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Colorado Daily – Central Florida Week

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September 28th – Game Day!

… CU in a few minutes … 

Five UCF Players to watch

From the Daily Camera …

RB RJ Harvey: Ranks fourth in the country with 149.3 rushing yards per game (448 yards, 8 TDs). Rushed for 1,416 yards last year and his 108.9 yards per game ranked 10th nationally. Since the start of 2022, he’s gained 2,660 yards on the ground.

WR Kobe Hudson: UCF’s leading receiver with 13 catches for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Had the best year of his career in 2023, as he caught 44 passes for 900 yards and eight touchdowns. A fifth-year senior who played his first two seasons at Auburn, he’s caught 147 passes for 2,494 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career.

DT Lee Hunter: Selected preseason All-Big 12, he has five tackles and a tackle for loss so far this year. The 320-pounder is a fourth-year junior who was a first-time starter last year. He was All-Big 12 honorable mention after posting 69 tackles (third on team), 11 tackles for loss (second) and three sacks (tied for third).

QB KJ Jefferson: Arkansas transfer is off to a good start, completing 32-of-51 passes for 563 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing for 135 yards and a score. A starter at Arkansas the past three seasons, Jefferson threw for 2,107 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while also rushing for 447 yards and two scores last year.

LB Deshawn Pace: Leads the Knights with 19 tackles and also has a tackle for loss and an interception. At Cincinnati last year, he led the Bearcats with 80 tackles and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention.

When UCF has the ball …

While it’s obvious the CU offense goes through Sanders, it’s just as clear what the Knights want to do on offense. So far this year, 73% of their plays have been on the ground. UCF is No. 1 in the country in rushing (375.7 yards per game), led by experienced running back RJ Harvey, one of the nation’s best. The Knights are loaded behind him, too. Harvey (7.6), Peny Boone (6.6) and Myles Montgomery (7.1) all average at least 6.6 yards per carry. Quarterback KJ Jefferson is a dual threat who has thrown for 563 yards and is second on the team in rushing attempts (29). “Tackle him hard and early,” CU safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig said of defending Jefferson. “KJ, he’s great with his legs, a lot of running from the (start). Just make sure everybody’s doing their jobs and getting to the quarterback, and when we get to him, make sure we make sure tackles on him. He’s a big ol’ guy.” When the Knights throw it, their top target is Kobe Hudson, a preseason All-Big 12 selection at receiver.

… Continue reading story here …

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September 27th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Buffs will have plenty of friends and family at the game

From the Daily Camera … Asked if he’s heard much from the Florida players on the team about their excitement of returning home this week, Colorado safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig laughed.

“Have I? Lord, these guys are ready to go back home,” the Alabama native said. “Everybody’s trying to trade tickets and everything. We got a million people coming to the game. So everybody excited to go down to Florida.”

On Saturday, the Colorado Buffaloes will visit Central Florida in the first Big 12 road game of the season. It’ll also be the Buffs’ first trip to the Sunshine State since Sept. 27, 2008, when they played Florida State in Jacksonville.

CU has 18 players who are from Florida high schools, plus a couple of others who went to IMG Academy in Florida. There are several others with Florida ties, including Travis Hunter.

Of course, CU head coach Deion Sanders is also from Florida, born and raised in Fort Myers, located about 3 hours southwest of Orlando. Several CU staff members are from the state, as well.

So, there’s no question a large contingent of Buffs are eager to play Saturday.

“Well, it’s good now, until you get down there and play,” Sanders said of the excitement much of his team feels about going home. “You gotta win. We don’t want to go down there and think it’s just a road trip, a field trip. We want to go down there and win.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Neill Woelk: Keys to UCF Game

From CUBuffs.com … So how do the Buffs collect their fourth win of the season in what will be hot — and possibly rainy — conditions?

Our weekly Fast Five:

1. Put the Knights behind the sticks. This means stopping the UCF run game, especially on first and second down.

The Knights lean heavily on running back RJ Harvey, a 5-foot-9, 220-pound powerhouse who runs through arm tackles. Harvey is averaging nearly 150 yards per game while averaging 7.6 yards per carry, and he’s coming off a 180-yard, two-touchdown performance against TCU. He’s scored eight touchdowns and can break big plays, with a 60-yard run to his credit this year.

The Knights have other running threats. Peny Boone and Myles Montgomery are both averaging nearly 7 yards per carry and 6-3, 247-pound quarterback KJ Jefferson is a threat as well, with 135 yards on 29 carries.

But Harvey is the main cog. If the Buffs can wrap him up at the line of scrimmage and limit the yards after contact, they’ll force the Knights to throw. Which brings us to …

2. Get pressure on Jefferson. The Buffs’ pass rush hasn’t been a powerhouse thus far, but Colorado does have five sacks, with Dayon Hayes notching a pair thus far.

But maybe just as important as sacking Jefferson will be making sure they keep him contained. He’s a threat to run if he escapes containment, which means CU’s secondary will have to provide solid man-to-man coverage while the Buffs send an extra man or two on occasion to harass Jefferson.

Jefferson can be forced into bad throws if he’s under pressure. He’s thrown just one interception but if Colorado can hurry him into some mistakes, they can limit long drives and give the CU offense a few more opportunities.

… Continue reading story here …

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September 26th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Coach Prime: “We must apply more pressure on the quarterbacks, because we have the pass rushers to do it”

From the Daily Camera … CU’s defensive philosophy under first-year coordinator Robert Livingston has led to the Buffs (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) playing better on that side of the ball than they did last year, and they’ll be tested on Saturday when they visit UCF (3-0, 1-0) in Orlando, Fla. (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox).

Talent in the secondary has allowed the Buffs to play man coverage on receivers, giving the front seven opportunities to be aggressive.

“It’s complementary football at the end of the day,” CU defensive lineman Shane Cokes said. “Just knowing you can trust Preston (Hodge), Travis (Hunter), Cam (Silmon-Craig), Carter (Stoutmire); no matter who’s back there, to be honest. Trust on them, so then that gives us time to rush, and then vice versa, you know? Gives us time to rush, and then takes it off their plate.”

Hunter and DJ McKinney have played nearly every snap at cornerback this season and they’ve shined in man coverage. As a whole, the pass defense for the Buffs has improved significantly from last year – although the Buffs gave up some big pass plays against Baylor last week.

“(The strong secondary) was a big deal until last week when we got our butts kicked a couple times on some deep balls, which is unlike us,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “That’s not who we are. We’re trying to shore that up right now. … But we have some guys that can flat-out play man and they’ll do a better job in the future, I promise you that. But it helps us tremendously.”

The only issue with the complementary football to this point is that CU doesn’t have the quarterback sacks to show for it. The Buffs have generated only five sacks this season, ranking 14th in the 16-team Big 12. They are tied for sixth in tackles for loss (25), however.

… Continue reading story here …

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Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig: “I was an All-American coming here. So this is nothing new to me”

From the Daily Camera … When he heard he recorded five tackles on the first seven defensive snaps on Saturday, Colorado safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig smiled.

“That’s crazy,” he said.

And yet, maybe it’s not.

Silmon-Craig has been playing at a high level all season, finishing with a career-high 14 tackles in the Buffs’ 38-31 overtime win against Baylor. He is leading the Buffs with 31 tackles on the season and has been a tone setter on defense in most games.

“I feel like that’s the team motto,” he said of fast starts. “I mean, it could be anybody with five (tackles) on the first seven. I was just a guy that game. I’m a lead by example guy naturally, and it was just the plays were there for me to make, so I just made sure I made them. And it picked my team up a lot, and the guys rallied behind me.”

Silmon-Craig has been an exceptional player since his freshman year at Jackson State in 2021. He now has 188 career tackles, and he’s on pace for a career-best 93. He had 44 in 10 games last year.

A first-team All-SWAC performer at JSU in 2022, Silmon-Craig brushed off the notion that he’s playing his best ball this season.

“Nah, nah,” he said. “I mean, this is something I’ve been doing for a minute. I was All-American at one point. I was All-American coming here. So this is nothing new to me. This is me, like Coach Prime (head coach Deion Sanders) said the other day, I’m consistently being who I am. So that’s what I’ve been doing.”

… Continue reading story here …

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September 25th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Coach Prime on stopping UCF rushing attack: “We have to load up the box and pray”

From the Daily Camera … Coach Prime is quite familiar with UCF coach Gus Malzahn, who recruited Sanders’ son Shedeur when he was the head coach at Auburn.

“Coach Malzahn, I love him, I appreciate him,” Coach Prime said. “He’s one of my favorite coaches in college football, the way he gave us love and showed us love and compassion … I love what he’s brought to college football. A lot of similarities. He does it his way, and I love the way he does it.”

What Malzahn certainly brings is a powerful run game that does not depend on just one player to carry the load.

Senior running back RJ Harvey, a powerful 5-foot-9, 220-pounder is no doubt the bell cow of the rushing attack. He has already rushed for 448 yards and eight touchdowns on 59 attempts this year, including a 180-yard, two-touchdown effort in the win over TCU.

But the Knights also boast a true dual-threat quarterback in KJ Jefferson, who has rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown while also throwing for 563 yards and five scores with just one interception.

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Jefferson fits the mold of a former Malzahn quarterback, Cam Newton. Malzahn was the offensive coordinator at Auburn when Newton won the Heisman Trophy in 2010.

“Dual-threat guy,” Malzahn said at Big 12 Media Days. “Physically, he’s the closest thing to Cam (Newton) that I’ve had. He’s like a running back. He throws a great deep ball. We’re a run, play-action team with emphasis on throwing the ball downfield.”

The Buffs have been up and down against the run, giving up an average of 150 yards per game this season, just 82nd in the nation.

“We have to load the box up and pray,” Coach Prime said with a smile. “Stop the run. I feel good about our scheme. I feel good about what I saw at practice today and I feel good about what we’ve been accomplishing versus the run defensively.”

 The Buffs will be getting some help back in the defensive trenches this week with the expected return of defensive tackle Chidozie Nwankwo, who started CU’s first two games before suffering an injury against Nebraska.

… Continue reading story here …

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Legacy Bricks for Buff Walk return

Press release from CUBuffs.com …

Cement your place in CU history and become a permanent part of our Buff Walk with your own personalized brick. The Buff Walk, located on the east side of Folsom Field, stands as a testament to the unwavering support and dedication of the CU community. With Phase III of this campaign, we invite you to be a part of the Buff Walk and leave an everlasting legacy at CU.
Buff Walk Bricks are available in three styles. Each brick can be inscribed with your personal message and will be installed in the spring of 2025.
A personalized brick is the perfect way to commemorate a friend, family member, teammate, or cherished CU memory. Your charitable contribution will also qualify you as a new Buff Club member or elevate your status as an existing member. Secure your brick now while supplies last!

My brick, from a few years ago, during the first campaign … 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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September 24th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Buffs leaving Wednesday for Florida in order to avoid storm travel issues

From the Daily Camera … As Tropical Storm Helene is gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, the Colorado football team is altering its travel plans.

The Buffaloes (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) are scheduled to visit Central Florida (3-0, 1-0) in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox).

The storm could turn into a strong hurricane in the gulf by Wednesday and more than 60 Florida counties have declared a state of emergency. The Gulf Coast of Florida is expected to be hit by Helene on Thursday. Projections call for a potential Category 3 storm.

Although Orlando, on the Atlantic side of the state, is not in the projected path of the storm, it will be impacted with rain and wind. The travel plans of many heading to the area this week are also impacted.

CU was originally scheduled to leave Thursday, but has decided to leave Wednesday instead. The equipment truck took off for Orlando on Tuesday.

“We don’t want to take that chance and the storm hits Thursday, now we can’t get there until Friday evening; now, it’s a rush,” said CU head coach Deion Sanders, who grew up in Florida. “So, we’re trying to get ahead of the curve and be smart with it.

“Our guys like consistency, so being settled and having a consistent plan in place works in our favor. We’ve already secured practice facilities. We already, I think, sent the truck on the road. We’re right where we want to be. We’re just going to make it consistent as possible for our young men.”

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*Coach Prime Weekly Press Conference*

… Coach Prime starts at 24:22 … Also includes Shane Cokes and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig … 

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Rick George announces “Buffs United For Future Success”

Press release from CUBuffs.com …  Like me, I’m sure you’re still excited about our incredible homecoming win over Baylor this past Saturday night. The resilience that was shown by our student-athletes to get that win was truly inspiring and the finish will undoubtedly go down as one of the most iconic in CU football history.

In addition to a 3-1 start for our football team, all of our fall sports are starting their seasons strong. Our soccer team is 9-1-0, is ranked 21st in the country and has won eight straight, which is currently the nation’s longest winning streak. CU’s volleyball team is 7-5 and heading into Big 12 conference play, while our cross country team has just started competing and is traveling to Madison, Wisconsin this week to a huge meet at the University of Wisconsin. Both women’s and men’s golf teams are in full swing and our tennis team is also off to a strong start. With winter sports seasons right around the corner, I couldn’t be prouder of all of our student-athletes.
Buffs United For Future Success
I’m excited to share our successes with you because I truly feel you are a part of the upward trajectory we are experiencing in CU Athletics. To that end, I’d like to announce “Buffs United For Future Success,” a new campaign we’re launching to keep you informed and engaged in what’s happening in our department and throughout collegiate athletics.
As you may know, it’s truly an unprecedented time in college sports, with NIL, unlimited transfers, and revenue sharing, and we need your help to keep the success we’re enjoying now continuing into the future. In the video above, I partnered with CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz, CU System President Todd Saliman, and Chair of the CU Board of Regents Callie Rennison to demonstrate how unified the University of Colorado is in supporting our student-athletes. Now we need you to join us.
I encourage you to make a donation to the Buff Club or the 5430 Alliance today. Every bit helps and this funding goes directly to our student-athletes and to the programs and resources that help them achieve their very best.
In the months to come, I’ll also be sending out more videos and more updates to keep you all informed about our successes and our challenges. Now more than ever, we need solidarity to ensure tomorrow is as bright as today.
Together, we are truly Buffs United! 
Go Buffs!
Rick

 

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September 23rd

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU depth showing in contributions from various players

From the Daily Camera … Against Baylor, several players came through in key moments for the Buffs (3-1, 1-0), who will take a two-game winning streak into a matchup at Central Florida (3-0) on Saturday (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox).

CU will have a shot to win a lot of games because of Shedeur and Hunter, but will need plenty of help to get over the top and win, and they got that help on Saturday.

Receiver LaJohntay Wester hauled in Shedeur’s pass in the end zone, brushing aside what had been a quiet night up to that point. He had just three receptions for 25 yards before being a part of one of the biggest plays in recent CU history.

“(Receivers coach Jason Phillips), he just stayed on me, man,” Wester said. “He trusts me. He believed me, and I trust and believe in myself as well. It’s football. You’re not going to be perfect. You’re gonna have mistakes out there. … As long as you make up for it, everybody going to forget about those drops.”

Running back Micah Welch’s final stats weren’t impressive, with nine carries for 22 yards. However, he got the ground game started with a 12-yard run on the first offensive play. Then, he had a 2-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 24-24 with 11 minutes to play in regulation and scored what turned into the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run in overtime.

“My mindset is to help the team win, show that we can run the ball, do my assignments, and (show) I can block for Shedeur,” Welch said. “We’re gonna keep the same mindset.”

Omarion Miller hadn’t caught a pass all season until his number was called late in the first half. His impressive effort to bust a tackle and score on a 58-yard pass from Shedeur was massive for the Buffs at the time.

… Continue reading story here …

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Buffs happy with win; not satisfied with play

From the Daily Camera … In the end, the Colorado football team had plenty to celebrate, enjoying a party on the field and in the locker room after a 38-31 overtime win against Baylor on Saturday night.

It wasn’t the type of performance that left the Buffaloes satisfied, though, as they get ready to visit Central Florida on Saturday in Orlando, Fla. (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox).

“Well, it makes us take a deep dive, a reality, knowing we gotta … we can’t afford to do that type of stuff again,” quarterback Shedeur Sanders said. “And we definitely getting punished (Sunday). We’re getting punished tomorrow for all the mistakes, I would say, for all the penalties, just for missed throws, missed everything. Missed reads.”

Down 14 points in the first half and down by a touchdown before a desperate, miraculous touchdown pass from Sanders to LaJohntay Wester on the final play of regulation that sent the game to overtime, the Buffs know they escaped on a day when they weren’t great.

“At the end of the day, we still didn’t want to win a game like that,” star Travis Hunter said. “We wanted to go out with a bang. And that’s not the way we want to win. We got to go out and play how we should play.”

On special teams, the Buffs were a mess. Baylor’s Jamaal Bell had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, while Josh Cameron had a 54-yard punt return in the first quarter that set up a field goal. That’s 10 points directly attributed to the special teams.

“We’ve gotta do a better job of covering,” said head coach Deion Sanders, whose team had done well in coverage during the first three games. “We have so much personnel that’s able and capable of doing that.

“And we’ve got to get the ball in the end zone kicking off. I mean, we got to do that.”

… Continue reading story here …

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September 22nd

… CU in a few minutes … 

Fox Big Noon Kickoff will be in Orlando for CU at UCF

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Big 12 lines: CU opens as an 13.5-point underdog to Central Florida

From DraftKings.com …

  • No. 20 Oklahoma State at No. 23 Kansas State … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN … Kansas State is a 4.5-point home favorite …
  • BYU at Baylor … 10:00 a.m., MT, FS1 … Baylor is a 2.5-point home favorite …
  • Colorado at UCF … 1:30 p.m., MT, FOX … UCF is a 13.5-point home favorite
  • TCU at Kansas … 1:30 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … Kansas is a 2.0-point home favorite
  • Iowa State at Houston … 5:00 p.m., MT, FS1 … Iowa State is a 12.5-point road favorite
  • Cincinnati at Texas Tech … 6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN 2 … Texas Tech is a 4.0-point home favorite
  • Arizona at No. 10 Utah … 8:15 p.m., MT, ESPN … Utah is a 12.5-point home favorite

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Kickoff time for UCF game set

Press release from CUBuffs.com …  Colorado’s Big 12’s matchup at Central Florida on Saturday, September 28 will kickoff at 1:30 p.m. MT/3:30 p.m. ET (local) and be televised by FOX.

This is the fifth game selected for network television this season for the Buffaloes, matching the total from 2023, which is the most in a season in program history.
The Big 12 schedule for Sept. 28: 
Oklahoma State at Kansas State, Noon ET on ESPN
BYU at Baylor, Noon ET on FS1
Colorado at UCF, 3:30 pm ET on FOX
TCU at Kansas, 3:30 pm ET on ESPN+
Iowa State at Houston, 7:00 pm ET on FS1
Cincinnati at Texas Tech, 8:00 pm ET on ESPN 2
Arizona at Utah, 10:15 pm ET on ESPN

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Neill Woelk: Unbelievable? Incredible? Inconceivable? Those all fit

From CUBuffs.com … College football fans around the nation are still shaking their heads in disbelief.

“Improbable” doesn’t begin to describe what transpired Saturday night at Folsom Field.

Unbelievable? Incredible? Inconceivable? Those all fit.

But whatever your description, the end result was a 38-31 Colorado victory in overtime over Baylor in the Buffaloes’ Big 12 opener.

What could have been a disappointing loss — what had every sign of becoming a disappointing loss for much of the evening — instead turned into a miracle finish CU fans will never forget.

Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders’ Buffs dodged bullets all night. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was magnificent. Two-way star Travis Hunter was outstanding.

And in the end, CU came up with big plays when absolutely necessary to produce the win.

With two seconds left in the game, Colorado trailed 31-24 with the ball on the Baylor 43-yard line. Everyone in a sold-out Folsom Field — everyone — knew Sanders would try to fling the ball into the end zone on Colorado’s final play from scrimmage.

That is exactly what he did, rolling to his left, stopping and heaving a toss into the end zone where LaJohntay Wester was waiting. Wester dove to the turf and cradled the ball, sending the crowd of 52,794 into delirium.

… Continue reading story here …

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Other Posts about the game:

Sep. 28th – at Central Florida – “Time For Expectation”

7 Replies to “Colorado Daily”

  2. “We have to load the box up and pray,” Coach Prime said with a smile

    Uh, is prayer a legitimate coaching strategy or are we toast against UCF’s running attack (?) … asking for a friend

    Reply

  3. There is a Hurricane heading towards the west coast of Florida.. If saturday’s game cannot be played there, and FOX must have the Buffs on, any chance they could play in Boulder?

    Reply

    1. 5pm and I just checked the Orlando weather forecast. The hurricane is supposed to pass by tomorrow. The forecast calls for rain but not the debilitating amount but it will rain n
      be soggy and close to,90 degrees. Buff O line Better figure out that inside outside zone thing.
      Why the hell does anyone live in Florida? or the entire gulf coast for that matter.

      Reply

  4. Credit to the Buffs for fighting to the end and as much as I am delighted and astounded by the double “miracle” ending how many more games are we going to win that way?

    This team is being carried entirely by ludicrous skill position talent. Shurmer hasn’t done a thing to put a wiggle in the running game or something that will make the D hesitate for a step. The slight improvement in yardage is entirely from the RBs who are tired of running into constantly clogged “inside zone,”where every running play is called and bouncing to the” outside zone.” which isnt an outside zone if the line is blocking for an inside zone. Inside outside…who came up with these terms?
    The O line’s good job pass protecting against the sheep looks more like a deficient sheep D line after this last game.
    We arent getting enough pressure on opposing QBs and are still susceptible to the run especially from running QBs.
    I have more faith in Livingston to make some improvements through adjustments than sleepy Shurmur. Hopefully that will be enough for a win at UCF….which by the way hasn’t proven themselves to be a 13.5 point favorite in my book.
    Problem is the tough teams are still to come….mayne the exception being Kstate after their debacle. We have new conference opponents who will realize they can mail in their D like last year if we dont get a run real game.

    Reply

  5. Morning,
    Fall is coming quickly.
    Beat time of year.
    Great temperatures.
    Trees still have leaves.
    College football.

    Dreams!
    3 and 1 Wow!

    8 to go need 3

    Trying to it.
    Magnifiers not working

    Go Buffs

    Note: Lots of coveragen

    Reply

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