A hearty congratulations to the Volleyball team for their well-deserved selection to the NCAA tournament. It was a program-defining season for ladies that saw them upset three ranked teams and finish seventh in a league that sent 75% of its members to the dance. For their efforts, they were awarded the equivalent of an 11-seed, and will play old Big XII rival Iowa State in Minneapolis on Friday at 3:30 MT. Not too shabby.
Go Buffs! Beat those Cyclones!
--
Today in the bag, I'm recapping the basketball win over Air Force, putting the 2013 football season to bed, and taking a look around the nation of football.
Click below for the bag...
Showing posts with label thank God football season is over. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thank God football season is over. Show all posts
Monday, December 2, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
2013 Utah Football Preview
This is it, we've reached the end. Farewell football season.
--
Kickoff from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City is set for high noon on Saturday. You can catch the action on Pac-12 Networks, with the radio call on 850 KOA. Feel free to throw yourself into the game as you would normally, but, remember, the CU/Air Force basketball game tips at 2pm... plan your exit strategy accordingly.
Click below for the preview...
If you absolutely need an answer to the question 'was this season successful,' even before the final game is played, I think I can safely answer 'yes.' Going back to my 2013 wishlist post from August, you'll find the team has already checked off four of the six boxes, with a solid chance of seeing a fifth when Paul Richardson is drafted in at least the third round of the upcoming NFL draft. Progress on the sixth, the facilities project is still nebulous (though I've heard some positive whispers), but the key thing to focus on is that the team on the field met or exceeded every expectation.
While the Buffs never beat a team they weren't supposed to, they are at least finding wins against those they should beat. A step forward from years past. If they pull an upset this Saturday in Utah, I'll give the year a solid B+. If not, I'll leave it a B, and happily forget about football till late July.
--
Kickoff from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City is set for high noon on Saturday. You can catch the action on Pac-12 Networks, with the radio call on 850 KOA. Feel free to throw yourself into the game as you would normally, but, remember, the CU/Air Force basketball game tips at 2pm... plan your exit strategy accordingly.
Click below for the preview...
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
On Signing Day 2013
It's National Signing Day. All across the country, college football fans are collectively drooling at the meat-market parade of new talent lining up to join their favorite programs. In Boulder, however, the reception is, well, rather muted.
Not once since the rise of the recruiting age has the first Wednesday in February landed with such a thud in Chief Niwot's valley. There will be no televised signing extravaganzas featuring Ralphie this afternoon, no Black and Gold hats being plucked off of tables on ESPNU. A product of the program's declining fortunes, a harried transition class, and a lack of nationally ranked recruits, Signing Day has been reduced in the eyes of many in BuffNation to mild distraction worthy of only a shoulder shrug.
Coach Mike MacIntyre is expected to put the finishing touches on a class considered by most to be the worst in the Pac-12 by signing 17 or 18 kids today. Of that group, none are rated higher than 3-stars by Rivals, and only three are nationally ranked amongst their position. The Buffs famously failed to even get a visit from a four or five star recruit this cycle, with even in-state talent taking a pass. This underscores not only who was (or, more importantly, wasn't) listening, but who the coaching staff was targeting.
Sure, recruiting services are in the business of selling an image circle-jerk, but image has an unhealthy habit of influencing reality over a large sample size. If recruiting were fishing, this would be a haul of minnows and guppies.
That's not to say these bait fish can't eventually grow up to be whoppers. Plenty of unheralded recruits have come to Boulder and done well in recent years - Scotty McKnight, Jordan Dizon, Rodney Stewart, Jalil Brown, David Bakhtiari to name a few. I'd rather not have to depend on a diamond-in-the-rough crapshoot, but it is what it is.
Despite the lack of national attention, there are a few commits who catch my eye. WR Devin Ross, QB Sefo Liufau, WR Bryce Bobo, DE Markeis Reed and OL Gunnar Graham all look promising on paper. Local (Denver South) RB product Phillip Lindsay also intrigues me, and comes to CU after a record-setting high school career. Unfortunately, an ACL tear has set his growth back.
Additionally, Coach Mike MacIntyre lured former San Jose State commits/targets ATH Kenneth Olugbode, ATH Ryan Severson, and RB Michael Adkins to Boulder, beefing up the class over the last month. Another, DB Chidobe Awuzie, made for a nice Signing Day surprise. (Another SD surprise was the signing of safety Tedric Thompson. Nice get for the staff)
I'm sure they're all great kids, and I'm proud that they've chosen to attend my alma mater, but I can't help but look at the group as gap-fillers, rather than impact players. I wouldn't expect too many of them to contribute as freshmen, even with playing time available up-and-down the depth chart (Wideout and defensive backs are notable exceptions).
Regardless of the success or failure of this group, both in the immediacy, and the long-term, I'm not going to hold it against MikeMac. Transition classes are usually shaky, and, unlike Embree's transition, MacIntyre has had relatively few available scholarships to play with (He chose to honor the previous staff's commitments, eating many possible spots). This class was, and is, mostly an Embree production. I'll give him the credit/blame accordingly.
Next year will be far more telling in terms of Mac 2.0's recruiting skill, or lack thereof.
Not once since the rise of the recruiting age has the first Wednesday in February landed with such a thud in Chief Niwot's valley. There will be no televised signing extravaganzas featuring Ralphie this afternoon, no Black and Gold hats being plucked off of tables on ESPNU. A product of the program's declining fortunes, a harried transition class, and a lack of nationally ranked recruits, Signing Day has been reduced in the eyes of many in BuffNation to mild distraction worthy of only a shoulder shrug.
Coach Mike MacIntyre is expected to put the finishing touches on a class considered by most to be the worst in the Pac-12 by signing 17 or 18 kids today. Of that group, none are rated higher than 3-stars by Rivals, and only three are nationally ranked amongst their position. The Buffs famously failed to even get a visit from a four or five star recruit this cycle, with even in-state talent taking a pass. This underscores not only who was (or, more importantly, wasn't) listening, but who the coaching staff was targeting.
 |
| Coach MikeMac had precious few slots to fill, and few impact players would take his call. From: the Post |
That's not to say these bait fish can't eventually grow up to be whoppers. Plenty of unheralded recruits have come to Boulder and done well in recent years - Scotty McKnight, Jordan Dizon, Rodney Stewart, Jalil Brown, David Bakhtiari to name a few. I'd rather not have to depend on a diamond-in-the-rough crapshoot, but it is what it is.
Despite the lack of national attention, there are a few commits who catch my eye. WR Devin Ross, QB Sefo Liufau, WR Bryce Bobo, DE Markeis Reed and OL Gunnar Graham all look promising on paper. Local (Denver South) RB product Phillip Lindsay also intrigues me, and comes to CU after a record-setting high school career. Unfortunately, an ACL tear has set his growth back.
 |
| Lindsay is a rare local star who will sign with CU. From: Maxpreps |
I'm sure they're all great kids, and I'm proud that they've chosen to attend my alma mater, but I can't help but look at the group as gap-fillers, rather than impact players. I wouldn't expect too many of them to contribute as freshmen, even with playing time available up-and-down the depth chart (Wideout and defensive backs are notable exceptions).
 |
| Outside of a few players, like QB Sefo Liufau, I'm unimpressed by this class. From: TRR |
Next year will be far more telling in terms of Mac 2.0's recruiting skill, or lack thereof.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
On Mike MacIntyre
Alright, time to talk myself into yet another football coach.
After two weeks of searching - and a few misleads - the Buffs finally have their new coach. Welcome aboard Mike MacIntyre! No, not the dopey British comedian -- the dude from San Jose State. (Yep, San Jose State. Deal with it.) For $2 million per year in salary, another $2.6 million for the staff, and upwards of $200 million in facilities improvement commitments, I hope you're worth all the trouble.
So, what are we to make of this, the third CU coach in three seasons? On the surface, Coach Mac v. 2.0 seems eerily similar to Dan Hawkins. Blond, bowl-cut, success in the WAC, press calling him a 'home run,' a son who apparently plays QB. (Hell, to my ear, he even sounds a little like him) Dig a little deeper, however, and he appears as a completely different coach.
Mike comes from a very respected coaching tree, having learned under the great Bill Parcels, while toiling for the Dallas Cowboys. He also has experience recruiting in the SEC (Ole Miss), and received national recognition for his work as Duke's defensive coordinator in '09. His extended resume is solid on multiple levels, and far deeper than either of his recent predecessors.
What's more, he's also not a 'program' hire. His success at SJSU wasn't built upon the backs of others, or dependent on a pre-built foundation. He took over a truly awful San Jose State program, one that was on the verge of dissolution, and dragged them from one win to 10 wins in only three seasons.
His victories at SJSU were not won through gimmicks, they were hard fought, and well earned. Coach MikeMac knows what it's like to dig into a rough situation, and make headway quickly. That's something that neither Hawk nor Embree could claim heading into the CU job.
Hell, he even knows a thing or two about beating up on CSU! What's not to like?
There are some red flags. Most alarming is that his renaissance at San Jose State came during a period where the WAC disintegrated to the point that there was little legitimate competition to challenge the Spartans this season. That's about as far from BCS as you can get. Additionally, during his introductory press conference, he openly admitted to knowing nothing about the current roster or recruiting targets. His practical head-coaching resume is soft, and he is a Colorado neophyte.
But, beyond that, he seems like a solid hire, a man with a plan, who's ready to do the hard work required to save this sinking ship. He sounds like the kind of guy who will bring in real culture change. Not just platitudes, or the unearthing of antiquated tradition. Real, honest-to-God, culture change.
Of course, this could be another case of smoke and mirrors, another trap door ready to plunge this beleaguered program into another abyss. It would take a fool to be blindly optimistic about the prospects of this program, considering what has transpired over the last decade.
In the end, however, I'm a Buff. I'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any man who wants to take a swing. Butch Jones was uncomfortable with the effort required to step up to the plate, Jon Embree wasn't capable of standing upright in the box when the pitch came in, and Dan Hawkins swung and missed at a bad curveball in the dirt. The Buffs are down to their last strike, with two outs, and a runner on first. Can Mac 2.0 start a two-out rally all by himself?
'I'm ready for this -- how about you?'
--
"Sounds... seems"
We're all guessing here. I don't know if MikeMac is the guy, anymore than his detractors know that he isn't. For what it's worth, I expect him to be gone in four years - one way, or the other (an SEC guy isn't going to become a Boulder lifer, afterall).
The point is this: he's about as good a hire as could be made in this situation. Despite big-money, above-market offers to coaches like Charlie Strong, Butch Jones, and Dan Mullen, no one in a comfortable situation wanted to come here. If there was any doubt that CU sat on a shaky foundation before, the whining baby routine played by the Buffs4Life crew in recent weeks cemented that opinion, and poisoned the hiring well. As a result, anyone still out there whining that Mike Bohn didn't land a whale is just being childishly unrealistic (*cough* Alfred Williams *cough*).
The media in this town spent the last two weeks telling the whole world how buffoonish and lousy the CU AD was, and then complained when no one wanted to jump into the situation. How did you expect this would play out? You're part of the problem!
No, the Denver/Boulder media doesn't owe a damn thing to CU. But it does serve their interests for the Buffs to be a vibrant, competitive product. Bashing what goes down up on the Hill will spike the needle for a few days, but nothing generates hits, viewers, and readers like a winner. I'm not saying that the media needs to be beholden to the Buffs - certainly, call them out for their shit when appropriate - but they need to understand their role in helping this dying program save itself from extinction.
You all may now go back to forgetting about the Buffs, and return to your regular all-Broncos-all-the-time format.
After two weeks of searching - and a few misleads - the Buffs finally have their new coach. Welcome aboard Mike MacIntyre! No, not the dopey British comedian -- the dude from San Jose State. (Yep, San Jose State. Deal with it.) For $2 million per year in salary, another $2.6 million for the staff, and upwards of $200 million in facilities improvement commitments, I hope you're worth all the trouble.
 |
| Well, we're movin' on up! From: CUBuffs.com |
Mike comes from a very respected coaching tree, having learned under the great Bill Parcels, while toiling for the Dallas Cowboys. He also has experience recruiting in the SEC (Ole Miss), and received national recognition for his work as Duke's defensive coordinator in '09. His extended resume is solid on multiple levels, and far deeper than either of his recent predecessors.
What's more, he's also not a 'program' hire. His success at SJSU wasn't built upon the backs of others, or dependent on a pre-built foundation. He took over a truly awful San Jose State program, one that was on the verge of dissolution, and dragged them from one win to 10 wins in only three seasons.
"The San Jose State football program definitely does offer special hurdles -- some would call them obstacle courses with brick walls topped by barbed wire -- compared to others in the top tier of college football. It is why the Spartans have had only three winning seasons in the past 20 years." (-link)Anyone with a pulse would admit that, while coaching at CU can be a golden opportunity, it also presents a peculiar set of challenges. MacIntyre, through his time building at SJSU, is familiar with how to work around road blocks, and seems as seasoned as any in the gritty work of building something out of nothing.
His victories at SJSU were not won through gimmicks, they were hard fought, and well earned. Coach MikeMac knows what it's like to dig into a rough situation, and make headway quickly. That's something that neither Hawk nor Embree could claim heading into the CU job.
| He won at SJSU, which many thought was an impossibility. |
There are some red flags. Most alarming is that his renaissance at San Jose State came during a period where the WAC disintegrated to the point that there was little legitimate competition to challenge the Spartans this season. That's about as far from BCS as you can get. Additionally, during his introductory press conference, he openly admitted to knowing nothing about the current roster or recruiting targets. His practical head-coaching resume is soft, and he is a Colorado neophyte.
But, beyond that, he seems like a solid hire, a man with a plan, who's ready to do the hard work required to save this sinking ship. He sounds like the kind of guy who will bring in real culture change. Not just platitudes, or the unearthing of antiquated tradition. Real, honest-to-God, culture change.
Of course, this could be another case of smoke and mirrors, another trap door ready to plunge this beleaguered program into another abyss. It would take a fool to be blindly optimistic about the prospects of this program, considering what has transpired over the last decade.
In the end, however, I'm a Buff. I'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any man who wants to take a swing. Butch Jones was uncomfortable with the effort required to step up to the plate, Jon Embree wasn't capable of standing upright in the box when the pitch came in, and Dan Hawkins swung and missed at a bad curveball in the dirt. The Buffs are down to their last strike, with two outs, and a runner on first. Can Mac 2.0 start a two-out rally all by himself?
'I'm ready for this -- how about you?'
--
"Sounds... seems"
We're all guessing here. I don't know if MikeMac is the guy, anymore than his detractors know that he isn't. For what it's worth, I expect him to be gone in four years - one way, or the other (an SEC guy isn't going to become a Boulder lifer, afterall).
The point is this: he's about as good a hire as could be made in this situation. Despite big-money, above-market offers to coaches like Charlie Strong, Butch Jones, and Dan Mullen, no one in a comfortable situation wanted to come here. If there was any doubt that CU sat on a shaky foundation before, the whining baby routine played by the Buffs4Life crew in recent weeks cemented that opinion, and poisoned the hiring well. As a result, anyone still out there whining that Mike Bohn didn't land a whale is just being childishly unrealistic (*cough* Alfred Williams *cough*).
The media in this town spent the last two weeks telling the whole world how buffoonish and lousy the CU AD was, and then complained when no one wanted to jump into the situation. How did you expect this would play out? You're part of the problem!
No, the Denver/Boulder media doesn't owe a damn thing to CU. But it does serve their interests for the Buffs to be a vibrant, competitive product. Bashing what goes down up on the Hill will spike the needle for a few days, but nothing generates hits, viewers, and readers like a winner. I'm not saying that the media needs to be beholden to the Buffs - certainly, call them out for their shit when appropriate - but they need to understand their role in helping this dying program save itself from extinction.
You all may now go back to forgetting about the Buffs, and return to your regular all-Broncos-all-the-time format.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Air Force Teaser
If you have any doubt that early season rankings are useless, check out CBSSports.com's current RPI standings. The Buffs currently boast the #1 RPI in the country, ahead of teams like Duke and Indiana which, I'm obligated to say, are much better than the Buffs are. We all know that the RPI is generally a joke, and a poor indicator of how good a team really is, but that's a little absurd.
Included on that list is tomorrow's opponent Air Force, quietly tucked in at #3, and benefiting from wins over three bottom-feeding D-1 opponents. That lofty standing certainly won't last, as not only will Air Force eventually struggle against higher-level opponents, but the three teams they beat will eventually begin to rack up some pretty horrifying losses. For the record, all-mighty Kenpom has them at #139.
Still, this is the type of game I love to see pop up on the schedule. A regional opponent from a decent conference means a positive addition to the resume. Air Force won't blow the barn doors off this season, but they have enough talent to challenge for a top 150 RPI finish, making for good November value.
Tip-off is set for 6pm tomorrow evening, with television coverage set for Pac-12 Networks, and radio coverage on AM 760. If you're planning on going, you'd better get some tickets fast, because they're going to be very scarce at the door, if available at all.
--
The Buffs, of course, are coming in off a week of rest following their spectacular run to the title in Charleston. Just because games weren't being played, however, doesn't mean the Buffs were deep in hibernation the last seven days. Sophomore sensation, and Charleston MVP, Askia Booker crushed the gym mere hours after returning home, and the coaching staff were quick to remind all the Buffs that four quick wins are not a guarantee of future success. As Ski noted, "we're going to get everybody's best shot now."
The Falcons will certainly bring theirs Sunday evening, looking for only the second 6-0 start in program history. The Zoomies are coming in off of a 14-point win against Montana State, and are looking for a big non-conference skin to boost their post-season resume. The Buffs now provide just that opportunity.
--
In the middle of a tough 2011-12 campaign, Air Force fired five-year head man Jeff Reynolds. AF Athletic Director Hans Mueh was particularly blunt when discussing the reasons behind the move:
His interim replacement, career assistant Dave Pilipovich, had his interim tag ripped off at the end of last season. Good feelings quickly returned, and the team managed an upset over then-#15 San Diego State last February.
He hasn't changed much, in terms of on-court style, settling rather on "simplifying things," and "pushing the ball up the floor a little more." (emphasis mine) Still the Falcons, as is tradition, favor a measured offense (the program has been ranked in the high-300's in possessions per game since even before Jeff Bzdelik's tenure), preferring low-possession games, while eschewing any hopes of an offensive board in favor of getting back on defense. Your basic Princeton-style ethos.
--
The Falcon bench features a dizzying 21 kids, most having matriculated through the USAF's prep school as a pseudo "redshirt" year. The blessing and the curse of recruiting for military academy athletics - scholarships are nebulous since everyone's receiving free tuition anyway, but the military commitment limits the inherent recruiting advantage.
Of the 21, Michael Lyons is by far the biggest Falcon threat. The 6-5 senior guard out of Virginia torched the Buffs last season with a 31/7 night, and he's more than capable of duplicating that feat tomorrow evening. Despite an ankle sprain last season which both cost him six games, and continued to plague him during conference play, he's shown consistent quality when healthy. Through the team's first five games this season he's been averaging over 22 points per.
Other players to watch for are senior forward Taylor Broekhuis and senior point guard Todd Fletcher.
--
A veteran team like the Falcons, favoring a slow-measured pace, should pose an interesting challenge for the Buffs. Generally, it would behoove the Buffs to crack 70 points. Over the past four-plus seasons the Falcons have lost 32 of 37 games where their opponents scored 70 or more. The Buffs should look to get out in transition, squeeze some extra possessions out of the notoriously slow Falcons, and see if they can be the first to 70 on the evening.
Nothing less than total domination on the defensive glass will be acceptable. With the Falcons rarely going after second-looks (worst offensive rebounding percentage in the country last year), the Buffs can't afford to gift them any. To that end, last season the Buffs grabbed 32 defensive rebounds on 37 Falcon misses. That level of production needs to, and should, continue tomorrow.
On a side note, it'll be interesting to see how freshman Josh Scott, the son of two former Falcon athletes, plays against his home-town team. The matchups certainly lend themselves to a big game from the Springs native. He's going to be pumped up for this one, and the Buffs should focus on getting him the ball early to settle him down, and get him into the game.
I think all of the above happen. The Buffs crack 70 before Air Force, they dominate the defensive glass, and receive a big game from Jelly. Michael Lyons will go off for near 30 again, but his teammates won't be able to equal his efforts. Add it all up, and they should defend the #23 ranking by shaking off the pesky Falcons for a solid win.
CU 74 - AF 65
GO BUFFS! BEAT AIR FORCE!
Included on that list is tomorrow's opponent Air Force, quietly tucked in at #3, and benefiting from wins over three bottom-feeding D-1 opponents. That lofty standing certainly won't last, as not only will Air Force eventually struggle against higher-level opponents, but the three teams they beat will eventually begin to rack up some pretty horrifying losses. For the record, all-mighty Kenpom has them at #139.
Still, this is the type of game I love to see pop up on the schedule. A regional opponent from a decent conference means a positive addition to the resume. Air Force won't blow the barn doors off this season, but they have enough talent to challenge for a top 150 RPI finish, making for good November value.
Tip-off is set for 6pm tomorrow evening, with television coverage set for Pac-12 Networks, and radio coverage on AM 760. If you're planning on going, you'd better get some tickets fast, because they're going to be very scarce at the door, if available at all.
--
The Buffs, of course, are coming in off a week of rest following their spectacular run to the title in Charleston. Just because games weren't being played, however, doesn't mean the Buffs were deep in hibernation the last seven days. Sophomore sensation, and Charleston MVP, Askia Booker crushed the gym mere hours after returning home, and the coaching staff were quick to remind all the Buffs that four quick wins are not a guarantee of future success. As Ski noted, "we're going to get everybody's best shot now."
 |
| Success breeds challengers, and a tournament title and an early-season ranking will certainly do that. From: the Daily |
--
In the middle of a tough 2011-12 campaign, Air Force fired five-year head man Jeff Reynolds. AF Athletic Director Hans Mueh was particularly blunt when discussing the reasons behind the move:
"I could care less if they don't win another game. I care a lot about their atmosphere and attitude out on the floor. I want them to jump up and high-five each other. I want them to smile when they're playing. I can't continue to allow the athletes on the court to just go through the motions and not have fun playing the game." - linkYeesh, sounds like Reynolds had worn out his welcome, big time.
His interim replacement, career assistant Dave Pilipovich, had his interim tag ripped off at the end of last season. Good feelings quickly returned, and the team managed an upset over then-#15 San Diego State last February.
 |
| Coach Pilipovich has the Falcons soaring high in the RPI to start the season. |
--
The Falcon bench features a dizzying 21 kids, most having matriculated through the USAF's prep school as a pseudo "redshirt" year. The blessing and the curse of recruiting for military academy athletics - scholarships are nebulous since everyone's receiving free tuition anyway, but the military commitment limits the inherent recruiting advantage.
Of the 21, Michael Lyons is by far the biggest Falcon threat. The 6-5 senior guard out of Virginia torched the Buffs last season with a 31/7 night, and he's more than capable of duplicating that feat tomorrow evening. Despite an ankle sprain last season which both cost him six games, and continued to plague him during conference play, he's shown consistent quality when healthy. Through the team's first five games this season he's been averaging over 22 points per.
 |
| Michael Lyons is a legit scoring threat. He's the kind of guard who can play on almost any team in the country. |
--
A veteran team like the Falcons, favoring a slow-measured pace, should pose an interesting challenge for the Buffs. Generally, it would behoove the Buffs to crack 70 points. Over the past four-plus seasons the Falcons have lost 32 of 37 games where their opponents scored 70 or more. The Buffs should look to get out in transition, squeeze some extra possessions out of the notoriously slow Falcons, and see if they can be the first to 70 on the evening.
Nothing less than total domination on the defensive glass will be acceptable. With the Falcons rarely going after second-looks (worst offensive rebounding percentage in the country last year), the Buffs can't afford to gift them any. To that end, last season the Buffs grabbed 32 defensive rebounds on 37 Falcon misses. That level of production needs to, and should, continue tomorrow.
On a side note, it'll be interesting to see how freshman Josh Scott, the son of two former Falcon athletes, plays against his home-town team. The matchups certainly lend themselves to a big game from the Springs native. He's going to be pumped up for this one, and the Buffs should focus on getting him the ball early to settle him down, and get him into the game.
I think all of the above happen. The Buffs crack 70 before Air Force, they dominate the defensive glass, and receive a big game from Jelly. Michael Lyons will go off for near 30 again, but his teammates won't be able to equal his efforts. Add it all up, and they should defend the #23 ranking by shaking off the pesky Falcons for a solid win.
CU 74 - AF 65
GO BUFFS! BEAT AIR FORCE!
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