Gameday Buff Bites - Colorado Buffaloes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Still a game to play today, hoping the guys come out and show us something. I believe Nebraska is beatable but Colorado's offensive line will have to play their best game of the year by far.

Hawkins will coach at CU in 2010 - The Denver Post
I love how "progress" and "competitive" are used by the powers at Colorado. Mike, here is the measure to determine progress, not "being" in games. The Toledo game must have been forgotten by Bohn as well:
2006: 2 - 10
2007: 6 - 7
2008: 5 -7
2009: 3 - 8

Bohn was asked what signs of progress he liked. "Our competitive spirit," he said. "Were there times that we were flat? Yes. But we never quit. We've been in every game. Did we make some mistakes? Yes. Did we make some coaching decisions that maybe could be easily criticized? Sure. "But Dan never lost the team, and we've actually improved as the season went on."

CU president: 'We're going to stay the course' with Dan Hawkins - Boulder Daily Camera
"Benson, chancellor back Hawkins; fans split on decision."

Trust me Vanessa, fans aren't split on the decision. If you want to get really, really pissed off, read the last few lines of this article and just take in some people who just don't really understand. My belief is if you want results in the classroom, hire an advisor, if you want choir boys, hire a life coach, if you want wins, hire a football coach who knows his X's and O's. We have said it before and will say it again, Dan Hawkins is the world's highest paid counselor and his bosses continue to evaluate him on him being a counselor and not a head coach.

Woelk: Start clock on CU`s 2010 season today - Boulder Daily Camera
This is the only reason Dan Hawkins is back, because of the extension given to him by Mike Bohn in 2008:

Remember, this is a school whose top officials have been preaching fiscal responsibility to every corner of every campus for months. Those same officials are in no mood to have one of those corners writing million-dollar checks to change football coaches. Neither are those officials excited at the prospect of going hat in hand to the legislature, pleading poverty and asking for more funding -- and then having those legislators read about a million-dollar check going to a former football coach.

CU says today’s game remains meaningful - The Longmont Times-Call

Turnover in Hawkins’ staff in recent seasons hasn’t been too frequent. But he did lose an offensive line coach in February and an offensive coordinator in May, changes that had an effect on the program’s continuity. The Buffs are last in the league in total yards and, barring a big day today, probably will end that way for the third time in four years.

CU sticks with Hawkins - The Longmont Times-Call

Hawkins, in his fourth season, has acknowledged that his team is younger than it should be at this point of his tenure. Attrition has been steady. Of the 28 players CU signed in February 2007, 13 aren’t on the roster today. Hawkins said he would like to have retained some who left, but not at the cost of sacrificing the program’s principles.

Asked if he was receiving offers from donors to help fund a buyout, Bohn said, "We received a lot of e-mails on both sides, positive and negative. Some expressed interest in helping if we go that direction (a buyout). "My position is we never raise money for such an effort. We put our efforts into capital projects and long-standing assets that help us with our competitive nature over the long term, like the practice bubble or the locker room or the meeting spaces."

So can we expect Dan Hawkins to be here until 2012 because of Bohn's refusal to raise money for such an effort? Such principles you have Mike, such noble principles. We only grant extensions for three more years on 11 - 19 efforts. Sorry guys, I know it is negative on the site right now but they are serving up volleyballs that need to be spiked.

Sizing up the storylines: Nebraska vs. Colorado

2. Sack attack? It’s been tough sledding for the Colorado offensive line. The Buffs are averaging 2.6 yards per rush and rank 117th in the country in sacks allowed, having given up 43. The Blackshirts, meanwhile, rank 14th in the country with 32 sacks. CU quarterback Tyler Hansen (there might be a Cody Hawkins sighting, too) has some mobility, but is similar to what Nebraska saw last week in K-State quarterback Grant Gregory. Expect the Huskers to be able to get consistent pressure.

Scout.com: Lots on the line for NU and CU...no, really

For Colorado, a win could help them sell more season tickets for next season, which might allow them to buy out Hawkins’ contract next time around, something they seem apparently unable to do right now, or how else could you justify bringing a coach back with a losing record each of his four years at the helm.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - 2-minute drill: NU vs. CU

CU PASS OFFENSE vs. NU PASS DEFENSE
Tyler Hansen has won the QB job over Cody Hawkins, though neither has been consistently productive. CU has a talented pass-catcher in Scotty McKnight, who has 69 receptions. He may not get the ball often today, though. Colorado allows an average of 3.91 sacks per game, ranking 117th nationally. Nebraska, the conference's best pass defense at 182.3 yards per game, has allowed four touchdowns through the air all year.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Three things to watch: NU vs. CU

Nebraska has trailed for just nine minutes of action during this four-game winning streak. Who knows? If Colorado can grab and maintain an early lead, maybe this thing gets interesting.

Road ahead appears daunting for Buffaloes - The Denver Post

"You wonder what chance Hawkins has to keep his job next year against that schedule?" asked Buff Club member Mike Novick, owner of Buffalo River Clothing Co. in Boulder.

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Big Red Today - Key matchup: Suh vs. the CU line

NEBRASKA DT NDAMUKONG SUH VS. COLORADO'S INTERIOR LINEMEN
For the Buffaloes’ offense to have any success, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (above) can’t be creating havoc by bottling up interior runs and by pressuring the quarterback. Obviously, it’s easier said than done. Suh can erupt at any time. He had 1½ sacks and a pass breakup in the final quarter last week.

Three-point stance: All eyes on Texas - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN

3. It could be that Colorado decided to keep Dan Hawkins for a fifth season because the university doesn’t have the money to pay him what it owes him and his staff and hire a new coach and his staff. Or it could be that athletic director Mike Bohn refused to make a knee-jerk decision and wants to give Hawkins every opportunity to succeed. I hope it’s the latter, and that the win-now-if-not-sooner mentality will lose its momentum. But I fear it’s the former.

Brooks: Future Is Now For Hawkins, Buffs - CUBuffs.com
Dan Hawkins can now peer into 2010, but Friday morning will find him focused on the here-and-now of Nebraska, CU's opponent at Folsom Field (1:30 p.m., ABC).

Colorado memories special for Watson

Buffs leave Maui more confident - Boulder Daily Camera

And, more importantly, Higgins had help from Alec Burks, Casey Crawford, Marcus Relphorde, Dufault, Tomlinson and others during the tournament. "It`s completely different," Higgins said. "This team has flipped 180 degrees. Last year I think we would have come out hoping we could compete, hoping we could stay in the game, and just see what happens after 40 minutes. This year we stepped on the court expecting to win."

No shortage of drama in NU-Colorado rivalry
Another trip to Boulder, another day of mayhem.