Colorado
COACH AND PROGRAM
Colorado took a huge step back in Dan Hawkins' first year, but year two showed plenty of progress in some key areas -- most notably, getting the regular-season record back to .500 and returning to a bowl game. But Hawkins isn't resting on any laurels that piled up in the last 12 months.
"There is a real danger in assuming you won two [game]), then six and that means you will win eight, nine or 10 this year," Hawkins said. "We have to go back to Part A and figure things out all over again. We will be emphasizing all of the little things that make teams great. We have to go back to the basics and all of the tangible and intangible things. We always have to keep evolving and reinventing ourselves to stay ahead of the curve."
Last year, the Buffaloes simply reinvented themselves as a competent team after losing home games to Baylor, Arizona State and Montana State the year before. The first sign that things were going to be different last season came in the season opener against in-state rival Colorado State. The Buffaloes fell behind 28-17 early in the third quarter, but the defense clamped down and blanked the Rams the rest of the way, and the offense rallied to score the final 14 points, including a game-tying field goal by Kevin Eberhart, who then kicked the game-winner from 35 yards out in overtime.
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The next week, the Buffs surprised Arizona State by jumping out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead in Tempe, but the Sun Devils came back with a vengeance, outscoring Colorado 33-0 the rest of the way for a comfortable victory. The Buffs then played host to Florida State, with the defense holding its own but the offense scoring just once, a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of a 16-6 loss. A 42-0 romp over Miami (Ohio) brought the nonconference season to a close at 2-2 and set the tone for the biggest win in years at Colorado.
Mighty Oklahoma came to Folsom Field sporting the No. 3 ranking in the nation, and through three quarters the Sooners looked the part by taking a 24-10 lead. But freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins threw a pair of touchdown passes to tie the game, and Eberhart nailed a 45-yarder at the gun for the Buffaloes' first victory over a ranked team in 14 tries.
The momentum from that win carried over in a blowout at Baylor, but the Buffs had the tables turned on them as Kansas State scored the final 17 points to pull away in a 47-20 win in Manhattan. The Buffs slipped back to .500 but kept mighty Kansas' offensive attack in check in a 19-14 home loss to the Jayhawks, and Colorado followed with a surprising win over high-flying Texas Tech in Lubbock.
The season's low point followed, a 55-10 drubbing at the hands of No. 9 Missouri and a shocking 31-28 loss at Iowa State that dropped Colorado to 5-6 and threatened the Buffs' bowl eligibility. But the offense rallied to score 34 straight points and overcome an 11-point halftime deficit in a wild, 65-51, shootout win over Nebraska to earn their all-important sixth win.
The Nebraska victory put the Buffs into the Independence Bowl, where they fell behind Alabama 27-0 just 24 minutes into the game. From there, it was all Colorado, as Hawkins threw three touchdown passes, but it wasn't enough and the Buffaloes had to settle for a 30-24 loss to the Crimson Tide.
While the Buffaloes do have to replace some key players, for the first time in 20 years they won't have to replace any coaches -- the entire staff is back intact, a positive sign for the continuity that Hawkins is trying to develop in Boulder. The other part of the equation is an experienced and talented team, which is always slow to develop. Last year, the Buffs played as many as seven freshmen at the same time on offense, but the upside to that is a sophomore class that's already battle-tested.
"Theoretically we're a year wiser and a year older," offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. "We've got some guys with a little more experience, and we're going to have an injection of new talent, which if nothing else will bring some competition at some key positions."
All that playing time last year helped teach those freshmen some valuable lessons while they were adjusting to the collegiate level. "Stadiums are loud and sometimes they're intimidating for a young guy. The speed that the game is played with at the college level is just so much different than what they have ever experienced," Helfrich said. "And the demands of being a college student -- these guys are going through a huge change in their lives, being a 17- or 18-year-old kid and then being expected to play against Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama or the other teams we play. There's just such a different level of expectations that we have for them." Helfrich added a new wrinkle to the offense this spring, introducing the no-huddle that could be an important weapon to use in the thin air of Boulder.
"Altitude is the one thing that our opponents can't prepare for, other than Colorado State, so that's kind of an X-factor when teams come to Folsom Field," Helfrich said. "We'd like them to have that in the back of their head. Nobody likes to be sucking wind. So I think at home we'll feature it more against certain types of teams. In spring, our guys executed it very well and they believe in what we're trying to do with it."
On defense, the Buffs are faced with the departure of their top two players -- linebacker Jordon Dizon and cornerback Terrence Wheatley. But after an up-and-down season, the defense will be turned over to a new pack of leaders, ready or not.
"We were very inconsistent," defensive coordinator Ron Collins said. "I thought we played very well at times, and at other times we didn't play so well. I guess when you're 6-6, that's what you get. I thought our guys played hard throughout most of the time -- we just have to improve on being more consistent week in and week out. Part of that is just getting more depth and experience, and we're working on that."
Some of that leadership gap has been filled by unexpected sources, such as a trio of sophomores who stepped up and led their teammates in the weight room this winter and on the field this spring.
"Scotty McKnight, Ryan Miller and Nate Solder all have really raised the bar and the guys have responded and brought their work ethic to that level," Helfrich said. "They've done a tremendous job throughout the winter and spring, which is something we need because we have so many young guys."
QUARTERBACKS
Sophomore Cody Hawkins (5-11, 190) returns after winning the job last August and starting all 12 games. The coach's son completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 2,693 yards and 19 touchdowns while also running for three scores, but he threw 15 interceptions, giving himself a goal heading into his second year at the helm.
"For being a freshman in the Big 12, he handled himself really well," Helfrich said. "He did a good job of competing and trying to make plays in some situations. But that was also kind of his nemesis, because we turned the ball over way too much in situations where it wasn't really necessary.
We put a huge emphasis on taking care of the football this spring, and realizing that sometimes a throwaway or taking a sack is a great play. Cody did an outstanding job of taking care of the football this spring -- in all drills that we tracked in practice, he had only two turnovers."
Senior Nick Nelson (6-1, 230) saw spot duty in three games but had a strong spring. Red-shirt freshman Matt Ballenger (6-4, 230) is the third-string quarterback, while sophomore Kyle Black (5-11, 195), a transfer from the Air Force Academy, could be used as a slash-type player lining up in the backfield or split out wide.
RUNNING BACKS
Hugh Charles earned honorable mention All-Big 12 kudos last year, rushing for 989 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
He also caught 24 balls for 233 yards and finished sixth on Colorado's all-time rushing list with 2,659 career yards. Charles is hoping to catch on with an NFL team this fall, but he had to put his football cleats on the shelf in the spring while he was a member of Colorado's Big 12 champion 4x100 relay team.
In addition to Charles, the Buffs lost reserve Byron Ellis, who finished last year with 32 carries for 133 yards and two scores, but they return a handful of tailbacks with varying levels of experience who'll be pushed by a trio of newcomers who will arrive on campus in August.
"We've got three scholarship players coming in at tailback, and those guys will provide some immediate competition," Helfrich said. "All those guys really responded well to signing three tailbacks. Sometimes when that happens, some guys have been known to tank it. Our guys didn't do that at all."
Sitting atop the depth chart going into two-a-days is sophomore Demetrius Sumler (5-10, 215), who rushed for 335 yards on 100 carries last year, finished second on the team with four rushing touchdowns. He was chosen the team's most improved offensive back in spring drills.
"He ran harder and more consistently this spring, and I think with a year of experience, of really believing in what we're trying to do with alignment and aiming points and how to make a play happen, he's just gotten more comfortable," Helfrich said. "When that happens you can allow your natural instincts to take over as a runner, and he's got pretty good natural instincts."
Sophomore Brian Lockridge (5-7, 175) averaged 5.6 yards per carry and rushed for 213 yards last year, but was slowed this spring by a sports hernia that he had surgically repaired in April. He should be back in the battle for playing time in August, along with junior Kevin Moyd (5-7, 185), sophomore Corey Nabors (5-9, 185) and redshirt freshman Arthur Jaffee (5-11, 200).
The freshmen who will have a chance at breaking into the tailback race are Ray Polk (6-1, 200), Darrell Scott (6-2, 215) and Rodney Stewart (5-8, 180).
The Buffs use their fullback position as more of an H-back, and the position group will work with the tight ends this fall in order to better polish all the skills required to play that spot. Senior Maurice Cantrell (6-0, 240) is the leading candidate to start, with junior Jake Behrens (6-0, 230) and sophomore Matt Burgner (5-11, 220) also in the mix.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Colorado lost Dusty Sprague, who finished last year with 27 catches for 366 yards, and Stephone Robinson, who posted five catches for 65 yards as a senior, but they return one of the more exciting newcomers to the Big 12 last year in sophomore Scotty McKnight (5-11, 180). McKnight was chosen to the Big 12 All-Freshman team by The Sporting News last year after leading the team with 43 catches and 488 receiving yards. He also scored four touchdowns, and had a personal best of eight catches for 106 yards against Colorado State in his first game as a collegian.
"When you see him for the first time, you think, 'Hey, that guy's not a Big 12 wideout.' But he's a little baller," Helfrich said. "If you were going out to play one-on-one, you'd want him on your team. He's a scrapper, he's got a good feel for spacing on the field, and he's a little bit faster than you'd think. He's by no means a burner, but he's going to make a lot of plays."
Senior Patrick Williams (6-2, 205) also returns after a season in which he caught 27 passes for 265 yards.
"We expect huge things out of Pat," Helfrich said. "He had a really good spring. He's a big, physical guy who needs to play with more confidence and believe in himself." The wildcard in the wide receiver race could be sophomore Josh Smith (6-0, 180), who showed some big-play ability with a team-leading 19.6-yard average on 23 catches last year. But Smith didn't find the end zone, a fact that his teammates have not let him forget.
"He's gotten plenty of flak for that, believe me," Helfrich said with a laugh. "But he's another kid who is just figuring things out. He's a fun guy to be around, and we just need him to be a little more assertive or businesslike, but we need to figure out ways to get him the ball for sure."
Senior Cody Crawford (5-11, 175), who had seven catches for 73 yards last year, and sophomore Kendrick Celestine (5-11, 180), who finished with 11 catches for 151 yards a year ago, are the most experienced backups. Senior Steve Melton (5-11, 190), sophomore Cameron Ham (6-1, 200), redshirt freshman Markques Simas (6-2, 195) and redshirt freshman Jason Espinoza (5-8, 180) -- who switched from safety in spring drills -- round out the depth chart.
At tight end, the Buffs have a few holes. They lost Tyson DeVree, an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick last year after he posted 28 catches for 308 yards and a team-high six touchdown receptions, and reserve Joe Sanders. But the player expected to pick up the slack, junior Riar Geer (6-4, 250), was suspended from the team after he was involved in a fight on campus in March. Geer, who caught 14 passes for 128 yards and two scores last year, didn't participate in spring drills, and his status remains uncertain.
Junior Patrick Devenny (6-3, 230) filled the void in the spring, coming off a season in which his one catch was a 3-yard touchdown against Miami. Juniors Luke Walters (6-3, 235), a transfer from New Mexico, and Devin Shanahan (6-5, 240) also should get a long look in August.
"Pat Devenny had a great spring taking advantage of those extra reps," Helfrich said. "He's really asserted himself in the passing game. Luke Walters really kind of came out of nowhere and did some great things throughout the spring. And we signed three guys, so we tell all those young guys to come in like you're going to be the starter and we'll tell you when to pull off the throttle."
OFFENSIVE LINE
Up front, the Buffaloes lose two full-time starters and two other players who started at least four games. Left tackle Tyler Polumbus was a second-team all-conference pick last year who had 26 career starts, while right guard Edwin Harrison -- who started the year at right tackle -- was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. Meanwhile, the left guard position was held down by redshirt freshman Wes Palazzi for the first four games, but an injury knocked him out of the lineup and he lost his job to classmate Kai Maiava.
After the season, Palazzi decided to quit the team, while Maiava was moved to fullback in spring practice before he was dismissed from the team. That leaves four holes in a depth chart that wasn't too deep to begin with.
The returning starters include stalwart senior Daniel Sanders (6-3, 325), a Rimington Award candidate who has started 22 straight games, and junior Devin Head (6-4, 295), who started the first six games at right guard last year before Harrison moved over. Senior Erick Faatagi (6-2, 310) could battle Head for the starting position if he can clear up some eligibility issues, while the competition at left guard will come down to redshirt freshmen Matthew Bahr (6-4, 280) and Shawn Daniels (6-3, 280).
The Buffs are a bit more solid -- if still very young -- at the tackle spot. Sophomore Ryan Miller (6-7, 315) took over the starting job at right tackle midway through the season last year and was a first-team freshman All-America pick by The Sporting News. At left tackle, sophomore Nate Solder (6-8, 280) switched from tight end this year and will take over for Polumbus. Both young tackles have already made strong impressions on the coaching staff.
"Both Nate Solder and Ryan Miller, those guys look like what they're supposed to look like," Helfrich said. "Their biggest strength is their work ethic. They want to be great football players, and their natural size and strength and quickness are also huge factors." Reserve tackles include redshirt freshmen Ethan Adkins (6-4, 295), Sione Tau (6-5, 320) and David Clark (6-4, 305), while backup on the interior line are sophomore Keenan Stevens (6-2, 280) at center and redshirt freshmen Blake Behrens (6-3, 285) and Mike Iltis (6-3, 295) at guard.
KICKERS
For the second straight year, the Buffs have to replace an elite place-kicker. Kevin Eberhart was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last year after taking over from All-American Mason Crosby and making 15-of-23 field goal attempts, including a pair of game-winners.
Eberhart was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week twice last year. In the season-opener, he scored 11 points and hit the game-tying and game-winning field goals against Colorado State; then against Baylor, he went 4-of-4 on extra points and 5-for-6 on field goals, tying the school record for field goals made and attempted and kicking points in a game. And Buffs fans will never forget the 45-yard kick that beat Oklahoma, touching off a wild celebration at Folsom Field.
The Buffs also lost Tyler Cope, a walk-on freshman who handled the kickoff duties last year but transferred to Oregon State to be closer to home. The new Buffs kicker will be either redshirt freshman Jameson Davis (5-10, 195) or sophomore Aric Goodman (5-10, 180). Davis had originally committed to Boise State when Hawkins was the head coach there, but after a two-year church mission in Guatemala, he followed Hawkins to Boulder.
Goodman is a transfer from Wyoming who was a former high school All-America kicker at Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colo. Freshman Alex Metskas (5-7, 150) is also in the mix.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Gone are defensive end Alonzo Barrett, and honorable mention All-Big 12 pick who had 36 tackles, a sack and an interception last year, and reserve end Chris Perri, who had seven tackles in nine games and left the team. But the leaders of the line are on the inside, and they're back. Senior defensive tackle George Hypolite (6-1, 285) earned first-team all-conference honors last year after he registered six sacks and five tackles for loss among his 42 tackles, while senior Brandon Nicolas (6-3, 290) finished with three sacks and eight TFL and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick.
"They're both very smart football players and both very good technically," defensive coordinator Ron Collins said. "They started the last two years so they're veteran players who have played in a lot of big games. They practice hard too, so the other players look at those two guys as guys who've been in the battle and know how to get it done." The lone defensive end with experience is senior Maurice Lucas (6-4, 260), who started seven games and had 30 tackles, two sacks and three TFL last year. He'll be joined on the other end by sophomore Marquez Herrod (6-2, 270), who made four tackles in eight games in 2007.
The second team includes redshirt freshman Lagrone Shields (6-3, 250) and junior Jason Brace (6-4, 250) on the end and junior Taj Kaynor (6-5, 265) and redshirt freshman Eugene Goree (6-1, 295) inside, while freshman Curtis Cunningham (6-2, 270) from Columbine High School in nearby Littleton, Colo., could find his way into the lineup immediately.
Senior defensive end Drew Hudgins (6-4, 235) is on the mend from a torn Achilles' tendon, but he should be ready by August, while junior Tyler Sale (6-3, 255), sophomore Eric Lawson (6-3, 270), and redshirt freshmen Kevin Cooney (6-6, 260), Conrad Obi (6-3, 260), Daniel Modrovsky (6-5, 255) and Tony Poremba (6-1, 225) round out the depth chart.
"Our front-line guys, we feel good about. We've got to find some guys who can back them up," Collins said. "Goree is going to step up on the inside, and you'll see him playing quite a bit. We're excited about Curtis Cunningham, a true freshman who's going to be playing quite a bit of football for us."
LINEBACKERS
Jordon Dizon was a fixture in Boulder for four years, and he ended his career an All-American. Dizon was a runner-up for the Butkus Award and chosen the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches after a 160-tackle season -- almost twice as many stops as any other player on the Colorado defense. Dizon had four sacks and seven TFL, and he returned an interception for a touchdown against Texas Tech. Dizon, a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions, wasn't the only departure at linebacker. Junior R.J. Brown had to give up football because of repeated concussions, and backup Jake Duren left the team after spring drills. Brown, the Buffs' special-teams captain, played in only three games last year but made 12 tackles and could have been a key contributor this year.
Replacing Dizon won't be easy, but of course Dizon reported to camp as a running back coming out of high school, so the next superstar linebacker might be lurking elsewhere on the depth chart right now.
"Jordon was a very special player, a great leader who started for four years," Collins said.
"So right now we've just got a bunch of guys who have to prove themselves, which is an exciting thing because we'll get a chance to see who can step up and play. The man in the middle once again will be junior Jeff Smart (6-0, 210), who started the last nine games a year ago and finished third on the team with 80 tackles. At times, Smart flashed skills that made his coaches do a double take on the sidelines.
"In the Independence Bowl, we were going, 'Look at that play Jordon made. Oh wait, that was Jeff Smart.' He is fully capable of having a Jordon-type season," Hawkins said. On the strong side, senior Brad Jones (6-3, 255) is being pushed for the top job by sophomore B.J. Beatty (6-2, 220). Jones started all 12 games last year, finishing with 72 tackles, two sacks and two TFL, but Beatty was chosen the team's most improved defensive lineman in spring practice, setting up an intriguing battle in August.
"Those two guys will compete for the job in the fall," Collins said. "B.J. doesn't have a whole lot of experience, but he played very well this spring. Brad does have a lot of experience -- he is a two-year starter at that position, and he lost a little ground in the spring. But Brad is a very talented person, and if he does what he's supposed to do over the summer, Brad will be playing a lot of football for us."
On the weak side, junior Marcus Burton (6-0, 255) is the leading candidate to replace Dizon, but he'll be pushed by junior Bryan Stengel (6-2, 225), freshman Jon Major (6-3, 225) from Ponderosa High School in Parker, Colo., and junior Shaun Mohler (6-3, 225), the only junior-college transfer -- he joins the program from Orange Coast College in California.
Others in the mix include sophomore Michael Sipili (6-1, 255), sophomore Nate Vaiomounga (5-10, 210), and redshirt freshmen Tyler Ahles (6-2, 240), Josh Hartigan (6-1, 205), David Goldberg (6-1, 230) and Brandon Gouin (6-1, 210).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The much-maligned secondary made some strides last year, as opponents' completion percentage dropped almost 10 points -- from 66.9 to 57.3 percent -- but Colorado still ranked No. 103 in the country in passing yards allowed, leaving some work to be done, especially against the pass-happy spread offenses that are emerging in the Big 12. "You just try to get your best athletes on the field," Collins said. "I think to a certain extent you've got to be able to match up with the offense, and you've got to be able to change up your defense so they don't always get a bead on what you're in."
Cornerback Terrence Wheatley finished his career as a consensus first-team All-Big 12 choice and a third-team All-America pick by Rivals.com. Wheatley, who was a second-round draft pick of the New England Patriots, was chosen the national defensive player of the week after picking off three passes in the Texas Tech game, and finished the year with 42 tackles, 10 passes broken up and a team-high five interceptions.
"Terrence is very fast, and he had a lot of starting experience, so the speed element and the experience we're going to miss quite a bit," Collins said.
Reserve safety Lionel Harris, who started the final two games last year and finished with 23 tackles and two picks, also is gone, but the Buffs welcome the return of senior free-safety Ryan Walters (6-0, 200), who missed the last two games with injuries that also kept him out of spring drills. Last year, Walters had 63 tackles, five passes defended and an interception.
"He's definitely our leader out there," Collins said. "He's a good athlete, a smart, intelligent football player. He has a very good grasp of the defense, and he's our vocal guy back there."
At strong safety, senior D.J. Dykes (6-2, 210) is back after starting all 12 games and finishing second on the team with 83 tackles last year. He'll be joined in the secondary by senior cornerback Gardner McKay (5-11, 165), who started last two games last season, and junior cornerback Cha'pelle Brown (5-7, 180), who served as the Buffs' nickel back a year ago. Brown will probably fill in for injured senior Benjamin Burney (5-11, 190), who started all 12 games last year and had 55 tackles and eight passes defensed, but could redshirt this fall after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.
Top reserves include sophomore cornerbacks sophomore Jimmy Smith (6-2, 195) and Jalil Brown (6-1, 205), and redshirt freshmen safeties Anthony Perkins (5-10, 190), Matt Meyer (5-9, 190) and Travis Sandersfeld (6-0, 190). Perkins was chosen the team's most improved defensive back in spring practice and should have a good shot at winning the nickel or dime back job in two-a-days.
Red-shirt freshmen Anthony Wright (6-0, 185), Lamont Smith (5-8, 160) and Jonathan Hawkins (5-11, 185) will be getting their first taste of college football this fall, while two injured veterans who missed all of spring drills should return in time to contribute -- sophomore safety Bret Smith (5-11, 190), who had knee surgery in the offseason and could be back by mid-September, and senior safety Joel Adams (5-11, 175), who had offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to return by the start of two-a-days.
PUNTERS
Junior Matt DiLallo (6-1, 190) is back for his third year as the starting punter. The left-footer averaged 40.1 yards on 61 punts and dropped 22 punts inside the 20 against only three touchbacks. Senior Tom Suazo (5-10, 185) will provide competition.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior Justin Drescher (6-1, 230) returns at long snapper, while McKnight has experience at holder. Wheatley and Charles were the top kickoff returners last fall -- their replacements will come from a group that includes Josh Smith, Williams, McKnight, and Cha'pelle Brown.
On punt returns, the Buffs lost Chase McBride, who averaged 9.6 yards on 33 attempts and had a 31-yard return that set up the game-winning field goal against Oklahoma. Espinoza, Smith and Dykes are among the candidates to handle those duties this fall.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
The Buffaloes get no favors from their schedule this year, with home games against West Virginia and Texas, a neutral-site game against Colorado State, and six road games that include trips to Kansas, Missouri, Texas A&M and Nebraska.
<!-- INLINE TABLE (BEGIN) -->
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=180 align=right border=0>
<TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=2><CENTER>Grading the Buffaloes</CENTER></TH>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=110>Unit</TD>
<TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=50><CENTER>Grade</CENTER></TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Offense
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>C+</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Special teams
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>B-</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Defense
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>C</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Intangibles
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>B</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<!-- INLINE TABLE (END) -->
The offense should be improved with a renewed focus on cutting down on turnovers, but the running game remains a question mark with the upheaval on the line. Defensively, the loss of Dizon and Wheatley and their injury troubles could be too much to overcome. Another 6-6 season might be Colorado's ceiling this year.
Colorado Buffaloes
<!-- end top part --><!-- begin table --><TABLE cellSpacing=0><TBODY><TR><TD>LOCATION</TD><TD>Boulder, Colo.</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>CONFERENCE</TD><TD>Big 12 (North)</TD></TR><TR><TD>LAST SEASON</TD><TD>6-7 (.462)</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>CONFERENCE RECORD</TD><TD>4-4 (3rd)</TD></TR><TR><TD>OFF. STARTERS RETURNING</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>DEF. STARTERS RETURNING</TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>NICKNAME</TD><TD>Buffaloes</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>COLORS</TD><TD>Silver, Gold & Black</TD></TR><TR><TD>HOME FIELD</TD><TD>Folsom Field (53,750)</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>HEAD COACH</TD><TD>Dan Hawkins (UC-Davis '84)</TD></TR><TR><TD>RECORD AT SCHOOL</TD><TD>8-17 (2 years)</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>CAREER RECORD</TD><TD>61-28 (7 years)</TD></TR><TR><TD>ASSISTANTS</TD><TD align=left>• Brian Cabral (Colorado '78), Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers
• Jeff Grimes (UTEP '89), Assistant Head Coach/ Running Game Coordinator/ Offensive Line
• Mark Helfrich (Southern Oregon '96), Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Ron Collins (Washington State '87), Defensive Coordinator
• Romeo Bandison (Oregon '94), Defensive Line
• Greg Brown (UTEP '80), Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Secondary
• Darian Hagan (Colorado '96), Running Backs
• Eric Kiesau (Portland State '96), Passing Game Coordinator/Receivers
• Kent Riddle (Oregon State '91), Tight Ends/Special Teams
</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>TEAM WINS (Last five yrs.)</TD><TD>5-8-7-2-6</TD></TR><TR><TD>FINAL RANK (Last five yrs.) </TD><TD>62-26-44-78-64</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>2007 FINISH</TD><TD>Lost to Alabama in Independence Bowl.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=8>Football Schedule and Results</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>DATE </TD><TD>OPPONENT </TD><TD>RESULT/TIME </TD><TD>RECORD/TICKETS </TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>August 31</TD><TD>Colorado State </TD><TD>7:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>September 6</TD><TD>Eastern Washington </TD><TD>3:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>September 18</TD><TD>West Virginia </TD><TD>8:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>September 27</TD><TD>at Florida State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>October 4</TD><TD>Texas </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>October 11</TD><TD>at Kansas </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>October 18</TD><TD>Kansas State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>October 25</TD><TD>at Missouri </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>November 1</TD><TD>at Texas A&M </TD><TD>2:00 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>November 8</TD><TD>Iowa State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>November 15</TD><TD>Oklahoma State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>November 28</TD><TD>at Nebraska </TD><TD>3:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
COACH AND PROGRAM
Colorado took a huge step back in Dan Hawkins' first year, but year two showed plenty of progress in some key areas -- most notably, getting the regular-season record back to .500 and returning to a bowl game. But Hawkins isn't resting on any laurels that piled up in the last 12 months.
"There is a real danger in assuming you won two [game]), then six and that means you will win eight, nine or 10 this year," Hawkins said. "We have to go back to Part A and figure things out all over again. We will be emphasizing all of the little things that make teams great. We have to go back to the basics and all of the tangible and intangible things. We always have to keep evolving and reinventing ourselves to stay ahead of the curve."
Last year, the Buffaloes simply reinvented themselves as a competent team after losing home games to Baylor, Arizona State and Montana State the year before. The first sign that things were going to be different last season came in the season opener against in-state rival Colorado State. The Buffaloes fell behind 28-17 early in the third quarter, but the defense clamped down and blanked the Rams the rest of the way, and the offense rallied to score the final 14 points, including a game-tying field goal by Kevin Eberhart, who then kicked the game-winner from 35 yards out in overtime.
<OFFER>
The next week, the Buffs surprised Arizona State by jumping out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead in Tempe, but the Sun Devils came back with a vengeance, outscoring Colorado 33-0 the rest of the way for a comfortable victory. The Buffs then played host to Florida State, with the defense holding its own but the offense scoring just once, a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of a 16-6 loss. A 42-0 romp over Miami (Ohio) brought the nonconference season to a close at 2-2 and set the tone for the biggest win in years at Colorado.
Mighty Oklahoma came to Folsom Field sporting the No. 3 ranking in the nation, and through three quarters the Sooners looked the part by taking a 24-10 lead. But freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins threw a pair of touchdown passes to tie the game, and Eberhart nailed a 45-yarder at the gun for the Buffaloes' first victory over a ranked team in 14 tries.
The momentum from that win carried over in a blowout at Baylor, but the Buffs had the tables turned on them as Kansas State scored the final 17 points to pull away in a 47-20 win in Manhattan. The Buffs slipped back to .500 but kept mighty Kansas' offensive attack in check in a 19-14 home loss to the Jayhawks, and Colorado followed with a surprising win over high-flying Texas Tech in Lubbock.
The season's low point followed, a 55-10 drubbing at the hands of No. 9 Missouri and a shocking 31-28 loss at Iowa State that dropped Colorado to 5-6 and threatened the Buffs' bowl eligibility. But the offense rallied to score 34 straight points and overcome an 11-point halftime deficit in a wild, 65-51, shootout win over Nebraska to earn their all-important sixth win.
The Nebraska victory put the Buffs into the Independence Bowl, where they fell behind Alabama 27-0 just 24 minutes into the game. From there, it was all Colorado, as Hawkins threw three touchdown passes, but it wasn't enough and the Buffaloes had to settle for a 30-24 loss to the Crimson Tide.
While the Buffaloes do have to replace some key players, for the first time in 20 years they won't have to replace any coaches -- the entire staff is back intact, a positive sign for the continuity that Hawkins is trying to develop in Boulder. The other part of the equation is an experienced and talented team, which is always slow to develop. Last year, the Buffs played as many as seven freshmen at the same time on offense, but the upside to that is a sophomore class that's already battle-tested.
"Theoretically we're a year wiser and a year older," offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. "We've got some guys with a little more experience, and we're going to have an injection of new talent, which if nothing else will bring some competition at some key positions."
All that playing time last year helped teach those freshmen some valuable lessons while they were adjusting to the collegiate level. "Stadiums are loud and sometimes they're intimidating for a young guy. The speed that the game is played with at the college level is just so much different than what they have ever experienced," Helfrich said. "And the demands of being a college student -- these guys are going through a huge change in their lives, being a 17- or 18-year-old kid and then being expected to play against Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama or the other teams we play. There's just such a different level of expectations that we have for them." Helfrich added a new wrinkle to the offense this spring, introducing the no-huddle that could be an important weapon to use in the thin air of Boulder.
"Altitude is the one thing that our opponents can't prepare for, other than Colorado State, so that's kind of an X-factor when teams come to Folsom Field," Helfrich said. "We'd like them to have that in the back of their head. Nobody likes to be sucking wind. So I think at home we'll feature it more against certain types of teams. In spring, our guys executed it very well and they believe in what we're trying to do with it."
On defense, the Buffs are faced with the departure of their top two players -- linebacker Jordon Dizon and cornerback Terrence Wheatley. But after an up-and-down season, the defense will be turned over to a new pack of leaders, ready or not.
"We were very inconsistent," defensive coordinator Ron Collins said. "I thought we played very well at times, and at other times we didn't play so well. I guess when you're 6-6, that's what you get. I thought our guys played hard throughout most of the time -- we just have to improve on being more consistent week in and week out. Part of that is just getting more depth and experience, and we're working on that."
Some of that leadership gap has been filled by unexpected sources, such as a trio of sophomores who stepped up and led their teammates in the weight room this winter and on the field this spring.
"Scotty McKnight, Ryan Miller and Nate Solder all have really raised the bar and the guys have responded and brought their work ethic to that level," Helfrich said. "They've done a tremendous job throughout the winter and spring, which is something we need because we have so many young guys."
QUARTERBACKS
Sophomore Cody Hawkins (5-11, 190) returns after winning the job last August and starting all 12 games. The coach's son completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 2,693 yards and 19 touchdowns while also running for three scores, but he threw 15 interceptions, giving himself a goal heading into his second year at the helm.
"For being a freshman in the Big 12, he handled himself really well," Helfrich said. "He did a good job of competing and trying to make plays in some situations. But that was also kind of his nemesis, because we turned the ball over way too much in situations where it wasn't really necessary.
We put a huge emphasis on taking care of the football this spring, and realizing that sometimes a throwaway or taking a sack is a great play. Cody did an outstanding job of taking care of the football this spring -- in all drills that we tracked in practice, he had only two turnovers."
Senior Nick Nelson (6-1, 230) saw spot duty in three games but had a strong spring. Red-shirt freshman Matt Ballenger (6-4, 230) is the third-string quarterback, while sophomore Kyle Black (5-11, 195), a transfer from the Air Force Academy, could be used as a slash-type player lining up in the backfield or split out wide.
RUNNING BACKS
Hugh Charles earned honorable mention All-Big 12 kudos last year, rushing for 989 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
He also caught 24 balls for 233 yards and finished sixth on Colorado's all-time rushing list with 2,659 career yards. Charles is hoping to catch on with an NFL team this fall, but he had to put his football cleats on the shelf in the spring while he was a member of Colorado's Big 12 champion 4x100 relay team.
In addition to Charles, the Buffs lost reserve Byron Ellis, who finished last year with 32 carries for 133 yards and two scores, but they return a handful of tailbacks with varying levels of experience who'll be pushed by a trio of newcomers who will arrive on campus in August.
"We've got three scholarship players coming in at tailback, and those guys will provide some immediate competition," Helfrich said. "All those guys really responded well to signing three tailbacks. Sometimes when that happens, some guys have been known to tank it. Our guys didn't do that at all."
Sitting atop the depth chart going into two-a-days is sophomore Demetrius Sumler (5-10, 215), who rushed for 335 yards on 100 carries last year, finished second on the team with four rushing touchdowns. He was chosen the team's most improved offensive back in spring drills.
"He ran harder and more consistently this spring, and I think with a year of experience, of really believing in what we're trying to do with alignment and aiming points and how to make a play happen, he's just gotten more comfortable," Helfrich said. "When that happens you can allow your natural instincts to take over as a runner, and he's got pretty good natural instincts."
Sophomore Brian Lockridge (5-7, 175) averaged 5.6 yards per carry and rushed for 213 yards last year, but was slowed this spring by a sports hernia that he had surgically repaired in April. He should be back in the battle for playing time in August, along with junior Kevin Moyd (5-7, 185), sophomore Corey Nabors (5-9, 185) and redshirt freshman Arthur Jaffee (5-11, 200).
The freshmen who will have a chance at breaking into the tailback race are Ray Polk (6-1, 200), Darrell Scott (6-2, 215) and Rodney Stewart (5-8, 180).
The Buffs use their fullback position as more of an H-back, and the position group will work with the tight ends this fall in order to better polish all the skills required to play that spot. Senior Maurice Cantrell (6-0, 240) is the leading candidate to start, with junior Jake Behrens (6-0, 230) and sophomore Matt Burgner (5-11, 220) also in the mix.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Colorado lost Dusty Sprague, who finished last year with 27 catches for 366 yards, and Stephone Robinson, who posted five catches for 65 yards as a senior, but they return one of the more exciting newcomers to the Big 12 last year in sophomore Scotty McKnight (5-11, 180). McKnight was chosen to the Big 12 All-Freshman team by The Sporting News last year after leading the team with 43 catches and 488 receiving yards. He also scored four touchdowns, and had a personal best of eight catches for 106 yards against Colorado State in his first game as a collegian.
"When you see him for the first time, you think, 'Hey, that guy's not a Big 12 wideout.' But he's a little baller," Helfrich said. "If you were going out to play one-on-one, you'd want him on your team. He's a scrapper, he's got a good feel for spacing on the field, and he's a little bit faster than you'd think. He's by no means a burner, but he's going to make a lot of plays."
Senior Patrick Williams (6-2, 205) also returns after a season in which he caught 27 passes for 265 yards.
"We expect huge things out of Pat," Helfrich said. "He had a really good spring. He's a big, physical guy who needs to play with more confidence and believe in himself." The wildcard in the wide receiver race could be sophomore Josh Smith (6-0, 180), who showed some big-play ability with a team-leading 19.6-yard average on 23 catches last year. But Smith didn't find the end zone, a fact that his teammates have not let him forget.
"He's gotten plenty of flak for that, believe me," Helfrich said with a laugh. "But he's another kid who is just figuring things out. He's a fun guy to be around, and we just need him to be a little more assertive or businesslike, but we need to figure out ways to get him the ball for sure."
Senior Cody Crawford (5-11, 175), who had seven catches for 73 yards last year, and sophomore Kendrick Celestine (5-11, 180), who finished with 11 catches for 151 yards a year ago, are the most experienced backups. Senior Steve Melton (5-11, 190), sophomore Cameron Ham (6-1, 200), redshirt freshman Markques Simas (6-2, 195) and redshirt freshman Jason Espinoza (5-8, 180) -- who switched from safety in spring drills -- round out the depth chart.
At tight end, the Buffs have a few holes. They lost Tyson DeVree, an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick last year after he posted 28 catches for 308 yards and a team-high six touchdown receptions, and reserve Joe Sanders. But the player expected to pick up the slack, junior Riar Geer (6-4, 250), was suspended from the team after he was involved in a fight on campus in March. Geer, who caught 14 passes for 128 yards and two scores last year, didn't participate in spring drills, and his status remains uncertain.
Junior Patrick Devenny (6-3, 230) filled the void in the spring, coming off a season in which his one catch was a 3-yard touchdown against Miami. Juniors Luke Walters (6-3, 235), a transfer from New Mexico, and Devin Shanahan (6-5, 240) also should get a long look in August.
"Pat Devenny had a great spring taking advantage of those extra reps," Helfrich said. "He's really asserted himself in the passing game. Luke Walters really kind of came out of nowhere and did some great things throughout the spring. And we signed three guys, so we tell all those young guys to come in like you're going to be the starter and we'll tell you when to pull off the throttle."
OFFENSIVE LINE
Up front, the Buffaloes lose two full-time starters and two other players who started at least four games. Left tackle Tyler Polumbus was a second-team all-conference pick last year who had 26 career starts, while right guard Edwin Harrison -- who started the year at right tackle -- was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. Meanwhile, the left guard position was held down by redshirt freshman Wes Palazzi for the first four games, but an injury knocked him out of the lineup and he lost his job to classmate Kai Maiava.
After the season, Palazzi decided to quit the team, while Maiava was moved to fullback in spring practice before he was dismissed from the team. That leaves four holes in a depth chart that wasn't too deep to begin with.
The returning starters include stalwart senior Daniel Sanders (6-3, 325), a Rimington Award candidate who has started 22 straight games, and junior Devin Head (6-4, 295), who started the first six games at right guard last year before Harrison moved over. Senior Erick Faatagi (6-2, 310) could battle Head for the starting position if he can clear up some eligibility issues, while the competition at left guard will come down to redshirt freshmen Matthew Bahr (6-4, 280) and Shawn Daniels (6-3, 280).
The Buffs are a bit more solid -- if still very young -- at the tackle spot. Sophomore Ryan Miller (6-7, 315) took over the starting job at right tackle midway through the season last year and was a first-team freshman All-America pick by The Sporting News. At left tackle, sophomore Nate Solder (6-8, 280) switched from tight end this year and will take over for Polumbus. Both young tackles have already made strong impressions on the coaching staff.
"Both Nate Solder and Ryan Miller, those guys look like what they're supposed to look like," Helfrich said. "Their biggest strength is their work ethic. They want to be great football players, and their natural size and strength and quickness are also huge factors." Reserve tackles include redshirt freshmen Ethan Adkins (6-4, 295), Sione Tau (6-5, 320) and David Clark (6-4, 305), while backup on the interior line are sophomore Keenan Stevens (6-2, 280) at center and redshirt freshmen Blake Behrens (6-3, 285) and Mike Iltis (6-3, 295) at guard.
KICKERS
For the second straight year, the Buffs have to replace an elite place-kicker. Kevin Eberhart was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last year after taking over from All-American Mason Crosby and making 15-of-23 field goal attempts, including a pair of game-winners.
Eberhart was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week twice last year. In the season-opener, he scored 11 points and hit the game-tying and game-winning field goals against Colorado State; then against Baylor, he went 4-of-4 on extra points and 5-for-6 on field goals, tying the school record for field goals made and attempted and kicking points in a game. And Buffs fans will never forget the 45-yard kick that beat Oklahoma, touching off a wild celebration at Folsom Field.
The Buffs also lost Tyler Cope, a walk-on freshman who handled the kickoff duties last year but transferred to Oregon State to be closer to home. The new Buffs kicker will be either redshirt freshman Jameson Davis (5-10, 195) or sophomore Aric Goodman (5-10, 180). Davis had originally committed to Boise State when Hawkins was the head coach there, but after a two-year church mission in Guatemala, he followed Hawkins to Boulder.
Goodman is a transfer from Wyoming who was a former high school All-America kicker at Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colo. Freshman Alex Metskas (5-7, 150) is also in the mix.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Gone are defensive end Alonzo Barrett, and honorable mention All-Big 12 pick who had 36 tackles, a sack and an interception last year, and reserve end Chris Perri, who had seven tackles in nine games and left the team. But the leaders of the line are on the inside, and they're back. Senior defensive tackle George Hypolite (6-1, 285) earned first-team all-conference honors last year after he registered six sacks and five tackles for loss among his 42 tackles, while senior Brandon Nicolas (6-3, 290) finished with three sacks and eight TFL and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick.
"They're both very smart football players and both very good technically," defensive coordinator Ron Collins said. "They started the last two years so they're veteran players who have played in a lot of big games. They practice hard too, so the other players look at those two guys as guys who've been in the battle and know how to get it done." The lone defensive end with experience is senior Maurice Lucas (6-4, 260), who started seven games and had 30 tackles, two sacks and three TFL last year. He'll be joined on the other end by sophomore Marquez Herrod (6-2, 270), who made four tackles in eight games in 2007.
The second team includes redshirt freshman Lagrone Shields (6-3, 250) and junior Jason Brace (6-4, 250) on the end and junior Taj Kaynor (6-5, 265) and redshirt freshman Eugene Goree (6-1, 295) inside, while freshman Curtis Cunningham (6-2, 270) from Columbine High School in nearby Littleton, Colo., could find his way into the lineup immediately.
Senior defensive end Drew Hudgins (6-4, 235) is on the mend from a torn Achilles' tendon, but he should be ready by August, while junior Tyler Sale (6-3, 255), sophomore Eric Lawson (6-3, 270), and redshirt freshmen Kevin Cooney (6-6, 260), Conrad Obi (6-3, 260), Daniel Modrovsky (6-5, 255) and Tony Poremba (6-1, 225) round out the depth chart.
"Our front-line guys, we feel good about. We've got to find some guys who can back them up," Collins said. "Goree is going to step up on the inside, and you'll see him playing quite a bit. We're excited about Curtis Cunningham, a true freshman who's going to be playing quite a bit of football for us."
LINEBACKERS
Jordon Dizon was a fixture in Boulder for four years, and he ended his career an All-American. Dizon was a runner-up for the Butkus Award and chosen the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches after a 160-tackle season -- almost twice as many stops as any other player on the Colorado defense. Dizon had four sacks and seven TFL, and he returned an interception for a touchdown against Texas Tech. Dizon, a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions, wasn't the only departure at linebacker. Junior R.J. Brown had to give up football because of repeated concussions, and backup Jake Duren left the team after spring drills. Brown, the Buffs' special-teams captain, played in only three games last year but made 12 tackles and could have been a key contributor this year.
Replacing Dizon won't be easy, but of course Dizon reported to camp as a running back coming out of high school, so the next superstar linebacker might be lurking elsewhere on the depth chart right now.
"Jordon was a very special player, a great leader who started for four years," Collins said.
"So right now we've just got a bunch of guys who have to prove themselves, which is an exciting thing because we'll get a chance to see who can step up and play. The man in the middle once again will be junior Jeff Smart (6-0, 210), who started the last nine games a year ago and finished third on the team with 80 tackles. At times, Smart flashed skills that made his coaches do a double take on the sidelines.
"In the Independence Bowl, we were going, 'Look at that play Jordon made. Oh wait, that was Jeff Smart.' He is fully capable of having a Jordon-type season," Hawkins said. On the strong side, senior Brad Jones (6-3, 255) is being pushed for the top job by sophomore B.J. Beatty (6-2, 220). Jones started all 12 games last year, finishing with 72 tackles, two sacks and two TFL, but Beatty was chosen the team's most improved defensive lineman in spring practice, setting up an intriguing battle in August.
"Those two guys will compete for the job in the fall," Collins said. "B.J. doesn't have a whole lot of experience, but he played very well this spring. Brad does have a lot of experience -- he is a two-year starter at that position, and he lost a little ground in the spring. But Brad is a very talented person, and if he does what he's supposed to do over the summer, Brad will be playing a lot of football for us."
On the weak side, junior Marcus Burton (6-0, 255) is the leading candidate to replace Dizon, but he'll be pushed by junior Bryan Stengel (6-2, 225), freshman Jon Major (6-3, 225) from Ponderosa High School in Parker, Colo., and junior Shaun Mohler (6-3, 225), the only junior-college transfer -- he joins the program from Orange Coast College in California.
Others in the mix include sophomore Michael Sipili (6-1, 255), sophomore Nate Vaiomounga (5-10, 210), and redshirt freshmen Tyler Ahles (6-2, 240), Josh Hartigan (6-1, 205), David Goldberg (6-1, 230) and Brandon Gouin (6-1, 210).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The much-maligned secondary made some strides last year, as opponents' completion percentage dropped almost 10 points -- from 66.9 to 57.3 percent -- but Colorado still ranked No. 103 in the country in passing yards allowed, leaving some work to be done, especially against the pass-happy spread offenses that are emerging in the Big 12. "You just try to get your best athletes on the field," Collins said. "I think to a certain extent you've got to be able to match up with the offense, and you've got to be able to change up your defense so they don't always get a bead on what you're in."
Cornerback Terrence Wheatley finished his career as a consensus first-team All-Big 12 choice and a third-team All-America pick by Rivals.com. Wheatley, who was a second-round draft pick of the New England Patriots, was chosen the national defensive player of the week after picking off three passes in the Texas Tech game, and finished the year with 42 tackles, 10 passes broken up and a team-high five interceptions.
"Terrence is very fast, and he had a lot of starting experience, so the speed element and the experience we're going to miss quite a bit," Collins said.
Reserve safety Lionel Harris, who started the final two games last year and finished with 23 tackles and two picks, also is gone, but the Buffs welcome the return of senior free-safety Ryan Walters (6-0, 200), who missed the last two games with injuries that also kept him out of spring drills. Last year, Walters had 63 tackles, five passes defended and an interception.
"He's definitely our leader out there," Collins said. "He's a good athlete, a smart, intelligent football player. He has a very good grasp of the defense, and he's our vocal guy back there."
At strong safety, senior D.J. Dykes (6-2, 210) is back after starting all 12 games and finishing second on the team with 83 tackles last year. He'll be joined in the secondary by senior cornerback Gardner McKay (5-11, 165), who started last two games last season, and junior cornerback Cha'pelle Brown (5-7, 180), who served as the Buffs' nickel back a year ago. Brown will probably fill in for injured senior Benjamin Burney (5-11, 190), who started all 12 games last year and had 55 tackles and eight passes defensed, but could redshirt this fall after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.
Top reserves include sophomore cornerbacks sophomore Jimmy Smith (6-2, 195) and Jalil Brown (6-1, 205), and redshirt freshmen safeties Anthony Perkins (5-10, 190), Matt Meyer (5-9, 190) and Travis Sandersfeld (6-0, 190). Perkins was chosen the team's most improved defensive back in spring practice and should have a good shot at winning the nickel or dime back job in two-a-days.
Red-shirt freshmen Anthony Wright (6-0, 185), Lamont Smith (5-8, 160) and Jonathan Hawkins (5-11, 185) will be getting their first taste of college football this fall, while two injured veterans who missed all of spring drills should return in time to contribute -- sophomore safety Bret Smith (5-11, 190), who had knee surgery in the offseason and could be back by mid-September, and senior safety Joel Adams (5-11, 175), who had offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to return by the start of two-a-days.
PUNTERS
Junior Matt DiLallo (6-1, 190) is back for his third year as the starting punter. The left-footer averaged 40.1 yards on 61 punts and dropped 22 punts inside the 20 against only three touchbacks. Senior Tom Suazo (5-10, 185) will provide competition.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior Justin Drescher (6-1, 230) returns at long snapper, while McKnight has experience at holder. Wheatley and Charles were the top kickoff returners last fall -- their replacements will come from a group that includes Josh Smith, Williams, McKnight, and Cha'pelle Brown.
On punt returns, the Buffs lost Chase McBride, who averaged 9.6 yards on 33 attempts and had a 31-yard return that set up the game-winning field goal against Oklahoma. Espinoza, Smith and Dykes are among the candidates to handle those duties this fall.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
The Buffaloes get no favors from their schedule this year, with home games against West Virginia and Texas, a neutral-site game against Colorado State, and six road games that include trips to Kansas, Missouri, Texas A&M and Nebraska.
<!-- INLINE TABLE (BEGIN) -->
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=180 align=right border=0>
<TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=2><CENTER>Grading the Buffaloes</CENTER></TH>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=110>Unit</TD>
<TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width=50><CENTER>Grade</CENTER></TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Offense
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>C+</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Special teams
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>B-</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Defense
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>C</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top>
<TD width=110>
Intangibles
</TD>
<TD width=50>
<CENTER>B</CENTER>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<!-- INLINE TABLE (END) -->
The offense should be improved with a renewed focus on cutting down on turnovers, but the running game remains a question mark with the upheaval on the line. Defensively, the loss of Dizon and Wheatley and their injury troubles could be too much to overcome. Another 6-6 season might be Colorado's ceiling this year.
Colorado Buffaloes
<!-- end top part --><!-- begin table --><TABLE cellSpacing=0><TBODY><TR><TD>LOCATION</TD><TD>Boulder, Colo.</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>CONFERENCE</TD><TD>Big 12 (North)</TD></TR><TR><TD>LAST SEASON</TD><TD>6-7 (.462)</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>CONFERENCE RECORD</TD><TD>4-4 (3rd)</TD></TR><TR><TD>OFF. STARTERS RETURNING</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>DEF. STARTERS RETURNING</TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>NICKNAME</TD><TD>Buffaloes</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>COLORS</TD><TD>Silver, Gold & Black</TD></TR><TR><TD>HOME FIELD</TD><TD>Folsom Field (53,750)</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>HEAD COACH</TD><TD>Dan Hawkins (UC-Davis '84)</TD></TR><TR><TD>RECORD AT SCHOOL</TD><TD>8-17 (2 years)</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>CAREER RECORD</TD><TD>61-28 (7 years)</TD></TR><TR><TD>ASSISTANTS</TD><TD align=left>• Brian Cabral (Colorado '78), Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers
• Jeff Grimes (UTEP '89), Assistant Head Coach/ Running Game Coordinator/ Offensive Line
• Mark Helfrich (Southern Oregon '96), Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Ron Collins (Washington State '87), Defensive Coordinator
• Romeo Bandison (Oregon '94), Defensive Line
• Greg Brown (UTEP '80), Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Secondary
• Darian Hagan (Colorado '96), Running Backs
• Eric Kiesau (Portland State '96), Passing Game Coordinator/Receivers
• Kent Riddle (Oregon State '91), Tight Ends/Special Teams
</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>TEAM WINS (Last five yrs.)</TD><TD>5-8-7-2-6</TD></TR><TR><TD>FINAL RANK (Last five yrs.) </TD><TD>62-26-44-78-64</TD></TR><TR class=io-evenRow><TD>2007 FINISH</TD><TD>Lost to Alabama in Independence Bowl.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=8>Football Schedule and Results</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD>DATE </TD><TD>OPPONENT </TD><TD>RESULT/TIME </TD><TD>RECORD/TICKETS </TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>August 31</TD><TD>Colorado State </TD><TD>7:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>September 6</TD><TD>Eastern Washington </TD><TD>3:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>September 18</TD><TD>West Virginia </TD><TD>8:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>September 27</TD><TD>at Florida State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>October 4</TD><TD>Texas </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>October 11</TD><TD>at Kansas </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>October 18</TD><TD>Kansas State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>October 25</TD><TD>at Missouri </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>November 1</TD><TD>at Texas A&M </TD><TD>2:00 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>November 8</TD><TD>Iowa State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>November 15</TD><TD>Oklahoma State </TD><TD>TBA </TD><TD>Tickets</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>November 28</TD><TD>at Nebraska </TD><TD>3:30 PM ET </TD><TD>Tickets</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
