The title says it all: Smith Must Take Next Step. Well, the story is finally out on Buffs WR Josh Smithh and why he has been on the bench during key parts of the game. The verdict: a shoulder injury and a lack of preparation by Josh Smith according to WR Coach Kiesau. Sounds like this is the response to Josh's issue with playing time and getting the ball. This about sums up the article:

"He's heard me and he's heard Hawk, and he's heard people tell him what it takes to become a great player, but now it has come to the point where Josh has got to realize that Josh has got to take some steps in his life to become that great player," Kiesau said. "Everybody can tell him how great he could be or the kind of potential he could have, but that all in my mind is just talk. I think he is realizing that now."

No more comparisons to Jeremy Maclin, JFly.

This is one of the most injury riddled CU teams I have seen. Add WR/KR Jason Espinoza to the list of those lost for the season after breaking his collarbone. That is the ninth player the Buffs have lost to a season ending injury.

How about this injury stat:

Coach Dan Hawkins said he has never been through a season in which he las lost so many players to season-ending injuries. The program has lost 83 games to injury or illness already this season and all of the players who account for those games figured in the two-deep depth chart or special teams roles when the year began.

"I'm like that little guy in the Snoopy cartoon who walks around with the dust cloud over his head," Hawkins said. "What's that other guy in that other cartoon? Bad Luck Schleprock."

I am a sucker, a wanna-be believer, a gitty little school girl when Hagan talks about Darrell Scott running the ball. I just want to believe so freaking bad that Darrell Scott will be that guy!

One particular run this week in practice convinced Hagan that Scott may have turned the corner.

"Darrell had an inside run, off an iso (isolation) block," Hagan explained. "In the past, he would get the ball, and if one guy (defender) was in the hole, Darrell would just try to run that guy over. This time, he didn't even think about the defensive lineman. He made a cut off the fullback's block and took it about 50 yards to the house."

Hagan could not stop smiling.

Hagan is also trying to teach Scott that as a college player, you will never be completely healthy and that you have to play through the pain.

Here is a decent review of the Big 12 basketball season coming up by The Hoops Report.

Looks like P Tom Suazo and K Jameson Davis will replace the beginning of the year starters in both punting and field goal opportunities. As The Ralphie Report would say; about time.

Here is a pretty funny CU Look-a-like thread posted on Cyclonefanatic.com.

Congrats to the CU Women's Soccer team who defeated the hated Corn yesterday, 1 - 0, in the Big 12 tournament. The Buffs will advance to the semifinals.