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Woelk: KU game a crossroads for Buffaloes
Break down any college football team's schedule and you'll find a couple of games that go a long way in defining a season.
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Dan Hawkins' Colorado Buffaloes have one of those today.
This is a game the Buffs aren't supposed to win (they are 14-point underdogs), but one they believe is well within their reach. A loss would by no means ruin the season (3-3 at the halfway point), but a win would be a huge boost.
More than anything, however, a win today against No. 16 Kansas would signal that Colorado is moving closer to becoming a serious player in the Big 12 again.
In today's topsy-turvy college football landscape (Vanderbilt is unbeaten and ranked; Nebraska is simplyrank), those steps forward do not come easily. When your team is young, inexperienced and trying to fill injury-riddled spots on a weekly basis, such advances are even more difficult.
But no one will give the Buffs sympathy points in Lawrence.
Colorado needs a strong, consistent effort today. The Buffs haven't put together a solid overall game since an overtime win over West Virginia -- and even then, the offense by no means resembled a well-oiled machine.
Simply, it's time for the Buffs to prove they are getting better.
A friend of mine who pays close attention to such things recently happened upon a replay of last year's Oklahoma-Colorado matchup while surfing the tube. He noted that in the second half of that game, CU's offense ran more smoothly than it has at any time this year.
That's not how it's supposed to work. Colorado's offense should be getting consistently better, not treading water or going backward.
No doubt, Colorado had a more experienced offensive line a year ago, and one that was healthy. But six games into this season, it's not unreasonable to expect an offense to operate efficiently.
We know that Hawk and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich are constantly tinkering, adding new wrinkles that will someday -- hopefully -- give the Buffs a versatile, hard-to-defend attack. They shouldn't shortchange the long-term plan, particularly with an ever-growing quiver of offensive weapons. The more they incorporate those weapons, the better off they'll be.
But there also comes a time when simplifying the attack for the sake of being competitive is a sensible approach.
Today's game could very well be one of those crossroads affairs that people will remember long after the season is over. The Kansas game certainly filled the bill in that regard a year ago.
When the Jayhawks came to Boulder in 2007, the Buffs were 4-3, with wins in three of their four previous games. Colorado let a golden opportunity for a win slip away, and the KU game became Colorado's second loss in a 1-4 stretch that almost eliminated the Buffs from bowl contention.
Certainly, the loss haunted CU's players and staff the entire offseason. It proved to be one of those game that could have turned a decent season into a very good one.
Today's game meets the same criteria.
Not many folks expected Colorado to be any better than 3-3 at the midway point. But while a 3-0 start changed those expectations, an 0-3 stretch to follow that up would certainly negate all the momentum of that quick start.
It would be back to square one.
One of Hawkins' favorite points of emphasis is that of progress. Victories, he says, are simply a by-product of steady improvement.
There's been no steady improvement this year. Progress has come in fits and starts.
Today, Colorado's offense needs to take that step. No more mistakes from players lining up in the wrong place. Consistency must become part of the equation instead of the missing link.
Meanwhile, CU's defense needs to continue to do what it's done this far: play well enough to keep the Buffs in the game. Any slipup in that department, and the Buffs could see this one get away in a hurry.
No doubt, CU's patchwork offensive line makes the goal of consistency exponentially more difficult.
But if the Buffs are indeed going to take the correct turn at today's crossroads, they need to overcome those obstacles and move forward.
After all, nobody said it was going to be easy.
Posted by mulder1010 on October 11, 2008 at 1:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Neil---- Crossroads? Maybe. I still think the one way to fix things is by going out and blasting a team at the line of scrimmage. GO run the ball a bunch on KU. Get Scott, Stewart or whomever 20-25 carries. Be consistant in the run game. Hawk gets too cute at times. Make KU put 9 in the box and then pass. I expect a close game, CU can win this one if they pound KU on the ground. Let Cody throw when he is comfortable.
Posted by thefishheadsoup on October 11, 2008 at 7:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mulder - you're absolutely right in that the only thing that has looked potentially great for the buffs is stewart running the ball. the games we have won have been with D and qausi-ball control. the vaunted hawkins/helfrich offensive geniuses have yet to show an offense.
i think you have the prescription for a W. the questions are: will daddy and helfrich scheme it up and implement it and can the young, beat up O line handle it?.
Posted by thefishheadsoup on October 11, 2008 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Neil - you are stretching it a bit with the "ever growing quiver of weapons" bit and how helfrich and hawk are tinkering with the O. your friend's observation is correct: the O has not made the progress fans would expect from the vaunted "offensive geniuses."
quiver of weapons = smith, stewart, scott. beyond that?
Posted by bufffan8 on October 11, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Scott is a weapon? what exactly has he done this year?
Posted by buffalo_flyer on October 11, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
one post, come on man, get your shite together
smith, stewart, scott, hansen, miller, espinoza, deehan, mariner, etc...
not surprised that you dont know who is on this team, typical joker that looks at the final win loss record as a guage of progress, here's a clue, look at the big-12, toughest conference in the nation this year
KU is my pick to take out MU and OU and run to the BCS. Mangino has shown that when fans have patience and let the coaches put a team together, good things happen (like BCS wins over VT)
Posted by thefishheadsoup on October 11, 2008 at 7:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mangino has shown what mangino can do. i don't need to make lists to sound like a fan.
you're a joke flyer.
you have excuses. i have expectations.
Posted by vkberlinn on October 11, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
flyer your rudeness is not relevant, like yourself. Rude Fan that you are. Know it all neophyte. You must be a lib.
Your rectanator is popping off again.
No reason to attack someone cause they are smarter than you.
Go Buffs.
Uh Oh Buffaloes
Posted by buffalo_flyer on October 11, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
funny that you would broach the subject of rudeness vk, your attempts at prose on the boards is pathetic at best, go back to hollering about the cream and corn
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on October 11, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Flyer - Do you disagree with Fish or are you just trying to insult him because he's pretty balanced in his analysis of the team and the coach?
Fish - Don't forget the rules here: no objectivity allowed when it comes to Coach Dad!
Posted by vkberlinn on October 11, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
flyer you are a rude dude Hose prose wagon.
go buffs
whos do not forget the rules here " if you do not agree with fly and ep and the other 5 who believe they are the "monitors of the buff nation attitude and this board" you will be attacked.
And if you fight back you will be labeled as anti buff, anti hawkins and now matter what you say or how you say it, these guys will attack you.
Just how it is. ignore em.
Uh Oh Buffaloes
cream gets reamed
Posted by buffalo_flyer on October 11, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"the games we have won have been with D and qausi-ball control. the vaunted hawkins/helfrich offensive geniuses have yet to show an offense."
I disagree, the games we have won have been with a healthy offensive line. The defense has shown up in every game and will continue to show up as we are stacked with seniors.
Posted by vkberlinn on October 11, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the Helfrich offense is offensive. It has not improved as Neils buddy says. Worse maybe.
Offensive line is hurt. Adapt, improvise kick butt.
Sometimes it appears the H play is to play "not to lose" and only go agressive when they are in "play to catch up"
40 to kick off pleasee H "make my day"
Posted by vkberlinn on October 11, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
START QTR POSS. YARD PLAYS YARDS RESULT
12:00 1 02:28 COL 26 5 13 Punt
07:42 1 01:07 KU 35 3 17 Interception
05:04 1 01:49 KU 28 5 28 Passing Touchdown
14:09 2 02:09 COL 21 5 25 Punt
08:56 2 00:49 COL 17 3 -17 Safety
06:24 2 05:20 COL 20 11 53 Interception
cody is a backup qb and probably a great one.
The pain the pain. Where is the other qb?
Posted by MarquetteBuff on October 11, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That lame "simply rank" line about Nebraska looks even more lame now. They may have lost today, but they look much much closer than we do. You really get the feeling that this season is slipping away. It's hard to see where they are going to find 3 more wins; now even at A&M seems like a toss up at best.
Posted by JohnCronin on October 11, 2008 at 6:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This year is hard to get a handle on. Cody would need to transfer to truly be gone and then it would mean someone had wanted to come here under the feeling that you would back up the coaches son. I mean who the heck is the back up QB? This is a bad situation. One funny thing--Remember when Cody was first reportedly deciding between Boise State and CU? LOL!! He would never, ever play at BSU! Its debatable that the top 3 QBs there are better than him! Boise State. Please. Dont get me wrong, I understand he could have gone there and made the team but he would never, ever play.
Posted by WhosYourDaddy on October 11, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cronin - You're right! Many Buff fans just can't seem to see Cody's athletic limitations.
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