Fall Camp – 2019

CU Cross Country teams will both open season in the Top Ten nationally … NCAA Releases spring dates for fall sports … Legendary CU ski coach Richard Rokos (eight national championships) to retire after 2021 season …

The Colorado defense has talent, but there are issues … 1) Experience – seven new starters, underclassmen being counted on at numerous positions; and 2) Depth – If any of the starting defensive linemen or cornerbacks get hurt …

It’s been a loooong nine months since CU limped into the 2018-19 off-season on a seven-game losing streak. The preseason pundits have had their way (again) with the CU program, but this time – this time! – the comeback of CU football feels like the real deal! …

*Video – Mel Tucker’s post-practice talk with media (Sunday) – CSU preparation begins * … Mel Tucker tells sellout Kickoff Luncheon crowd: “We have what we need in place to build this thing. It can be done” … Tillman on CB’s: “The progress they’ve made has been great” …

The CU offense lists only three senior starters, with five underclassmen … Who will emerge as the primary backup to Steven Montez? … Will Alex Fontenot hold off Jaren Mangham at starting running back? … Is this the year that CU’s offensive line dominates? … “Half my kingdom for – a left guard?” …

Three QB coaches in three seasons a “blessing in disguise” for Steven Montez … New CU President Mark Kennedy: “I do believe that sports serve as the front door to the university” … Nate Landman: “I need to be responsible for this defense” … * Video – Mel Tucker speaks at the Front Range Media Huddle * …

CU actually dubbed “underrated” by CBS Sports writer … Colorado Springs-Gazette: “Those Buffaloes better watch out. They better not overlook these Falcons” … Former starting safety for CSU Rams declared academically ineligible … Air Force loses two wide receivers; Falcons down four skill position players this off-season …

Will 2019 bring a “November to Remember”? After a visit to the Rose Bowl to open the month, the Buffs face Stanford and the two Pac-12 favorites, Washington and Utah … Will CU get to November with five wins, and hit yet another glass ceiling of bowl eligibility? …

October sees home games against Arizona and USC, with back-to-back road games against Oregon and Washington State in between … Is this the year that the Buffs finally corral Kahlil Tate? Will Steven Montez have a successful return to Autzen Stadium? Can the Buffs finally beat the Trojans? …

The Buffs opened the 2018 season with a 5-0 record and a national ranking. The Buffs open the 2019 season with a schedule similar to that of last fall … Will CU, in Year One of the Mel Tucker era, be as successful as the last Mike MacIntyre team? …

On assembling his coaching staff: “You can’t hire your friends” … On recruiting: “I tell the coaches ‘Trust your eyes … Don’t look at how many stars a kid has, don’t look at who else is recruiting them’ ” … On CU: “There’s no excuse for us not to have a very successful football program here” …

Coach Tucker on what went into his decision to accept the job at CU … On “red-letter” games (but not keeping any Georgia or Alabama red in his closet) … On seeing leadership develop on the team over the course of summer conditioning ….

On the blending of the new coaching staff: “Coach Tucker has done a great job of bringing in not only good coaches, but good people” … On rivalry games; “You can’t over-hype games, you really can’t. You can prepare each and every day, make sure your guys know what they are doing, so they can go out there are perform” …

Coach Chiaverini was recently promoted to assistant head coach, with Coach Tucker calling “Coach Chev” a “relentless recruiter” … In Part One, we talk about how recruiting works in today’s game, and how he feels CU “sells” itself to prospects …

The final installment of my interview with Dave Plati covers a variety of topics, including his invention of the “Red Zone” and other statistics; the Oklahoma State plane crash; and “The Forgotten” …

You can only put 11 players at a time on the field, and CU’s starting lineup is excellent … BUT … there is a decided lack of depth along the defensive line and in the secondary … Can Mel Tucker & Co. get enough production out of the current lineup to make CU a Pac-12 South contender? …

There were more breaks to the ’90 title run than the 5th down game and Rocket’s clip … Oklahoma’s bad behavior … Rashaan Salaam: The Reluctant Heisman Trophy candidate …

Whoa, Nellie! Are you ready for some war stories from Keith Jackson? … How did Joel Klatt get his start in broadcasting? Plati: “Because I was awful at something” … On O.J. Simpson: “This guys is a psycho” (in 1990) …

CU’s Associate Athletic Director / Media Relations Director Dave Plati talks about two of the most surprising coaching changes in CU history – Bill McCartney’s surprise retirement announcement in 1994; Rick Neuheisel leaving CU for Washington in 1998 …

Fall Camp opens August 1st – Roster issues for the offense: Who will emerge as the backup quarterback? … Who will start at running back? … Who is the third wide receiver? … Who will start at tight end (and will they be thrown the ball)? … Are four of five offensive line spots decided? …