Congrats CU Fans

[cdumler7]

I don't think there will be as much slippage as it appears. You are starting to see Nate Fisher and Isiah Oliver show up and making plays in the Dbackfield to take over from the seniors there - also Derek McCartney will likely be back with a medical year he was the best rush linebacker entering the season. Also Evan White - suspended this year is expected back as a top Safety. Addison Gilliam will have another year of eligibility and there are a slew of guys brought in the last couple of years for the line backing corps. Montez will there at QB - I understand Sam Noyer looks very good in reserve and there is a top QB recruit. The Oline looks steady - with Lynott moving to Center and some top notch guys returning and been redshirted.

Bisharat - will likely move to Linebacker - and I think Ento - now a WR will move to Safety.

Replacing Tupou and Samson Kofuvalu. - Jackson and Carroll on the Dline looks the most daunting. There are some reserves who have some playing time this year, but I expect the Buffs will want for JC guys to come in here right away and possible a top recruit or two like Rodgers out of Las Vegas.

The Buffs do have a pipeline to Florida and Georgia through Levitt and have recruited guys from there in the last year or two.

My biggest worry isn't so much a huge drop in talent. It is more the fact that you have guys with now 4 years of experience playing together leaving. Part of what has made this team so great is they just seem to have a connection on both sides of the ball. You also see that experience show up in those close games from this year where these guys just know how to finish off teams. I really do think there is still a lot of talent on the Buffs but when you lose so much senior leadership it really is hard to stay at that same level. I also worry about the rest of the Pac-12 bouncing back a bit. Really it has been a bit of a down year for some powerhouse schools like Oregon and Stanford. Having said that I just looked at next year's schedule and we do not play them. Plus we get USC and Washington both in Boulder. So the schedule is setting up nicely for us but still have to see how this team comes together.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Agree Carl.

 

[cdumler7]

Sefo Liufau was named Pack-12 offensive player of the week and Nick Fisher was named defensive player of the week!

 

[Draft Crazy]

Sefo was a TD valcher this week.

 

[Mingo]

My biggest worry isn't so much a huge drop in talent. It is more the fact that you have guys with now 4 years of experience playing together leaving. Part of what has made this team so great is they just seem to have a connection on both sides of the ball. You also see that experience show up in those close games from this year where these guys just know how to finish off teams. I really do think there is still a lot of talent on the Buffs but when you lose so much senior leadership it really is hard to stay at that same level. I also worry about the rest of the Pac-12 bouncing back a bit. Really it has been a bit of a down year for some powerhouse schools like Oregon and Stanford. Having said that I just looked at next year's schedule and we do not play them. Plus we get USC and Washington both in Boulder. So the schedule is setting up nicely for us but still have to see how this team comes together.

I understand it is a senior led team (most of the good ones are). Don't under-estimate what the under classmen learned this year about senior leadership - that's how good programs sustain themselves. One of the things McIntrye has managed to accomplish - is that guys don't wander off from his program - so freshmen come and they spend 4 or 5 years. Even suspended guys come back to the team. There is a foundation at CU and this team has set the pattern.

I don't know what the results next year will be, but I do know there will be continuity well past this senior class.

 

[cdumler7]

I understand it is a senior led team (most of the good ones are). Don't under-estimate what the under classmen learned this year about senior leadership - that's how good programs sustain themselves. One of the things McIntrye has managed to accomplish - is that guys don't wander off from his program - so freshmen come and they spend 4 or 5 years. Even suspended guys come back to the team. There is a foundation at CU and this team has set the pattern.

I don't know what the results next year will be, but I do know there will be continuity well past this senior class.

Oh I'm not trying to argue some continuity. I'm just saying I don't know exactly what next season brings. I think the talent is there but just have to wait and see how much these younger guys did learn from the Seniors and then who steps up as the new leaders of this team. I will be expecting big things from this Colorado team next year and what I hope is many years to come. Still when you lose that many starters in one off season it is just hard to judge how much that effects the team for the following season.

 

[Mingo]

The Colorado Buffaloes arrived one year early, even Mike MacIntyre admits it

 

[randymon]

Agree on both fronts. Losing so many seniors/leaders in one year is always difficult but with the right mentality and culture that seems to be " renewed " in Boulder, you can overcome that. Obviously teams like Alabama, etc have had great success year after year. even though they get some of the best talent in nation, they lose many leaders every season and still compete for championship following years. Buffs ( as long as we keep coaching staff together ) are going to be the next ALABAMA FOR YEARS TO COME ! In all seriousness though, it is tough when so many leave in one year. That's hard to overcome. Ya never know though, they might not skip a beat with that staff, guys stepping up and a new recruit could have huge impact in leadership role as well. Go Buffs! Beat Utah !

 

[Draft Crazy]

I like them vs Utah this week. Contain Joe Williams and they should win.

 

[randymon]

I like them vs Utah this week. Contain Joe Williams and they should win.

Agree. He is the man for Utes. Unstoppable vs Ucla. Actually since Oregon St game he's been tough

 

[58crash]

I wish more kids from the south would visit Boulder, I think they'd like it a lot more then they would ever know.

When I chat with college players about the draft, most of them are happy to go anywhere, but it seems a lot always cringe a smidge on Denver because they get the impression it is so god awful cold there... Not saying they don't want to play there, but the idea of cold bothers them a bit which tells you if a kid down south is picking his own college, Colorado is most likely off the radar... Colorado needs to look at teams like Wisconsin, Iowa and build their programs... The recruits will start coming. Need to latch on to those 3 star guys that may not have as good of an opportunity at the southern SEC schools and turn them into NFL players.

As I type this the stud ad keeps popping up on my computer and somehow half of what I wrote got deleted.

I know they would love it there ..the South and it's wet air heat ...

Thing is Colorado is one the best place on earth to live .

I hope this don't come off smug .. It is there Name ....

Change it to something Catchy ...Stampede or something that the kids would love ..

I like there Uniforms but go all out all the same .

 

[58crash]

Rolling Thunder ...

 

[randymon]

Rolling Thunder ...

Rolling Doobies !

 

[Mingo]

USC has a right to make the case that since the 4th game of the season - they have been the best football in the Pac12 - but the Buffs go to the Pac12 title game with a win over Utah.

Utah is a challenge - Joe Williams is averaging 8 yards per carry since he "unretired" and the other Williams at QB is also top 5 in the Pac12. In Boulder - senior day - clincher for the Pac12 South title and the Pac12 Title Game the team's season goal - capacity crowd - lots of emotions about this season - Utah is a very good team , but they will face an equal fired up to the Colorado Buffaloes team.

My expectation is that this game will go a lot like the WSU game - with the Buffs grinding it out in the 4th quarter and win going away. The Buffs are 10 points favorites - and have beat the spread in 10 out of 11 games this season. Go Buffs!

 

[SpringStein]

And the incredible year rolls along. Congrats...once again - and now on to the PAC 12 Championship game.

 

[TP76]

And the incredible year rolls along. Congrats...once again - and now on to the PAC 12 Championship game.

Absolutely - Go Buffs!

 

[cdumler7]

Who would have ever thought when this thread started that this is where we would see this team end up! Such an incredible story. They were 2nd to last in the Pac-12 last year and last in the Pac-12 South with only 1 win in the conference. Now they are Pac-12 South champs and could actually be Pac-12 Champs most likely going to the Rose Bowl! I cannot think of a time something like this has ever happened in college football? Cannot wait to see what happens against Washington in the Championship game. Really at this point though everything is just gravy to an already incredible ride. Congrats to coach MacIntyre. I was listening to some Colorado sports radio on my drive today and there was talk that if he had lost to Colorado State clear back at the beginning of the season that his job would have been in jeopardy. Now there is talk of teams across the country trying to wrestle him away from the Buffs.

 

[Mingo]

The thought is Mike McIntrye won't be leaving while his son has two years of edibility - that plus - Rick George the AD - will round up the money to be competitive. I wouldn't be surprised to see the DC Leavitt get a HC opportunity after the season - even he might avoid leaving CO. is what I have been reading.

The Buffs need a Special Teams coach - that phase of the game is just getting them killed on returns and kicks.

I especially loved the Awuzie tackle of the KR guy on the 3 yard line - then the Buffs held the Utes to a FG. Awuzie's hustle was the whole CU season in a nut shell - Welcome to the Fight!

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

plz beat washington this week. thanks.

Colorado vs Michigan Rose Bowl is what I'm hoping for

 

[nflbronco]

The thought is Mike McIntrye won't be leaving while his son has two years of edibility - that plus - Rick George the AD - will round up the money to be competitive. I wouldn't be surprised to see the DC Leavitt get a HC opportunity after the season - even he might avoid leaving CO. is what I have been reading.

The Buffs need a Special Teams coach - that phase of the game is just getting them killed on returns and kicks.

I especially loved the Awuzie tackle of the KR guy on the 3 yard line - then the Buffs held the Utes to a FG. Awuzie's hustle was the whole CU season in a nut shell - Welcome to the Fight!

Leavitt is the guy I would be concerned about losing. I had him as next HC at CU in Spring but, MM really did a great job this season. ST's is a must fix.