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CU At The Game Podcast – Mailbag Episode: Coaching Staff and Roster Moves
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This is Stuart Whitehair, publisher and editor for the CU at the Game website, and your host for the CU at the Game podcast.
Welcome to our first podcast of 2024. I am joined for this podcast by Brad Geiger and Neil Langland, and we will open up the mailbag to discuss your questions and concerns.
Included in this episode:
– Half of Coach Prime’s coaching staff, including both of his coordinators, have left for other opportunities. Should Buff fans look at these moves as a compliment – that CU has coaches worth hiring away? Or is it cause for concern that Coach Prime will have to reinvent his staff for the 2024 season?;
– Only 11 scholarship players from Colorado entered the Transfer Portal in the first window. Is this number a surprise? Will there be a mass exodus come April? Or, is the Buff lineup of 85 scholarship players largely now in place for the fall?;
– Now that there is a settlement – at least in principle – between the outgoing Pac-10 and the leftover Pac-2, will Oregon State and Washington State have enough resources to survive, and be relevant when the next round of realignment begins?;
– The offensive line room is being completely overhauled. With the transfers coming in, and the signing of five-star phenom Jordan Seaton, does CU have enough quality starters and sufficient quality depth in the offensive line to compete in the Big 12?; and
– What are our picks for the national championship game, and should CU fans have a rooting interest one way or the other?
Let’s find out …
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Below is Episode 1 of Season 5 for the CU at the Game Podcast. You can listen to the podcast simply by clicking on the play button below, or listen to it at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio … or wherever you find your podcasts!
3 Replies to “CUATG Podcast: Mailbag Episode”
Love the mailbag episode! Always enjoy hearing from the hosts and the listeners. The discussion on the QB situation was particularly interesting. Keep up the great work, CUatG!
I would rather had Kelly stay and Shurmer go. Maybe thats a glass completely empty.
Kelly went home for mo money. Double win for him. Glass completely full.
When the Buffs get enough attention here in Colorado as they have had in the national media maybe that means they will have had enough success and money to make other the other side of the fence look less green.
The problem on O was so bad and obvious I was horribly disappointed Lewis or Shurmur didnt try anything different. And I’m not talking about changing the entire “scheme” during the year if there even was one. Putting in a blocking back other than Edwards who I outweigh by 30 lbs is changing the “scheme?”
Making one of the O line guys on the bench a blocking tight end is changing the “scheme?” Shoot, after blocking for a couple periods he would be under the radar so long he could catch a red zone TD pass.
Once the opposing coaches said “hey, wait a minute” all we have to do is ignore the run and go after their main weapon the season was basically over. Schurmur, Lewis or anyone else that may or could have been involved just went through the repetitive motions proving Einstein’s theory of insanity was absolutely correct.
Back to the DC. The longer it takes the more I am worried the first second and maybe the third choices have declined……even though the talent level up front has been improved, And how hard is Prime looking at film and vetting? I get worried here because of all the event and endorsement distractions. It is off season. He should have enough spare time.
On the loss of coaches, it is a little bit of both half-empty and half-full. Certainly, it is not optimal to re-install new O and D schemes, as there is a steep learning curve (“combining offense and defense systems to get an identity). IMO, the O will probably be a new system. Prime/CU sort of hedged their bets some by having Shurmer and Zimmer here, so they may be able to keep some concepts the same. The D may stay somewhat or mostly the same, so they could have real progress there with the additional talent.
Losing SL was sort of a given the way the season played out, but SL improved his stature now as the HC of SDSU. That is a complement. BOB had to leave. CU did not have to pay anything, which is great. The SL experiment just did not work out, but live and learn.
I was surprised at losing Charles Kelly given the defense seemed to improve the 2nd half, although the stats did not show it. The closeness of the games (less losing point differential) showed something. The D made more plays the 2nd half of the season, and the offense had real problems. CK move is back home and in the SEC, but sort of demotion since he is a Co-Coordinator. Presuming Zimmer stays even with a different DC, they probably do not have to do a full install. CK brought energy and intensity, which did not make some fans happy (the yeller).
Nick Williams as a recruiter is a loss. Warren Sapp will bring enthusiasm, energy and NFL experience. Presuming he works hard and transitions well, I think he will be great as a recruiter and have great impact as a “tone-setter.” Having Zimmer helps no matter who the DC is.
Hagan wanted to position coach again with is RB’s, and Flea is the AHC, so he was sort of stuck. Hate to lose him, good luck to DH. He may come back soon.
BOB was gone. Loadholt is an upgrade in my opinion, especially with Shurmer still here. We have experience and a recruiter on staff.
Brewster never had a TE room. The guys brought in did not do much. Some of that was SL system and bad Oline. IMO, Traore was the worst recruiting bust for them. Brewster/CU did not have a back-up plan. Harrison had a great year, but was basically a Slot-WR. His resignation should not hurt them. They need more TEs.
Overall, the lack of overall and specifically bad attrition says something the overall Prime effect. Despite losing coaches, we did not have massive player defections.