Colorado Daily – Oregon State

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Colorado Daily – Oregon State

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October 1st – GameDay!!

… CU in a few minutes … 

Tweet of the Day … From co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini: “Let’s pack Folsom Field! Shoulder to Shoulder we will fight! Proud to say I’m a Buff4Life! #TheRise #CUin17 #CUSwag”

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Drew Litton on Colorado v. Oregon State

From the Daily Camera …

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MacIntyre: “In our league everybody’s good … We’ve got to come ready to play”

From CUBuffs.com … If practice is any indication of a team’s performance, the Buffs should play well Saturday. Head coach Mike MacIntyre said each day this week that he liked the way his players responded — and neither is he worried about a little success going to their heads.

“These young men have worked so hard, I don’t think they’ll let down for a second,” MacIntyre said. “We need to be prepared and ready to go. In our league, everybody’s good. Everybody’s got good football players. We’ve got to come ready to play and give our best to be able to win. Preparing during the week is the key.”

The Buffs didn’t have to look far to remind themselves of what kind of players the visiting Beavers have. Although Colorado scratched out a 17-13 win in Corvallis a year ago — CU’s only conference win of the season — the Beavers did their share of damage and many of those players are back, including running back Ryan Nall, wide receiver Victor Bolden and quarterback-turned-receiver Seth Collins.

Nall is a 235-pound bruiser who ran for 120 yards and a score against CU last year. Collins leads the Beavers this year with 16 catches for 185 yards while Bolden has 13 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown.

But it is Bolden’s return skills that have the Buffs’ full attention. A year ago, he returned four kicks for 110 yards, and last week had a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown against Boise State.

“We’ve got to cover well,” MacIntyre said. “Bolden’s really good. He’s quick and fast and they do a good job blocking up front. They’re excited about him because they know he can return it, so their guys up front do a good job blocking. He’s going to be hard to handle.”

… “We need to be a heavyweight again,” MacIntyre said. “We used to be a welterweight. I think we stepped up to at least being able to spar with the heavyweights. The more games we win, we’ll see if we’re a heavyweight.”

… Continue reading story here …

BUFF BITS: A win today would give CU its first 2-0 start in league play since 2007 — also the last time CU played in a bowl game. … CU’s offense is currently averaging 523.3 yards per game, currently ahead of the all-time school best of 495.3, set in 1994. … The Buffs have had the lead 78.1 percent of the time in their games thus far. … NT Josh Tupou‘s seven tackles last week against Oregon were a career high. … LB Kenneth Olugbode is the 70th player in CU history to hit 200 tackles for a career, surpassing the milestone last week. … The Buffs have nine sacks this year and will be facing an offense that has yielded 13 sacks in three games (126th nationally). … The Buffs are 26th in the nation in third-down offense (48.4 percent) and 22nd in third-down defense (29.5 percent).

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September 30th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Tweet of the Day, from CU defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt: “The reason I coach is bc of the love of the game and more importantly the love of these players. Can’t imagine being around a better group!”

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Mike MacIntyre: “We’re the most important team on the schedule” 

From ESPN article entitled, “Smart move: Colorado putting Oregon win in the rearview mirror“

… A win in Week 4 can be revisited and savored again after the season. But for now, the Buffs have to keep practicing what they did right against the Ducks, correct what they did wrong and move on to Week 5.

“Just keep taking care of Colorado football,” MacIntyre said. “That’s what we’ve been saying all along. We need to take care of ourselves. We’re the most important team on the schedule and our kids have truly bought into that. So that’s what they’re doing.”

The theory is sound, and one that every coach in MacIntyre’s situation would be preaching. But the practice is never so simple. Especially when you have a team that is still learning to handle success.

… Colorado is hopeful of a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2007. And part of the culture change means forgetting what happened a week ago, win or lose. MacIntyre said he feels he’s got a veteran group that understands that.

“They kept maturing and getting better,” MacIntyre said. “That’s how you build a program. From where we were to where we hope to go. We’ve just won one game so we’ve got a long way to go. But I think we’re kind of rising out of the ashes a little bit.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Neill Woelk’s Five Keys for the Buffs against the Beavers 

From CUBuffs.com … After an emotional win at Oregon, a game that wasn’t decided until Ahkello Witherspoon‘s interception with 48 seconds left in the game, the 3-1 Colorado Buffaloes can’t afford a step back.

Nobody in the CU locker room is expecting one. This is a squad loaded with veterans who have done a very good job thus far of keeping their eyes squarely focused on the task at hand. They responded from an opening win over rival Colorado State with a solid performance and easy win over Idaho State; then bounced back from a loss at Michigan to produce a big win over the Ducks.

It would be surprising if we see anything different Saturday at Folsom Field, when the Buffs play host to Oregon State (12:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks) in their conference home opener.

The Buffs aren’t looking ahead, and neither are they basking in the glow of last week’s win. As head coach Mike MacIntyre has said repeatedly, every team in the Pac-12 is good and every team has good players.

In other words, the Buffs are well-aware that they can’t sleep on Oregon State. The Beavers beat Colorado 36-31 in their last visit to Folsom, and played the Buffs down to the wire a year ago in Corvallis before CU’s Chidobe Awuzie clinched a 17-13 victory with an interception with just 24 seconds to go.

The two teams also have a common opponent. Colorado beat Idaho State 56-7 in Week 2; Oregon State bounced the Bengals 37-7 a week later.

What the Buffs must accomplish Saturday to go to 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2007 (also the last time the Buffs played in a bowl game):

… Continue reading story here …

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September 29th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Tweet of the Day, from Brian Howell at the Daily Camera … (From Wednesday night): “#cubuffs have sold 42,022 tix for Sat. vs. OSU – already making it the 3rd-best total in 20 MacIntyre-era home games. Could reach 45K”

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Neill Woelk – A unit-by-unit review shows improvement across the board 

From CUBuffs.com … With four games — one-third of the regular season — now in the books, we have enough of a sample size to begin getting a good bead on the Colorado Buffaloes.

Safe to say, it’s an impressive sample. The 3-1 Buffs, who play host to Oregon State on Saturday at Folsom Field (12:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), have put themselves on the national radar after thumping in-state rival Colorado State, rolling past Idaho State, holding a third-quarter lead at Michigan and then collecting a come-from-behind win at Oregon.

It’s been enough to turn plenty of heads, and now folks from the outside just starting to take notice are asking, “What’s different?”

The short answer is “Just about everything.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Darian Hagan on Kyle Evans: “You have to judge (a player) by his heart”

From the Daily Camera … The fact that Kyle Evans didn’t get any Division I scholarship offers doesn’t surprise Colorado running backs coach Darian Hagan.

“If you’re not really around him and without really knowing him, you wouldn’t really want to put him in the game, when you think of what an ideal running back should be,” Hagan said.

Getting to know Evans quite well over the past two seasons, however, Hagan and the Buffaloes have no issues giving the ball to the 5-foot-6, 175-pound sophomore from San Jose, Calif.

“Being around him as (director of) player development and then being around him as a coach, you know what the guy can do,” Hagan said. “You trust him in all phases and when you give him an opportunity, you don’t worry about it.

“You can’t judge him by his stature. You have to judge (a player) by his heart and their ability to make plays, and that’s what he does.”

A former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship by the coaching staff during August camp, Evans has become an integral part of CU’s run game this season.

… Continue reading story here …

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Rick George email update

Dear Buffs Fan, We are just about a month into the 2016-17 academic and athletic year, and we couldn’t be prouder of how the fall began with two of our alumni winning bronze medals at the Rio Summer Olympic Games. Emma Coburn (3,000-meter steeplechase) and Jenny Simpson (1,500-meter run) became the first American women to ever medal in their respective events; in fact, they are two of just eight Team U.S.A. competitors to earn a medal in distances over 800-meters.  We will honor the pair at the October 1 Oregon State football game, and the duo will also serve that morning as the official starters at the Rocky Mountain Shootout (our home cross country meet on the South Campus) and will throw out the first pitch on Sunday at the Colorado Rockies final game of the season. Fall Competition Update The football team got the signature win it has been after in opening up Pac-12 play on Sept. 24 with a 41-38 victory on the road at Oregon. The game was electric, one that saw CU open up a 23-7 lead early in the second quarter before Oregon came back to take the 38-33 lead entering the fourth. The Buffs, with a first-time starting quarterback Steven Montez playing in lieu of the injured Sefo Liufau, fought right back and thanks to a one-handed 31-yard touchdown catch by Bryce Bobo (SportsCenter No. 1 play of the day) regained a 41-38 lead. CB Ahkello Witherspoon then sealed the victory for the Buffs in dramatic fashion, intercepting a pass in the end zone with 48 seconds left on the clock. Montez, the redshirt freshman from El Paso, Texas, was stellar in his starting debut. He became the first player in CU history to pass for over 300 yards in a game while rushing for an additional 100 and went on to collect Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors in addition to six other weekly awards for his impressive performance. We have some big events coming up, starting with Family Weekend on Sept. 30-Oct. 1, with the Oregon State game the centerpiece attraction on that Saturday (12:30 p.m. kickoff).  That’s our annual Living Legends weekend as well where we honor those C Club members who earned their first letter 50 years ago (in 1966).  Homecoming follows on Oct. 15, where will honor Herb Orvis, who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this December.  In all, five of our last eight football games are at Folsom Field. Derek McCartney, a junior outside linebacker, was one of 22 student-athletes nationwide that has been named to the AFCA’s “Good Works Team,” which for 25 years has honored the top football players who perform community service.  Derek, if you recall, made national headlines last spring when it was determined that he was match to donate bone marrow and ultimately saved a life.  Coach MacIntyre started up the “Be the Match” program on campus where our athletes canvass campus and encourage their classmates to donate.  It was not an easy procedure for Derek to endure, and he missed half of spring ball, but he’d do it all over again. The volleyball team finished the non-conference schedule with an 8-2 record, which included a perfect 5-0 mark at Coors. The Buffs, who are ranked 20th in the latest poll, have earned several signature wins early this season with victories overall No. 13 Penn State, No. 17 Illinois and instate rival Colorado State. The win against CSU snapped a seven-match losing streak to the Rams, which dated back to 2002. The Buffs started the Pac-12 season 1-1, losing a five-set match to now No. 25 Utah and defeated Arizona 3-2. This weekend provides another tough test at Coors with matches against No. 23 Southern California and No. 12 UCLA. CU’s soccer team continues to roll and is now riding a five-match winning streak into this weekend’s trip to Arizona. The Buffs won their 200th match in school history in dramatic fashion last week, topping Washington State 1-0 behind a goal in the 89th minute by freshman Taylor Kornieck. Jalen Tompkins stopped seven shots to earn Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week. CU returns home Thursday, Oct. 6, to face Oregon at 3:30 p.m. The team had the No. 2 play on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 on Sept. 9 as Danica Evans and Kornieck paired up for a spectacular goal after Evans used a flip throw to inbound the ball and Kornieck headed the throw in for a score. The cross country teams are off to a great start, despite only racing at the Colorado State Invitational on Sept. 2. Sophomore Ryan Forsyth won the meet, but was followed very closely by several teammates. Senior Carrie Verdon was the top finisher for the women, taking third overall. The women’s team is ranked second in the national poll, while the men are fifth overall. The women are also ranked second in the regional poll, while the men are third. The first big varsity race for CU is the 31st Annual Rocky Mountain Shootout on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Buffalo Ranch on CU’s South Campus. The men’s race is at 9 a.m. and the women run at 9:45 a.m. The women’s golf team started out on a record setting note; All-American Esther Lee tied the NCAA single-round record by shooting a 61 at the Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque and is presently the top-ranked player in the country.  Lee won medalist honors, shattering the school record with an 18-under par 198 as the team finished in seventh to open the season.  Lee, a winner for a program-best third time in her career, claimed the title by five strokes, tying for the second largest margin of victory in CU history.  The team just finished third in the Juli Inkster Invitational in San Jose last Tuesday, minus Lee who was ill, with the young guns leading the way. The men’s golfers have three tournaments under their belts, winning both events that we host, own “mini-tourney” in Holyoke, the Ballyneal Challenge (a three-team affair), and then capturing our own Mark Simpson-CU Invitational this past Tuesday.  In-between, the team finished third at the Air Force Falcon Invitational and fifth in New Mexico’s Tucker Invite.   The team has a solid blend of veterans, led by seniors Jeremy Paul and Ethan Freeman, with four talented newcomers in the mix as well as the return of junior Yannik Paul, who took a year off from competing.  The Paul twins are among the world’s top 140 amateurs and Jeremy recently represented Germany in the World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico. And our women’s tennis team began fall play last weekend in the Colorado Invitational on the South Campus courts. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz won the singles title at the CU Invitational as Colorado’s tennis team wrapped up singles play in Boulder on Saturday. It was very windy day at CU’s South Campus Tennis Courts, but Ormeño Ruiz proved tougher in the conditions as she defeated Georgetown’s Sophie Barnard 6-4, 6-3 in the Gold Draw finals. Strategic Planning Earlier this month, a large group of us met to begin to map out our next three years in relation to our overall strategic plan.  Yes, we have accomplished much as our first three-year plan wraps up, but I’d like to believe it’s just the tip of iceberg of where want to take our athletic program.  We have improved the infrastructure in several areas, now it’s time to set the trajectory for where we want to be in all aspects of our department. If you haven’t had a chance to tour our new facilities, we are now offering public tours every Friday at 3:30 p.m.; just gather in the lobby of our ticket office, adjacent to the Champions Center main entrance. While all three phases of our Athletics Complex Expansion are now complete, you may still contribute to “The Drive to 105,” as we are still short of our goal.  For more information, please visit http://www.cusustainableexcellence.com, and to learn about other ways to support the Buffaloes, you can find those out by visiting www.cubuffclub.com (or phone the Buff Club office, 303-492-2200). Collaboration and Unity, Rick George

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September 28th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Tweet of the Day, from co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini: “Always exciting when you see the hard work of practice transition to success on gameday! Must continue to improve!!!”

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Ahkello Witherspoon and Ryan Severson honored 

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado senior cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was recognized by the Jim Thorpe Award for his performance in last Saturday’s win at Oregon while fellow senior Ryan Severson was named a semifinalist for the 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy. Both were announced on Wednesday.

The Jim Thorpe Award recognized Witherspoon as one of its four honorable mention players of the week. Witherspoon saved the day in Colorado’s huge upset of the Ducks in Eugene last Saturday by pulling in an interception in the end zone with 48 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to preserve the 41-38 victory. Along with his late game pick, Witherspoon also contributed five tackles and a pass breakup for the Buffs.

Severson, a senior from San Jose who is majoring in both business management and marketing, was one of 156 semifinalists named for the 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy, otherwise known as the Academic Heisman, which is presented by Fidelity Investments.

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Nov. 1, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to New York City for the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. At the event, one member of the class will be declared in dramatic fashion the winner of the 27th William V. Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

… Continue reading story …

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Mike MacIntyre post-practice comments to media

From YouTube, courtesy of CUSportsNation:

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Sefo Liufau: “I definitely feel like I’m getting closer”

From the Daily Camera … CU’s all-time leading passer, Liufau has started 32 games during his career, and continues to feel better as he aims to make start No. 33.

“I definitely feel like I’m getting closer,” he said Tuesday. “I did a lot more in practice today, which is great mentally for myself. I feel a lot better. I’m just working my way back.

“If it was (up to) me, I would try to play. I just want to keep seeing how it feels every day and go from there.”

… Although Liufau holds nearly 80 records and is one of the true leaders on the team, will Liufau regain his starting job when he’s fully healthy?

“That’s a great question,” head coach Mike MacIntyre said. “It’s all going to depend on how hot our team is at the time. Everybody understands that in sports.

“We need both of them, because somebody is going to get dinged up. It’s the way the game goes. We need both of those guys ready to play and ready to go.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Mike MacIntyre: Coach of the Year candidate?

From Campus Insiders … Through the opening month of the 2016 college football season, certain coaches are standing out among their peers. As such, they’ve maneuvered into the inside lane in the race toward Coach of the Year, a fatter pay check and possibly a high-profile promotion now that openings have already begun springing up.

9. Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (NR)

It has taken more than three seasons and a ton of sweat equity. But the time invested by MacIntyre and his staff is beginning to pay dividends in Boulder. The Buffs have actually been playing at a higher level since last year. This fall, though, they’re flipping moral victories into actual ones. Take last Saturday, for instance. Colorado moved to 3-1 with a statement upset of Oregon in Eugene. Even better, the catalyst was backup quarterback Steven Montez, who accounted for 468 yards and four touchdowns in his first career start.

… Continue reading story here …

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September 27th

… CU in a few minutes …

Tuesday Press Conference quotes – Updates on Sefo Liufau, Jay MacIntyre and Jaleel Awini 

From CUBuffs.com …

Opening Statement

“Oregon State – Gary Anderson the head coach there I’ve known for a while because he was in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) at Utah State, he did a phenomenal job there, and he did a great job at Wisconsin. I really respect him. His teams are always extremely tough. He’s doing a good job of getting Oregon State going. He is a heck of a football coach and it’s going to be a heck of a battle Saturday.”

On Celebrating Saturday’s Win

“You need to enjoy the wins, especially on the field. We got back here and there was about 200 fans here at one o’clock in the morning, about 75 percent of them students. It was exciting for our kids. They went around and gave them all high-fives and talked to them. That was really neat. I got up that next morning at about seven o’clock – we got home around two or three – went to church and after church was over I was back here and watched our film. I’d say it was about one o’clock I was on to Oregon State and so was the rest of our team. We’ve had two good days of practice.”

On Emotions In Final Seconds Of Win

“When it was 33-17 I was hoping it was going to be 40-17 and it wouldn’t have been quite as emotional to be honest with you. I would have been able to handle it. The way it ended and the way they kept fighting, they just never gave up. We haven’t done that against an excellent football team, especially on the road – to get over that hump for those young men when they’ve been working so hard. Somebody asked me, ‘When Akhello intercepted his pass, what did you do?’ I was excited, I was thinking about how much time we had left and what we needed to do. After we got it all settled and I realized the last snap was going, I really started thinking of Akhello and his dad, Lucky, and his mom, Bobbie, from recruiting him. In college it’s a little bit different; you recruit these young men, you watch them grow up, they’re in your office a lot and they go through different things, which it’s fun to watch them mature through but sometimes you want to pull your hair out. It’s exciting when you looked at our guys, what they’ve been through and how they did it. I thought it’d be a great, great life lesson. I thought about all of this stuff in the last minute and how they’ve grown as a group of men and what they have in front of them. Every notch like that – I can talk until I’m blue in the face and they do believe and they do listen – now they get that in their belt so to speak. It’s a lot easier to believe, fight through different things and sacrifice things they have to sacrifice to be as good as they want to be.”

On Play Of Tim Lynott, Jr.

“He’s athletic, he does a great job pulling for us, he’s an excellent guard inside, he does a good job pass-protecting. I think he’ll be a four-year starter and do really well. He also has a really good presence to him; the game’s not too big for him. He’s ready to step in, take his roll and play. We thought about playing him some as a true freshman but we just didn’t think he was mature and strong enough yet. I think we made the right decision by waiting and letting him have the whole spring practice and other workouts and whole fall camp. He’s proven to be a legitimate Pac-12 football player.”

On Saturday Being A Signature Win

“For our guys and our team – Oregon’s beat us 51-12 over the years since we came into the Pac-12 – to go do that I think is a signature win for our program and going there and beating them on the road. Our football team did something that no Colorado football team’s ever done and will never do again I hope and is playing on the east coast one week and on the west coast the next week in a Michigan stadium and an Oregon stadium. That’s a tough duty to do for anybody. For us to do that when everybody thought that we had no chance in either game – and played well in both games but only won one of them – I think shows our guys have stepped up to believe that they can truly beat anybody. In their minds and in their hearts it is a signature statement to them that we can stand toe-to-toe with heavyweight programs. We need to be a heavyweight again. We used to be a welterweight; I think we stepped up to at least being able to spar with the heavyweights. The more games we win, we’ll see if we’re a heavyweight.”

On Confidence In Team At Halftime

“I could see it in the young men’s eyes. We let them back in it too, but we kept battling. Looking around the sidelines, they all just kept playing where in the past we’d keep saying ‘get up, get up, get up.’ They just kept playing, and I saw that at Michigan too when it unraveled and all of sudden we answered the bell at the beginning of the third quarter which I thought was pretty impressive by those young men. We didn’t finish it like we’d like but I saw it in their eyes and definitely saw it in their work ethic, attitude and maturity. It wasn’t like you were having to get them up at halftime; they were ready to go again, they wanted to get back out there. Even when they caught back up and went ahead, you could see they wanted to get back out there and play. They could feel it.”

On Atmosphere For Oregon State Game

“Our kids always love playing in Folsom. We love the grass, we love the scenery, we love our own locker room, we love running out behind Ralphie. The crowd’s so tight on you, even if it might not be a packed house, it’s loud. We’d love to see a packed house. The more we keep being successful, the more that’ll happen. I believe that definitely will keep happening. We want to make those fans proud, there’s no doubt about it. Our players were really excited when we turned the corner and saw all those students standing there in the Sunday morning at 1 a.m. I told them there were going to be some people here.”

On Plan With Two Quarterbacks, Sefo Lifuau and Steven Montez

“Sefo still isn’t completely well right now. He did a little bit more today in practice. We’ll see how the week goes along and how it plays out with his leg.”

On Oregon State

“Oregon State, offensively, they can make a lot of plays. Their quarterback, [Darrell] Garretson, is a good player, he’s a good athlete. I knew about him from high school. You might remember his grandfather was an NBA referee; there’s a great bloodline of athletics in their family. Also, [Victor] Bolden, their wide receiver #6, can fly. He made some big plays on us last year. He’s also an excellent returner. I think he’s number one in the country right now in kick returns and punt returns combined. I think kickoff he leads the country. Their offensive line is big. They have a huge running back, Ryan Nall, who pretty much ran over us in some parts of the game last year. We’ve got to really be able to control him and tackle him better. He’s a physical young man. Defensively, they’re playing a lot more man coverage. I like their secondary, they’re more athletic than they were last year. I like their safeties, No. 9 and No. 3, Brandon Arnold and Devin Chappall. I think they’re really good players; they’re big and athletic. No. 47, Bright [Ugwoegbu], he’s a very good pass-rusher. I’ve been impressed with what they did. They had a couple mistake in the Boise game that got them behind quick. They kept battling, but they had a chance. It should have been 31-24 with about eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter but they didn’t get it done. They are a much improved football team from last year when we played them.”

On Jay MacIntyre’s Health

“He practiced today in a blue jersey. He hyperextended his elbow, so his arm is swollen and all that. They x-rayed it; he’s going to be fine, he’s just got to get all of the swelling out of it. Hopefully he’ll be able to go full speed Saturday, but we’ll know more as the week goes on.”

On Freshman Being Able To Do More In Today’s Football

“I think it’s the different individual or your different system. If a quarterback comes out of a system where they weren’t doing a lot of reads and a lot of throws, it might be a little bit harder for them, but they might have all the talent and skills. Every situation is different. Fortunately we were able to redshirt Steven [Montez] last year. The spring that he had with Sefo [Liufua] not out there, we gave him a lot more reps than he would have. In fall camp he did well. It was the right time for Steven to go play. I felt like he’d play well. I’d be lying if I said he’d break the record in the history of Colorado football in his first game on the road at Oregon. He did really well.”

On Tackling Oregon State’s Ryan Nall

“We’re a better tackling team. We tackled pretty well against Oregon Saturday compared to what we had. You’re going to miss them, they’re major college football players. We need to Ryan than we did. He’s a big load. You have to tackle him different; if you hit him up high, he’s so big, you’ve got to hit him a little bit lower and wrap him up. You cannot just try to knock him down, he’s not going to go down easy. He runs really well. He’s faster than you think. I’ve watched some games from last year, he ran from Oregon on a long run there which I thought was really impressive. He’s a good football player.”

On The Players Getting Emotional After Win

“I’ve seen it quite often when we have had those types of moments. When you get beat pretty good by a team and then you’ve come that far, I mean Chido [Awuzie] was on the field as a freshman against them. The group of us all believing in each other when they probably get bombarded outside is a phenomenal life lesson, because they’re going to face harder things in life in the future. I hope, pray that they will be able to fall back on that. Now they need to learn the other side of that. Yes, we’re better, we’re a good football team like I’ve said all along. Now we got to keep doing it. In the game of football things change, people get hurt, you’re a different football team all the time. This week we’re a little bit different football team than we were last week. Oregon State’s a little bit different. It’s a little bit different circumstances, we’re playing at home. We can’t get comfortable; you’ve got to keep working, you’ve got to keep pushing. Your habits dictate who you’re going to be, you’re habits dictate how you’re going to be as a person too. All of that is a life lesson to me.”

On Quarterback Situation

“It’s all going to depend how our team is at the time. Everybody understands that in sports. We need both of them, because somebody’s going to get dinged up, it’s the way the game goes. We need both of those guys ready to play and ready to go.”

On Jaleel Awini’s Status

“There’s a good chance he plays for us this year. He’s had some had some back issues. He’s been with the doctors, he’s been with the trainers. He’s working hard on his core, we’re letting that calm down a little bit. He’s doing more this week. I’m hoping that he can be back for our last six games. If he keeps moving like he is right now, he will be. I don’t know how big his role will be; I know he’ll play on special teams. We’ve just got to see how he recovers from his back injury. That’s been tough on him, what a great young man. He’s been through a lot. This year looked really promising, then this hit him. He wants to keep trying and keep going. I sure would like to see sixteen back out there, there’s no doubt.”

… Press Conference quotes from running back Phillip Lindsay and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie can be found here …

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El Paso newspaper article on Steven Montez … Local boy makes good

From the El Paso Times … The University of Colorado has struggled on the football field since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Now it looks like the Buffaloes are turning the corner and helping

The superbly talented Montez helped guide CU to probably what many outside of the Buffaloes program thought was an unlikely 41-38 road win at Oregon last Saturday. He was a record-setter in the win, throwing for 333 yards and rushing for 135 more in the win, the first Colorado player to ever do that in the same game.

He was calm, focused and just kept on plugging away in a game that was so important toward helping the Buffaloes gain respect in the ultra competitive Pac-12.

The fact that Montez did what he did in his first collegiate may come as surprising to many but it really shouldn’t.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder is as mature as they come and is as focused a kid as I’ve seen over the years. At Del Valle, he improved so much during his career and he did it by working hard and being a smart player. He took some lumps as a sophomore, but was better his junior season.

But it was his senior campaign at Del Valle, where everyone I believe saw the real potential. He put that team on his back and helped them to 11 wins, including two playoff wins. He ran for 1,058 yards and threw for 2,987 more.

… Continue reading story here …

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Mike MacIntyre and Rick George praised for CU resurgence

From Mile High Sports … Patience is a virtue.

In today’s world, however, where everything is expected to happen immediately, it’s a trait that most people have long ago shed. Rick George, the athletic director at CU who is hell bent on resurrecting the Buffaloes football program, isn’t one of them.

If he was wired like most people, Colorado would have a different football coach right now; that’s almost assured. Mike MacIntyre would be gone, replaced by a fourth head man in seven years.

The results on the field certainly would have justified that decision. During the coach’s first three seasons in Boulder, the Buffs won just 10 total games, going a paltry 2-25 in the Pac-12 during that time. Those kinds of meager results make donors restless, put heat on athletic directors and ultimately get coaches fired.

But when it came to MacIntyre, George looked at more than the numbers. The AD was able to see what others missed, going beyond the stats to determine that the program was in fact trending in the right direction, despite what the win-loss columns showed.

… Continue reading story here …

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Buffs not swayed by being double-digit favorites 

From the Daily Camera … As the Buffs returned to practice on Monday, they had to flip the page and prepare for Saturday’s home date with Oregon State.

So far this season, the Buffs have had a remarkable ability to lock in on the task at hand and get it done. Coming off a huge win, the Buffs are charged with doing that again.

“These young men have worked so hard, I don’t think they’ll let down for a second,” MacIntyre said. “We need to be prepared and ready to go. In our league, everybody is good, everybody has good football players. We have to come ready to play and give our best to be able to win. Preparing during the week is the key.”

… CU is a 16-point favorite against Oregon State. It’s the first time CU has been a double-digit favorite against a Power 5 conference team since Nov. 25, 2005, against Nebraska. … This week marks just the fourth time in 65 conference games, dating back to 2008, that the Buffs have been favored.

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September 26th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Just for fun … 

On the off-chance you might be interested in seeing another Buff cornerback (Deon Figures) make a game-saving interception in the final minute, check out the CU game against No. 12 Washington in 1990. The Buffs were ranked No. 20, and were ahead 20-14 with less than a minute remaining. Fourth-and-goal, ball at the CU seven yard line. (If you don’t want to watch the entire game, fast forward to about the 2:23:00 mark to watch the final few plays. The write up from the CU at the Game Archives can be found here) … Enjoy!:

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Coach MacIntyre post-practice talk with media

From YouTube, courtesy of CUSportsNation:

MacIntyre on whether he was prepared to named a starting quarterback for the Oregon State game … “Not exactly, you know Steven played phenomenal and Sefo worked out there today, still not 100 percent, just kind of seeing how the week progresses along and go from there.

“Well, I think we have two good quarterbacks, so however that works out, I think we have two good quarterbacks, I also think we have two really tough quarterbacks, which is impressive that doesn’t always happen that way, we’ll make sure that Sefo is 100 percent.”

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Uniform combination for Oregon State game – black and white

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Game Time set for CU at USC (2:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks)

From CUBuffs.com … The Colorado at USC football game on Saturday, October 8, will be televised nationally on the Pac-12 Network and will kickoff at 2:00 p.m. MDT (1:00 p.m. Pacific).

The full Pac-12 football TV Selections for October 8, 2016.

1:00pm PT/2:00pm MT – Colorado at USC, Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Mountain, Pac-12 Los Angeles

4:30pm PT – Washington at Oregon, FOX (Exclusive window)

6:00pm PT – California at Oregon State, Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Bay Area, Pac-12 Oregon

8:00pm MT/7:00pm PT – Arizona at Utah, FS1

7:30pm PT – Washington State at Stanford, ESPN or ESPN2 (Network flex picked 6-days out)

7:30pm PT – UCLA at Arizona State, ESPN or ESPN2 (Network flex picked 6-days out)

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Buffs to honor Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson during Oregon State game

From CUBuffs.com … University of Colorado will honor its two Olympic Bronze Medalists, Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson, on Saturday, October 1 at a variety of events.

The day will start off for the former Buffs at the 31st Annual Rocky Mountain Shootout, CU’s only home cross country meet, at Buffalo Ranch on CU’s South Campus. They will serve as the official starters of the meet, which includes two races – the men will run an 8k race at 9 a.m. and the women will race a 5.8k run at 9:45 a.m.

After the cross country meet, Coburn and Simpson will head to Folsom Field for the CU football game against Oregon State, which is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. start. They will spend time with the Alumni Association and Alumni C-Club at their tailgates before heading inside the stadium. The duo will be honored during the break between the first and second quarters.

Coburn and Simpson, former NCAA Champions and All-Americans for the CU track and field and cross country teams, made CU proud when they became the first American females to medal in their respective events this past August at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.  Coburn, who raced first, set an American record (9:07.63) when she finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Simpson ran a very gutsy 1,500 and closed very fast in the final 800-meters for her third place finish.

Both athletes are coached by Colorado coaches Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. Coburn and Simpson are the fifth and sixth CU athletes to ever medal at an Olympic Games.

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Buffs begin preparations for Oregon State – “We’ve got a long way to go”

From CUBuffs.com … Late Saturday afternoon, in the midst of the locker room celebration, players and coaches were quick to point out that they still have plenty of room for improvement and plenty left on their plates to accomplish.

“We’re a different team and I think we showed that today,” said left tackle Jeromy Irwin, who spent the week battling a case of strep throat. “It was a statement game — but we all know we have a lot of work to do now. It’s just one game in the Pac-12. It’s only going to get harder. We have to look at next week and start focusing on Oregon State right away.”

Even record-setting redshirt freshman quarterback Steven Montez didn’t get too caught up in the moment, despite becoming the first Buff ever to throw for at least 300 yards (333) and rush for 100 (135) in the same game.

“I’m sure it means a ton (for the program), but for right now, for this team for this year, all this means for us is one win in the Pac-12,” Montez said. “We’ve got a long ways to go.”

You can also rest assured that head coach Mike MacIntyre was also looking ahead.

“It’s just one for us,” MacIntyre said. “Our goal is to win a Pac 12 championship. I know a lot of people still laugh about it, but that’s what those young men believe. If we can’t believe it, then you can’t ever achieve it.”

… Continue reading story here …

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September 25th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Colorado up to No. 32 in CBS rankings of all 128 teams

Colorado up 25 spots to No. 32 in CBS 1-128 rankings

… (Buffs the biggest mover in this week’s poll; Colorado fifth in the Pac-12, behind Stanford, Washington, Utah, and UCLA) …

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ESPN Power Rankings: Colorado at No. 5

From ESPN … Welcome to the Week 4 Power Rankings. You can see last week’s rankings here. If you don’t like where you’re ranked, stop giving up last-minute touchdowns.

5. Colorado 3-1, 1-0 (No. 8 last week)

Autzen Stadium isn’t typically a place for quarterbacks to grow up on the job. But Steven Montez was fantastic in his first career start (333 yards, three touchdowns) and the defense — which we’ve documented — came up clutch in the 41-38 win over Oregon. This wasn’t just a signature win for the program. It was Mike MacIntyre’s John Hancock.

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MacIntyre: “It’s hard to act like you’ve been there when you haven’t been there”

From ESPN … Tim Lynott walked up through the tunnel and past the smattering of Colorado fans where he delivered a few high-fives. He was walking toward the locker room when Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre moved by at a full sprint. He shouted to fans, slapped players’ backs and hugged everyone within arm’s reach.

“Holy s—,” Lynott said to himself.

On a night on which the Buffs picked up a 41-38 win over Oregon, those were the two overriding emotions — shock and joy.

For so long Oregon has been the standard in the Pac-12 while the Buffs have been the doormat. But on Saturday, Colorado helped push the needle toward parity from top to bottom in the Pac-12.

And on that night, MacIntyre would not ask his players to act relaxed or composed. He would not tell them to watch their mouths. There would be no keeping it cool, and MacIntyre — who had started crying with 40 seconds left in the game — certainly wasn’t going to be the one to try and impose it.

“It’s hard to act like you’ve been there,” MacIntyre said, “when you haven’t been there.”

… On Saturday, they were a team that could field a backup quarterback and win. They were a team that could face second-half adversity and win. They were a team that found an answer to everything that Oregon — yes, Oregon — had put on the field.

They were, for the first time, a team that belonged.

Welcome to the party, Colorado.

… Continue reading story here …

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Colorado ranked No. 31 in Associated Press poll; No. 37 in USA Today coaches poll

The 41-38 win over Oregon got the attention of more than just a few voters in the latest Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls. The Buffs earned 33 votes in the AP poll, good enough for 31st place overall. In the coaches poll, the Buffs earned 16 votes, 37th place overall.

In the Pac-12, three teams remain ranked, with Stanford at No. 7, Washington at No. 10, and Utah at No. 18 in the AP poll. Among the others receiving votes, Arizona State came in at No. 26, Colorado at No. 31, and UCLA at No. 34.

In the USA Today coaches poll, the Pac-12 rankings are as follows: No. 6 Stanford; No. 9 Washington; No. 18 Utah; No. 28 Arizona State; No. 35 UCLA; No. 37 Colorado; No. 44 Oregon.

Here is the Associated Press poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Arizona State (4-0) 135; Oklahoma (1-2) 120; North Dakota State (3-0) 58; West Virginia (3-0) 51; Virginia Tech (3-1) 38; Colorado (3-1) 33; North Carolina (3-1) 26; Iowa (3-1) 25; UCLA (2-2) 22; Auburn (2-2) 18; LSU (2-2) 17; Western Michigan (4-0) 14; Wake Forest (4-0) 9; Memphis (3-0) 6; Maryland (3-0) 2; Toledo (3-0) 1

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… and the USA Today coaches poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Iowa (3-1) 127; Boise State (3-0) 126; Arizona State (4-0) 94; Oklahoma (1-2) 77; West Virginia (3-0) 46; LSU (2-2) 30; Western Michigan (4-0) 25; Memphis (3-0) 23; Virginia Tech (3-1) 20; UCLA (2-2) 20; Auburn (2-2) 18; Colorado (3-1) 16; Minnesota (3-0) 14; Navy (3-0) 14; Wake Forest (4-0) 9; Kansas State (2-1) 6; Toledo (3-0) 4; Air Force (3-0) 4; Oregon (2-2) 3; Maryland (3-0) 2; Appalachian State (2-2) 1; Troy (3-1) 1; South Florida (3-1) 1

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Oregon State rallies in second half after disastrous first half against Boise State

From the Corvallis Gazette-Times … The numbers weren’t pretty by halftime.

… Continue reading story here …

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This post, about the Oregon State game, from the 2016 Season, is filed under Article.
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