What I learned during Fall Camp

CU held its final fall practice open to the public yesterday.  With the kiddies streaming back to campus this weekend, the gates on the practice fields will swing shut, and the only conduit of information I will have access to over the next two weeks will be whatever finds its way onto the pages of Buffzone and the Denver Post.

Unfortunately, being the busy guy that I am (ha!), I was only able to make one full practice during camp, but that doesn't mean I wasn't following nearly every minute on Twitter and Allbuffs.  The following is a list of five things I learned over the past few weeks of practice:


Jon Embree is tired of this shit - Coach Embo is omnipresent when you head over to the practice fields.  He's constantly moving, coaching, and, above all else, yelling; and the rest of his coaching staff follows suit.  After 5 years of Hawk's meditative approach to practice and coaching, it can be a little jarring to hear the almost constant yelling (you're harshing my buzz, bra), but I'm starting to think that maybe what the program needed most of all was a wake up call.

Embo's been tired of a lot of shit this fall.  From: the BDC

THIS IS COLORADO FOOTBALL DAMNIT!


John Schrock may actually be something - I was really high on Stevie Joe Dorman after signing day, and Brent Burnette is the only QB on the roster with bowl experience, but it's little known walk-on John Schrock who will be the Buffs 3rd-string QB on opening night. 

Schrock may end up being CU's QB of the future.  From: the BDC

The thing is, the second I saw Schrock at practice I noticed something: he's legit.  The kid's got a good arm, plain and simple.  I only watched him in passing drills, but even then you could notice that he has the best arm of the 3 "other" QB's on the roster. I also continue to hear tales of his poise in the pocket, and his ability to pick up the offense. 

Could it really be that easy to find a QB?  Have him at 62-36, abscond him to a high school that doesn't throw the football, and he'll just fall into your lap? 

Just remember, a decade ago it was the highly rated Craig Ochs running away to Montana after shitting the bed against CSU that cleared the way for PWO Joel Klatt to step in a year later and lead the program for the next 3 years.  Weird shit happens in the QB slot.


Coach Bienemy is afraid of heights - Hold on, Coach!

From: the BDC

The Defense is too physical for the Offense - SliderNcider at Allbuffs got the word out yesterday, and I don't really know how to take that.  I've been generally pleased with the physicality of the D-line especially, but in this new age of "tough, man-football" it's a little disconcerting to hear that the offense is shying away from physical play.

There is a point to be made that, with 13-straight weeks of tough opponents ahead of the team, maybe too much contact right now isn't overly necessary, but I'd still like to hear that the offense, which is supposed to be predicated on a smash-mouth, run-first style, is comfortable with getting a little rough.


Will Oliver is the kicker we've been looking for - I don't want to put the cart too far ahead of the horse (since he's still a freshman, and hasn't made a collegiate kick yet), but Will Oliver may finally be the light at the end of the kicking tunnel for CU.  After 3 years of Aric Goodman and his gold shoes shanking nearly every kick, both in practice and out, it's nice to hear that the anointed first team kicker is consistent.  He may not have Mason Crosby's cannon-shot distance, but I'll take a kid who can consistently make a 35-yarder every day of the week, and twice on Saturday.

He's the real "money."  From: the BDC

Happy Friday!