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Colorado Daily
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February 20th
… CU in a few minutes …
New defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot: “I’m about 50 percent fluent” in CU’s defense
From the Daily Camera … D.J. Eliot isn’t exactly trying to learn a whole new language, but it sometimes feels that way to Colorado’s new defensive coordinator.
Hired by CU last month, Eliot will employ the same 3-4 defensive scheme that the Buffaloes have used over the past two years.
It’s also the same scheme Eliot ran at Kentucky the past four years, but the terminology is much different.
CU, which begins spring practices on Wednesday, must replace eight senior starters from last year, as well as three assistant coaches. With all of that turnover, Eliot felt it would make the transition easier for the players if he adopted their terminology.
“Sometimes it’s been hard,” he said. “It’s kind of like learning a new language, but I think it’s easier to teach one guy than to teach 50. It’ll be fine. I’m already, I’d say, about 50 percent fluent. By the end of the spring, I expect to be 100 percent fluent.”
… Continue reading story here …
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February 19th
… CU in a few minutes …
College Football News … Colorado the No. 41 team in the nation
From College Football News … CU 2017 opponents … Texas State – No. 126 … California – No. 69 … Oregon State – No. 68 … Arizona – No. 60 … Colorado State – No. 57 … Utah – No. 47 … Arizona State – No. 42 … Still to come – UCLA; USC; Stanford; Washington (Northern Colorado from the FCS not ranked, so, if the College Football News is to be believed, Colorado will finish the 2017 regular season with an 8-4 record) …
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Colorado Buffaloes Prespring Status
It was the biggest shocker of the 2016 season as Colorado went from Pac-12 doormat to the conference title game, but it all crashed with a thud. Forget for a moment that the Buffs only had a few nice wins and lost to USC, 10-4 was a special run considering how bad they’ve been since joining the conference. But they lost to Washington and Oklahoma State by a combined score of 79-18 to close out the year, couldn’t get the offense going against the better teams – except for, maybe, Washington State – and now have to prove it all over again.
QB Sefo Liufau might be gone, but most of the other key parts of the offense are back. Eight starters return on O, including almost everyone who did something meaningful for the passing game. However …
Colorado Buffaloes Biggest Issue
The defense that was so fantastic in the run to the Pac-12 South title has to all but start over. The defensive front three needs three new starters, two of the four starting linebackers are done, and three starters are gone in the secondary including star Tedric Thompson at one safety spot and both corners Chidobe Awizie and Ahkello Witherspoon. Eight of the top 12 tacklers, 11 of the 15 interceptions, and 25.5 of the 36 sacks have to be replaced.
Colorado Buffaloes Biggest Positive
286 of last year’s 289 receptions are back, including Shay Fields, Devin Ross, and everyone who caught more than one pass. This was a big play, efficient passing game that should be terrific again, going along with the returning 1,252 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground from Phillip Lindsay. It doesn’t help to lose Liufau, but Steven Montez occasionally filled in and was fine, hitting 59% of his passes with nine scores and just five picks.
Really, Why Are The Colorado Buffaloes Ranked Here?
That was great – now do it again. The offense should be able to hang around with just about anyone, but there are way, way too many key losses from the nation’s 19th-ranked defense to expect the same results. The D might not drop off the map to get back to 2014 and 2015 levels – the 2016 defense improved by over 100 yards from the one two years go – but it’s asking for way too much to be as good.
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February 18th
… CU in a few minutes …
Neill Woelk posts his ten priorities for CU heading into spring practices
From CUBuffs.com … It’s been less than two months since Mike MacIntyre‘s Colorado Buffaloes closed the 2016 season with the program’s first bowl game in nearly a decade.
It’s made for a short offseason as well as setting the stage for perhaps one of the more anticipated spring football sessions in years, one that will begin to answer a long list of questions.
Of course, the biggest question — how do the Buffs follow up their historic 2016 turnaround season? — won’t be answered until next fall.
But this year’s spring session, which begins next Wednesday and culminates with the March 18 Spring Game, should still begin to provide at least a good glimpse of what we can expect when the Buffs hit fall camp in preparation for the 2017 season.
There will be plenty of issues for the Buffs to address, beginning with replacing eight starters on a defense that finished 19th in the nation in yards allowed last year. (That starters number, though, is a bit misleading: while the Buffs lost eight defensive starters, they still return at least a half-dozen players with significant starting experience).
Here’s a look at 10 priorities for the Buffs as they begin their allowed 15 spring practice sessions next week:
… Continue reading story here …
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February 17th
… CU in a few minutes …
Regents approve contract for defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot
From the Daily Camera … Colorado regents voted Friday to approve the three-year contract for new football defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot.
Hired last month, Eliot is set to make $700,000 annually over the next three years, through Dec. 31, 2019, making him the highest paid assistant coach in school history.
Two regents were not present at Friday’s meetings, but the seven who were there voted unanimously to approve the contract.
Eliot’s contract will pay him a base salary of $500,000. In addition, Eliot will receive $200,000 in supplemental salary — $100,000 for Nike sponsorship support and $100,000 for community outreach.
As with other coaches, Eliot will receive $7,500 to use on a membership to the Boulder Country Club and receive $2,500 worth of Nike products. CU will reimburse Eliot, who came to CU after four years at Kentucky, for moving expenses (up to $20,000).
If Eliot were to leave the Buffs prior to Dec. 31 of this year, he would owe CU $600,000 in liquidated damages. He would owe $300,000 if he leaves before Dec. 31, 2018, and $150,000 before Dec. 31, 2019.
An additional $100,000 will be added to those liquidated damages if Eliot leaves CU to take a position at another Pac-12 school. That clause was not written in the contract of Eliot’s processor, Jim Leavitt, who left CU in December to take the defensive coordinator job at Pac-12 rival Oregon.
… Continue reading story here …
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CU athletic director Rick George on fund-raising: “We’re not even close to being done”
From the Daily Camera … The Colorado athletic program is enjoying more fundraising success than ever, but athletic director Rick George made it clear Thursday that the finish line is nowhere in sight.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” George said during the first day of the board of regents meeting at the University Memorial Center. “We’re not even close to being done.”
CU recently reached a milestone, as it topped the $100 million mark in its “Drive for $105 million” campaign. As of Jan. 31, CU had raised $100,631,894 to go towards financing the recent facilities upgrades.
The Buffs have blown away their original goal of raising $20 million in endowments (they are just over $34 million), but well below their goal of $85 million in capital funds (currently at $66.6 million).
“We’ve got a lot more capital that we have to raise and that will be our focus in the next six to nine months,” George said.
The morning portion of Thursday’s meeting centered on athletics, where George presented an overall update of the department; senior associate athletic director Ceal Barry gave an overview of CU’s gender equity plan; and UC-Colorado Springs athletic director Nathan Gibson gave an update on his department.
… Continue reading (this thorough story) here …
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Stuart
Continue reading...
Colorado Daily
—
February 20th
… CU in a few minutes …
New defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot: “I’m about 50 percent fluent” in CU’s defense
From the Daily Camera … D.J. Eliot isn’t exactly trying to learn a whole new language, but it sometimes feels that way to Colorado’s new defensive coordinator.
Hired by CU last month, Eliot will employ the same 3-4 defensive scheme that the Buffaloes have used over the past two years.
It’s also the same scheme Eliot ran at Kentucky the past four years, but the terminology is much different.
CU, which begins spring practices on Wednesday, must replace eight senior starters from last year, as well as three assistant coaches. With all of that turnover, Eliot felt it would make the transition easier for the players if he adopted their terminology.
“Sometimes it’s been hard,” he said. “It’s kind of like learning a new language, but I think it’s easier to teach one guy than to teach 50. It’ll be fine. I’m already, I’d say, about 50 percent fluent. By the end of the spring, I expect to be 100 percent fluent.”
… Continue reading story here …
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February 19th
… CU in a few minutes …
College Football News … Colorado the No. 41 team in the nation
From College Football News … CU 2017 opponents … Texas State – No. 126 … California – No. 69 … Oregon State – No. 68 … Arizona – No. 60 … Colorado State – No. 57 … Utah – No. 47 … Arizona State – No. 42 … Still to come – UCLA; USC; Stanford; Washington (Northern Colorado from the FCS not ranked, so, if the College Football News is to be believed, Colorado will finish the 2017 regular season with an 8-4 record) …
–
Colorado Buffaloes Prespring Status
It was the biggest shocker of the 2016 season as Colorado went from Pac-12 doormat to the conference title game, but it all crashed with a thud. Forget for a moment that the Buffs only had a few nice wins and lost to USC, 10-4 was a special run considering how bad they’ve been since joining the conference. But they lost to Washington and Oklahoma State by a combined score of 79-18 to close out the year, couldn’t get the offense going against the better teams – except for, maybe, Washington State – and now have to prove it all over again.
QB Sefo Liufau might be gone, but most of the other key parts of the offense are back. Eight starters return on O, including almost everyone who did something meaningful for the passing game. However …
Colorado Buffaloes Biggest Issue
The defense that was so fantastic in the run to the Pac-12 South title has to all but start over. The defensive front three needs three new starters, two of the four starting linebackers are done, and three starters are gone in the secondary including star Tedric Thompson at one safety spot and both corners Chidobe Awizie and Ahkello Witherspoon. Eight of the top 12 tacklers, 11 of the 15 interceptions, and 25.5 of the 36 sacks have to be replaced.
Colorado Buffaloes Biggest Positive
286 of last year’s 289 receptions are back, including Shay Fields, Devin Ross, and everyone who caught more than one pass. This was a big play, efficient passing game that should be terrific again, going along with the returning 1,252 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground from Phillip Lindsay. It doesn’t help to lose Liufau, but Steven Montez occasionally filled in and was fine, hitting 59% of his passes with nine scores and just five picks.
Really, Why Are The Colorado Buffaloes Ranked Here?
That was great – now do it again. The offense should be able to hang around with just about anyone, but there are way, way too many key losses from the nation’s 19th-ranked defense to expect the same results. The D might not drop off the map to get back to 2014 and 2015 levels – the 2016 defense improved by over 100 yards from the one two years go – but it’s asking for way too much to be as good.
–
—–
February 18th
… CU in a few minutes …
Neill Woelk posts his ten priorities for CU heading into spring practices
From CUBuffs.com … It’s been less than two months since Mike MacIntyre‘s Colorado Buffaloes closed the 2016 season with the program’s first bowl game in nearly a decade.
It’s made for a short offseason as well as setting the stage for perhaps one of the more anticipated spring football sessions in years, one that will begin to answer a long list of questions.
Of course, the biggest question — how do the Buffs follow up their historic 2016 turnaround season? — won’t be answered until next fall.
But this year’s spring session, which begins next Wednesday and culminates with the March 18 Spring Game, should still begin to provide at least a good glimpse of what we can expect when the Buffs hit fall camp in preparation for the 2017 season.
There will be plenty of issues for the Buffs to address, beginning with replacing eight starters on a defense that finished 19th in the nation in yards allowed last year. (That starters number, though, is a bit misleading: while the Buffs lost eight defensive starters, they still return at least a half-dozen players with significant starting experience).
Here’s a look at 10 priorities for the Buffs as they begin their allowed 15 spring practice sessions next week:
… Continue reading story here …
–
—–
February 17th
… CU in a few minutes …
Regents approve contract for defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot
From the Daily Camera … Colorado regents voted Friday to approve the three-year contract for new football defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot.
Hired last month, Eliot is set to make $700,000 annually over the next three years, through Dec. 31, 2019, making him the highest paid assistant coach in school history.
Two regents were not present at Friday’s meetings, but the seven who were there voted unanimously to approve the contract.
Eliot’s contract will pay him a base salary of $500,000. In addition, Eliot will receive $200,000 in supplemental salary — $100,000 for Nike sponsorship support and $100,000 for community outreach.
As with other coaches, Eliot will receive $7,500 to use on a membership to the Boulder Country Club and receive $2,500 worth of Nike products. CU will reimburse Eliot, who came to CU after four years at Kentucky, for moving expenses (up to $20,000).
If Eliot were to leave the Buffs prior to Dec. 31 of this year, he would owe CU $600,000 in liquidated damages. He would owe $300,000 if he leaves before Dec. 31, 2018, and $150,000 before Dec. 31, 2019.
An additional $100,000 will be added to those liquidated damages if Eliot leaves CU to take a position at another Pac-12 school. That clause was not written in the contract of Eliot’s processor, Jim Leavitt, who left CU in December to take the defensive coordinator job at Pac-12 rival Oregon.
… Continue reading story here …
–
—
CU athletic director Rick George on fund-raising: “We’re not even close to being done”
From the Daily Camera … The Colorado athletic program is enjoying more fundraising success than ever, but athletic director Rick George made it clear Thursday that the finish line is nowhere in sight.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” George said during the first day of the board of regents meeting at the University Memorial Center. “We’re not even close to being done.”
CU recently reached a milestone, as it topped the $100 million mark in its “Drive for $105 million” campaign. As of Jan. 31, CU had raised $100,631,894 to go towards financing the recent facilities upgrades.
The Buffs have blown away their original goal of raising $20 million in endowments (they are just over $34 million), but well below their goal of $85 million in capital funds (currently at $66.6 million).
“We’ve got a lot more capital that we have to raise and that will be our focus in the next six to nine months,” George said.
The morning portion of Thursday’s meeting centered on athletics, where George presented an overall update of the department; senior associate athletic director Ceal Barry gave an overview of CU’s gender equity plan; and UC-Colorado Springs athletic director Nathan Gibson gave an update on his department.
… Continue reading (this thorough story) here …
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—–
Stuart
Continue reading...