Colorado Daily – Utah

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Colorado Daily – Utah

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November 25th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Buffs determined to send out Lindsay, seniors with bowl eligibility

From the Daily Camera … hroughout this season, the Colorado Buffaloes haven’t always played great football.

That’s evident in the 5-6 record they take into Saturday’s regular-season finale at Utah. Despite some disappointing moments, the Buffs enter the final game with a determination to salvage this season.

Beat the Utes (5-6, 2-6 Pac-12) and the Buffs (5-6, 2-6) will reach a bowl game for the second year in a row. They haven’t done that since 2004-05.

“Nobody wants to go home right after Thanksgiving,” senior defensive lineman Leo Jackson III said. “That’s always the goal is to keep it going.

… Continue reading story here …

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Drew Litton’s take on CU at Utah

From the Daily Camera …

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November 24th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Neill Woelk – Five Keys to the CU at Utah game

From CUBuffs.com …  If history is any barometer, Saturday’s Colorado-Utah matchup in Salt Lake City (8 p.m., FS1) will go down to the fourth quarter.

That, at least, is what their previous six meetings would suggest. There have been high scoring games (a 42-35 Utah win in 2012) and low-scoring affairs (17-14 in 2011) — but throughout their time together in the Pac-12, there has been one constant: the games have been close. Since the two teams joined the Pac-12 in 2011, the largest margin of victory in their six meetings has been a mere seven points.

Another constant has been that there is usually something at stake, and this year is no different. With two 5-6 teams meeting, Saturday’s winner gets to play again; the loser is done for the year.

So what must the Buffs do Saturday to win the game and extend their season?

… Continue reading story here …

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November 23rd – Happy Thanksgiving!

… CU in a few minutes … 

Mike MacIntyre post-practice talk with media (Wed.)

From YouTube, courtesy of MileHighSports.com …

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Byrce Bobo has set career season-highs in catches, yards, and touchdowns

From the Daily Camera … In relation to the hype that surrounded the Colorado receivers going into this season, that group has had a tough year.

Expected to be among the top two or three receiving corps in the country, the Buffs have had their share of struggles on offense.

Nevertheless, senior Bryce Bobo is enjoying the best season of his career and aiming for a good finish – personally and as a team. CU (5-6, 2-6 Pac-12) will visit Utah (5-6, 2-6) on Saturday in a game that is bowl-or-bust for both teams.

“We’re working hard in practices,” Bobo said. “If you work hard in practice, it’s going to show on Saturday, so we’ll see what happens. As a team and as an offense, you want to see yourself perform at a high level.”

It’s a sure bet that Bobo will play a big role against the Utes.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is leading the team in catches (58), receiving yards (640) and receiving touchdowns (five) – all career highs. He’s had at least two catches in every game this season and has had at least six catches in six different games.

“He’s a playmaker,” quarterback Steven Montez said. “He’s got great hands, he gets open, he gives himself space. He’s been a huge target for me all year.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Mike MacIntyre content with play of offensive tackles

From the Daily Camera … Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre said he has been pleased overall with the play of Josh Kaiser and Isaac Miller, who have both received playing time at right tackle this season.

Miller was unable to play against Arizona State on Nov. 4 because of a nagging knee injury, but the two have split snaps in three of the last four games.

“They’ve both done a good job,” MacIntyre said. “Josh can play multiple spots. (Miller) has played full in a lot of games, a couple games (the knee) was really sore. We’re starting to learn exactly how to understand how to protect him during the week but get enough reps so he can play.

“I’ve been pleased with both of those guys. They’ve shown glimpses of some really good things and they’ve had some tough moments, but overall in most of the games they’ve played well enough for us to win.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 22nd 

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU offense getting better production of late

From CUBuffs.com … Very quietly, Colorado’s offense has put up some nice numbers over the past few weeks.

“Quietly” because the final results haven’t been what the Buffs would like to see — just one win in the last three games.

Still, the numbers have started to produce what early season expectations projected. In the last three games — California, Arizona State and USC — the Buffs have averaged nearly 500 yards offense (497.7) and roughly 33 points per game.

Most noticeable in that jump has been the production in the passing game. Buffs quarterback Steven Montez has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of those last three games, a first in CU history. Montez now has four 300-yard games this season — one off the school record of five set by Sefo Liufau in 2014 — and he is one of just three QBs in the Pac-12 to have three straight (UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Washington State’s Luke Falk are the others).

Saturday, the Buffs will see a Utah team that has given up back-to-back 300-yard passing games when the two teams meet in the 8 p.m. regular season finale at Rice-Eccles Stadium (FS1).

“It’s a talented group defensively,” Buffs co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said. “They do a good job mixing their coverages on first and second down. You watch them on film, their defensive line always plays really really tough. Their secondary, they’ve had some injuries and they’re moving some guys around, but they always seem to do a good job. It’s going to be a good challenge for us offensively.”

… Continue reading story here …

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How CU celebrates Thanksgiving

From YouTube …

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Pac-12 Networks “The Drive” takes a look at CU’s Senior Day

The Pac-12 Networks feature, “The Drive” has made the rounds of the Pac-12 this fall, and landed in Boulder last weekend for the CU home finale against USC.

The show will air Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m., MT.

… A preview can be seen here …

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Update from CU athletic director Rick George

It’s hard to believe that we’re already a third of the way through the 2017-18 academic and athletic year, and so much has happened as it has been an eventful year to date.

Earlier this month, we inducted 10 new members into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame; this is easily one of the most enjoyable events we host annually, and I highly recommend that if you haven’t already, plan to attend in the future.  Our staff has designed the evening where it flows smooth and doesn’t drag on, and the stories you hear from those being enshrined are often woven in the same theme.  This year, it was how they viewed their time in Boulder as family, and what they still feel about their alma mater to this day.

Though things didn’t go our way at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last Saturday in Louisville, Ky., there were still many accomplishments again for Mark Wetmore in his 23rd year coaching the program.  The women won their third straight Pac-12 title (and fourth overall), with Dani Jones adding the individual title to her ever-growing resume.  The men finished second after claiming the first six crowns after we joined the conference in 2011, but did see Joe Klecker win the regional individual title 10 days later.  The women went on to win the Mountain Regional and finish third at nationals, while the men earned an at-large berth and finished eighth, which wasn’t totally unexpected with the unit being fairly young, so watch out next year!

Two regular season matches remain for Jesse Mahoney’s volleyball team, which has been on a hot streak over the last few weeks.  At 21-8 on the season, including an 11-7 record in Pac-12 play that has the team in fifth place, it’s the most wins since the team finished 21-10 in 2003.  CU is currently just outside the AVCA Top 25 (at No. 26), but has an RPI of 22, meaning we have a very good chance of receiving an NCAA tournament bid.

The soccer team finished up with a 12-6-4 record, once again earning an NCAA tournament berth.  And what seems like a broken record, we won our first round match but only to be dispatched to the southeast for the fourth time in five years to face one of the top four seeds in the entire bracket.  Our young ladies fought hard before succumbing to No. 2 North Carolina, 1-0.  Our two young goalies did not allow a goal in 14 of 22 games, and sophomore Taylor Kornieck and freshman Hannah Cardenas have been invited to participate in the U-20 United States Women’s National Team training camp.

And of course, there’s a big game for the football program this Saturdaynight, as we travel west over the Rockies to face Utah.  The winner will become “bowl eligible” (both teams are 5-6), something we’re trying to accomplish in back-to-back years for the first time since 2004-2005.  About four weeks from now, we all get to witness a major change in the sport, with the first-ever December signing date, as schools can sign recruits to letters-of-intent from Dec. 20-22.

Here are some “stats-n-facts” for you from this fall:

• Our record against Division I competition to date is a stellar 396-63-9 (an 85.6 winning percentage).
• How about a couple of our sensational sophomores in Robyn Choi and Kirsty Hodgkins; they are ranked among the nation’s top 40 players at the end of the fall season, helping Anne Kelly’s golf team to a No. 19 ranking heading into winter break.
• The men’s basketball team is off to a 5-0 start and won its first in-season tournament last weekend in five years by defeating a good Mercer team, 79-70, in the championship game of the Paradise Jam.  This is going to be a fun team to watch come together, as Tad Boyle is working with nine newcomers.
• JR Payne’s women’s hoopsters are also off to a good start at 3-1, with a win over No. 24 Miami last weekend.  Kennedy Leonard is one of the top players in the conference, and Annika Jank was named the Pac-12 freshman of the week (she had a double-double, 14 points and 12 rebounds, in the Miami win).
• This past September’s Ski Ball was another success, raising important dollars for our national championship ski program, which will hit the slopes for the 28th year under head coach Richard Rokos this January.  CU will again serve as host for the NCAA Championships in March in Steamboat Springs.
• The men’s golf team had some solid moments in its fall season, including a win once again in our own Mark Simpson-CU Invitational.
• Tennis has no team competitions in the fall, as its all individual tournament play, and it too, enjoyed some good accomplishments prior to the start of its dual season in January.
• We saw our average football attendance increase for the fourth straight year, something that hasn’t occurred since 1988 through 1991.  We averaged 47,056 for the six home games this season, or 447 more than the 46,609 figure in 2016.  In the end, we sold 20,808 season tickets, nearly 2,800 more than last year which sixth largest jump from one season to the next in our history.
• Did You Know?  That senior running back Phillip Lindsay went virtually unrecruited after tearing his ACL in the first game of his senior season at Denver South High School?  We honored our scholarship pledge and here he is, five years later, leaving school with a degree next month and as CU’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards and yards from scrimmage, as well as second in rushing yards and the most games played by a running back.  A true testament to hard work, desire and dedication in and out of the classroom.
• Last week, the conference announced the football schedules for 2018, the earliest that they have been released since we joined the league in 2011.   We have been working with our TV partners for an earlier release date, as so many things can now fall into place instead of waiting for the previous January announcement.  As I stated, there’s much to like about our 2018 schedule, including the resumption of the rivalry with Nebraska in non-conference play, and the bye week falling prior to the start of league play (which when you take into account five weeks of camp, is about in the middle of things).
• And the always friendly reminder that we are continuing our “Drive for 105,” we’ve raised $101 million and still aim to reach if not surpass that goal.  Just http://www.cusustainableexcellence.com to find out how to donate, and to support us in other ways, click on www.cubuffclub.com.

As the fall sports seasons are heading toward a close and the winter sports beginning to heat up, best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving – and come on out with the family to the Coors Events Center this weekend to support your Buffaloes!  Women’s basketball hosts the annual Rocky Mountain Hoops Classic and will square off against Mississippi Valley State at Noon Friday (and will play Drake or George Mason on Saturday); volleyball hosts Utah at 8 p.m. Friday in the regular season finale, one that could be a battle for second or third place in the Pac-12; and the men’s basketball team finishes off the holiday weekend with a 2 p.m. game Sunday against Air Force.

And don’t forget at 8 p.m. Saturday night on Fox Sports 1, there’s that battle set to go on in Salt Lake City between the Buffaloes and Utah.  Go Buffs!

C ollaboration and U nity,

Rick George
Athletic Director

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November 21st 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Injury Report 

From CUBuffs.com …

WR Shay Fields – concussion – suffered in the first half against USC (Nov. 11); completed protocol – PROBABLE

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CB Isaiah Oliver – leg – suffered a specified leg injury in the first half against Washington State (Oct. 21), played a half against USC – DAY-TO-DAY

S Ryan Moeller – hip – suffered a strain against Arizona State (Nov. 4) – DAY-TO-DAY

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OL Tim Lynott, Jr. – Achilles – suffered a torn Achilles in the first half of the Arizona State game; underwent surgery on Nov. 8 – OUT

OLB Shamar Hamilton – knee – surgery; out for the season – OUT

TE Jared Poplawski – torn ACL – injured against USC (Nov. 11); surgery set for after Thanksgiving break – OUT

S Jaisen Sanchez – torn pec – injured on August 8; out for the season – OUT

ILB Jacob Stoltenberg – torn ACL – injured in practice on October 18; surgery on Oct. 31; out for the season – OUT

WR Jaylon Jackson – ankle – suffered a fracture and ligament damage in the 8/05 scrimmage; had successful surgery to repair but it out for the season – OUT

TE Dylan Keeney – back – spasms endured all of spring drills but was able to practice most days; limited to non-practice rehab at present – OUT

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Tuesday Press Conference quotes

From CUBuffs.com …

On The Team’s Preparation
“We’ve had good practices. They’ve been energetic. The guys have been excited about playing in this game, because there’s a lot on the line. Some of the guys that were banged up during the game are doing well, so that’s good. Hopefully we’ll have everybody back, but we’re not sure on everybody yet. We’ve got a lot of guys back and they’re healthy and excited about playing. This is always a big game, close game, exciting game. It’s always fun to play at Utah, because the crowd’s always into it. Our guys will be ready to go.”

On Jared Poplawski‘s Injury And How It Will Change Any Offensive Packages
“No, not really. We’ve used in our heavy packages Beau Bisharat at the fullback, H-Back position. We’ve got Eddy Lopez, who’s played in those heavy packages. Then, we’ve got of course Chris Bounds and George Frazier, so we’re okay. If we got anybody else hurt, we’d be in trouble. We’ve used before in the past – and we’ve practiced it – a tackle at one of those spots.”

On Whether Utah Is A Real Rival
“I’ve been asked that almost every single year. I think last year when we actually won and it was exciting game, so there was a lot riding on the line. This year, there’s a lot riding on the line. I think the first year the rivalry when they created it in the Pac-12, CU went down there and beat them and they would have won the Pac-12 South. I think that it has now over the years turned into something that there’s things at stake. One time, we had it at stake and another they had a Pac-12 Championship at stake. Now, both of us are playing for a bowl game. People keep asking the question over and over and over and that even creates it. They have their big rival with BYU and we have our big rival with CSU, but I definitely think that this is something that has turned into a rivalry now.”

On Whether It’s Tough To Make The Players Feel Like Utah Is A Rival
“I don’t think you’re forcing it on them at all. I just think when things are at stake – six of the years there’s been something at stake for both teams, this year with the opportunity to go to a bowl. I know they both want to. I think that adds a little bit more to it.”

On If He’s Prepared The Team For An Intense Atmosphere
“I’m expecting an intense atmosphere for sure. When you play there it’s always intense, it’s tight like our stands are. It’s right on top of you and it’s loud. Their fans do a great job there. It’s their senior night, so there’ll be even more intensity added to that. It definitely should be an exciting evening.”

On Year By Wide Receiver Bryce Bobo
“Bryce has definitely grown a lot throughout his career like most guys have. He’s kept working at it. Last year he had a really good year, because that was the first fall camp he went through completely healthy. Then, he got hurt at the end of the year with his ankle. This year he went through fall camp completely healthy and he’s gone through the entire season healthy. That’s why he’s had his best year ever, because he’s stayed healthy. He’s always been a good player. I think that his fortitude and work ethic has propelled him to keep getting better. Now he’s had a full, complete year with spring practice, fall and the whole season healthy. You can see what he can do when he has all those opportunities.”

On If He’s Ever Banned His Team From Wearing Another Team’s Colors
“They’re still not allowed to wear red around the complex, because of Coach ‘Mac’ (McCartney). You’ll see one of the new guys wear red and one of the older guys will tell them, ‘You’re not wearing that again.’ They even make them take it off sometimes. They don’t wear red still. That’s still a tradition here. It’s probably not on everybody’s mind as much, because they don’t play them (Nebraska) anymore for the last game of the season. When I played at Georgia Tech, I didn’t wear Georgia red around the Tech campus. I think that’s something in the back of people’s minds. We don’t have anything like that for Utah or CSU.”

On If He Expected Tailback Phillip Lindsay To Lead The Nation In Carries
“Number one, he’s been in the best condition that he’s ever been. He stayed healthy. He’s been hot, so we kept giving it to him. In the past, he had a couple nicks here and there that we felt like we couldn’t overuse him. He wants it. He’ll bring himself out if he’s tired, but he goes right back in. I think it’s his ability to stay durable and compete and play at a high level. He doesn’t slow down, he seems like he picks up steam. That’s why he’s been getting it so much. We wanted to run him, too. That’s something we felt like we could do this year.”

On Lindsay’s Recovery Routine
“Our building here is phenomenal. We have the recovery pools that they can be in all the time. We have ice pools, we have massage therapists, so he uses all of that. In practice, we don’t rep him a whole lot when you carry the ball that many times. We just get him ready. He knows everything we’re doing, he’s run it a million times and doesn’t make very many mistakes at all. So, we keep him healthy during the week.”

On The Early Signing Period Conflicting With The Bowl Schedule
“Going to a bowl game will advertise for yourself, because there’ll be commercials and different things out there. I think they’ll see all that stuff. That helps you I believe. The negative side of it is you’ll be practicing and you won’t be able to get quite out as much. You hardly have enough time to get everywhere. The head coach can only go one time, so it’s hard to get everywhere in that small of time when signing is on the 20^th. That makes it a little bit tougher. You might have to visit some kids after they sign that hopefully have already been to your campus on an official visit and been here unofficially. They don’t mind you coming and visiting them later. That will be tough with some of the bowl situations for sure. I still think being in a bowl helps recruiting itself. There’s pros and cons for it.”

On What He’s Seen From Freshman Tailback Alex Fontenot
“What he’s shown this fall so far is he’s explosive, he’s gotten bigger and stronger lifting four days a week with Drew Wilson. I think that’s really helped. This spring will be really big for him. Hopefully he can do what we think he can.”

On Coaching His 100th Career College Game
“I didn’t know that. I think the first thing that comes to my mind is that I can remember my first game. I was at San Jose State going to play Alabama at Alabama. They were ranked No. 1 in America and just won the National Championship. Then, all the other players and coaches I’ve worked with through the years is what I think about. That’s pretty interesting.”

On What Going To A Bowl Would Mean For The Program
“Number one, this university has a great history. For years, you didn’t even think about them not going to a bowl game. I think from ’87 to 2004, they missed two in that time period, and there wasn’t as many bowls at that time. That tradition is here, which it should be. Last year, the guys got it started and this year they want to keep it going. I know some of the guys that were here last year have been calling and saying, ‘Don’t let it end.’ That would be extremely important for us to keep it going. At the same time, does that affect next year’s team and how many games we’ll win? I don’t know if it does or not, but I think it affects the overall view of the program. Momentum-wise on recruiting and things like that I think it makes a bigger deal. As far as you line up next year to play, it’s a whole new team again. I think you have to start back over and go from there. The tradition of it and keeping that going propels the program so the next guys feel that. That’s important. We definitely would like to do it, just like Utah would.”

On If The Extra Bowl Practices Help The Team
“The extra practices do help to an extent, but also at the same time it depends on when are bowl game falls. If it’s later or earlier, you’re practices are a little bit different. If it’s later, you’ll have more opportunities to be a little more physical, especially with the young guys. If it’s earlier, you have exams and it’s a little bit tighter. It depends on which one you go to.”

On If He’s Reflected Over The Past Year
“No I haven’t. I’ve been focused on the next game and next situation and situations with our kids on our team. You just take it day by day, wake up and thank god you’re alive and you have an opportunity to trying to affect people and affect a situation. Then, you move on from there. All I’ve been thinking about is how do we get these guys to play well against Utah and that I’m flying out the next day recruiting. You just keep moving. Life is a roller coaster and you need to stay steady. My faith and my belief in Jesus Christ as my lord and savior and my family are my rock. You keep doing that, keep moving on and hopefully you can keep making the right steps and influence the men that you coach and the coaches you work with. I’m not perfect everyday by any stretch, but I think they know that I’m real.”

On Comparing The 2015 Season To This Season
“I haven’t reflected back on it. I just try to figure out how to the team ready for the next week, next game. A lot of this team wasn’t there in 2015. The guys who were there can think about it. That’s probably a good comparison on some of the situations. I haven’t really reflected on 2015. When this season’s over and we get through the bowl game and get through signing day, then we’ll come back and reflect on things, positively and negatively and things we can improve on and how we can get our players better and the overall program better. You can always improve. I always tell the players all the time, ‘You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse, nothing stays the same.’ Everything changes weekly and especially yearly.”

On The Intangibles That Will Make The Difference In This Game
“I think how each team comes into the game. The attitude and desire that each team walks in with, and I believe both of them will come with that. It’s going to be execution. I think both teams are pretty evenly matched. The turnover situation will make a big difference in the football game.”

On Utah
“They’re very talented. Their quarterback, [Tyler] Huntley, can run around, sit in the pocket and make throws, run on the run and make throws and he can beat you with his legs. Their offensive line is big and powerful. Their receivers are long and athletic. Defensively, they’ve got good pass-rushers. Their secondary will strike you. Their linebackers who we played against last year are really good players. They’ve got an excellent kicker and excellent punter. They’re a good football team, but they’ve just kind of been snake-bit here or there, kind of like we have in a few close games. If you flip a couple close games and we’re both going into this game like 8-3 or 9-2. It’s a whole different story. But, we didn’t and that’s something that both of us are probably going, ‘Why?’ We’d like to finish off strong. They are very talented.”

… Continue reading story here, including quotes from Phillip Lindsay, Steven Montez, Rick Gamboa and Dante Wigley …

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Derek McCartney on Utah game: “It’s important for the program big time” 

From CUBuffs.com … Derek McCartney has been playing football in Boulder since 2013 — but unlike the majority of his Colorado Buffaloes teammates, he has never played in a bowl game.

McCartney, a senior linebacker, missed most of last season — including the Alamo Bowl — because of a knee injury. Thus, while the rest of the Buffs were celebrating the end of the program’s long bowl drought, McCartney watched from the sidelines.

Now, McCartney has one last chance to fulfill that bucket list item. If he and his Buffs teammates can produce a win Saturday at Utah (8 p.m., FS1), he will get that postseason experience.

“It’s important in a lot of ways,” McCartney said Monday evening, just after the Buffs finished a Folsom Field workout. “It’s important for the program big time because a bowl game means so much and we need to take care of that as a team. Personally … it’s big for me. I’ve been here for a while but I’ve never played in a bowl game and I’d like to finally get that chance.”

Saturday’s game will pit two teams with the same overall records (5-6) and the same Pac-12 records (2-6). The winner will play again; the loser will finish last in the Pac-12 South and be guaranteed to be home for the holidays.

“It’s not going to be my last game,” said sixth-year senior Jeromy Irwin. “But right now, you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. If you’re thinking about Saturday, you can’t focus on today. You have to win every day. If we come out and practice good today, we win that day. If we do that all week, we’ll prepare ourselves just right to come out Saturday and hopefully get that win.”

… Continue reading story here …

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November 20th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Colorado no stranger to bowl play-in games

From the Daily Camera … CU has been in this position before, taking a 5-6 record into game No. 12 with bowl eligibility on the line.

In 2007, the Buffs knocked off Nebraska, 65-51, at Folsom Field in the finale and earned a spot in the Independence Bowl.

The next year, the Buffs were once against 5-6 heading into the finale against the Cornhuskers, but this time lost 40-31 in Lincoln, Neb., in one of the more painful losses for the Buffs in recent years. CU led 31-30 heading into the final two minutes.

In 2010, the Buffs went back to Lincoln with a 5-6 record and got crushed, 45-17, to end the season.

The Buffs are certainly hoping for a better result this time around, and felt good about the week of practice they had during their bye week.

“We know we’re right there, and we know what we have to do to be able to break through,” cornerback Isaiah Oliver said. “Hopefully it can come this week, and we win this game and go bowling.”

… “We have one more opportunity,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham told the Deseret News after the game. “We all know if we can win the next one we can get to a bowl game. And so that is the objective. It’s been the objective for a couple of weeks now, and that’s where we’re at.”

Around the country, 78 teams will play in bowls, and heading into this week, 70 have already reached the six-win mark.

CU and Utah will play in one of four bowl-or-bust games this week. Also in the Pac-12, California (5-6) and UCLA (5-6) will play for bowl eligibility. Other 5-6 vs. 5-6 matchups include Indiana at Purdue and Old Dominion at Middle Tennessee.

In addition to those eight teams, there are 10 others entering this week with five wins, and three that enter the week at 4-6 with two games to play.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 19th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Colorado opens as a 10.5-point underdog to Utah

From 5Dimes.com …

Pac-12 lines:

— UCLA is a 7.5-point favorite at home against California (Friday, 8:30 p.m., MT, FS1)

— Arizona is a pick ’em game on the road against Arizona State (Saturday, 2:30 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks)

— Oregon is a 25.5-point favorite at home against Oregon State (Saturday, 5:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2)

— No. 15 Washington is a 9.5-point favorite at home against No. 14 Washington State (Saturday, 6:00 p.m., MT, Fox)

— No. 20 Stanford is a 2.5-point underdog at home against No. 9 Notre Dame (Saturday, 6:00 p.m., MT, ABC)

— Utah is a 10.5-point favorite at home against Colorado (Saturday, 8:00 p.m., MT, FS1)

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November 17th

… CU in a few minutes …

Phillip Lindsay third-ever Buff to be named a Doak Walker Award semi-finalist

… Note … Four of the 11 semi-finalists are from the Pac-12 …

Press release from CUBuffs.com … Senior tailback Phillip Lindsay was named Friday as one of 11 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, which is presented to the nation’s top running back.

Lindsay joins Rashaan Salaam, who won the award in 1994, and Chris Brown, who was the runner-up in 2002, as the third Buffalo to advance to semifinalist status for the Doak, which was first presented in 1990.

A 5-8, 190-pounder from Denver South High School, he has been among the nation’s rushing leaders all season, currently fourth in total yards (1,402), ninth in per game average (127.5) and 12th in rushing touchdowns (13).  He’s also 12th in all-purpose yards per game (149.6) and 35th in scoring (84 points).

“It means a lot to me, it’s a tremendous honor to represent my state, my team and the University of Colorado,” Lindsay said.  “But as I’ve always said, it’s really not about me, it’s about my teammates.  The offensive linemen up front, the receivers getting down the field throwing blocks.  It’s certainly a privilege to be semifinalist considering all the great running backs in college football.”  It is especially significant since Lindsay tore his ACL in the first game of his senior year and went virtually unrecruited at that point on, but CU had offered him a scholarship and did not pull the offer.

Salaam led the nation in rushing with 2,055 yards, just the fourth player at the time to eclipse 2,000 yards and doing so in the-then 11 game season; Brown led the nation most of the 2002 season before suffering a sprained ankle but still finished third nationally with 1,744 yards despite missing the better part of three games at the end of the year.

“It’s a humbling experience to join those two (Salaam and Brown) as semifinalists who advanced from CU,” Lindsay added.  “Those were two great running backs, and there are many others who could have or should have contended for it, like Eric Bieniemy and J.J. Flannigan.”

Lindsay’s 1,402 yards are the fourth-most in a single season at Colorado, and he recently moved into second place on the Buffs’ all-time rushing list with 3,635 yards.  Earlier in the season, he assumed CU’s top spot in all-purpose yards (5,675) and yards from scrimmage (4,598); he’s also fifth in scoring with 228 points.  He has caught more passes (109) than any other Colorado running back in history, and for the second-most yard (962); he needs eight to become the all-time leader and 38 to become CU’s first-ever 1,000-yard rusher and receiver.

“‘Phil is an excellent all-around back,” CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said.  “He does everything you ask a running back to do and more.  He is a very good blocker, catches the ball phenomenally out of the backfield, and he’s obviously an excellent runner.  He has more carries than anyone in college football this season, and that shows how durable he has been.  And in addition to what he does on the field, he’s also a phenomenal leader.”

Other semifinalists include three other seniors, Royce Freeman (Oregon) and Rashaad Penny (San Diego State); five juniors, Josh Adams (Notre Dame), Saquon Barkley (Penn State), Kerryon Johnson (Auburn), Ronald Jones (USC) and Bryce Love (Stanford); two sophomores, Justice Hill (Oklahoma State) and Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic); and one freshman, Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin).  The Pac-12 Conference has four of the 11 semifinalists, and has had five of the previous 26 winners.

Three finalists for the award will be named this Tuesday, Nov. 21, as members of the award’s national selection committee will cast their votes after this weekend’s games.  The 2017 Doak Walker Award recipient will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 7 on ESPN.

Lindsay has set 20 school records and tied two others (indicated by an asterisk) heading into his final regular season game:

Most Rushing Attempts, Quarter—14, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (80 yards)
Most Rushing Attempts, Game—41, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (281 yards)
Most Rushing Attempts, Game—41, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (281 yards)
Most Rushing Attempts, Game/Senior—41, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (281 yards)
Most Rushing Yards Gained Against One Opponent—605, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona (114 in 2014; 91 in 2015, 119 in 2016, 281 in 2017)
*Most 1,000-Yard Rushing Seasons—2, Phillip Lindsay, 2016 (1,189) & 2017 (1,402)                                                                           
Most Consecutive 1,000-Yard Rushing Seasons—2, Phillip Lindsay, 2016 (1,189) & 2017 (1,402)
Most Receptions By A Running Back, Game—11 (for 76 yards), Phillip Lindsay vs. UCLA in Boulder, Nov. 3, 2016
Most Receptions By A Running Back, Season—47 (for 390 yards), Phillip Lindsay, 2016
Most Receptions By A Running Back, Career—109 (for 963 yards), Phillip Lindsay, 2014-17
Most All-Purpose Plays, Half—24 for 136 yards), Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (first half: 22 rushing, 2 receiving)
Most All-Purpose Plays, Game—44 (for 320 yards), Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (41 rushing, 3 receiving)
Most All-Purpose Yards, Career—5,675, Phillip Lindsay, 2014-17 (3,635 rushing, 963 receiving, 1,077 return)
Most All-Purpose Yards, Game/Senior—320, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (281 rushing, 39 receiving)
Most Yards Gained From Scrimmage, Game/RS Freshman—207, Phillip Lindsay at Oregon, Nov. 22, 2014 (142 return, 49 rush, 26 receiving)
Most Yards Gained From Scrimmage, Game/Senior—320, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (281 rushing, 39 receiving)
Most Yards Gained From Scrimmage, Season/Redshirt Freshman—1,358, Phillip Lindsay, 2014 (849 return, 391 rush, 118 receiving).
Most Yards Gained From Scrimmage, Career—4,598, Phillip Lindsay, 2014-17 (3,635 rushing, 963 receiving)
*Most First Downs Earned, Game, Non-Quarterback—17, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017 (16 rushing, 1 receiving)               
Most First Downs Earned, Career, Non-Quarterback—230, Phillip Lindsay, 2014-17 (191 rushing, 39 receiving)
Most First Downs Earned Rushing, Game—16, Phillip Lindsay vs. Arizona in Boulder, Oct. 7, 2017
Most First Downs Earned Rushing, Career—191, Phillip Lindsay, 2017

ABOUT DOAK WALKER: The Award is named after three-time SMU All-America running back and 1948 Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker, who eventually moved to Steamboat Springs after marrying Olympic skier Skeeter Werner, the younger sister of CU Olympian Buddy Werner.   Walker, who also punted, returned kicks and kicked extra points, led the Mustangs to two Southwest Conference Championships. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions and led the league in scoring his rookie year. During his six years with the Lions, he led the team to two NFL championships and was chosen All-Pro four times.  Walker is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.   He died at the age of 71 in Steamboat after being paralyzed earlier in the year in a skiing accident.

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Neill Woelk – Late season review: Offense

… Related … “Late season review: Defense and Special Teams” … from CUBuffs.com

From CUBuffs.com … Bye weeks are usually a good time to provide a midseason assessment of a team’s progress while keeping one eye on the remainder of the season.

But because the Colorado Buffaloes’ bye week has arrived so late in the season — CU has just one regular season game remaining — we’ll adjust the format slightly by taking a look at what we’ve seen this year, and in some instances what that might mean for 2018.

Today, the offense:

Overview: When the season began, hopes were high for the Colorado offense. The group featured returning starters at four of the five line positions, all four wide receivers and running back. The only two “newcomers” were quarterback Steven Montez and center Jonathan Huckins, both of whom had starting experience under the belts.

But … sometimes things just don’t turn out as planned. The O-line struggled to find consistency and the connection between Montez and the receivers wasn’t as seamless as most (including the coaching staff) thought it would be.

Thus, the numbers didn’t quite hit the preseason projections, even though in many categories, CU’s overall numbers are better than those of 2016.

… Continue reading unit-by-unit reviews here …

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November 16th

… CU in a few minutes …

CU announces 2018 Football schedule

From CUBuffs.com …

Date                Opponent                                  Site

Sept.       1        Colorado State                                Denver

Sept.       8        at Nebraska                                       Lincoln

SEPT.    15        NEW HAMPSHIRE                      BOULDER

Sept.     22        —BYE—

SEPT.    28        (Fri.) *UCLA                                 BOULDER

OCT.        6        *ARIZONA STATE (FW)            BOULDER

Oct.       13        *at Southern California        Los Angeles

Oct.       20        *at Washington                               Seattle

OCT.     27        *OREGON STATE (HC)             BOULDER

Nov.        2        (Fri.) *at Arizona                             Tucson

NOV.    10        *WASHINGTON STATE         BOULDER

NOV.    17        *UTAH                                BOULDER

Nov.      24        *at California                                 Berkeley

Nov.      30        Pac-12 Championship Game Santa Clara

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Press release from CUBuffs.com … The Pac-12 Conference released its schedule for conference football games for the 2018 season Thursday, with University of Colorado set to play two Friday night games along with ending the regular season for the first time on the west coast since 1915.

Colorado will once again open the season against Colorado State in Denver in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Sports Authority Field on Saturday, Sept. 1.  CSU is the home team this time around, as the Rams have been the season opening opponent for the Buffaloes 20 times since the rivalry resumed after a 25-year dormancy in 1983.

Speaking of dormancies, CU and Nebraska will resume their rivalry the following Saturday (Sept. 8) in Lincoln; the two have played 69 times in their histories beginning in 1898, with 63 of the meetings coming as members of the Big Seven, Big Eight and Big 12 Conferences from 1948 through 2010. The Buffaloes then departed to join the then-Pacific 10 Conference, while the Cornhuskers left to join the Big Ten.  Nebraska is the first former Big 12 school to appear on CU’s non-conference schedule, though the Buffs did square off against Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl last December.

The Buffaloes will then have their home opener at Folsom Field against New Hampshire on Saturday, Sept. 15, the first-ever meeting between the two schools.  A member of the Colonial Athletic Association, the Wildcats are currently ranked No. 14 in the FCS Coaches poll.  CU will then have a bye the following Saturday (Sept. 22), ahead of its conference opener against UCLA in Boulder on Friday night, Sept. 28.  It’s just the second scheduled bye prior to a league lid-lifter since 2004, though the 2013 floods in Boulder would give the Buffs two weeks off.

As was the case this year, four of the Buffaloes’ first five games in 2018 will be in the state of Colorado, as Arizona State visits Folsom Field the next Saturday (Oct. 6) in what will be the centerpiece of CU’s annual Family Weekend.   CU then hits the Pac-12 road for back-to-back games at Southern California (Oct. 13) and Washington (Oct. 20) before closing out the month at home against Oregon State (Oct. 27), which will serve as CU’s annual homecoming game.

The Buffaloes open November on a Friday night in the desert, as they will travel to Arizona (Nov. 2).  The next two on the docket are in Boulder, against Washington State (Nov. 10) and Utah (Nov. 17).   Colorado will finish the regular season on the road at California on Nov. 24, just the second time in school history the final scheduled game of the year will be on the west coast (not including last year’s Pac-12 title game in Santa Clara, Calif.); CU wrapped up its 1915 season at Washington.

(In the first seven years as members of the Pac-12, CU and Utah finished the year against each other, but the Utes will host BYU that day to counter USC hosting Notre Dame, enabling all 12 schools to finish on the same weekend and enjoy a regular season bye.)

“There’s much to like about this schedule,” CU athletic director Rick George said.  “What stands out is the resumption of the Nebraska rivalry, the Friday night home game against UCLA, finishing the Pac-12 schedule in California and having the bye week fall at what is really the perfect time before conference play.”

Television game selections and start times for the first three weeks of the season will be known by June 1, with all remaining games from Sept. 22 through the final week of the regular season to be made 12- or six-days in advance per contractual agreements with the Pac-12’s television partners, ESPN, FOX and the Pac-12 Networks.

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Neill Woelk grades CU’s defensive performance

From CUBuffs.com … Bye weeks are usually a good time to provide a midseason assessment of a team’s progress while keeping one eye on the remainder of the season.

But because the Colorado Buffaloes’ bye week has arrived so late in the season — CU has just one regular season game remaining — we’ll adjust the format slightly by taking a look at what we’ve seen this year, and in some instances what that might mean for 2018.

Today, the defense:

Overview: Simple math suggested the Buffs’ defense was going to have to take a step back. Colorado entered the season with three new defensive coaches, including coordinator D.J. Eliot; and the Buffs were also tasked with the chore of replacing eight starters from last year’s defense (including four NFL draft choices).

That math has added up to an up-and-down season that included holding rival Colorado State to three points in the opener, a good effort at UCLA, and flashes of solid play at several other junctures. But, there were also plenty of long afternoons (and evenings).

Still, heading into the last two weeks of the season, the Buffs are sixth in the Pac-12 in scoring defense and eighth in overall defense (yards per game) — not a bad spot for a group with so much turnover.

… Continue reading unit-by-unit review here …

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November 15th

… CU in a few minutes …

Mike MacIntyre post-practice talk with media (Wed.)

From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com …

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Despite losing three seniors, CU offensive line has a bright future

From the Daily Camera … After this season, the Buffs will lose three starting offensive linemen to graduation: left tackle Jeromy Irwin, left guard Gerrad Kough and center Jonathan Huckins.

Despite losing that group, the Buffs are excited about their future up front. The 2017 recruiting class included the best group of linemen signed by CU in years.

“I think there’s definitely a lot of ability,” line coach Klayton Adams said. “We’ll have to go through an offseason to really know.”

That group includes Colby Pursell, who traveled with the team most of the season as an emergency option at center. The fact that he traveled “speaks a lot to his maturity, physically and mentally,” Adams said.

Throughout the season, the Buffs have also seen good things in practice from freshmen Chance Lytle, Heston Paige, Grant Polley and William Sherman. They’re expected to add grayshirt Casey Roddick in January.

In addition, true freshman Jake Moretti hopes to be healthy in time for spring drills. After missing his senior year at Pomona High School with a knee injury, Moretti arrived at CU in January, but missed spring drills and has not practiced this fall.

“There’s definitely a large group of guys there that we’re excited to develop, but we have to go through an offseason and see what they do in spring ball and see what they do in winter conditioning and see how their bodies change, see how they adapt to the offense, see how they grow fundamentally,” Adams said.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 14th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Bye Week gives Buffs a chance to heal; focus

From the Daily Camera … Colorado’s football season has come down to one game.

Win it, and the Buffaloes will play in December. Lose it, and they’ll go home.

With so much on the line in that Nov. 25 trip to Salt Lake City, it may wind up being beneficial for the Buffs to have two weeks to get ready.

“It will because it’s going to help us heal our bodies, it’s going to help us get a good look at Utah, get ahead of them,” running back Phillip Lindsay said. “They have to go and play next week while we’re on our bye week. I feel like it’s going to be in our favor for us and we just have to go in there and execute.”

Given the choice, most of the Buffs would have preferred to have a bye in the middle of the season. Yet, considering how this season has played out, this could be the perfect time for the bye.

Following Saturday’s 38-24 loss to No. 12 Southern California, the Buffs (5-6, 2-6 Pac-12) need to beat Utah (5-5, 2-5) in the regular-season finale to achieve bowl eligibility for the second year in a row.

The Buffs are not only reeling after consecutive losses, but they’re banged up, too.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 13th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Colorado at Utah – another late night

From the Pac-12 … The Colorado regular season finale against Utah will kickoff at 8:00 p.m., MT, next Saturday, November 25th. The game will be televised by FS1.

Other Pac-12 games Thanksgiving weekend:

— Cal at UCLA – Friday, Nov. 24th, 8:30 p.m., FS1

— Arizona at Arizona State – Saturday, Nov. 25th, 2:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks

— Oregon State at Oregon – TBA

— Washington State at Washington – TBA

— Notre Dame at Stanford – TBA

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Neill Woelk’s Ten Takeaways from the USC game

From CUBuffs.com … With one regular season game remaining and the possibility of a bowl game hanging in the balance, the Colorado Buffaloes have an extra week to prepare for the  decisive Nov. 25 game at Utah.

That extra time will come in handy for coaches and players as they prepare for what could possibly be a “playoff” game of sorts. If Utah loses at Washington next weekend, it means the Buffs and Utes will enter the final game with identical 5-6 overall and 2-6 Pac-12 marks.

The winner will play in a bowl game; the loser will be home for the holidays — and also finish last in the Pac-12 South.

So, with a few extra days to wait for the next game, we’ll take our weekly look back. What did we learn from Saturday’s 38-24 loss to USC at Folsom Field?

… Continue reading story here …

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November 12th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Butch Jones fired by Tennessee

... Only tangentially significant to Buff fans, as Jones was, at least for a few days, appearing to be heading to Boulder to coach Colorado five years ago …

From ESPN … Tennessee, winless this season in SEC play, has fired fifth-year coach Butch Jones with two games left in the regular season.

“Unfortunately, we are not where we need to be competitively,” Tennessee athletic director John Currie said Sunday in a statement. “For that reason, I have asked Coach Jones to step down.”

Defensive line coach Brady Hoke will serve as the Volunteers’ interim head coach.

On Saturday, Tennessee was blown out 50-17 at Missouri, the Vols’ fifth loss in their past six games. Two weeks ago, they lost at Kentucky, marking only their second loss to the Wildcats in the past 33 years.

Currie said in the statement that an “exhaustive search is underway” for the Vols’ next coach, who will be Tennessee’s fifth head coach in the past 11 years. That’s after Tennessee went 32 years with just two head coaches: John Majors and Phillip Fulmer.

Jones guided Tennessee to back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2015 and 2016 but was just 3-9 in his past 12 SEC games dating back to last season. His overall record at Tennessee was 34-27.

… Continue reading story here …

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USC now the highest ranked Pac-12 team

From CBS Sports … The Pac-12 once again has four teams in the polls, with Stanford reappearing after a one week absence. USC’s 38-24 win over Colorado was worth three spots, as the Trojans moved up to No. 12. Washington State, 33-25 winners over Utah, is now the highest-ranked Pac-12 North team, in at No. 15, while Washington dropped to No. 16.

Stanford re-entered the poll after defeating Washington Friday night, currently ranked No. 20. Arizona, 49-28 winners over Oregon State, is lurking just outside the poll, in at No. 28.

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Associated Press poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Virginia Tech (7-3) 110; Northwestern (7-3) 72; Arizona (7-3) 49; Iowa State (6-4) 27; Georgia Tech (5-4) 6; Boise State (8-2) 6; Army West Point (8-2) 3; Iowa (6-4) 2; South Carolina (7-3) 2

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USA Today coaches poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Virginia Tech (7-3) 94; Northwestern (7-3) 67; Arizona (7-3) 54; Boise State (8-2) 40; South Carolina (7-3) 33; Iowa (6-4) 16; Kentucky (7-3) 16; Army West Point (8-2) 14; San Diego State (8-2) 11; Iowa State (6-4) 9; Troy (8-2) 5; Ohio (8-2) 2

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This post, about the Utah game, from the 2017 Season, is filed under Article.
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