Colorado Daily

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Colorado Daily – Postseason

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February 7th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Kaidon Salter: “Shedeur Did His Thing, Now It’s My Turn”

From YouTube, courtesy of WellOffMedia …

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DC Robert Livingston given an extension and a raise

… You can read the full details of Livingston’s contract here …

From the Daily Camera … Leading the Colorado Buffaloes’ defense to a resurgence in 2024 has landed coordinator Robert Livingston a contract extension and significant raise.

On Thursday, the Colorado board of regents approved a new contract for Livingston that will make him the highest-paid assistant coach in school history and one of the highest-paid assistants in the Big 12 Conference.

Livingston’s new contract is a two-year deal through the 2026 season worth an average of $1.55 million in base and supplemental salary. Livingston will make $1.5 million in 2025 and $1.6 million in 2026. In addition, Livingston would receive a $100,000 retention bonus if he is still on the CU staff on Sept. 1, 2026.

The new deal replaces the two-year contract Livingston signed a year ago when he was hired by CU and head coach Deion Sanders. He made $800,000 in 2024 and was slated to make $995,000 this year.

Livingston was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award, which honors the top assistant coach in college football, after helping CU to a 9-4 season and a trip to the Alamo Bowl.

“Coach Prime and I have worked extensively to build on the incredible momentum that has been created with our football program over the last two years,” CU athletic director Rick George said in a statement provided to BuffZone. “Robert Livingston is a top caliber coach, and this new contract illustrates the investment Colorado Athletics is making to ensure our program remains among the nation’s best. I’m thrilled that Coach Livingston will continue to mentor our student-athletes for years to come.”

… According to USA Today, Utah coordinators Andy Ludwig ($2.05 million) and Morgan Scalley ($2 million) were the only assistants among the 13 public institutions in the Big 12 to make more than $1.2 million last season. Only 26 assistant coaches around the country made at least $1.5 million during the 2024 season.

… Read full story here …

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February 6th

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU proposes first increase in athletic fees for students in more than 30 years

From the Daily Camera … For the first time in more than 30 years, the University of Colorado is looking to increase the athletics fee for students.

At the board of regents meeting on Thursday, Chad Marturano, the chief financial officer of the University of Colorado system, gave a presentation outlining several budget and fee proposals for the 2025-26 fiscal year, including the athletics fee.

CU is proposing that the fee, currently $28.50 per semester, be increased to $90 per semester beginning this fall. That would apply to all undergraduate students except current residents who will continue at CU in the fall. Graduate students do not pay an athletics fee.

The board of regents will vote on the proposal in April.

According to Marturano, the fee increase is supported by the CU Boulder Student Fee Advisory Board. The fee could increase to $130 per semester by the 2027-28 fiscal year.

Revenue from that fee increase would go towards scholarships for women’s sports, as well as to support non-revenue sports.

CU has had the same $28.50-per-semester fee since 1994 and that is one of the lowest fees among its peers. Marturano provided numbers comparing CU’s fees to those of seven other in-state four-year public schools and to the other 15 Big 12 Conference schools.

According to the numbers, CU’s fee is the lowest in the state, with Metro State University of Denver ($50 per semester) and Colorado State ($120.61) having the next-lowest fees. CSU-Pueblo ($243.75) has the highest fee, followed by UC-Colorado Springs ($180), Fort Lewis ($159), Western Colorado University ($147.36) and Colorado School of Mines ($125).

In the Big 12, CU’s current fee of $28.50 is near the bottom. Kansas State eliminated student fees in 2019, while information for three private schools – Baylor, BYU and TCU – was not available, Marturano said.

The other 11 schools all have higher fees than CU. Even at $90 per semester, six schools would have a higher fee. The Big 12 average is $95.63, while Central Florida has the highest fee, at $214.80 per semester.

… Continue reading story here …

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February 5th

… CU in a few minutes … 

*Video: CU Class of 2025 Recruiting Show*

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Buff great (and future Hall of Famer) Mason Crosby retires

From ESPN … Former Packers kicker Mason Crosby, who didn’t play in the NFL this season, is retiring from football after 17 seasons.

Crosby, 40, announced his decision Tuesday during “The Mason Crosby Show,” his radio show on Milwaukee’s 105.7 The Fan. He ends his career as the Packers’ all-time leading scorer after kicking for Green Bay from 2007-22.

“I’m just so, so thankful, so grateful for the opportunity to come to Green Bay in 2007, drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Colorado, to become a Packer and to be a part of this fraternity and legacy, the history of the Green Bay Packers,” Crosby said. “It’s about the fans. It’s about the people. It’s about my teammates. For me, I was always a ‘we’ guy. We’re doing this. We’re dominating and winning the NFC North nine times while I was a Green Bay Packer for 16 years, making the playoffs, winning the Super Bowl as a team. For me, everything I remember and everything I think about is about the team.”

Crosby made 81.3% of his career field goal attempts (400 of 492) and 97.2% of his extra points (739 of 760) during a career spent almost entirely in Green Bay.

The Packers opted against re-signing Crosby in 2023 and instead drafted Anders Carlson in the sixth round of that year’s draft. Crosby played three games for the New York Giants in 2023 and went 5-of-7 on field goal attempts. He spent this season away from the game.

Crosby’s 1,918 points with Green Bay gave him 864 more than any other Packer. Former kicker Ryan Longwell ranks second on Green Bay’s career scoring list with 1,054 points from 1997-2005. Counting those three games with the Giants, Crosby scored 1,939 points to rank 11th in NFL history.

Crosby also appeared in a franchise-record 258 games with the Packers, three more than Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre played for Green Bay from 1992-2007.

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February 4th

… CU in a few minutes …

**CU Releases full 2025 Schedule**

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February 1st

… CU in a few minutes … 

ESPN: CU’s Recruiting Class 4th in the Big 12; 34th overall

From ESPN … Much was settled on the recruiting front during the early signing period in December, but in the current state of college football the dust never truly settles. Coaching changes, transfer portal moves, additional commitments and updated player rankings all combined to shake up the class rankings again heading into the February signing period.

Oregon finished the early period atop our class rankings and has made significant portal moves to compliment the class, but the Ducks have undergone some changes, including seeing ESPN 300 QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele head back to Cal after a brief period with the Ducks. Texas, which sat close behind Oregon with a class led by two five-star defenders in DT Justus Terry and versatile safety Jonah Williams, moved up into the top spot.

Coming off a disappointing season on the field, Florida State ended the early signing period well outside the top 25. But the Seminoles made some significant strides, including picking up ESPN 300 OT Chastan Brown, and climbed 11 spots in the rankings.

And with the hiring of Bill Belichick, all eyes are on Chapel Hill. The NFL coaching legend inherited a small class but has made some big gains, including retaining ESPN 300 QB Bryce Baker, which helped move North Carolina into the rankings.

Here are the latest rankings of the top 75 recruiting classes for 2025:

From the Big 12 … 

21. TCU Horned Frogs

ESPN 300 commits: 4

Previous ranking: 20

The Horned Frogs made a run to the national title in 2022 and are looking to infuse more talent in hopes of sparking another ascension. They added some potential productive receiving targets in Ed Small, who displays strong ball skills. A key add at receiver during the fall was Terry Shelton, who is also a talented high school basketball player and can be a tall target with the ability to high point the ball and win contested matchups. RB Jon Denman runs with power and determination to be effective between the tackles, but also has good speed when gets to the perimeter having posted a sub-11 second 100-meter time. TCU lost a QB commit over the summer but quickly rebounded by flipping Adam Schobel from Oklahoma State. A prospect with family ties to the program, he gives the Frogs a passer with consistent mechanics and good touch. He threw for more than 11,000 yards with 149 TD passes in his high school career.

32. Kansas State Wildcats

ESPN 300 commits: 1

Previous ranking: 30

Chris Klieman has tallied 28 wins over the past three seasons and as he continues to evaluate this program and develop talent well, he has also elevated the Wildcats’ recruiting. Keeping Linkon Cure, an ESPN 300 prospect, at home was key as he is a big target who runs well and can be a productive weapon in their offensive attack. Dillon Duff, who threw for over 1,800 yards as a junior, gives them a scrappy player to develop at QB. They landed a pair of four-star receivers in R.J. Collins and Adonis Moise. In the trenches, Brock Heath needs to continue to fill out his frame but is a flexible and agile blocker with an aggressive demeanor and can be a good fit along the offensive line. CB Noah King has good length and ball skills and is physically ready to contribute at the next level.

33. Utah Utes

ESPN 300 commits: 0

Previous ranking: 40

The Utes went into California to land their QB in four-star Wyatt Becker. He is a passer with a strong arm and smooth release who can also run well and make plays with his feet. On defense, Cyrus Polu is a nice in-state addition. An MVP performer at this spring’s Under Armour camp, he is a prospect who can be a well-rounded defender with further development and maximization of his physical tools. They further strengthened their LB corps with four-star LB Christian Thatcher, who is an aggressive player and can be a presence sideline to sideline. He tallied more than 400 tackles over his high school career. Sione Motuapuaka is a valuable and underrated addition to their trenches. Projected to DT, he is a tough and explosive big man who can contribute on either side of the ball, as he has started games on both the defensive and offensive line for national power program Bishop Gorman.

34. Colorado Buffaloes

ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top offensive prospect: QB Julian Lewis
Top defensive prospect: DE London Merritt

Previous ranking: 35

Colorado has been among the most active teams in the transfer portal but Deion Sanders, going back to his time at Jackson State, has continually shown he can attract some top high school talent too. He made another big recruiting splash, this time landing five-star QB Julian Lewis, who addresses a key need with the impending departure of standout Shedeur Sanders. Lewis gives the Buffaloes an heir apparent to Sanders with the tools to become one of college football’s next elite QBs. He is an experienced player with many varsity starts under his belt, despite reclassifying from 2026 to 2025, and possesses a smooth, quick release, good fundamentals and the ability to quickly shake off mistakes.

The Buffaloes have also added several four-star prospects, including in the trenches. DT Christian Hudson was a nice pickup, and while he may not have ideal size, he is a prospect who has tested well in camp settings and is an explosive defender with active hands and good mobility on film. ESPN 300 DE London Merritt, out of the IMG Academy, can be a disruptive defender as he possesses a quick get-off. They have shown improvement on the O-line this season but continue to work to further improve that unit by adding four-star OG Chauncey Gooden and ESPN 300 OT Carde Smith.

38. Baylor Bears

40. West Virginia Mountaineers

44. Arizona State Sun Devils

51. Texas Tech Red Raiders

53. Oklahoma State Cowboys

59. Houston Cougars

60. Kansas Jayhawks

61. UCF Knights

62. BYU Cougars

63. Arizona Wildcats

64. Iowa State Cyclones

68. Cincinnati Bearcats

… Read full story here …

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January 31st

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU Spring practice dates set; Spring Game April 19th

Press release from CUBuffs.com … The Colorado Buffaloes 2025 Spring Football Game as part of Black & Gold Day presented by Arrow Electronics has been set for April 19 at Folsom Field, Athletic Director Rick George and Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders announced Friday.

Time at television are still to be announced and tickets will go on sale mid-February.

The third iteration of spring football for Coach Prime will begin March 11 and the team will practice for two weeks before taking Spring Break (March 24-28) off, returning to the field April 1.

The last two spring games have been the two highest attended in CU history with Coach Prime’s first spring game in 2023 being the only game aired on ESPN and brining 47,277 CU faithful through a snow storm to see the Buffs in action for the first time.  Last season, the second-largest crowd for a spring game in CU history happened with 28,424 in attendance.

The 2025 schedule is expected to be announced soon and season tickets are now available.  The past two seasons have seen a record season ticket renewal rate of over 97 percent.  This year’s renewal period will close on February 7 with seat selection happening in early April and single game tickets expected to be on sale in May.

This season, the Buffs spring roster will feature most of the 30 newcomers signed by the Buffs in the early singing period both out of high school (13) and via the transfer portal (17) as most of those players are enrolled at CU for the spring semester.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 30th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Five Buffs playing in East/West Shrine Bowl (Thursday, 6:00 p.m., MT, NFL Network) 

January 27th

… CU in a few minutes … 

*Video: Coach Prime on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert*

… Entertaining, but no news on CU. Coach Prime just there to promote the The Coach Prime series on Netflix … 

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Shedeur to Tennessee Titans: “I know I am the most guaranteed risk you can take”

From TennesseeTitans.com … Shedeur Sanders has a million-dollar smile, and a swagger that comes along with it.

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January 25th

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU receivers getting attention at Shrine Bowl; Shedeur not playing

From the Daily Camera … Six players from the Colorado football team are in Denton, Texas, preparing for the annual East-West Shrine Bowl.

Only five of the six are planning to play in the game, however.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders accepted an invitation to the 100th Shrine Bowl and is in attendance this weekend, but it was reported by ESPN on Saturday that Sanders will not participate in practices or the game.

Practices began Saturday, and the game will be held Thursday (6 p.m. MT, NFL Network) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Sanders is projected as one of the top picks in the NFL Draft in April and his decision to not play in the Shrine Game is no surprise. Top players, particularly quarterbacks, often don’t participate in postseason all-star games.

While Sanders won’t play, five other Buffs are in Denton and expected to participate for the West squad: receivers Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester; and safeties Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig and Shilo Sanders, Shedeur’s older brother.

Fans can watch Shrine Bowl practices for free on Lights Out Sports TV (lightsoutsportstv.com), which was created by former NFL star Shawne Merriman.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 24th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Tennessee coach impressed by Shedeur Sanders: “The thing that stands out the most is his toughness” 

From TennesseeTitans.com … It started with an introduction.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 23rd

… CU in a few minutes … 

Colorado legislature exploring legislation to allow direct payments to student-athletes

From the Denver Post … Student-athletes at Colorado colleges and universities could soon be paid directly by their schools under a bill in the state legislature that would build on their ability to profit from their name, image and likeness.

The proposal, House Bill 1041, reflects the seismic shifts running through college athletics since the NCAA’s authorization of name, image and likeness, or NIL, payments in 2021. That landmark decision, forced by a California law, allows college athletes to be paid after years of strict prohibitions on them profiting from their talents.

But it also initially restricted the source of compensation to outside entities instead of schools themselves — until the landscape in the multi-billion dollar college sports industry shifted again with another landmark decision last year.

That decision, which came through a settlement in the class-action lawsuit House v. NCAA, set the stage for schools to be able to pay their student-athletes directly. Colorado lawmakers’ new bill builds off an existing Colorado law allowing NIL payments so that universities can comply with the new rules established by the settlement.

“Our universities cannot pay our athletes directly,” said Senate President James Coleman, a Denver Democrat and sponsor of the bill. “They get paid by businesses, and now that’s a disadvantage we have with universities around the country.”

Some states already allow universities to directly pay their athletes, while others are considering similar laws to allow the practice.

The potential of direct NIL payments could add a potent variable to the mix when athletes shop their talents to other schools through the transfer portal, in effect creating bidding wars between colleges.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 22nd

… CU in a few minutes … 

Coach Mac memorial: “A really special day to be able to celebrate his life” 

From the Daily Camera … Family, friends and Mac’s players gathered Tuesday night to catch up and share stories. On Wednesday at the CU Events Center, family, friends, players, fans and the current Buffs attended a celebration of Mac’s life.

“I think it’s a really special day to be able to celebrate his life and the impact that he had on our student-athletes during his tenure, being the best coach in our history, and the accomplishments that he made,” CU athletic director Rick George said. “To see some of the old coaches and administrators and student-athletes, it’s been a blessing and a joy.”

From the stories on Tuesday night to the speeches on Wednesday, the message was less about football than about McCartney’s faith in God, remarkable leadership ability and his life-long impact on those who met him.

Mike, Tom and Marc McCartney all spoke at the celebration, as did Coach Mac’s grandson, Derek, who played at CU from 2014-17. Former Buffs Mike Jones, Jon Embree and Chris Hudson also spoke, along with George and Dr. Raleigh Washington, who worked with McCartney with the Promise Keepers.

The ceremony, emceed by the radio voice of the Buffs, Mark Johnson, went more than three hours and brought together some of CU’s greatest players, including Eric Bieniemy, JJ Flannigan, Darian Hagan, Hudson, Matt Russell, Michael Westbrook and Alfred Williams.

“Even in life and in death, look what he did,” Flannigan, who played running back for the Buffs from 1986-89 and flew in from his home in Phoenix, told BuffZone. “He still brought us back together. … There’s nothing more special than a man that can bring all this together, and so we’re gonna celebrate his life. I told everybody I talked to, I don’t have time to be sad. I’m not. I did that already, when I first found out. Now we’re going to celebrate his life and enjoy all the people that he brought back together.”

Although McCartney’s death led to many of his former players making the journey to Boulder to celebrate his life, he really brought them together roughly four decades ago. Many of them have remained friends ever since.

“I think it’s a testament to what he was and what he did for everybody,” Embree, a tight end in Mac’s first recruiting class in 1982, told BuffZone. “He changed everyone’s lives in here in so many different manners, in different ways. I don’t think you can find a guy here that says they would be where they are if they hadn’t played for Mac.

“Mac created a brotherhood. I mean, he really did. A lot of these guys I may not have seen in a while, but we’ve all communicated via phone or text messages. A lot of guys have been at each other’s weddings. … We really are all like brothers.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Coach Mac’s influence on his coaches: “I was around Mac for eight years, but he was around me for 40″

From the Daily Camera … In December of 1990, Colorado head football coach Bill McCartney and his quarterbacks coach, Gary Barnett, went to Longmont High School to watch a player they were recruiting.

CU had wrapped up a 10-1-1 regular season, was ranked No. 1 in the country and was preparing to face Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 1991, for the national title.

Standing on the sidelines at Longmont High, McCartney turned to Barnett and said, “(Offensive coordinator Gerry DiNardo) is leaving and going to Vanderbilt. You’re going to be the coordinator for the national championship game.”

“He tells me this on the field in Longmont,” Barnett recalled this week with a laugh. “I’m going, ‘Uh, ok.’”

All of a sudden, Barnett, who had never coordinated an offense at the Division I level, was in charge before the biggest game in CU history.

“You know what? He just turned it over to me,” Barnett said. “He didn’t interfere. I called 97% of that game. He chose to call some plays when he wanted some things done or he thought something was going to work, but all the preparation, all the practice schedules, all the game calls, everything, he just said, ‘It’s yours. Go do it.’”

CU won that game, 10-9, to claim the only national title in program history. That and so many other memories filled Barnett’s heart after McCartney died on Jan. 10 at the age of 84 after a long battle with dementia.

“That kind of confidence that he showed in me (before the national title game), it was life changing to me,” said Barnett, who worked under McCartney for eight years (1984-91) at CU before his own successful tenures as a head coach at Northwestern and CU.

… Continue reading story here …

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McCartney public celebration of life (10:00 a.m., MT) available on livestream 

Press release from CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado Athletic Department will livestream the public celebration of life for legendary former football coach Bill McCartney in order to accommodate those who can’t make it to Boulder Wednesday morning to attend in person.

Those wishing to view the memorial can access the livestream at: https://www.youtube.com/live/6GVjGFn-20w

The memorial, which will be a loving celebration of a titan both on and off the field, will take place on Wednesday, January 22 at the CU Events Center. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 10 a.m.

The event is completely open and free to the public. Parking is available in Lot 436, which includes the Regent Garage, starting at 8 a.m. ADA parking is available in Lots 421 and 440.

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January 21st 

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU long-snapper Camden Dempsey (“The Governor”) sends a letter to the House judge on behalf of walk-ons

… The House settlement could expand scholarships … but also eliminate walk-on programs …

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CU ranked No. 25 in final AP poll

… Notable … The Buffs finished the season ranked in eight straight polls, tying the 2024 team for the seventh longest streak in school history (2016; 1998; 1967; 1961) … 

… Notable II … With the Buffs finishing in the Top 25, Travis Hunter avoids being the first Heisman Trophy winner to play for a team which finished the season unranked (last: Bo Jackson for Auburn in 1985) ...

From ESPN … Ohio State was No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll of the season Tuesday after beating Notre Dame for its first national championship since 2014.

The Buckeyes (14-2) received every first-place vote following their mostly dominant run through the College Football Playoff. The Irish (14-2) finished No. 2 for their highest end-of-season ranking since 1993.

Oregon (13-1), which had been No. 1 in eight straight polls entering the playoff, lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal and finished No. 3. The Ducks’ previous high final ranking was No. 2 in 2014.

Texas (13-3) and Penn State (13-3), which both reached the semifinals, rounded out the top five. The Longhorns finished in the top five for a second straight year for the first time since 2008-09. The Nittany Lions ended in the top five for the first time since 2005.

It’s the first time the Big Ten has had three teams in the final top five.

Conference call SEC – 7 (Nos. 4, 6, 9, 11, 17, 19, 22)

Big Ten – 5 (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 10, 16).

ACC – 4 (Nos. 12, 14, 18, 20).

Big 12 – 4 (Nos. 7, 13, 15, 25).

AAC – 2 (Nos. 21, 24).

Mountain West – 2 (Nos. 8, 23).

Independent – 1 (No. 2).

Others receiving votes … Navy (55) 10-3; LSU (39) 9-4; Louisville (38) 9-4; Michigan (36) 8-5; Kansas State (11) 9-4; Marshall (8) 10-3; Ohio (8) 11-3; Florida (7) 8-5; TCU (2) 9-4; Texas A&M (1) 8-5

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January 20th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Four of CU’s seven offensive transfers are linemen

From the Daily Camera … To this point, though, the Buffs are off to a solid start, with 17 transfer additions. Here’s a look at what the Buffs have done so far in the portal at each position.

Quarterback (1 transfer): Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter comes in with one season to play. The Conference USA most valuable player in 2023, Salter has a great deal of experience as the Buffs look to replace star Shedeur Sanders. Of course, five-star prep recruit Julian Lewis and returning sophomore Ryan Staub will battle for the job, as well.

Running back (0): This is the only position group that hasn’t had any additions – through the portal or prep ranks – this offseason. All five scholarship backs from last year are slated to return.

Receiver (1): Joseph Williams from Tulsa is the only transfer addition, for now, but he’s a good one. He was the freshman of the year in the American Athletic Conference. CU returns four receivers and has signed three highly touted prep recruits, but will likely add at least two more.

Tight end (1): CU has put more emphasis on this spot this offseason. They’ve signed Zach Atkins, a transfer from Northwest Missouri State, to bring some experience to the table. Currently, five tight ends are on scholarship, with Sam Hart and Sav’ell Smalls slated to return and two high school players signed.

Offensive line (4): So far, this has been CU’s biggest target area, with four transfer additions. That group includes experienced starters Zarian McGill (Louisiana Tech) and Zy Crisler (Illinois). Aki Ogunbiyi (Texas A&M) and Mana Taimani (Mississippi) are key additions for depth and competition. The Buffs had some struggles up front this past season, but five full or part-time starters are set to return, along with three other veterans. CU also signed three prep linemen.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 19th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Mock Draft: Travis Hunter taken before Shedeur

From The Athletic … There are still plenty of unknowns at this point in the NFL calendar, including multiple teams with head coach, general manager and coordinator openings yet to be filled. Between those soon-to-be hires and the impending roster upheaval that’ll happen in free agency, team needs will fluctuate over the next three months.

What do we know at this point? We know the draft order for the first 24 picks. We know almost all of the underclassmen who have officially joined this draft class (players in the College Football Playoff championship have until Jan. 24 to declare). And we know that quarterback questions will drive draft debates over the next three months.

This year’s quarterback class isn’t remotely close to last year’s — I don’t know any evaluator who would dispute that. But “quarterback desperation” is a real thing, and with very few options in free agency or the trade market, several teams will feel forced to reach or possibly even trade up into the top 10.

As always, this mock is based on team needs and information gathered from conversations with sources in the NFL and college football, not my personal rankings or what I believe each GM should do. There also are no projected trades in this two-round exercise.

1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami

The incoming general manager in Tennessee will inherit a great opportunity — either invest in a quarterback at No. 1 or trade the pick to a quarterback-needy team. Any other outcome would be surprising.

If the Titans opt not to take a QB, the ideal scenario would be to trade back two spots with the Giants. The Titans wouldn’t receive close to what the Bears scored in compensation from the Panthers for the No. 1 pick two years ago, but they would gain additional draft capital and still be in position to take Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter at No. 3.

However, in this mock, the Titans decide Ward is an upgrade over their current quarterback situation. His loose play style won’t be for everyone, but his ability to create explosive plays and the gradual improvements he has shown each year are promising aspects of his profile. Some scouts have compared Ward’s upside to that of Steve McNair, which would be music to the ears of fans in Nashville.

3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

If the Giants are unable to move up for Ward, would they like Shedeur Sanders enough to draft him at No. 3? In this scenario, they don’t and instead opt for arguably the best player in the draft.  Hunter would give New York an upgrade at corner — and he’d be a fun weapon for Brian Daboll to mix into the offense for the Giants’ TBD quarterback.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

There are a ton of mixed opinions in the league about Sanders, and it will be interesting to see how (or if) that changes throughout the draft process once coaches get involved. But with Mark Davis and Tom Brady heavily influencing this pick, I’m not sure the Raiders could pass on Sanders — although, hopefully the new head coach and general manager will have a say in that decision.

… Read full story here …

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January 18th

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU under Coach Prime: Record revenues; record expenses

From YahooSports.com … The Colorado athletic department reported record revenue and football ticket sales in fiscal year 2024, leading to an $8.2 million “profit” after posting deficits in five of the previous six years, according to a financial report filed by Colorado recently with the NCAA.

Colorado released the report this week for fiscal year 2024, which covers July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, including the first football season under coach Deion Sanders and also the last full fiscal year for Colorado in the Pac-12 Conference. The Coach Prime Effect of Sanders’ hiring helped lead the department to a record $146.6 million in reported revenue and a record $31.2 million in football ticket sales, which is roughly double the previous school record.

But the overall athletic department revenue still includes a school-record $31.9 million in allocated funds from the university in the form of direct institutional support ($27.1 million), indirect institutional support ($3.1 million) and student fees ($1.7 million). Without that, Colorado still would have posted record generated revenue but not nearly enough to keep up with its reported expenses.

The report underscores the power of the Prime Effect at Colorado while also showing the challenges the university faces during a turbulent time in college sports for all schools, especially if Sanders leaves for the NFL as speculation about it swirls. The pending House lawsuit settlement with the NCAA permits schools to pay players directly for the first time, putting pressure on athletic departments to come up with the money for it.

In preparation for that, Colorado has cut ties with the 5430 Alliance, the third-party collective that was paying Colorado players for use of their names, images and likenesses (NIL).

The school instead is now encouraging donors to give money to the athletic department’s fundraising arm, which would make giving money to third-party collectives “unnecessary,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said in email to supporters Jan. 13.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 17th

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU football achieves highest semester GPA ever; CU’s student-athletes earn highest cumulative GPA ever

Press release from CUBuffs.com …  University of Colorado Boulder student-athletes continue to set new standards of excellence in the classroom, racking up a 3.287 grade point average for the Fall 2024 semester, the highest mark in CU Athletics history. CU’s 354 student-athletes have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.254, also a record.

In addition to achieving a 3.2 GPA for the first time ever, all 15 teams earned a 3.0 or higher for the semester, also a CU Athletics record. Fall 2024 was the 10th straight semester CU student-athletes achieved a 3.0 and the eighth time in the last 10 semesters they earned a 3.1 or higher.

“I’m so proud of our student-athletes for continuing their superb work in the classroom,” said Athletic Director Rick George. “Achieving a 3.2 GPA at CU is an incredible accomplishment and balancing their studies with their athletic responsibilities takes an immense amount of hard work. I’m so appreciative of their dedication as well as the dedication of Kris Livingston and her excellent team at the Herbst Academic Center for this impressive achievement.”

Eight individual teams, including women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, women’s tennis, women’s track & field, men’s track & field, men’s basketball, and football earned their highest semester GPAs ever, while the women’s ski team led all teams with a 3.704 GPA, their 47th consecutive semester over 3.0.

Led by Coach Prime, the football team recorded a 3.011 GPA, their first time with a semester GPA over 3.0 in program history. The football team has also earned a cumulative GPA of 3.083, also a program record.

“There is so much time and energy poured into this that creates these results,” said Kris Livingston, Executive Senior Associate AD for Student Success. “The student-athletes work really hard juggling their schoolwork and their sport. The Herbst Academic Center staff provide support and resources so they can excel at both. The coaches know the importance of an education and hold the student-athletes accountable. It’s a team effort and a formula that works.”

“Our student-athletes are outstanding representatives of CU Boulder in both their academic and athletic pursuits and this milestone is another example of our university’s commitment to excellence,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “I am so proud of their efforts to achieve the highest semester GPA in our university’s history, and I know that it takes tremendous focus, diligence and commitment to make it happen.”

In addition to setting an overall record with the highest cumulative GPA in CU history, 14 of 15 teams have a cumulative GPA above 3.0 and 12 of 15 have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. Cumulative GPA is a reflection of course work completed throughout a student-athlete’s career at CU.

Fall 2024 Semester Highlights:

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January 15th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Tommie Robinson elevated to assistant running backs coach

From CUSports Report … Tommie Robinson, Colorado’s director of quality control working with special teams, is expected to be elevated as the Buffs’ assistant running backs coach, per a video published by Thee Pregame Show.

Gary “Flea” Harrell has been Colorado’s running backs coach the last two years, but his status moving forward is unclear.

Robinson has 38 years of coaching experience, primarily at the collegiate level, as well as stints in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys (1998-2000) and the Arizona Cardinals (2010-2012). Robinson adds further NFL experience to the Buffs staff in addition to head coach Deion Sanders, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and four other assistants that played in the NFL.

In between Robinson’s NFL experience, he worked at a variety of college programs serving as Oklahoma State’s running backs coach in 2001, Georgia Tech’s wide receiver and tight ends coach from 2002 to 2005. He then spent a year at Memphis as the Tigers running backs coach in 2006 and later coached Miami’s running backs from 2007-2009.

… Continue reading story here …

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George Helow replacing Vincent Dancy as CU’s edge coach

From BuffStampede.com … George Helow is expected to replace Vincent Dancy as Colorado’s edge coach in 2025, while Michael Pollack was introduced to the team as the Buffaloes new special teams coordinator, with the spring semester work beginning in Boulder.

Both were on Colorado’s 2024 staff in a different role.

An addition to the Buffs staff mid-way through preseason camp last August, Helow’s title was senior defensive coach. He did a respected job as defensive coordinator Robert Livingston‘s eyes from the press box during games this past season.

“Honored to be here,” Helow said while assuming the role of Colorado’s edge tutor this week. “Today is about buy in. Everybody has to be on the same page. Everybody has to be bought into the principles and values of (Deion) ‘Coach Prime’ (Sanders) and this program. Because we’re going to do something really special around here.

“I am excited to be here and look forward to filling you guys up physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually… and on the field, being tough, playing with great physical effort, and mental energy, and being the best defense in the country.”

The 38-year old Helow spent time on Alabama’s staff as a special assistant to Nick Saban before joining the Buffaloes. He previously served as the linebackers coach at Michigan in 2021 and 2022, as the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Maryland in 2020, as an assistant coach at Colorado State from 2017-19, and as a safeties coach at Georgia in 2014 and 2015.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 14th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Michael Pollock promoted from quality control analyst to special teams coach

From the Daily Camera … Michael Pollock, who has spent the past two years as a quality control analyst for the Colorado football team, will now lead the Buffaloes’ special teams units.

On a video posted by Thee Pregame Show, Pollock was introduced to the team as the special teams coordinator.

“I’m excited,” Pollock told Thee Pregame Show. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me personally and professionally. I think we brought in a couple of really good weapons that’s gonna make my job a lot easier.”

Pollock has worked with CU head coach Deion Sanders for the past four years, including the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Jackson State. Pollock had various roles at JSU, including as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, offensive line coach and director of football operations.

During his career, Pollock has also been a high school head coach in Georgia for nine seasons. He has also been an assistant coach and athletic director at the high school level.

A 1993 graduate of Georgia, Pollock was a long snapper for the Bulldogs.

Tommie Robinson led CU’s special teams this past season. The Buffs had a roller coaster year in that phase of the game.

… Continue reading story here …

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January 13th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Rick George gives Buff fans an update on CU’s revised NIL procedures

• Financially investing in the holistic CU student-athlete experience through donations to the Buff Club’s AD Excellence Fund or Sport Excellence Fund, which makes giving to third-party collectives like the 5430 Alliance unnecessary.
• Working with student-athletes directly to enhance your business’s brand through CU’s NIL Exchange.

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January 12th 

… CU in a few minutes …

First team meeting without Shedeur and Travis; new S&C Coach Andreu Swasey introduced

New strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey was introduced at CU’s first team meeting on Sunday.

“I love the platform, this opportunity to help change lives and help y’all get to your goals,” Swasey told the Buffaloes. “We didn’t sign up here with Coach Prime to be average. When we go in there, you better buckle up.”

Swasey spent 15 years with the Miami Hurricanes as their head strength and conditioning coach, developing a reputation as one of the best in the industry. He also directed Miami’s strength and conditioning coaches in other sports.

Brandon Reyes and Maurice Sims will be retained on the Buffs’ strength and conditioning staff. Sims served as the leader in the role the prior two seasons in Boulder.

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This post, about the Postseason game, from the 2024 Season, is filed under Article.
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