see Dan just looking for a chance to put Cody back in making for an ugly situation for both QBs and the players around them.
Eight wins is a lot but if, and thats a huge if, the team can overcome the issues of the past the talent is there to do it. Much more likely I see the team imploding after a couple of mistakes are made and never coming out of it. The players have to know that Hawk was as good as gone last year before Benson saved him and that if the team is losing this year there is very little chance he will be saved two years in a row. Once that happens the team naturally stops listening and it gets ugly.
I try to see the positives. I look at this team and throwing out Texas and OU we have talent that would play on every other team in the Big XII, compared to a number of teams in the league our talent is better. I agree with you and Hawk about only being a few plays away from being a completely different team as well. The trouble I have is that Hawk has shown me nothing here that says that he can change the issues that lead to us being on the bad end of the key plays far more often than not. Does he have it in him? I think so, he won big at Boise, has been a winner everywhere he went prior to CU, his players seem to like and respect him. Somehow he failed to establish a winning environment here, he talks about the little things but his teams continue to do the little things wrong, he talks about bringing it and his teams fall flat against teams that have much less talent.
I don't fault him for starting Cody at the beginning of his career, he truthfully had no other options and remember Cody was considered a top 10-15 QB prospect coming out of HS so Dan wasn't the only one who thought he could play. My problem is once it was shown that teams could scheme Cody out of the game taking advantage of his lack of mobility, lack of ability to throw the deep or even medium ball without time and space to fully step into the throw, and his problems seeing downfield due to his height, his effectiveness was gone. By playing musical chairs at the position the team doesn't have a chance to identify with one guy to lead them. Cody makes mistakes, he gets another shot, Tyler makes a mistake and Cody is on the field. I believe that Tyler will start this year at QB as well, my problem is that I also see Dan just looking for a chance to put Cody back in making for an ugly situation for both QBs and the players around them.
Eight wins is a lot but if, and thats a huge if, the team can overcome the issues of the past the talent is there to do it. Much more likely I see the team imploding after a couple of mistakes are made and never coming out of it. The players have to know that Hawk was as good as gone last year before Benson saved him and that if the team is losing this year there is very little chance he will be saved two years in a row. Once that happens the team naturally stops listening and it gets ugly.
BuffaloChuck
Member
I have strong faith that we'll see more examples of Coach Hawkins' coaching abilities.
I was afraid of that...