It is hard to believe the season is already over, it seems like yesterday the Buffs were just getting ready to start the all important fourth season under Dan Hawkins. As we embark on the fifth season of the era, their are a few things on the top of my mind that I would like to see addressed this offseason to turn the Buffs from a "competitive" team to a winning team. Here is a short list, of course, this will be grow but right now, it is what I am thinking about this Saturday afternoon.

Solidify the recruiting class - I love QB Nick Hirschman, RB Mister Jones and QB Munchie Legaux. If there is anyway to get Hirschman enrolled in January, make it happen. The Buffs' need to keep these three players and now go find depth at defensive line, safety and offensive line. A good place to start is with DT Harold Legania who is Munchie Legaux and Keenan Canty's teammate at Edna Karr in Louisiana. A few speedsters would be welcome as well. The Buffs have already received word that Colorado Prep QB Danny Spond has re-opened his commitment, something that was rumored for a while now.

Address the special teams issue - it's been four years and it isn't working. Last year, the Ralphie Report noted over 80 points the poor special teams play was accountable for giving up whether it was a turnover, poor coverage, penalties, etc. Over the past two years, the special teams unit has given up seven touchdowns directly. The Buffs' aren't good enough to give up non-offensive touchdowns.

Players in the trenches need to get stronger, tougher and focused - penalties, missed assignments, physically manhandled at times. It's gut check time for the players on the offensive line. This team will go the way they go in 2010.

Hire an assistant coach that brings intensity, motivation and let him do his thing - I long for a Bo Pelini moment on the sideline, a few F-bombs like Josh McDaniels does to motivate his players. Hawk might not think this is the right way to do things but in three years these two coaches took over programs/organizations that were less than competitive themselves and their combined records are 25 - 11. Winning is the "right way" and football is an intense sport.

Modify the strategy to feature the player, not fit the player to the strategy

To Hawkins: No more abstract statements, no more unrealistic quotes, make us and the players believe again - it was a rough year for Dan Hawkins both on- and off-the-field, whether it was "we''ll see" answers to questions or "10 wins, no excuses", a 3-9 record, telling reporters they must not have kids, suggesting people who criticize as never having faced adversity in life, to "get your horns", to closing spring practice because of measly practice reports we "internet scum" put on the net.

I hope their is some retrospective moments this offseason about ways you can motivate the players, answer questions in the media, embrace the fan base and most important, find ways to win. Your job, coach, is to never hear from your players that "they don't have confidence" or that they "lack energy on the road". Your one job, regardless of what you believe, all centers around you getting your players to show up.  Get back to the details and the focus required to win in the Big 12.

Own this next season and the results than come with it, refuse to keep saying "we just need to cinch a few things up." It is long overdue for accountability, something you try to teach your players but have a hard time buying into yourself. Demand the problems be fixed!

I would suggest asking Josh McDaniels if you can take in some Denver Broncos' practices, go to Florida during bowl preparations and view the structure of the Gators, maybe run up to USC on a recruiting trip and take in the practices. I know we can agree on one thing and that is you never stop learning and developing as a person.

We want to believe in you coach Hawkins, just like we did when you signed here four years ago.

I understand the need to move on. Nothing we can about this now, we are in it for another year with this regime and that is just the way it is. But the press release issued by the University of Colorado is insulting to our intelligence. Many of you will probably ask, "what did you want them to say?" If they felt a need to say something about the situation, just come out and say Dan Hawkins is our head coach for 2010 and leave it at that, especially if this was just a financial decision. There is no defending why he is coming back so don't try and sell me that Dan Hawkins has been "competitive." Dan Hawkins is the first coach in Colorado history to have four losing seasons to start his term. I am just glad they didn't say "we see progress" or I would have flipped a lid. Here is what has me scratching my head:

"Dan represents the university's values on and off the field, and his team has been competitive this year," Phil DiStefano continued. "He has done all that we have asked him to do, and although we all desire more victories, we also recognize starting over with a new coach right now takes us away from, not closer to, our goals for CU football.

-Define competitive? Define the goals for this program? Why desire victories, why don't we demand victories and hold people accountable for that?

While Colorado is 3-8 this year, three of the losses were by seven points or less, with two others, both on the road at West Virginia and No. 2 Texas, games where the Buffs were most competitive into the fourth quarter.

-"While Colorado is 3 - 8 this year, three of the losses were by seven points or less."

Are you kidding me? Was this really written? Was this what they prepared to win the fan base over with? This was the masterful comment that was going to rally the masses and make us go, "yes, I agree with the decision and support the University." Really, that is the best we can do? Will all the academic prowess in Boulder, this is it?

Yes, Colorado "officials", the Buffs football team lost three games this year by less than seven points. One heck of an accomplishment if you ask me, something we should be proud of and aspire to do more of in the future. Should we hang a banner for that accomplishment? Since you want to rationalize losing, let's do that, let's dissect it and see how great an accomplishment it really is.

One of those losses was to Colorado State, a Mountain West team, at home in the season opener as the great University of Colorado yanked Colorado State around to make them play in Folsom in not Denver. Your senior captain said "we overlooked them." "10 wins, no excuses" and we overlooked a rival at home and lost? The first game of the year we "competitively" overlooked the Rams? Colorado State is winless in the Mountain West Conference and just lost to New Mexico, a team that was winless overall going into the game. Yes, New Mexico is 1 - 10 and Colorado State is 3 - 8.

Another one of those losses by only seven little points was to an Iowa State team who is headed up by Paul Rhoads, a first year coach who already has as many wins on the road as Dan Hawkins has in four years - two. Iowa State also beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers in year one, something Dan Hawkins has not done in two tries. Get this, Dan Hawkins hasn't beat a Big 12 North team on the road in his career - not one - not Iowa State, not Kansas State - nobody. 

And the final, "less than seven point loss", was against Oklahoma State who is an 8 point underdog to a 6 - 5 Oklahoma team. Oklahoma State was playing without their All-American wide receiver in Dez Bryant, All-Conference quarterback in Zach Robinson and without the complete services of All American RB Kendall Hunter. Oh yes, and I forgot, Oklahoma State beat us with their third string quarterback. But, heck, "competitive" me up with that third string QB.

Thanks for trying to spin that into a positive.

I am surprised the release didn't say the Colorado Buffaloes were competitive against Toledo when they won third quarter 21 - 14.

-The Buffs "competitively" lost to Texas by 24 points after "competitively" gaining 127 total yards of total offense and giving up three non-defensive touchdowns. Colorado was "competitively" given four turnovers by West Virginia but "competitively" lost the game on the road, where we "competitively" have won 2 games in 21 chances the last four years.

Hawkins' contract with CU runs through the 2012 season; he originally signed a five-year agreement when hired prior to the 2006 season, and received an extension in October 2008 after a good start to the year before injuries took their toll and earning a bowl berth the previous season.

-Thanks for rationalizing the extension as well, Colorado. I mean 11 - 19 screams extension and so does a 3 - 2 start in 2008. Apparently, 3 - 2 is a good start at Colorado. Let's call it was it is; a $1.8 million dollar mistake by your athletic department.

before injuries took their toll

-"10 wins, no excuses" - translation: "Competitively", no where near 10 wins and still the excuses.

Call me "competitively" disappointed with this response because apparently the word "competitive" can be molded into whatever you want it to mean.

I am not going to lie, I didn't expect Dan Hawkins to be back at the helm of the Colorado football program in 2010. I am a results oriented guy.  I love statistics, l love the facts and love them because they are concrete, they aren't fictional. That is what makes sports great, it is definable by numbers. I am also a dreamer, I have visions of Colorado football back when I was a kid with Kordell Stewart at quarterback, I remember watching Colorado win bowl games. I remember when Colorado was a winner.

Now I am not saying I expect Colorado to compete with Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska every year. But, like in every profession in this world that involves highly compensated individuals, you expect progress. You expect results and whether Mike Bohn, Dan Hawkins and Phil DiStefano care to acknowledge it or not, winning is the result.

To me, this decision cannot be defended by looking at the numbers and I struggle with the current pieces being in place to deliver the end goal of being a successful football program any time soon. To me, the University of Colorado made the easy decision by keeping Dan Hawkins. It just fits right now with the level of commitment to athletics in Boulder compared to other Big 12 programs. Yep, the reasons are there not to be a successful program. We have heard them all before: the assistant coaches only receiving one year contracts, academic admissions are not realistic for athletes, Colorado is not near a hot bed of recruiting, facilities are out of date and the scandal of four years ago that Dan Hawkins continues to reference.

All of those are valid reasons for Colorado struggling and should not necessarily to be considered excuses. 

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With all of the rumors swirling around the internet about the fate of Dan Hawkins', it looks like University of Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn has heard enough and will make an "an official announcement about the football coaching situation" Thursday. According to Ryan Thornburn of the Boulder Daily Camera who spoke to Mike Bohn while covering the Colorado Buffaloes basketball team in Maui, the AD will catch a flight home late tonight and sit down with Dan Hawkins tomorrow to discuss his future.

This announcement is just hours after the University of Colorado went public with their dispute of Vic Lombardi's report that Dan Hawkins and Chancellor Phil DiStefano came to an agreement that Hawkins will be retained as head coach for the 2010 - 2011 season. The Daily Camera was able to confirm that Hawkins did indeed meet with DiStefano and CU president Bruce Benson but no decision has been made yet:

The Camera has confirmed that Hawkins did sit down face-to-face with CU chancellor Phil DiStefano this week and came away from the meeting with the understanding that he would be given a chance to coach the Buffs for a fifth season. A source also said Hawkins has spoken with CU president Bruce Benson. CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard said today that no decision has been made.

DiStefano has made it clear in the past few weeks that the decision whether or not to retain Dan Hawkins as head coach was in the hands of the Athletic Director which makes the meeting between the Chancellor and Hawkins slightly confusing considering Bohn was out of town with the basketball team for the week. Did DiStefano change his mind about letting Bohn make the call on Hawkins? That might be something we will never know but if Hawkins is retained that is the first place we will look to, that meeting with the Chancellor while Bohn was out of town.

The timing of the announcement is a little surprising as well. Of course, coaches have been fired before their last game at a University but it doesn't usually occur before the day of a game to avoid immediate distraction, especially a home game against Nebraska. I also wonder how many people have actually been fired on Thanksgiving? Just something to think about.

Looking into this way too much, it would make more sense to me, as we stand here today on Wednesday, November 23rd, that if Hawkins were to be fired, it would be announced Friday after the game while a Thursday announcement would be to retain him as head coach. Of course, who knows, we have done things a lot more confusing than firing a coach the day before a game. Maybe Bohn is done with all the rumors and feels a decision needs to be made, regardless of the timing. Maybe DiStefano told him he had to act on this situation now before the University would have to make any more releases denying or dismissing news reports/rumors. Maybe Vic Lombardi was right about his report saying Hawkins was told he would be back for another year and now Colorado feels the need to just announce Hawkins is to be retained and move on. 

I do have to say that the mood this past week has shifted from Hawkins being fired to Hawkins being retained. If Mike Bohn does announce the dismissal of Dan Hawkins, it would cost Colorado over $3 million due to the buyout clause.

Regardless of whether you are in the camp that wants Dan Hawkins fired or retained, looking at the situation without your black and gold goggles on, this is really a horrible situation the program is in. Because of the extension given to Dan Hawkins by Mike Bohn back on October 7th, 2008, if they do fire Hawkins, a cash strapped athletic department will have to pay Hawkins $3.0 million. If you retain Hawkins, well, you wonder about the commitment of the University towards athletics and how they evaluate success.

For the past two years and most of year three, we heard the rumors of redshirt sophomore WR Markques Simas' potential. Apparently, he was making the first team defense look silly on the scout team and once he dedicated himself both on and off the field, he would be something special. After Simas was ruled ineligible last year and suspended for the first two games of this season for an off-the-field incident, many Buff fans wondered if this would be another one of those players who was highly recruited that wouldn't pan out.

Simas, in his third year at Colorado, finally caught his first ball and touchdown against West Virginia. The next four games, the 6'2" 215 pound receiver never had more than three receptions in any single game. But then November rolled around...and something seemed to click between the receiver and his quarterback Tyler Hansen.

The last three weeks, Simas has been everything Buff fans dreamed for and more, turning in performances that bring back memories of top flight receivers of the past. Colorado fans have been clamoring for a bona fide number one receiver for a while now. Going back to 2004, Colorado's leading receiver has not gone over 600 yards and in two of those years, the Buffs leading receiver had 226 yards and 449 yards.

Just in the month of November, Markques Simas has 25 receptions and 355 yards. If he kept that production up over a full season, he would total 100 receptions, 1,412 yards and 8 touchdowns. Now that is a #1 receiver. It is clear Hansen and Simas have developed a nice report.

As you can see from the chart below (for optimal viewing, click the "wide view" button on the top right of the page), Simas ranks 10th in the nation for yards/game in the month of November among all receivers. He is surrounded by some pretty good company as well:

It would be disrespectful not to mention the stellar play of WR Scotty McKnight. He catches a bad wrap because he is not a game breaker but McKnight has been solid and has led the Buffs in receiving yards for the past three seasons, something that should not be forgotten. McKnight has put up some amazing numbers in his three year career at Colorado. He has caught at least one pass in 34 straight games, a Colorado record, meaning he has caught a pass in every game he has played in. He ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 779 receiving yards in 2009, which is 44th in the nation.

Combine McKnight and Simas with Michigan transfer Toney Clemons and next year, this looks like a potential unit of strength. Also, don't forget 2009 signees Jarrod Darden, Terdema Ussery, Will Jefferson and Andre Simmons should be up to speed and challenging for playing time next year. It is not known whether WR/CB Anthony Wright will remain on the offensive side next year but if he does, that is another athlete that could make a difference.

Watching the Oklahoma St. game at Blake Street Tavern this past Thursday night, a frantic frenzy occurred when Cody Hawkins ran out as the quarterback before anyone knew that Tyler Hansen was battling a hand injury. Then about half way through the third quarter after Cody Hawkins led the Buffs to an impressive touchdown drive that gave the Buffs the lead going into halftime, many wondered if Dan Hawkins should play the hot hand in Cody Hawkins. All of this questioning is a result of the Buffs being 103rd in the nation in total offense. But the big question is who has been more effective at quarterback this year? Bottom line, this offense has much bigger problems than who is playing at quarterback, particularly at offensive line and if they don't find something that works quick, the Nebraska defensive line led by Ndamukong Suh will make the Buffs' suffer even more this season.

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The game against Iowa State is a must-win every year, as the Cyclones usually occupy the cellar of the Big XII North by the end of the year.  This year it was even more important to establish that things were turning around at the end of a disappointing year.  Now, with the loss to the Cyclones this year, Colorado's road record against the Big XII North in the Hawkins era is 0-10.  If Coach Hawkins is not around next year, that fact alone could be the reason.

Later today, the Buffs travel to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State.  If traveling on the road throws them off, wait til the newbies get a load of one of the few east-west aligned football fields in the country.  Of course, the field alignment isn't a factor in a night game, but it doesn't seem to take much to stampede these Buffs in the wrong direction.  The only factor in their favor is that the Cowboys will be minus two players the Buffs saw a lot of last year when they played a pretty good game against OSU.  And they happen to be the Cowboys' two best players: WR Dez Bryant, whose year-long suspension was upheld about two weeks ago, and starting QB Zac Robinson, who wont start and probably wont play tonight.  Nobody expected the Buffs to win this game, and everybody expected them to win last week, so maybe the Buffs can defy expectations again.  No program could use it more.

THE HITS

Big Passing Game for Hansen & Two Best Receivers  -  For the first time in a while, CU had two receivers with over 100 yards in receptions.  The always-reliable Scotty McKnight had 107 yds to move further up the list of CU's all-time leading receivers in yards and catches, while Markques Simas led the team with 128 yds. This not only shows the maturing of Tyler Hansen and the passing game, but, with two 100+ receiving yards games in a row, it shows that Markques Simas is for real.  Now, if we can only get the running game going at the same time.

Sorry.  Although there were other good individual performances, there was no other area that stands out as excellent in a loss to Iowa State that knocked the Buffaloes out of bowl qualification.

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As news came down today that Oklahoma State QB Zac Robinson potentially might not playing tonight, I got to thinking about how the Colorado Buffaloes blew a great chance to make a mark this season. It is truly amazing how the schedule and the weakness of the Big 12 North set the Buffs up perfectly to return to the spotlight in '09 but using part of a quote from head coach Dan Hawkins, the Buffs did not "sieze the day." Look at the schedule below. Doesn't that make you sick? Granted, we now know the Buffs are less than stellar themselves but think if the Buffs' offensive line performed up to expectations, WR Markques Simas was coached and prepared to play like he was now from game one (not suspended), if Tyler Hansen started the year at quarterback, if the Buffs weren't at the bottom of the nation in turnovers & penalties, and the defense started the season like they have been playing the past few weeks. Yes, I know the saying about using "ifs" and "buts". I know. But Colorado blew it this year, no "ifs" or "buts" about it:

Going into the preseason, there were four teams the Buffs could lose to and you wouldn't be totally surprised - at West Virginia, at Texas, Kansas and at Oklahoma State. West Virginia because it was a road game and we knew that would be a tough environment. We thought Kansas and Todd Reesing would be back to their normal abuse of the Buffs like the previous three years. Games at Texas and Oklahoma State were the hardest two on the schedule and were considered the two contests the Buffs would most likely lose preseason. But Kansas isn't who we thought they were as the Buffs' beat them sending the Jayhawks into a downfall. Tonight, Oklahoma State might be playing without two preseason All Big 12 players and their All American candidate runnining back Kendall Hunter has been hurt six games in 2009.

- Colorado St. Rams - no reason to lose to them considering the year they are having. AT FOLSOM FIELD! (L)
-@ Toledo Rockets - no reason to lose to them considering the year they are having. (L)
- Wyoming Cowboys - Buffs won (W)
-@ West Virginia Mountaineers- would accept a loss preseason and now. Tough place to play on the road (L)
-@ Texas  Longhorns - would accept a loss preseason and now. Game on the road. (L)
- Kansas Jayhawks -  Buffs won, was expected to be a preseason loss (W)
-@ Kansas St. Wildcats - very winnable game against a mediocre Big 12 North opponent (L)
- Missouri Tigers - very winnable game against a mediocre Big 12 North opponent at home. (L)
- Texas A&M Aggies - Buffs won (W)
-@ Iowa St. Cyclones - very winnable game against a mediocre Big 12 North opponent (L)
-@ Oklahoma St. Cowboys - Kendall Hunter returned two weeks ago and may not be 100% but think about this. Oklahoma State tonight will be playing without Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant and a less than 100% Kendall Hunter...unbelievable the luck if we had a mentally tough team.
- Nebraska Cornhuskers - very winnable game against a mediocre Big 12 North opponent at home.

A relatively easy out of conference schedule, a mediocre Big 12 North schedule with winnable road games against Kansas State and Iowa State, a down Kansas team, and an Oklahoma State squad that is missing a lot of offensive fire power with Robinson and Bryant out...

But once again, you have to look back at the slow start to begin the year and not getting these guys ready to play. Not having momentum and excitement on the road and "overlooking" Colorado State as Riar Geer said defines this team and the opportunity they left on the table.

If there is any reason for a change in Boulder, look at 2009, how the chips fell in place and the way the Buffs responded. "10 wins no excuses" was supposed to motivate the players, a change at offensive coordinator and a return to a pro-style offense was supposed to put players in a better position to be successful. A deep linebacker corp was supposed to bolster the defense with the emergence of CB Jimmy Smith. Of course, the defensive line was a preseason concern but they have certainly outperformed expectations.

Instead, the Buffs can't run the ball with any consistency and they can't keep a mobile quarterback from getting sacked eight times a game. A quarterback change was made too late, Colorado continues to suffer on the mental side of the game with  turnovers and penalties, the defensive scheme was too complicated at the beginning of the year which cost the Buffs' games and Colorado continues to play unmovitated football especially on the road, something the players have admitted multiple times this year.

I think this is the only case you need to make. In a year that any improvement over the previous three years should have at least netted the Buffs a low level Bowl birth, Colorado has three wins.