Recruiting Prospects – 2012

November 11th

Joey O’Connor opens recruitment

The No. 4 prospect in the state of Colorado, Windsor offensive tackle Joey O’Connor, committed to Penn State in June. After the scandal which has rocked the State College campus this week, however, O’Connor has re-opened his recruitment.

“I de-committed (Thursday night),” O’Connor told BuffaloSportsNews.net. “At this point, I’m leaving it wide open and starting over.”

O’Connor, who is 6’3″, 285-pounds, projects as a guard in college. He is considered by Rivals to be the 27th-best tackle in the nation, and the 238th-best prospect overall. Scout lists O’Connor as the 12th-best guard in the nation.

With his Windsor team at 9-1 and getting ready for the Colorado state playoffs, O’Connor has made no new commitments as to his plans or his ultimate choice of school. “Penn State is still very much involved,” O’Connor told BlueWhiteIllustrated, “but everyone has an equal playing field right now. I’m not going to worry about this right now, I’ll do that after the season.”

O’Connor had over a dozen BCS offers back in June, including offers from both Arizona schools, Cal, UCLA, Utah, Michigan, South Carolina and Tennessee. With O’Connor’s de-commitment, that list will also certainly grow.

Back in April, O’Connor visited Boulder on Junior Day. He told BuffStampede.com that he liked what he saw. “I really like how dedicated the new coaches are to bringing back traditions and trying to turn the program around,” O’Connor said. “I also like that they are going to try to be smash-mouth. They told me on (Junior Day) that they are going to focus on getting the Colorado guys before they go out of state. They asked, ‘Why not go to a program that is an hour away from your house and be part of the group that helps turn it around?'”

One that got away may still get away, but at least the Buffs are back in the running …

Buffs using last home weekend to impress official visitors

With only five home games in 2011 – including one on a Friday night when most of the Buffs’ potential prospects were playing themselves – Colorado has been limited in the number of official visitors it has had been able to have walk the sidelines at Folsom Field. This weekend, in the home finale against Arizona, several high school seniors will be taking official visits.

The known list stands at five, but there may more from in-state schools …

So who are the Buffs trying to impress this weekend?

Kisima Jagne – Jagne is a 6’5″, 230-pound defensive end from Chandler, Arizona. Jagne is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout, with Rivals considering Jagne to be the 27th-best defensive end in the nation, while Scout ranks him at No. 51. Rivals bio  Scout bio

Jagne has offers from almost a dozen BCS schools, including four other Pac-12 schools (both Arizona schools and both Washington schools). Jagne’s reported top five are Arizona State, Colorado, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, and Purdue. Jagne took an official visit to Arizona State two weeks ago, and has plans to visit Michigan State after his prep seasonn concludes.

Jason King – King is a 6’4″, 295-pound offensive guard from Little Rock, Arkansas. King is a considered to be a two-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals bio Scout bio

UPDATE – King decided to post-pone his official visit until after his team is finished with the state playoffs. King is expected to re-schedule his visit.

King has offers from only a handful of BCS schools, including Kansas and Purdue. King has already taken his official visits to Lawrence and West Lafayette. King’s older brother attended the University of Colorado, so the Arkansas native is already familiar with Boulder and the CU campus.

Austin Ray – Ray is a 6’6″, 235-pound tight end prospect from Columbia, Missouri. Ray is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Ray is considered by Scout to be the 34th-best tight end prospect in the nation. Rivals bio  Scout bio

Ray committed to Mississippi on July 28th. However, this past week, the coaching staff of Houston Nutt was let go, and Ray finds himself back on the call list from other schools. “Arkansas and Colorado have been calling a lot lately and just staying in touch,” Ray told Mississippi Scout. “They said they are looking for a tight end and asked me what my current situation is with Coach Nutt being let go. I told them I am not trying to make any irrational decision and jump ship. I am still committed to Ole Miss and have an obligation to their program. But in the meantime, I am going to explore my options until they hire a new staff. I am going to weigh my options and see what happens at Ole Miss and make a final decision from there.”

Shane Brostek– Brostek is a 6’3″, 300-pound offensive lineman from Kamulea, Hawai’i. Brostek is considered to be a three-start prospect by Scout, and a two-star prospect by Rivals. Scout considers Brostek to be the 67th-best offensive guard prospect in the nation by Scout. Rivals bio  Scout bio

Brostek is shown as having offers only from Colorado and Washington. According to a scout for Scout.com, “Brostek moves extremely well for a player his size, even lining up at linebacker for a couple of plays. Brostek looks all of the 6’3″ 300lbs he is listed at and holds his weight well. He is rarely challenged by the defensive ends while pass blocking, but shows good mobility and footwork. Most of the tape shows him run blocking, where he pulls quite often and has good athleticism. He finishes his blocks and looks comfortable getting out on linebackers.”

Kory Rasmussen – Rasmussen is a 6’3″, 255-pound defensive end prospect from Honolulu, Hawai’i. Rasmussen is considered a two-star prospect by both Scout and Rivals. Scout rates Rasmussen as the 105th-best defensive tackle in the nation. Rivals bio  Scout bio

In addition to home-state Hawai’i, Rasmussen has offers from at least five Pac-12 schools, including Arizona, Cal, Washington and Utah.

November 2nd

Official visits unlikely this weekend

The good news for the Colorado football program this weekend?

Prime time exposure on ESPN, a chance to show the nation (and future prospects) what it’s like to have a “Black out” in Boulder.

The bad news?

It’s unlikely that the Buffs will have any recruiting prospects on the sideline to witness the event.

Why not? It’s simple – the game is on Friday night.

Almost every player Colorado is actively recruiting will also be in uniform Friday night, playing for their high school team.

The story will be different next weekend, against Arizona. With a 12:30 start, the Buffs will host their final home game of the season. Head coach Jon Embree has already expressed a preference for hosting more official visitors during the months of December and January, but, for any prospect who would like to see what the game day atmosphere is like in Boulder, the Arizona game is the last best chance to do so.

Texas Longhorn wide receiver transferring

Another star is transferring away from Austin. Texas redshirt freshman wide receiver Chris Jones is transferring after two seasons with the program.

The school said Tuesday it has given Jones an unconditional release from his scholarship. It’s not known where he will go.

Jones was a two-time all-state selection as wide receiver and kick returner at Daingerfield High School. He helped Daingerfield to consecutive Class 2A Division II titles and a 30-2 record in 2008-09.

In two seasons at Daingerfield, he had 64 catches for 1,475 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 611 yards and nine touchdowns rushing. Texas redshirted him in 2010.

Think Connor Wood, the Buffs’ quarterback who transferred from Texas to Colorado in August, knows Jones?

Well, they were both part of the Texas recruiting class of 2010 …

Anyone know if Connor Wood has Chris Jones’ phone number?

October 25th

Jon Embree Quotes on recruiting

On Recruiting Junior College Players – “We would like to in some situations, but again they have to be able to do the work academically and what transfers in, because of what we are as an academic institutions, it makes it a little more difficult to get junior college kids in because we don’t accept P.E., we don’t take D’s, and there are other schools out there that do take both of those and that makes it a lot easier. A lot of the good ones want to enroll in a college in January and there is usually a little extra work that you have to do to get into here, so you wouldn’t be able to come in until the fall. A lot of the junior college kids, they need the spring ball to go in and earn their position. It is a little difficult, but the thing is that we had a great recruiting weekend last weekend. Our fans have been tremendous. We had some big time recruits in and the fact that they stayed here when things weren’t going our way, the way they reacted and cheered on and tried to help our team, the way they were down on Pearl Street when our recruits were down there, it helps a lot because those kids are talking about that. Obviously we are not where we want to be in a record standpoint, and one of those ways that we can improve is recruiting, that is the number one way, and our fans have a tremendous impact on that, so the fact that they did what they did for the Oregon game and how they were down at the Stampede and how they were down at Pearl Street after the game goes a long way because the kids do see opportunity here. One of the questions that they have to answer in their mind is that is there support here, do the fans here want to win, are they behind the team, and when they see what they saw here Saturday and they can see that when SC (Southern California) comes in and when Arizona comes in, that is going to help us put together a tremendous recruiting class.”

On How Difficult It Is On His Job To Not Be Able To Grab a Handful of JuCo Players – “It affects you. Obviously you would like to grab some D-Linemen JC guys. Usually that is the commodity that is the position, especially inside guys, that you would like full grown men. Playing young guys, you will get some growing pains there, you would like to be able to do that. When I took the job, I understood what the JC piece was all about. To me, if you always have to chase a kid to go to class and if you are worrying about him being eligible, if the academics are such becomes a distraction to the kid, then he is not going to be productive on the field either. You have to have the kids that can do the work academically so when it is time to focus on football, they are not worried about other things.”

October 20th

Defensive back / tight end prospects coming to Boulder for Oregon game

One is a “soft” Colorado commit, the other is a “solid” commit … to Arizona.

Three-star defensive back Ma’ne Manaea gave his verbal commitment to Colorado on September 14th (see story, below), but remains open to recruitment from other schools.

Four-star tight end Taylor McNamara (see story, below) gave his verbal commitment to Arizona in June, but the Wildcats have since fired their head coach, Mike Stoops. McNamara had intended to visit Boulder a few weeks ago, but illness kept him from coming to the Washington State game.

—- Other players who will reportedly be in Boulder this weekend:

– Four-star offensive lineman Zach Hemmila (an Arizona commit)

– Colorado quarterback commit Shane Dillon

– Three-star defensive lineman Samson Kafovalu (Arizona, Boise State, Colorado, Nevada, UCLA, Washington and Washington State have all tendered offers).

Taylor McNamara – TE

“I’ve been throwing up the last few days and have a 103-degree fever,” McNamara told ESPN on September 29th, just before he was supposed to come to Boulder. “It’s awful timing because we have a big game on Friday and I really wanted to see Colorado. I’m still going to suck it up and play in the game but I don’t think I’ll have the strength to do the visit.

“My flight was at 4:00 a.m. ET in the morning on Saturday and I think I’ll just be wiped out. I’ll re-schedule for sure though because I like Colorado a lot. Coach [Jon] Embree is awesome, he’s a former tight end himself and they have one of the best coaching staffs in America. They need tight ends and playing time is available so it’s a good situation for sure.”

McNamara profile … Taylor McNamara is a tight end prospect from San Diego, California. He is considered a four-star prospect by Rivals and a three-star prospect by Scout. McNamera is rated by Rivals as the 2nd-best tight end in the nation, while Scout has McNamara pegged as the 19th-best tight end. Rivals bio Scout bio

McNamara has offers from almost twenty schools nationwide, including seven from the Pac-12. McNamara also has offers from Florida State, Miami, Michigan Notre Dame and Ohio State. Even with all of those offers, McNamara committed to Arizona on June 7th.

 “Right now I’m 100 percent committed to Arizona but if something changes off those visits then it was meant to change,” said McNamara last month. Since the firing of Mike Stoops at Arizona, McNamara has taken an official visit to Cal (October 14th), and has official visits planned for Washington (November 4th), Notre Dame (November 18th), and Oklahoma (November 25th).

MA’NE MANAEA – DB

Manaea might best be described as a “soft verbal” … “I am not done with the recruiting process yet,” Manaea told BuffStampede.com last month. “I said I committed to Colorado but I am still open to everybody else that wants to give me an offer. But for right now I am committed to Colorado and they look pretty good to me and I am just ready to focus on my season.”

Manaea was leaning towards Washington State, but wasn’t feeling the love. “I felt like Washington State had lost faith in me. They took my scholarship and gave it to somebody else,” Manaea said. “Colorado didn’t do that and by the looks of it, Colorado seems like a good university. I have studied them a lot and watched their games against Hawaii and Cal. I looked at how their defense is run and how they use their safeties and I feel like it will be a good place for me.”

Just the facts … Committed September 14th … Manaea is a defensive back prospect from Lakewood, Washington. Manaea is 5’11″, 185-pounds, and runs a 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio YouTube highlights

What others say about Manaea … Manaea is rated a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Manaea as the 15th-best overall player out of the state of Washington, while Scout has Manaea as the 94th-best safety prospect in the nation. Manaea was named the co-defensive back MVP at the All-Poly camp this past summer. He plays both outside linebacker and rover for Lakes, but projects as a safety for college. Manaea is also a wide receiver for The Lakes high school, and had three touchdowns on only four receptions in the season opener, covering 120 yards. “Well I made the catches so I thought I would just make the most of them,” laughed Manaea to Washingtonpreps.com, who described Manaea as “always gracious”. He would have likely scored more, but his team won in a rout. “It was tough,” Manaea said. “I came in early and left early. We put 35 straight points on Evergreen in like 5 minutes and we all went out. So I am aching for more.”

Manaea had other offers from … only Washington State, though many other Pac-12 schools showed interest, including Washington, both Oregon schools, and UCLA. Manaea also had interest from Air Force, which is a fair indication that he will not be an eligibility risk (Manaea reports a 3.4 GPA).

October 17th

Top offensive line prospect decommits from USC

Arik Armstead, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound offensive tackle from Elk Grove, Calif., who is one of the nation’s top recruits, has rescinded his commitment to USC, according to ESPN.com’s Greg Biggins.

Armstead, the top-ranked player in the West in the ESPNU 150, said he’ll still consider the Trojans but is now wide open to other colleges.

Armstead is the younger brother of Trojans defensive lineman Armond Armstead, who is sitting out this season with an undisclosed medical condition, a situation that has become a bit of a soap opera.

Wrote Biggins: “Armstead wouldn’t get into specifics of why he changed his mind, but he did say that ‘my family has been a little disappointed with some things going on at USC.'”

Armstead has offers from ten Pac-12 schools, including Colorado.

Are the Buffs in the mix? Probably not …

A couple of other Pac-12 schools are in his mix, but it’s notable where he will be this weekend. “I have my visit to Notre Dame this weekend and I’m visiting Alabama (Nov. 4),” Armstead told ESPN. “I’m also looking at Cal, Washington and Michigan for my last few visits, but I think after word gets out that I’ve de-committed, I think a few more schools will come calling as well and I’m definitely open to that.” 

That means Armstead will be standing on the sideline opposite USC, which visits Notre Dame on Saturday … Probably not a good sign for the Trojans.

October 7th

Irwin brothers still firmly committed

While there were some members of the Buff Nation who were willing to walk away from the team after a heart-breaking loss to Washington State, two of the newest Buffs are not giving up on the future of the team.

In fact, they are even more committed.

Twins Sean and Jeromy Irwin, from Cypress, Texas, gave their verbal commitments to Colorado in August. Sean is a 6’4″, 230-pound tight end, while Jeromy is a 6’5″, 289-pound offensive tackle. They were on the sidelines as the Buffs turned a 27-17 lead into a 31-27 loss.

“We took our official visit and it was amazing,” Sean told BuffStampede.com. “It just felt like home. They lost the game to Washington State, but I still had a great time. The coaching staff is amazing. Everything was great.

“They offered us last year before spring and I call [Buffs defensive ends coach] Kanavis [McGhee] once a week and we have talked for a very long time. I knew everything about it so I wasn’t nervous or anything. I was just going up there to see it with my own eyes.”

Jeromy also had a great time. New Buffs quarterback Connor Wood, who transferred from Texas to Colorado last month, served as his player host for the weekend.

“Connor told me he felt the same way I did when he first visited Colorado,” Jeromy said. “He was amazed by how nice everyone is and how everything is beautiful up there. He said he traveled to LSU but just got sold on Colorado. I was impressed with the coaching staff in general. They are so intense, they got me fired up.

“The campus is great, it was way better than I could have ever imagined. When we drove in, we went over the hill and Boulder is in a valley and you see the Rocky Mountains in the background. You definitely don’t have scenery like that in Houston. It was just amazing overall.

“I am a Buffalo,” Jeromy said. “I am not going to change my mind.”

Added Sean: “I wouldn’t have committed if I wasn’t committed. I just don’t think you are much of a man if you commit to something and then back off and go somewhere else. My mom told me once I commit to something, I need to do it and finish it.”

While February 1st should not hold much drama for Colorado fans, at least in terms of getting faxes from Cypress, Texas, the Irwins did not leave town without making an impression of their own, with the high school seniors giving Buff fans reason to remember that the future for the Buffs can still be bright …

“I really understand where Colorado is coming from because when I was a sophomore playing on varsity, we went 0-10,” said Jeromy. “We were such a young team and we worked hard and got better and went 9-3 the next year. Now, we are 5-0 to start the season and we have aspirations to make a deep playoff run.

“Everybody was used to losing there because of the previous coaching staff at Colorado. They changed offenses, they have had a lot of injuries and they have a lot of players that have had to switch positions. They are really trying to rebuild so we definitely feel where they are coming from.”

Welcome to the Buff Nation, Sean and Jeromy Irwin.

October 4th

Hooker “really impressed” with Boulder and CU

Reshawn Hooker, a three-star linebacker prospect from Fontana, California, took his first official visit this past weekend, and came away impressed.

“My trip to Colorado went well, real well,” Hooker told BuffStampede.com. “It was pretty different from what I expected. I was expecting snow and a school out in the country. But it was actually pretty nice. It was sunny. I liked the town of Boulder.”

Hooker was hosted by freshman running back Malcolm Creer. “We went to the football game, we went out to eat. We went to three famous restaurants: Pasta Jay’s, West End Tavern and the Buff restaurant,” Hooker recapped. “We took a tour of the school and had some meetings with the coaches and then we went to visit the mall there. The mountains were so nice, the flatirons. I was really impressed.”

Hooker has offers from half of the schools in the Pac-12, including UCLA, Oregon State, Washington State, and both Arizona schools. Hooker also has offers from Boise State, Colorado State, and Purdue. On September 18th, Hooker told BuffStampede.com that he had narrowed his choices to a final three: Colorado; Arizona; and Boise State. However, after his visit to Boulder, Hooker was non-commital.

“I don’t have a favorite at the moment,” he said. “I am still open.”

– The other two official visitors from this past weekend, brothers Sean Irwin (TE) and Jeromy Irwin (OL), from Cypress, Texas, were reportedly also impressed with their visit to Boulder. Neither had been to the Colorado campus before committing on August 28th, and their visit only solidified their commitment to the Buffs.

The Irwins’ host for the weekend was quarterback Connor Wood, who transferred in from Texas at the end of August.

September 29th

Official Visit List (to be updated as more official visits are set)

October 1st – October 2nd (CU v. Washington State)

Four known official visitors:

Sean Irwin – TE – Colorado commit (see biography, below)

Jeromy Irwin – OL – Colorado commit (see biography, below)

Reshawn Hooker – LB – Has offers from over a dozen schools, has listed Colorado in his top three (see story, below)

Taylor McNamara – TE – Has verbally committed to Arizona (see story, below)

Reshawn Hooker – a linebacker prospect from Fontana, California. He is considered a three-start prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Hooker as the 37th-best outside linebacker in the country, while Scout has Hooker rated at the 49th-best. Rivals bio Scout bio 

Hooker has offers from half of the schools in the Pac-12, including UCLA, Oregon State, Washington State, and both Arizona schools. Hooker also has offers from Boise State, Colorado State, and Purdue. On September 18th, Hooker told BuffStampede.com that he had narrowed his choices to a final three: Colorado; Arizona; and Boise State. “Colorado [defensive ends] coach [Kanavis] McGhee came out and saw me during the spring. He is real honest and straight forward,” said Hooker, who stands 6-foot-2, 200-pounds. “He told me that they would love to have me come in and fight for a position. I really liked just the realness of how he came and approached me. It wasn’t the ‘You’ll come in and start right away’ spiel, which was refreshing.”

Taylor McNamara – UPDATE  – McNamara not coming due to illness … “I’ve been throwing up the last few days and have a 103-degree fever,” McNamara told ESPN. “It’s awful timing because we have a big game on Friday and I really wanted to see Colorado. I’m still going to suck it up and play in the game but I don’t think I’ll have the strength to do the visit.

“My flight was at 4:00 a.m. ET in the morning on Saturday and I think I’ll just be wiped out. I’ll re-schedule for sure though because I like Colorado a lot. Coach [Jon] Embree is awesome, he’s a former tight end himself and they have one of the best coaching staffs in America. They need tight ends and playing time is available so it’s a good situation for sure.”

McNamara profile … Taylor McNamara is a tight end prospect from San Diego, California. He is considered a four-star prospect by Rivals and a three-star prospect by Scout. McNamera is rated by Rivals as the 2nd-best tight end in the nation, while Rivals has McNamara pegged as the 18th-best tight end. Rivals bio Scout bio  

McNamara has offers from almost twenty schools nationwide, including seven from the Pac-12. McNamara also has offers from Florida State, Miami, Michigan Notre Dame and Ohio State. Even with all of those offers, McNamara committed to Arizona on June 7th. “The Cal coaches have really been pushing me to take a visit out there,” McNamara told Rivals.com. “I think it’s unfair not to and it’s the same with Notre Dame, I’m thinking about visiting there.

“Even Colorado, if I do those two, then I need to do that one, too. Right now I’m 100 percent committed to Arizona but if something changes off those visits then it was meant to change.

“I guess if there is a change then it was meant to be. If I go to a place and I feel like I’d enjoy my four years there with football and not football more than I would at Arizona then I would change my decision.”

JEROMY IRWIN – OL

Just the facts … Committed August 28th … Irwin plays guard in high school, but projects as an offensive tackle. Irwin is from Cypress, Texas, and is 6’5″, 295-pounds. Rivals bio Scout bio 

What others say about Irwin … Irwin is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. He is rated by Scout to be the No. 90 offensive tackle in the nation.

Irwin had other offers from … at least ten schools, including Boise State, Louisville, Wake Forest, and Rice. Other schools reported to have interest in the twins include Arkansas, LSU, and TCU. As the Irwins wanted to be a package deal, the number of offers may have been more limited than they would have otherwise. The Irwins were recruited by Kanavis McGhee, who used his Houston roots to secure  the Houston area natives.

In his own words … “I would definitely say that I would take education over a good football program. Education gets you further in life,” Irwin told InsideTheUtes.com. “I’m just looking for a school that has a good educational program. If the football team is good on top of that, it’s just a bonus.” 6-5, 290 pound Jeromy would also like a school that runs the ball, which he feels feeds his biggest strength. “The run game is my strength. I really like to get out and push people backwards.”

As for Jeromy’s style of play? “They like his athleticism and coordination,” Sean told BuffStampede.com about his brother. “They like how he can keep his feet when he pulls. You see a lot of linemen get tripped up and go down, but Jeromy can catch himself and keeps his feet and finishes the play. He’s athletic and really a big guy without any fat on his body.”

SEAN IRWIN – TE

Just the facts … Committed August 28th … Irwin is a tight end prospect from Cypress, Texas. Irwin is 6’4″, 220-pounds, and has a 4.85 recorded time in the 40 (Sean claims he can run a 4.7). Rivals bio Scout bio

 What others say about Irwin … Irwin is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. He is rated by Scout to be the No. 44 tight end in the nation. In the Fox Sports Southwest 7-on-7 state championships this summer, Sean Irwin was rated as the “top weapon” in the competition. However, Sean will not be receiving as many honors this fall, as he fractured his fibula during two-a-days in August, and will be out for eight weeks.

Irwin had other offers from … at least ten schools, including Boise State, Louisville, Wake Forest, and Rice. Other schools reported to have interest in the twins include Arkansas, LSU, and TCU. As the Irwins wanted to be a package deal, the number of offers may have been more limited than they would have otherwise. The Irwins were recruited by Kanavis McGhee, who used his Houston roots to secure  the Houston area natives.

In his own words … “They have a great coaching staff,” Sean told BuffStampede.com in July. “We like the coaches and everything we’ve heard so far has a good feel to it and sounds interesting. Now we want to make a visit to check out the school and the student body and see what it’s like (the Irwins’ official visits will take place September 30th) … Coach McGhee says they like the way we play. We just go out there and get the job done. We don’t lead by doing a lot of talking. We just do what we have to do for the team on the field. We’re both physical players, and they like that about us.”

Another reason Colorado likes the Irwin brothers is they’re already well schooled in a pro-style offense similar to what Colorado is playing now under new head coach Jon Embree, a former Washington Redskins assistant. “At Cy-Fair, we run out of an I-formation 80 percent of the time,” Sean said. “We don’t play any spread offense. We run a tailback, a fullback and run the tight ends tight. We run power traps and counters and smash it down their throats. We definitely prefer playing in a pro-style offense.”

As a tight end, Sean says McGhee likes him for his versatility. He’s phyiscal enough to line up next to the tackle and quick enough to get wide on pass patterns. “They like how I can get down on the ground and hit someone, but I can still go out and get a pass,” he said. “They like my speed and size.

“I might not be as tall as some tight ends but I play with good leverage when I am blocking and I can also get out catch the ball effectively when given the chance. I run a 4.7 so I have good speed for my size,” he explained. “Colorado said that they think I will fit in well because some of their tight ends are one-dimensional. I can kind of be a dual-threat guy for them. I can do both.”

Official Visits – September 9th-10th (CU v. Cal)

Justin Solis – DT – Colorado commit (see story, below)

John Stuart – TE – offer only from CU – interest from UCLA, Arizona State, San Jose State (HS teammate of Justin Solis)

September 13th

Buffs still looking in-state for the Class of 2012

At the Tuesday press conference, Colorado head coach Jon Embree was asked about the Buff coaching staff recruiting in-state players – “We want to recruit Colorado kids. Right now, I think we’ve got two committed, and I think we’re going to get another one, before it’s all said and done … At the same time, it’s got to be the right kid. It’s got to be a kid who can come in here and help us. It’s got to be a kid who wants to be a Buffalo. We’re a transient state, so sometimes it’s an in-state kid, but he’s really not from here. I think if you look at some of the guys we have here, like Jon Major and Ryan Miller, those are guys who grew up Buff fans and grew up on Colorado football. I was talking to the team last week, and about the Big 12 championship, and some of the players, and I asked how many of the guys who recognized Player ‘X’, and the only guys who raised their hands were in-state kids … We have to get back to the point where we’re getting top in-state kids, staying and being a part of this program.”

The interesting part of the quote … “I think we’re going to get another one, before it’s all said and done”.

Okay, so who is out there?

There are three players in the Rivals Colorado top ten who have not given a verbal commitment to a school. Two of those players – No. 8 quarterback Steve Donatell (Highlands Ranch) and No. 10 linebacker Kevin Davis (Fountain Ft. Carson) – do not hold offers from Colorado.

Which leaves (barring CU “flipping” a player who has committed to another school, which still remains a distinct possibility), there is only the No. 4 player, offensive tackle Alex Kozan. Holding offers from over two dozen BCS schools, but has narrowed his list down to seven schools. Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, LSU, Oregon and Oklahoma State all remain in the mix for the 6-4, 295-pound four-star tackle. To date, Kozan only has one official visit scheduled (to Iowa next weekend).

So, at least the Buffs are still in the running. Perhaps Embree believes Kozan will be the third player from the state of Colorado the Buffs will sign “before it’s all said and done”.

Buffs in the running for a four-star tight end?

Tight end Taylor McNamara told Rivals.com that he remains 100 percent committed to Arizona right now, but the four-star tight end from San Diego (Calif.) Westview will probably take some official visits and could switch his pledge if he finds a better fit.

Cal and Notre Dame are likely to get visits and Colorado is also being strongly considered for a trip according to McNamara, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound recruit who committed to the Wildcats in early June.

“The Cal coaches have really been pushing me to take a visit out there,” McNamara said. “I think it’s unfair not to and it’s the same with Notre Dame, I’m thinking about visiting there.

“Even Colorado, if I do those two, then I need to do that one, too. Right now I’m 100 percent committed to Arizona but if something changes off those visits then it was meant to change.

“I guess if there is a change then it was meant to be. If I go to a place and I feel like I’d enjoy my four years there with football and not football more than I would at Arizona then I would change my decision.

“Those have been the main three,” he said of Cal, Notre Dame and Colorado. “I’m still getting mail from everyone but those are the main three where the coaches have stayed on me. I think Cal has been the hardest on me. They’re nowhere near giving up.”

September 12th

Weekend visitors liked what they saw

High school teammates Justin Solis and John Stuart were in Boulder this past weekend, taking in all that CU and Folsom Field had to offer.

Justin Solis is a 6’3″, 287-pound defensive tackle from Westlake Village, California, has been a CU verbal commit since July. Nothing he saw this past weekend changed his mimd. “The fans were loud and it was a really good game,” Solis told BuffStampede.com. “I was already solid in my commitment but the trip just solidified it. Boulder is the place I want to be.

“It was fun hanging out with Nelson (Spruce, a freshman wide receiver at CU, and a high school teammate of the two recruits),” Solis added. “We went to the dorms with him and hung out with all the players there. Then this morning we had breakfast with [head] coach [Jon] Embree, [offensive line] coach [Steve] Marshall and [defensive tackles] coach [Mike] Tuiasosopo.”

While Solis is already in the fold, his teammate, John Stuart, is not.

What did Stuart think of his visit to Boulder? “Their stadium was almost full and their crowd had really good energy. It was really exciting,” Stuart told BuffStampede.com. “Their team is really together, tight-knit group, so that impressed me. Nelson said he has been enjoying it there a lot. He told me that the coaches are really nice and they have such a strong desire to win. They are determined to turn the program around”.

So, will Stuart become a CU commit? Not yet. While Stuart did indicate that he was impressed with his visit, he wants to take at least one other visit (to Washington State in November) before deciding. “Colorado likes that I am physical and they said they could definitely use someone like me on their defensive line,” Stuart said. “They said there is an opportunity for me to come in and step up next year. I am definitely considering it.”

There was also at least one unofficial visitor at Folsom Field this past Saturday. Morgan Fox is an unrated tight end /defensive end from Fountain/Ft. Carson high school. Already 6’4, 220-pounds even though he just turned 17 on Monday, Fox has no scholarship offers yet, but reports that he has interest from Arizona, Nebraska, and Oklahoma as well as Colorado.

Fox liked what he saw in Boulder as well. After the game, Fox was asked what he likes about CU. “Everything,” Fox told BuffaloSportsNews.net. “It’s just awesome — the school, the coaches.”

And if Colorado decides to offer him a scholarship? “I’m going to look at everything,” said Fox. “I don’t want to discount anything at all, but (CU) is definitely the top.”

September 9th

Solis sold on being a Buff

Justin Solis, a defensive tackle from Westlake Village, California, has been a Colorado commit since July (see bio, below). Solis is taking his official visit to Boulder this weekend for the California game as his high school team has a bye.

Does Solis remain a solid verbal for Colorado, despite the poor showing in the 2011 season opener?  “Two months later, I am still solidly committed,” Solis told BuffStampede.com. “I am excited to be going to Colorado. I always planned on committing before my senior year so I didn’t have the distraction during the school year and football season.”

Any second thoughts? Any other schools have his ear? “Ever since I committed,” said Solis, “things have been quiet on the recruiting front so that has been good. It is a lot off my plate.”

Solis sounds ready to get to Boulder to make an impact. “When I took an unofficial visit to Colorado in the spring, I instantly fell in love with the area and the school,” he added. “I went to the spring game so I got to see Folsom Field. I thought the coaching staff was great. I felt that the team will be on the rise again. I know recently they haven’t done as good but I think in the next couple years, we can be great again.”

Solis is in Boulder with his grandmother, as well as a teammate from Westlake Village, tight end John Stuart.

What do we know about John Stuart?

Stuart is a 6’4″, 245-pound two-way player for Westlake Village, starring at tight end and at defensive end. While Rivals has Stuart as an unrated tight end, Scout has Stuart as a three-star defensive end, ranked No. 94 in the nation.

Stuart has offers from several schools, including Colorado, Washington State, Arizona State, Arizona, Nevada, and Fresno State. Stuart has also drawn interest from CU’s opponent this weekend, Cal, as well as from Washington.

“I am going out there expecting to have a great time,” Stuart told BuffStampede.com. “I can’t wait to see how the atmosphere it out there for their game against Cal and am excited to learn more about Colorado.”

Justin Solis is working on his teammate to try and get him to commit to the Buffs. “Colorado is probably my favorite so far,” Stuart said. “Justin is always joking around with me every day. He comes up and asks, ‘So when are you going to commit to Colorado?’ ”

While it looks favorable for the Buffs right now, don’t look for a new commitment this weekend. “I like Colorado but I am probably not going to make a decision this weekend,” said Stuart. “I will probably wait it out until after or near the end of my senior season”.

Stuart already has one other official visit lined up, as he is planning to visit Washington State in November when the Cougars host Arizona State.

September 4th

JUSTIN SOLIS – DT

Just the facts … Committed July 13th … Solis is a defensive tackle prospect from Westlake Village, California. Solis is 6’3, 287-pounds, and runs a 4.9 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio YouTubehighlights

What others had to say about Solis … Solis is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals ranks Solis as 46th-best defensive tackle prospect in the nation, and the 87th-best overall prospect out of the state of California. Scout lists Solis as the No. 37 defensive tackle in the country. Solis was named the Ventura County Defensive Lineman of the Year and the Marmonte League Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2010. He was also an all-state and all-CIF selection. In his junior year, Solis had 99 tackles, including over 20 tackles for loss and ten sacks.

A Scout.com player evaluation had this to say about the Buffs’ new defensive tackle: “Solis has a quick first step and does a good job taking on numerous blockers to enable the linebackers to get into the backfield. Very good in stopping the run.” Under Strengths, the scout listed intensity and effort, quickness off the ball, and overall strength. As a weakness, the scout listed “techniques and moves”. Solis seems to agree with the last assessment. “I want to improve on my agility and speed,” Solis told BuffaloSportsNews.com back in March. “That’s what I want to work on most because we’re changing up our defense this year. Last year it was more like, hold the line and control the gaps. This year we’re doing more, play the run on the way to the quarterback. So I want to get in better shape and get a little bit faster and quicker.”

Solis had other offers from … half of the Pac-12, including UCLA, Arizona, Utah and Washington. Solis also had offers from Boise State, Georgia Tech, Iowa State and Nevada. For the last month or so, UCLA and Oregon have been Solis’ favorites, though it also appeared that he was holding out for an offer from Oregon. When asked on June 8th by eDuck.com about his interest in Oregon, Solis responded: “Very high. I’m just hoping and waiting for an offer to come.” Oregon, however, has not extended an offer. (A review of Oregon’s commitment list shows that the Ducks already have commitments from two defensive linemen, including four-star recruit Alex Balducci from Portland).

In his own words… “When I first started playing football, I was just having fun. I didn’t know I was going to take it this far,” Solis told BuffStampede.com. “In the last couple years, I started to realize that it is going to give me an opportunity to get a free college education and be successful in my future. It has been a blessing.”

August 23rd

Yuri Wright telling two stories

So, you want to be a college football recruiter, eh?

It’s hard enough grasping the concept that the multi-million dollars coaching careers hinge on the attitudes and work ethics of teenagers, but having your job directly tied to the whims of 17-year olds?

On Tuesday, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) star cornerback Yuri Wright told SuperPrep.com that Colorado was still amongst those teams Wright was considering. “I haven’t really set up any visits yet,” said Wright, considered to be the 5th-best cornerback in the nation by Scout (while Rivals has Wright as the 3rd-best cornerback in the nation). “I’m trying to cut down to five schools and I’m at about 10 right now. I know I have Michigan, Colorado, California, Notre Dame, Georgia and Rutgers on my list. Those are some of them, but I’m not sure of the others in the 10.”

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Wright said he wasn’t ready to divulge his final five, all of which he plans on visiting officially, but Georgia and Cal are two schools he wants to make official visits to. “I’m definitely trying to trim it before the season so I know the five schools I’m going out to visit,” Wright said. “I don’t really talk to Notre Dame that much, but I really like the school. I would say the schools I talk to the most are Cal, Colorado, Rutgers and Georgia.”

Sounds good for Colorado, yes?

Or perhaps not …

At the same time, Rivals has posted a story with a different slant. “Basically I’m at Rutgers, Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame, Cal and Michigan State,” Wright told ScarletNation.com. Not only is Colorado not mentioned, but Wright has a pair of favorites.

“Cal and Rutgers are the schools I’m most pushing towards, I’m not going to lie,” said Wright. “Cal, I think I could fit in there and I really like Rutgers a lot.”

So, where are the Buffs?

Perhaps Wright will take an official visit to Boulder; perhaps not. Perhaps Wright is waiting to see if Colorado is successful on the field this fall before including or excluding the Buffs. Perhaps Cal defensive backs coach Ashley Ambrose will make the Buff Nation lament that there was not enough money in the coffers to retain him as defensive backs coach this past winter.

Or Yuri Wright could pledge to sign with the local team, Rutgers, and allow us all to move on to other recruits …

August 18th

Two more official visits set

Ishmael Adams is a four-star cornerback from Westlake Village, California (the home of current CU commit Justin Solis). Adams is considered by Scout to be the 10th-best cornerback in the nation, and the 98th-best overall player in the nation. Adams has offers from every Pac-12 school except Stanford and USC, and is also carrying offers from schools like Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, and North Carolina.

While no date has been set, Adams has told Rivals.com that he intends to take an official visit to Colorado this fall.

“The closer schools, I will probably [take] unofficial visits [to] during the season since they’re so close; like UCLA and possibly USC,” Adams told BruinBlitz.com, which is part of the Rivals.com network. “I will probably [take an official] visit [to] Cal after the season. I am going to Notre Dame when they play USC [on Oct. 22] and then Colorado.”

Adams said he still has to “confirm” which weekend he will visit Colorado. He also mentioned that he will “probably” take an official visit to Arizona State. Adams is expected to visit Boulder with his friend, Encino (Calif.) Crespi wide receiver Chris Harper, who received an offer from the Buffaloes in early August.

Two weeks ago, Adams indicated that Cal was the front-runner for his services, but he remains open to the recruiting process. He is not likely to announce his choice of schools until January.

Nick Davidson is a four-star offensive tackle prospect from Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Davidson is considered by Rivals to be the 35th-best offensive tackle in the nation this recruiting cycle. I’ve narrowed it down and am going to take five official visits to Oregon, Stanford, Clemson, Ohio State and my fifth will be to Colorado,” Davidson told TigerIllustrated.com, also a part of the Rivals.com network.

A family connection brought the Buffaloes into the equation for Davidson.

“My dad is good friends with their quarterbacks coach (Rip Scherer),” he explained. “They’ve really come out of nowhere for me. But Coach Scherer has become my favorite recruiter to talk to. We talk about so many things and most of it is not even about football.”

Sounds like the Buffs have a shot at both players. Adams has a high school teammate who is coming to Boulder, while Davidson has a family connection.

Whatever it takes …

August 7th

Beverly Hills wide receiver favors Buffs

Cameron Countryman is 6’0″, 170-p0und wide receiver prospect from Beverly Hills, California. He is currently considered only a two-star receiver, the 194th-best receiver in the nation, according to Scout.com. Still, Countryman does carry offers from Arizona State and Utah from the Pac-12, as well interest from Cal, UCLA, and Oregon.

Right now, Colorado is in the lead for Countryman’s services. “Colorado is at the top,” Countryman told BuffStampede.com when asked where the Buffs stand in his recruitment. “It’s just the way they have treated myself and my family. When I took my unofficial there, coach (Eric) Bieniemy welcomed us and it felt like home. I really enjoyed my whole trip. And I am looking forward to going again for an official.”

Countryman has a history with Colorado, as his uncle, Ken Countryman, played basketball for the Buffs in the late 1980’s. He also has a very solid relationship with Eric Bieniemy. “I’ve loved his personality since the first day that I met him,” Countryman said. “He’s real cool. He’s real straightforward. There is no BS when it comes to talking with him, and I mean he is a respectful guy. I think he knows the game of football real well and it’s been all love. I call him every week and make sure I stay in touch with him. I love talking to him.”

For Countryman, his final decision may come down to more of career choice than a football choice. Some of Countryman’s other offers are telling: Air Force; Harvard; and Princeton.

At least Buff fans would not have to worry about this recruit qualifying …

August 5th

Kozan takes in Buffs’ practice

Colorado may still be a longshot for the services of Alex Kozan. The 6’4″, 295-pound lineman from Castle Rock has stated on several occasions that he wants to play out-of-state.

That being said, the Buffs did make the final seven list of finalists for Kozan’s services (see August 4th story, below), and then there is this …

… Kozan was in Boulder for the Buffs’ first full practice on Thursday.

Not that this necessarily improves the chances that the 5th-best prospect in the state of Colorado this season will become a Buff.

But it doesn’t hurt to know that Kozan is taking a serious look at the University of Colorado as an option.

Official visitor No. 2

Colorado expects to sign 27-29 players next February, and has roughly 60 official visits to work with to try and persuade players to join the Buffs.

The list of official visitors has just doubled.

Joining defensive back Ma’ne Manaea from Lakewood, Washington, who scheduled to visit Boulder the weekend of October 21st, is defensive tackle prospect Justin Solis.

Solis, from Westlake Village, California, committed to Colorado on July 13th (see his bio under “Verbal Commitments – 2012“). Solis is a three-star prospect, and is ranked as the 46th-best defensive tackle in the nation by Rivals (the 36th-best defensive tackle by Scout).

Solis will be in Boulder for the California game September 10th. While Solis does have a number of offers from other schools, including four Pac-12 schools (Cal is not on the list), Solis is considered to be a solid commit for Colorado.

Let’s hope the Buffs put on a better showing that what transpired in Strawberry Canyon last September …

August 4th

Kozan lists Colorado amongst final seven

Only one player out of the Rivals top 15 for the state of Colorado has an offer from the Buffs, yet remains uncommitted, Castle Rock offensive lineman Alex Kozan.

Coming in at 6’4″, 295-pounds, Kozan is considered by Rivals to be the 5th-best prospect from the state this year. Rated as a four-star player, Kozan is considered to be the 28th-best offensive tackle in the country by Rivals; the 19th-best offensive gaurd in the country by Scout.

Kozan has offers from all over the nation, and has reportedly narrowed his list of schools down to seven: Arkansas; Colorado; Illinois; Iowa; LSU; Oklahoma State; and Oregon. “My goal is to get from my top seven to deciding where I’ll take my official visits,” Kozan told BuckeyeGrove.com. “I’m probably going to take at least three (official visits). I don’t know if I’ll take all five but I’ll take at least three so I can see some campuses and see some places I haven’t seen before. Hopefully by the end of October, before the playoffs, I can make a final decision.”

Of the seven schools on Kozan’s list, to date only scheduled one official visit – to Iowa on September 25th.

While Kozan has pared down his list to seven, there was another front-runner for Kozan’s services, Ohio State. It does not appear, though, that the Buckeyes are going to extend an offer to Kozan. “They said they would let me know last week but because of Big Ten media day and all of that they really didn’t have a chance. I’m hoping to get an answer by the end of this week just to see if it’s a realistic possibility, just so if it’s not I can move on,” Kozan told BuckeyeGrove.com earlier this week. “I hope (an offer) does happen but I’m not sure right now if it will or not.”

With Ohio State apparently out of the picture, Colorado has made Kozan’s first cut list.

We’ll see if the Buffs are still on the list come October …

First “Official” Visitor for the fall set

Colorado has hosted numerous “unofficial” visits this spring and summer, along with hosting several camps. Scores of potential prospects for the Class of 2012 have toured campus and met with coaches.

However, with fall camps opening, we are now moving into “official” visit season (the start of the player’s senior year in high school), where schools are now picking up the tab for the player’s travel. Players are allowed five official visits, while each school is allowed 55-60 official visitors between now and Signing day next February.

The first official visit for the Buffs has been set, with defensive back Ma’ne Manaea from Lakewood, Washington, scheduled to visit Boulder the weekend of October 21st (the weekend of the Oregon game).

Manaea has received interest from all four of the Pac-12 schools in the northwest, along with UCLA and Air Force. To date, however, Manaea has only received offers from Washington State and Colorado.

Ma’ne Manaea … the first of many to schedule an official visit to Boulder this fall (and winter)!

August 2nd

Shane Dillon sees his stock … drop

You have to ask yourself, would this be happening to an Oregon commit?

Shane Dillon, the Colorado quarterback commit, was ranked by Rivals as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation earlier this summer. Dillon, from El Cajon, California, was rated as a four-star prospect. Dillon was rated as the No. 7 pro-style quarterback in the nation, the No. 29 player out of California this year, and the No. 227 player overall.

In July, Dillon was invited to participate in the Elite 11 Camp, conducted annually in Malibu, California. The top 24 quarterback prospects in the nation are invited to participate in five days of competition, both on the field and in the classroom. At the end of the week, the “Elite 11” are named … and Shane Dillon made the cut.

Dillon’s reward?

His rating will be dropped.

According to Rivals scouts, “Dillon looked good at the Elite 11 at times but he doesn’t have one of the stronger arms and he dips the ball on his release so he needs mechanical adjustments. There are other pro-style quarterbacks that have emerged and improved their stock while his has dipped.”

Wonder what would have happened to his ranking had Dillon not made the Elite 11?

Wonder what would have happened if Dillon had committed to Ohio State, who also offered Dillon?

No matter.

What does matter to Buff fans is that Dillon appears to be solidly committed to playing for the Buffs. If Dillon falls a bit off of the radar of the national recruiting services, or if his stock falls a bit because Dillon has agreed to play for a team outside the Top 25, so be it.

The Buff Nation will be pleased to have Mr. Dillon fax in his letter of intent next February … then we’ll see how Mr. Dillon fares in college.

August 1st

Colorado loses out on wide receiver & offensive lineman

Well, I’d guess you’d have to say the Buffs were longshots, anyway …

Two players who Colorado had offered are off the boards, at least as far as the Buffs are concerned.

Five-star wide receiver prospect Stefon Diggs, from Olney, Maryland, has narrowed his choices of schools down to 15 (15!), and Colorado is not on the list.

During spring break, Diggs was supposed to visit Colorado, along with several other schools. “I have been out to see New Mexico and Maryland this year so far. And my sophomore year I went to check out Alabama and Miami,” Diggs told BuffStampede.com. “This upcoming spring break, I am going to visit Michigan, Florida State, Florida, Colorado and New Mexico again.”

The reason for Diggs’ interest in Colorado stemmed from his relationship with a 2011 Buff recruit, Sherrard Harrington. “Sherrard is a friend of the family. He has told me about Colorado’s program,” Diggs said. “I actually talked to their head coach, Jon Embree, and he seems like a really nice guy, like a real man of his word. So I am excited to take a visit there to see what it is all about.”

Thing is … Diggs never made it out to Boulder, and is now Colorado is no longer on his radar.

Colorado seemingly had a better shot at offensive guard prospect, Stephon McCray. A three-star player from Fresno, McCray did make it to Boulder this spring … and was favorably impressed.

The visit to Colorado was real enjoyable. I had fun,” said the 6-foot-3, 295-pounder told BuffStampede.com in late June. “[I] got to meet everybody and it is definitely different than I thought it would be. I thought it would be real cold and there would be snow or something like that. But it was a nice day, it was great weather. [I] got to meet the coaches, got to see everything. I liked it.”

Instead of Boulder, though, McCray went with Tempe – and Arizona State. “I’ve always been a fan of what was the Pac-10 growing up and I thought this would be a good opportunity,” McCray told ASUDevils.com. “They informed me the spots were closing up and they’ve always been really honest with me. I know they had 19 commits and felt like I wanted to jump on it.”

While Diggs was always a longshot to come west, McCray seemed to be leaning towards Colorado this spring …

Only six more months to Signing Day, 2012! …

July 29th

Davien Payne may officially commit this weekend

Three weeks ago, it was reported that three-star running back prospect Davien Payne wanted to be a Buff …

… but only because he couldn’t be a Bronco.

Payne wanted to commit to Boise State, but the Broncos had already received commitments from two other running backs. Boise State reportedly wants Payne to grey-shirt and join the team as part of the Class of 2013. Payne then said that he wanted to be a Buff. Or did he?

“No, I haven’t committed anywhere yet,” Payne told BroncoCountry.com on July 11th. “Colorado is my top school right now. I’m going out there sometime this month and I want to see the campus before committing.” Payne then became a “soft verbal” on the Colorado list of commitments. “I’d still go to Boise State if the offer was there,” said Payne. “I know they already have two RBs, but I don’t care about that. Competition only makes you better. The best player will always play and that’s what matters. I would be fine with being that third RB.”

Now, Payne is taking his long-anticipated trip to Boulder. “Colorado said that if I commit to them, I would be joining their family,” Payne said in a previous interview with BuffStampede.com. “That would be great because I didn’t have a family growing up. I have just been in the system the whole time. That is my main overall goal. I want to have a family at college and people that I can talk to if I need to.”

Payne’s bio can be found under “Verbal Commitments – 2012“.

July 28th

Shane Dillon still “solid with CU”

Four-star qaurterback prospect Shane Dillon turned some heads last week when he was named as one of the top quarterbacks at the Elite 11 Camp. A total of 24 top prospects were invited to Malibu for a five day session with former NFL quarterbacks like Trent Dilfer and Ken O’Brien. At the end of the week, the Elite 11 were named, and Shane Dillon was on the list.

“I worked so hard throughout the whole week and to hear my name called at the very end at that No. 7 spot, it was awesome,” Dillon told BuffaloSportsNews.net. “When I heard it was 24 guys and they had to cut it down to 11, I was way happy because it was a competition. That’s what I like to do is compete.”

Dillon, who hopes to put an additional 20 pounds on his 6’5″, 185-pound frame, clearly enjoyed his time at the Camp. “Oh my gosh, first off from like a kid aspect, it was one of the funnest weeks I’ve ever had,” Dillon said. “I got so close to all the guys. I will never lose my friendships with those guys and some of them I got really, really close with. Then from like a football standpoint, I learned so much. The staff they had was incredible.”

With new attention focused on Dillon after his success against some of the top quarterback recruits in the nation, does that mean that Dillon is reconsidering his verbal commitment to Colorado?

Fortunately for the Buff Nation, the answer is “no”.

“I’m so solid with CU,” he said. “First off, me and coach (Rip) Scherer are so close. He talks to me a lot and I call him a lot. He will even call me when he is on vacation. I talk to coach Embree and coach Bieniemy, too. I love those guys. I’ve been recruiting some of the guys out here to come to CU.I love it so much. It’s awesome.”

Colorado prospect changing positions

Gerrad Kough committed to Colorado on July 1st. The 6’5″, 270-pound prospect from Pomona, California, is being recruited to play along the offensive line.

Kough will not, though, give the Buffs much film to look at this season … his head coach is moving him to tight end.

“He’s a great player, and we wanted to move him around a little,” Pomona head coach Anthony Rice told BuffStampede.com. “We want him to have some fun and show his natural ability. He’s got good hands and good ball skills. He’s a good athlete.”

Rice believes that Kough, already a large young man, will find his way to Boulder with an even larger frame. “He’s a monster that has gotten bigger and stronger every year,” said Rice of Kough, who is currently listed at 6’5″, 270-pounds, but who Rice believes is up to 6’6″, 280-pounds. “He’s got a great attitude, works hard, and is a great student in the classroom. He’s the kind of kid who wants to dominate his position, and help his team win a championship.”

Kough has shown his ability throughout his career. In addition to playing tight end this fall, Kough will also see time at defensive end. Also, despite his large frame, Kough has also been on a traveling basketball team since he was 10 years old.

“He’s has good agility,” understated Rice.

And he’s heading to Boulder next season …

July 25th

Colorado in the running for three large individuals

Three players , the smallest coming in at 6’4, 230, are considering Colorado.

Walker Williams is huge – 6’7″, 320-pounds, from Tacoma, Washington, and is a three-star offensive tackle who is considering Colorado.

One of the largest draws? The Colorado engineering department.

Williams told BuffStampede.com said he’s considering majoring in mechanical or nuclear engineering.

“I was able to have a meeting with the head of the egineering department at Colorado and we had a very good conversation for 45 minutes to an hour,” Williams said. “I enjoyed having the one-on-one converation with him and the chance to ask questions. He gave me a lot of input on what I’m considering studying in school. It’s one of the reasons I’m considering Colorado.”

Other aspects also favor the Buffs.

“I really like Coach Embree,” Williams said. “I was able to have a regular conversation with him without going through the usual recruit-and-coach conversation. We talked about our interests and our families — things that usually don’t come up with coaches. He seemed like a ‘a for real guy.’ to me. He’s more than a football coach.”

Of Colorado’s campus, Williams commented, “I had been to Boulder before, but I hadn’t seen the campus. I didn’t know the campus was so nice. It’s beautiful. I had a good time there.”

Williams is considered to be the 55th-ranked offensive tackle in the nation, and has seven offers, including five from the Pac-12. However, Williams’ only known official visit will be to Wisconsin, though Williams stated that he is seriously considering taking an official visit to Boulder as well.

Double Duty

Twins from Texas are considering Colorado.

Sean Irwin, a 6’4″, 230-pound three-star tight end, and Jeromy Irwin, a 6’5″, 285-pound three-star offensive tackle, are excited about their respective offers from Colorado.

“They have a great coaching staff,” Sean told BuffStampede.com. “We like the coaches and everything we’ve heard so far has a good feel to it and sounds interesting. Now we want to make a visit to check out the school and the student body and see what it’s like.”

The brothers (who are actually two of three triplets, the third brother doesn’t play football) only are interested in schools who will offer both players. So far, the list is up to nine teams, including Boise State, Louisville, Wake Forest, Nevada and Rice.

While an official visit to Boulder has not yet been set, it is in the works. “Coach (Kanavis) McGhee says they like the way we play,” Sean said. “We just go out there and get the job done. We don’t lead by doing a lot of talking. We just do what we have to do for the team on the field. We’re both physical players, and they like that about us.”

July 24th

Dillon’s reaction to making Elite 11

What’s it like to be considered one of the top 11 prep quarterbacks in the nation?

“Oh my gosh, [being named an Elite 11 quarterback] is a dream come true,” Dillon said in a text message to BuffStampede.com. “I have worked so hard and when I heard my name called at that No. 7 spot, which is my jersey number, it felt amazing. I started crying walking up the stage I was just so happy.”

The five day competition involved 24 invited high school senior quarterbacks, who spent the week in Malibu working on and off the field with a number of familiar names. Dillon said he learned a lot from the coaching staff at the event which included former Super Bowl Champion Trent Dilfer, College Hall of Famer Ken O’Brien and quarterback coach George Whitfield, who has worked with Dillon a lot in the past.

“They all taught me so much,” Dillon added. “I learned that a quarterback’s mind is his best weapon. If he can control that when it is complete chaos, he will be very successful. I also learned that completing the ball is huge. That seems pretty obvious but when you get a play like “all verticals” and no one is open, instead of chucking it deep or throwing it out of bounds, hit your check down and make it 2nd-and-6 instead of 2nd-and-10.”

While Dillon still looks pencil thin in his 6’5″ frame (only 180 pounds), the El Cajon, California, quarterback, did throw for 19 touchdowns and almost 3,000 yards as a junior.

Check out some of Dillon’s junior year highlights here.

July 22nd

Shane Dillon makes the cut

There were 24; now there are 11 …

Colorado quarterback commit Shane Dillon was one of 24 coveted quarterback recruits selected to participate in the Elite 11 Camp this week in Malibu, California.

To be invited is an honor, and recognition that more than just the Colorado coaching staff see something in the (as yet) very thin Shane Dillon.

Now, Dillon has one more accolade to add to his resume, as he was selected as one of the Elite 11. After five days of competition, both on the field and in the classroom, Dillon  was chosen as one of the best of the best.

For his part, Dillon was a happy camper. According to ESPN: “Shane Dillon was one of the most visibly happy to be named an Elite 11 quarterback. At 6-foot-5 and with an unusual delivery, he’s faced criticism that his style of play won’t translate to the next level. But he was a top performer at the Elite 11 finals. ‘A lot of people think I’m too long and too skinny and that I sling the ball too much,’ said Dillon. ‘I wanted to come here and show I can be precise and run an offense and I totally feel like I did that. This is like a dream. It’s awesome.’ ”

Not that it means anything, but … Cyler Miles, from Mullen high in Denver (and a Washington commit) did not make the final cut …

July 21st

Quarterback commit Shane Dillon faring well at Elite 11 Camp

Colorado Class of 2012 verbal commit Shane Dillon, a participant in the Elite 11 Camp in Malibu this week, has been faring well.

A 24/7 Report on the Camp had Dillon rated fourth (out of 24) participants on Thursday. The report on the Buff commit: “Dillon hasn’t been a quarterback that has received a lot of mention this week and hasn’t made a Top 11 on 247Sports but that is not to say that he hasn’t had a good week of work. Dillon has been solid and consistent throughout the camp and he put together another quietly strong 7on7 session on Thursday. He has good size and one of the stronger arms in Malibu and he is hanging around as a constant competitor.”

The report concluded with the following: “Wednesday’s Xos Best in Film award went to Shane Dillon, further speaking to his productive week in Malibu.”

On Wednesday, the update on Dillon was as follows: “Shane Dillon has one of the stronger arms at the event but he hasn’t been as overwhelming as prospects like Zach Kline and Nick Patti. When throwing from his knees though, Dillon was by far the most impressive arm. He doesn’t have to labor to throw a good deep ball, showing natural arm and core strength.”

Meanwhile, Scout.com had this to say about Dillon: “While it is evident Dillon will need a year in the weight room and access to a training table to fill out, he is more than capable of delivering the ball with plenty of velocity, placing a slant perfectly between three defenders. Given his frame, there may not be another signal-caller present with more upside.”

Sounds pretty good to me …

Dillon also gave an interview to Rivals, updating his status:

On his commitment – “I took a visit in April, Coach Embree showed me around, and I felt right at home. I knew right away that was the place I wanted to be”.

On his relationship with Colorado quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer: “He’s a genius. He really knows what he is doing, and can make me better as a quarterback. We talk every week; he let’s me know everything that’s going on.”

On recruiting other participants in the camp: “I’ve already talked to a couple of receivers who have come out here. I told them they should visit Boulder.” 

It sounds like Dillon is a solid Colorado commit … though he did mention several times in the interview that he had never lived or played football in the cold (hopefully, the fact that his father lived in Colorado for two years will help dissuade Dillon from fears about adverse weather conditions in Boulder).

 July 19th

Gerrad Kough looking forward to being a Buff

Offensive line recruit Gerrad Kough, who verbally committed to Colorado on July 1st (See – “Verbal Commitments – 2012“), has yet to see Boulder.

Still, the Pomona, California, offensive guard, is confident in his choice of schools. “I just like how it sounded,” Kough told BuffaloSports.com. “They said I have a good chance of getting some playing time early as long as I keep working. They seem like they are ready to win.”

Colorado was the first major school to offer Kough a scholarship, and he jumped at the opportunity. “They’re my first big offer and they’re a pretty big offer,” he said. “I like that they have a new coaching staff and they are new in the Pac-12, of course. I read up on their school and they seem like a pretty good academic school.”

Kough could also rely on the advice of former teammate and current Buff Jared Bell (the two played together at Colony high school in Ontario, California, before  Kough transferred to Pomona.

As with other commits, Kough is solid in his verbal commitment to Colorado – until or unless he is no longer solid. “Now that Colorado has offered, it just seems right,” he said. “I’m pretty solid (on CU),” adding, “as of right now”.

Only 6 1/2 more months to signing day! …

More on Shane Dillon

Colorado commit Shane Dillon, a four-star quarterback recruit, is attending the Elite 11 Camp in Malibu, California, this week (see July 18th story, below).

Here is what one scout, who is attendance at the camp, thinks about Dillon as the camp opens:  “Dillon is a tall, thin quarterback that has a quick release and a live arm. Despite his lack of size, he shows toughness and the ability to stand tall in the pocket, release the ball, and take a hit. He has good footwork and is an adequate runner. He doesn’t have a rocket for an arm, but because of his release, the ball arrives quickly. Needs to take less chances when he’s under pressure as he’ll throw into traffic at times” – Scott Kennedy for Scout.com.

July 18th

Clay Norgard preparing for move to linebacker

In 2010, Clay Norgard earned All-Colorado honors as a defensive lineman.

The first recruit of the Class of 2012, however, is working on becoming a linebacker. “I am very excited to play linebacker,” Norgard told BuffStampede.com. “I know it is a change from the defensive line, there is a lot more that goes into linebacker from the mental side of it. I am trying to lean out and lose body fat because most high school inside linebackers are around 205-pounds. I am 235-pounds right now and I can run really well but I want to get down to 230-pounds.”

To help him make the transition, Norgard has been working out with former NFL star – and Colorado standout – Chad Brown. “Chad Brown lives up the street from me so me and three other guys that play linebacker at my high school have been working with him,” he added. “It is a new lesson every week. We fine tune our coverage skills and pass rush moves and also recognizing backs and ball strips; it is a lot of NFL linebacker stuff and it has been very helpful.”

Norgard is listed as a three-star prospect, and is considered by Rivals to be the 7th-best prospect out of the state of Colorado this fall (and the 37th-best inside linebacker in the nation). Norgard does not show any offers from any other schools … and that is not likely to change.

“I don’t really even want to talk about it because I have respect for the CU coaches,” Norgard said when asked which other schools have offered. “I am definitely set in on CU and I don’t want to disrespect them by talking about other schools.

“Coming up as a young high school player, especially in football, you look up to the older guys that have all the offers. It looks really exciting. I thought about entertaining other schools and thought about what it would be like to wait and explore my options. I thought about it a lot. But once you get to college, no one is going to care how many offers you got or what you did in high school.

“I have talked to Colorado’s coaches a lot and I just feel like it is my duty to make that program better. I want to go run through a wall for those coaches. I want to make something happen up there and I think we will make something happen.”

Norgard will graduate early, planning on joining the Buffs in January.

If there was a “least-likely to de-commit” category, Clay Norgard would be at the top of the list.

And that could prove to be a great thing for the Buff Nation.

Colorado quarterback recruit invited to Elite 11 camp

Shane Dillion, a verbal commitment for the Colorado recruiting Class of 2012, has been invited to the Elite 11 Camp, which will take place in Malibu, California, this week.

The Elite 11 Camp is a five-day event, with 24 quarterbacks competing for to be named the 2011 Elite 11 MVP. Elite 11 alumni include: Mark Sanchez, Vince Young, Tim Tebow, Josh Freeman and Matthew Stafford.

Camp participants will compete against one another on both the field and in the classroom, and receive tutelage from top counselors as well as present and past NFL star quarterbacks.

Of the 24 quarterbacks invited to compete, 19 have already given verbal commitments. In addition to Dillon, who gave his verbal commitment to Colorado in May, five of the quarterbacks attending have given verbal commitments to Pac-12 schools: Zach Kline (California); Jeff Lindquist (Washington); Cyler Miles (Washington); Jake Rodrigues (Oregon); and Travis Wilson (Utah). From the list, Miles (one of the top in-state Colorado prospects), Wilson and Rodrigues had offers from Colorado.

July 15th

CU recruit Clay Norgard on national watch list

There is a high school version of the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker.

The high school version is only four years old, but this year’s watch list includes a name familiar to Buff fans – 2012 verbal commit Clay Norgard.

Norgard, a 6’2″, 240-pound prospect from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, verbally committed to the Buffs back in February. Norgard is considered by Rivals to be the 37th-best inside linebacker in the nation.

And now Norgard is one of 51 linebackers nationwide to be placed upon the high school Butkus Award watch list. A total of 19 states are represented on the list, with Georgia nnd Texas leading the way with seven nominees apiece, followed by Florida and California, with six each.

Of those players on the list who have committed, six have given their commitments to Pac-12 teams, with two for USC, and one each for Colorado, Cal, Stanford and UCLA.

Gabriel Marks opts for Mustangs

While Colorado has picked up three wide receiver recruits for the Class of 2012 (all from Texas, BTW – thank you, Bobby Kennedy!) that doesn’t mean Buff fans can’t be greedy.

That is why it is still disappointing that California wide receiver Gabriel Marks has given his verbal commitment to SMU.

Marks is considered to be a four-star prospect by Rivals, the 25th-best wide receiver in the nation. “They were giving me the best offer so it was the best fit for me,” Marks told Rivals.com. “I definitely will get a lot of chances to catch the ball and make a lot of plays and be one of their receivers in the offense so it’s a good fit for me.”

If there is a silver lining to the story – Marks is off to play for Southern Methodist. Pac-12 South rivals UCLA and Utah were also high on Marks’ list, and the Bruins and Utes will also have to go without Marks’ services.

July 13th

Another offensive line recruit to leave the state

Make it four out of five …

Four of the top 11 players in Rivals Colorado in-state recruits are offensive linemen. The Buffs need offensive linemen.

All four who have committed … are going elsewhere.

Justin Flores, the 11th-best player in the Colorado Class of 2011 has given his verbal commitment to … San Diego State. Flores joins the No. 1 Colorado recruit, Paul Thurston (Nebraska), the No. 3 Colorado recruit, Shane Callahan (Auburn), and No. 4 recruit Joey O’Conner (Penn State), who have agreed to leave the state for college.

Flores wanted to sign with Penn State, but apparently the Nittany Lions were not willing to offer, which left Flores with his second choice, San Diego State. “I find out (Sunday) if they offer me or not,” Flores said of the Nittany Lions this past weekend. “If they do, I’ll probably go there. I’ll commit there if they do. If not, then I’m going to go to San Diego State.”

The only top offensive line recruit left on the Colorado state board is the No. 5 overall prospect is Alex Kozan of Castle Rock. “I’ve got 21 offers right now from all over,” Kozan told BuckeyeGrove.com. “LSU, Oregon, and Iowa are probably the biggest ones. Right now, I’m in the process of narrowing it down. I’m only talking to about two or three other schools (that haven’t offered) and Ohio State is one of those. ”

Colorado, of course, is on the list, but not is not a favorite. According to Scout.com, Kozan has devised a plan and a timeline for making a college decision. By early August he hopes to narrow his list down to a top seven, after which he will take a couple of official visits – though he didn’t believe he’d need all five. From there, the goal is to make a final decision in October, allowing him to focus on helping his teammates to a third consecutive state championship during his senior campaign.

Seems likely that Colorado will go oh-fer-Colorado in signing in-state offensive linemen next February.

But February is still six months away …

July 11th

The latest in the Yuri Wright saga

If you are not yet familiar with the name Yuri Wright, you will be before February.

Already the subject of a great deal of discussion (see, e.g., the July 5th update, below), Wright is one of the top three cornerbacks in the nation, and one of the top 50 overall prospects – and Colorado is in the hunt for his services.

Wright, from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, has a high school teammate, red-shirt freshman running back Tony Jones, wearing the black-and-gold. Wright has offers from over 30 schools nationwide, and has already taken an unofficial visit to Boulder.

So, what’s the latest?

“I am still keeping my options open and researching schools, but I do have a few that stand out right now,” Wright told Rivals.com. “Notre Dame, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Rutgers, Cal and Oregon off the top of my head are schools I like. Like I said, I am staying open to others, but I want to narrow down my list to five

And what does Wright have to say about some of his favorites?

“Notre Dame and Michigan have great traditions and I’ve hit it off well with coaches there,” he said. “Coach Cooks at Notre Dame is someone I have a good relationship with and I felt comfortable with, but I haven’t heard that much from Notre Dame lately. For Michigan, coach Mallory is a good guy and he’d be my position coach there.”

“At Georgia I really like coach Lakatos, he’s from Jersey, he is the defensive backs coach and I would say my relationship with him is one of my strongest ones,” he continued. “Colorado has Tony Jones, our running back from two years ago, and he likes it a lot out there. I really enjoyed my visit there and I liked that it was open and not big city, that was nice. With Rutgers, coach Hafley is a great coach and he has recruited a few players from Bosco last year and it’s a really good program. It’s something me and my teammates talk about sometimes, what it would be like if we all stayed home and played at Rutgers.”

“With Cal and Oregon, I’ve always liked both programs,” he said. “Bosco quarterback Stephen Levy works for MSG TV now and he went out there as a recruit a long time ago and he talks about how nice it is and I’ve always liked Oregon, there’s something about it. I’d like to get out west and see both schools by the end of August if I can.”

As to official visits, Wright stated that Georgia and Colorado were “most likely” to be on his list. “After that, I don’t really know,” said Wright. “But I’ll figure that out soon.”

Wright doesn’t expect to announce his decision until the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January, so this will be a long ride for Buff fans to endure.

But, if the Colorado coaches can land one of the premier cornerbacks in the nation as part of their first full year recruiting?

Imagine the possibilities …

July 8th

Gabriel Marks taking in what Boulder has to offer

Scout.com is reporting that four-star cornerback/wide receiver Gabriel Marks, from Venice, California, will be visiting Colorado in the next week.

Marks is an exceptional athlete. Rivals.com has him rated with four-stars, and ranks Marks as the No. 25 wide receiver in the nation (166th-best athlete overall). Scout.com agrees that Marks is a four-star prospect, but has him rated as the 16th-best cornerback in the nation. Marks is 6’0″, 175-pounds, and runs a 4.6 in the 40. A Rivals scout had this to say about Marks: Strengths: Marks simply has the ability to get open. It doesn’t matter if it is a deep go route or simply a slant in the middle of the field – he finds the seams in the defense. He has very soft hands and made several tough catches look easy. Weaknesses: On paper Marks should not be as effective as he is. He is not a big receiver and does not have great speed. He could improve his quickness off the ball for sure.

Colorado is in need of both positions, so whether he is being recruited at wide receiver or at cornerback, Marks would be a prize for the Buffs.

Marks has offers from a number of schools, but recently narrowed his choices down to his top five. “At this point, my top-five, in no particular order are: Utah, SMU, UCLA, Colorado, and Boston College,” Marks told Scout.com on June 29th. “Those are also the schools I know the most about.” This past week, Marks stated that UCLA, SMU and Utah were his top three, but say that Boston College and Colorado were also in the mix.

As the summer “unofficial visit” season begins to wind down, Marks is indicating that he might make his choice early this fall. “I am hoping to take all five of my official visits, but I don’t know yet. I am for sure taking an official to SMU, Utah and Colorado,” said Marks. “I would like to make my decision if not before my senior season starts, then at the very beginning. I have to make a decision sooner or later, so I guess the sooner the better.”

Let’s hope Mr. Marks has a good visit to Boulder this week.

July 6th

Will Willie Lyles scandal impact Oregon recruiting?

Could the Ducks’ troubles result in gains for Buffs?

With the Willie Lyles story continuing to unfold, concerns about the future of the program may shift the interest of some potential recruits away from Eugene. According to a story on ESPN.com, an Oregon prospect considered a lock for the Ducks is now considering other options:

“Linebacker Brett Bafaro from Hillsboro (Ore.) Liberty said Oregon was his clear leader and he was ready to make a summer announcement. Now, that’s on hold as other schools garner more interest,” wrote Dave Hooker. ” ‘I don’t know what’s going on with them right now,’ the three-star prospect said. ‘So I’m just waiting for that to kind of clear up and see what happens. They were my No. 1 school until all this happened.’ Now, Bafaro is considering Boise State and Colorado. The Buffs are in contention despite the fact they want him to play fullback instead of his preferred position of linebacker. All because the NCAA may soon close the door in Eugene.”

Another player, who has already committed to play for Oregon, would be of particular interest to Buff fans and coaches. Four-star tight end prospect Evan Baylis, from Grandview, Colorado, committed to Oregon on May 6th. It was widely assumed that the choice for Baylis came down to Oregon and Colorado (although Boise State and Michigan, according to BuffStampede.com writer Adam Munsterteiger, were also on Baylis’ short list). If Chip Kelly were to lose his job, or if Oregon were to be slapped with sanctions including losses of scholarships and bowl bids, or if even the possibility of such penalties hung over the Oregon program until February … Colorado could be back in the mix.

It ain’t over ’til it’s over …

P.S. – Is it just me, or is it weird that Colorado is playing Ohio State, USC, and Oregon in the same season. Talk about the “Unholy Trinity”!

July 5th

Yuri Wright still looking at Colorado

Four-star cornerback recruit Yuri Wright, from Ramsey, New Jersey, is quite popular. Wright, considered by Scout to be the 6th-best cornerback in the nation by Scout (Rivals has him listed as the third best cornerback in the nation – and the 41st-best player overall), has offers from all over the country. Auburn, Cal, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Virginia Tech, inter alia, all want Wright’s signature next February.

So, who is Wright hearing from?

“I would say Colorado and Rutgers are recruiting me the hardest,” Wright told ScarletReport.com on Tuesday.

Colorado has an “in” with Wright – a former teammate. Former Don Bosco Prep running back Tony Jones just finished his freshman year with the Buffaloes, and Wright went to the Boulder, Colo., campus to visit in the spring. “I have a real good relationship with Tony, and their defensive backs coach Greg Brown,” Wright said. “He’s a real good coach. We talk about the type of defense they play. I ask questions, and he’s pretty much the type of guy I can see how much he cares about the players.”

Still, Rutgers is the home state school …

But not really. Although Wright plays in New Jersey, he lives in New York, and doesn’t feel an in-state pull. “I’m from New York,” he said. “I rep New York all day.”

With Colorado in dire need of a shut down corner, and Wright one of the top players in the nation … Wright would be a great get for the University of Colorado.

July 4th

Four-star running back and wide receiver to visit Boulder

So, do you want the good news or the bad news?

Let’s start with the good news: four-star running back Wes Brown, from Olney, Maryland, wants to check out Colorado. Brown has offers from over 30 schools, including most of the ACC, Big East, and Big Ten. Brown is on a tour of schools which includes New Mexico (where a high school teammate is an incoming freshman – “he wants me to at least come check them out,” Brown told CaneSport.com), Colorado, and Virginia Tech.

Okay, the bad news: Brown is currently quite smitten with Miami. “Miami is No. 1,” Brown said. When asked what made him decide that, Brown said, “They always have been No. 1. I like everything they produce academic-wise.”

Teammate Stefon Diggs, also from Olney, Maryland, will accompany Brown to Boulder. Diggs is by Rivals to be the 2nd-best wide receiver in the nation, and the eighth-best player overall. Diggs has offers from over 50 schools, and has visited schools like Miami, South Carolina, and Auburn. Diggs was scheduled to take an unofficial visit to Boulder for the spring game, but cancelled due to a family conflict.

“Right now I will probably drop my list as soon as I’m done visiting three or four more schools,” Diggs told autigers.com. “Then I’ll come out with a Top 15 or Top 12. I’m going to try to narrow it down before the season because my main focus is on my season. As soon as I get my season over with then it’s on to next step. I’m taking things day by day.”

Eric Bieniemy is recruiting Brown, but it will likely take all that Bieniemy – and the Flatirons – can do to impress Brown to get this four-star running back prospect to Colorado.

Diggs also appears to be a longshot – but at least he’s coming …

Offensive lineman likes Colorado

The Buffs’ chances are better for the services of Travis Averill, an offensive lineman from Anaheim, California. Averill is considered a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout, and is considered by Scout to be the 32nd-best guard in the nation by Scout; the 24th-best guard by Rivals.

Averill has offers from at least five Pac-12 schools, including both Washington schools, UCLA, and Arizona. He has also “talked with Cal a lot”. However, Averill has apparently narrowed his choices down to three schools. “My final three are Boise [State], Colorado and UCLA,” Averill told BuffStampede.com. “I think I know which one I am going to choose, but I am not 100 percent sure yet. I need to sit down and really think about it. I am going to sit down with my parents and talk to them and then sit down with my coach to see what he thinks about the whole thing and then I will sleep on it and I’ll make my choice.”

Here’s what Averill had to say about his three finalists: “Boise State’s program is so good and their coaches are awesome,” Averill said. “They have an overall winning program and the graduation rate there is very high, too, so that is good.

“Colorado is starting new; they are starting fresh with a new coaching staff and a new conference. I think they are on the right path. Their coaches are awesome, too. It would be exciting to go there and Boulder is a fun college town.

“UCLA is close to home and that is great because I am obviously used to living in Southern California. It is awesome over there and the coaches are great, too. … They all offer some great stuff so it is going to be tough.”

Averill is expected to announce his decision in the next week or two …

Tags: Alex Kozan, Jeromy Irwin, Justin Solis, Sean Irwin, Travis Averill, Wes Brown, Yuri Wright
This post, about the Recruiting game, from the 2011 Season, is filed under Article.
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