Late Wednesday Buff Bites - Colorado Underrated?

Rivals.com College Football - Potential Does Not Always Translate to Wins
Olin Buchanan of rivals.com thinks the Buffs might be flying under the radar a little bit in 2009.

Colorado: No team in '08 had worse luck than Colorado, which was ravaged by injuries. A healthy Buffs team could be vastly improved this season. The offensive line will get a huge boost with guard Ryan Miller coming back from injury. That will help the running game, which looks strong with sophomores Rodney Stewart and Darrell Scott. Quarterback play must improve, but junior Cody Hawkins is entering his third year as a starter. Quarterbacks typically are better as juniors and seniors than as freshmen and sophomores. The defensive line has to be rebuilt, but the linebackers are solid. And the secondary, which was a liability a year ago, will be upgraded with cornerback Benjamin Burney back from an injury that forced him to miss all of last season. The Buffaloes aren't expected to be much of a factor in the Big 12 North race, but they could cause some problems. Something to keep in mind: Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska must travel to Boulder.

Seriously, what’s the big deal? - The Boulder Daily Camera
Kyle Ringo of the BDC asks, (and I agree) "why are CSU fans making a big deal out of selling 3,000 tickets to the home opener against CSU?" Really big accomplishment guys, really big. The Colorado fans would have gobbled up the 3,000 tickets for a trip to Fort Collins in probably one day.

CSU has had trouble selling its allotment of approximately 30,000 tickets in past years when the game is in Denver, but is selling 3,000 tickets to the season opener being played roughly an hour drive from your campus really that big a deal? Apparently, either that or it was a slow news day Tuesday. The story made our paper and the Denver Post.

Scout.com: 7/13 Roundtable - 5 Thoughts On The Big 12
Richard Cirminiello of scout.com wonders if Dan Hawkins is the right man for the job in Boulder still? The points made by Cirminiello are pretty fair in my book...get ready for year four!

A: Is Dan Hawkins still the right man for the job in Boulder? After three years of mediocrity and a 13-24 record, it’s a very fair question to ask. Wasn’t he supposed to bring the glory back to Colorado with hard work, a can-do attitude, and a blueprint that worked so well at Boise State? He still might, but the early returns have not been positive and people are becoming justifiably impatient. Not only have the Buffs failed to catch fire, but the offense, which the Hawk was supposed to revamp, has had more schematic changes than high points. In a North Division that’s far more upstart-friendly than the South, it’s about time for the program to start showing some tangible progress. Hope for 2009 can be found in an offense that returns 10 starters, and could finally be effective with an old-fashioned approach. The Buffaloes plan to simplify things this fall, which is code for a lot less no-huddle and shotgun and a greater reliance on a power running game. The parts are there for it to work, including a physical, improving offensive line and a quartet of backs capable of carrying the load. Sophomore Darrell Scott has a star’s ceiling if he can stay healthy. If Colorado can control the tempo on the ground, everyone benefits, especially iffy quarterbacks Cody Hawkins and Tyler Hansen, and a defense that has some rebuilding to do. Was it really only three years ago that the hiring of Hawkins was being hailed as a no-brainer? It’s time to start fulfilling expectations because a reputation and candid sound bites can keep everyone sated for only so long.

HuskerExtra.com - Buffaloes Have Lofty Expectations
A Nebraska-slanted preview of your 2009 Buffaloes with a little piece from Denver Post writer, Tom Kensler.

Interview with Coach Mark Wetmore
RunColo.com has an interview with Coach Mark Wetmore, cross country & track and field Coach at University of Colorado.