Spring Game Day Buff Bites

The Spring Game is finally here. It looks like that thunderstorm forecast is going to be right. Right after kickoff is when the rain is supposed to come down. The Buffs really didn't pick a great weekend for the spring game anyway...how many sports scheduling conflicts can you get? Nuggets and the NFL draft with the Broncos having two first round picks. Hopefully the spring game will be over in time for the Broncs but surely we will all miss the Nuggets end. Maybe Chauncey will wrap it up early so the end will be irrelevant. 

We will have a live game thread up today for the spring game. TRR has many new members so if you don't know what we are talking about check this post from last season. Basically, it is a forum for you to discuss the game. I will be at Folsom twittering updates but if you are at home, watching via cubuffs.com, feel free to talk here during the game about what is going on.

The Buffs seem to be loaded at tight end with six guys who all can make plays. TE Patrick Devenny stole the show in the first scrimmage of the spring, something that was great to see considering how under-utilized they were last season. According to cubuffs.com, TE coach Kent Riddle is satisfied with the level of play from the tight ends and thinks they have all progressed well this season.

Cubuffs.com has another article about the special teams performance, praising PK Aric Goodman and backup punter Darrell Scott. Here is what Riddle and the article says about Goodman:

"For all of spring practices, he's hit about 90 percent of his kicks," Riddle said.  "He's been very good when we're inside the 25-yard line.  And that was a huge emphasis for us going in."

....

In the first two spring scrimmages, he nailed 11 field goals out of 15 attempts (.733) and went 6-for-7 on PATs.

I thought last spring and fall, he missed less than 5 kicks total. I guess I will take 90% over last year but I am still not convinced.

Kyle Ringo says their should only be one goal this spring game: stay healthy.

So the best possible outcome on the grass at Folsom Field this afternoon would be for the Buffs to perform reasonably well in all three phases of the game, and to come out of the game relatively healthy.

Ringo also brings up the only real surprise in the depth chart yesterday was OG Ethan Adkins getting the starting nod, ahead of an injured Devin Head as well as Sione Tau, who for the second week of spring practices was the starter. The guard spot looks to be the only position up for grabs right now and will be fought over by quite a few players including Blake Behrens, Devin Head, Max Tuioti-Mariner, Shawn Daniels and Sione Tau. I can see Bryce Givens at RT, Ryan Miller at the other OG, Mike Iltis at center and Nate Solder at LT sticking all the way through the season.

RB coach Darian Hagan talks about a new coaching method he used last week to remove some of the clutter from the running back's heads. According to the Denver Post, in an attempt to get the 'backs from thinking just about techniques and assignments, Hagan did this:

“The last couple of days, we have watched very little film,” he explained. “We’ve had life-lessons talks.

“I think with the overall big picture of talking about life lessons and making right decisions and then incorporating that philosophy into football, these guys were able to hone in on their assignments better.

Hopefully it leads to some breakout performances today.

Good luck today and mostly likely tomorrow to former Buffs George Hypolite, Brad Jones, Brandon Nicolas, Ryan Walters, Daniel Sanders and Patrick Williams in trying to get picked up by an NFL squad. I am hoping that Brad Jones gets a look by the Broncos, their is something to be said for a 3 - 4 scheme and a linebacker who showed last year that he can get to the quarterback. Could be a solid free agent pickup.

Also have to plug the Mile High Report, the Broncos blog on SBNation. The NFL has granted MHR press passes to cover the NFL draft live from New York today. John over at MHR does a great job so I can't wait to hear what he has to say live from New York. This is just another reason why SBNation is going big places.