Woelk: Stubborn streak still big problem for Buffaloes - Buffzone
Neill Woelk of the Boulder Daily Camera nailed it this morning. He wrote the paragraph of the year so far in my book:
The public perception is that the issue is about Dan Hawkins` son. It`s not. Rather, it`s about Dan Hawkins` stubborn insistence on proving he is right, and doing so at the expense of his team. It`s a stubborn streak that is pervasive throughout the offense. It`s an insistence upon trying to force players into a system rather than adapting a system to the players. It`s an insistence upon not putting the best athletes on the field while apparently trying to make a point by using less-talented players -- and we`re not talking about only the quarterback. That`s the problem that needs to be corrected. If Hawkins truly cares about the program -- and not simply about proving himself right -- he will do what all good leaders do. He will adjust and make the right call. The rest of the article is a must read as well, wondering how a Buff team with so much to gain can actually play the way they did yesterday and tries to rationalize what Cody Hawkins gives this team that is better than what Tyler Hansen can do. OK, I’ve seen every North team play in person except Colorado. I have the North figured out. I know which team is the best and has the best chance to get slaughtered by Texas or Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship. It’s not Colorado. The Buffaloes have the worst coach. Dan Hawkins stuck his son back out on the field at QB in Manhattan on Saturday. A week after Tyler Hansen led the Buffs to a season-saving victory over KU, Cody Hawkins re-emerged to throw two horrible interceptions against K-State. Dan Hawkins should be fired. He’s not winning the North. "It's not about being 3-1, it's about whether your football team gets better," Bill Synder said after the Wildcats improved to 5-3 overall and took a full game lead over Iowa State in the North. "That hasn't changed. "We didn't get better, and that's why I'm upset." That's a good thing, according to quarterback Grant Gregory, who drew much of Snyder's ire along with a sputtering offense. "If he wasn't upset, that would be a bad thing," Gregory said after the offense was unable to build on its 20-6 halftime advantage, coming up empty time and again deep in Colorado territory. "It's just like coaches always say, 'It's when I stop yelling at you that I've given up on you.' Head coach Dan Hawkins was noncommittal after the 20-6 loss to Kansas State when asked if Hansen will be the starter for the upcoming homecoming game against Missouri, saying only, "We'll see, yeah." Cody Hawkins ended up playing the majority of the second half because the Buffs were playing from behind, which led to questions afterward about who would be the starter next week when Missouri comes to Boulder for homecoming weekend. Coach Dan Hawkins wasn't definitive in answering the question, saying his coaching staff would do whatever needs to be done to help the team win games. Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau said he planned on Hansen starting next week, but Hawkins will continue to run the no-huddle offense when it is needed. "Cody is going to be our guy when we go no-huddle," Kiesau said. "He's a little older, a little bit more mature. He's been in those situations and done that and been successful at it. So we kind of decided when we do go no-huddle, he'll be our guy. That's why we did it."
Jayhawks likely will win mediocre Big 12 North - Kansas City Star
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star calls for Dan Hawkins to be fired:
Wildcats draw coach's ire, even with victory - The Hutchinson News Online Edition
Anyone else want a coach who speaks like this after a win? Anger, mad, frustrated...that's Bill Synder after they dominated the Buffs in every single facet of the game except passing.
CU coach Hawkins noncommital about next game's starter at QB - The Denver Post
The ole' "We'll see" quotes are back and better than ever:
Hawkins may stay as 2-minute QB - Boulder Daily Camera
The offensive coordinator and the head coach aren't on the same page...again:
Buffs’ special teams suffer - The Longmont Times-Call
"Colorado’s special teams had a bad game Saturday"...that would be an understatement.
Colorado’s special teams had a bad game Saturday. During CU’s 20-6 loss at Kansas State, CU returner Jason Espinoza fumbled one punt that set the Wildcats up for their second touchdown of the day. And while the Buffs’ offense was unable to muster much most of the day, part of its problem was starting field position. CU averaged its 19; Kansas State its 47. Two plays especially contributed to that statistic. Espinoza caught one punt at his 4-yard line and said after the game he thought he was at the 10. He was tackled immediately. And punter Matt DiLallo tried to run for a first down on fourth-and-10 from CU’s 9 in the middle of the fourth quarter. He gained eight.
Big 12 North: Wild, wild race | Berry Tramel's Blog
Barry Trammel still thinks the Buffs can finish 4 - 4 in conference and in second place. That would mean the Buffs would have to beat Missouri, Texas A&M and Nebraska because we aren't winning on the road. Not out of the question but does anyone really believe that can happen after yesterday?
Colorado 1-2: Missouri, A&M, at Iowa State, at OSU, Nebraska. I figured the Buffs had two automatic wins in conference — A&M and Iowa State. Not now, not after Saturday, when the Aggies rolled in Lubbock and I-State pulled the Lincoln shocker. I still think Colorado has an excellent chance to get to 4-4 or even 5-3.
4. Kansas State appears to be for real in the North Division. With every team in the division but the Wildcats having at least two conference losses, why can’t Bill Snyder lead his team to the North title? Despite beating Colorado by two touchdowns Saturday afternoon, Snyder was steamed about his team’s critical penalties in the second half that twice took them out of field goal range. But Snyder can’t be mad at his defense, which limited Colorado to only a touchdown and dominated in the trenches from the opening snap in Saturday's game. KSU has a tough finishing schedule but could make it to a bowl even if they have to win seven games to get there. If they play like they did Saturday, and the rest of the North's powers like they did, it won't be a big surprise to see the Wildcats playing in the championship game. "It's going to come down to leaders on the team," he said. "At this point, it's not about the coaches anymore. It's about our team taking pride in this program and this school and saying, 'We're not going to be at the bottom of the conference.' "We need to find out how to win football games. It's that cut and dried."What we learned in the Big 12, Week 8 - Big 12 - ESPN
CU Buffaloes' rocky road continues with loss at Kansas State - The Denver Post
McKnight: Players must take responsibility - Boulder Daily Camera
Penalties still a problem for CU - The Longmont Times-Call
CU Buffs "don't get enough energy" on road - The Denver Post
CU Buffs` road woes continue with loss at Kansas State - Boulder Daily Camera
Last week was too good to be true. Seven days after an inspired victory at home over a ranked opponent, the Colorado football team was sloppy and lethargic Saturday under a dull, gray sky at Kansas State.
HUSKER DEBACLE | Nebraska Cornhuskers Football | Huskers Gameday
# The Nebraska offense had 8 freaking turnovers. EIGHT !!! # The Huskers committed FOUR turnovers inside the Iowa state 5 yard line!!! # Zac Lee threw two picks in the last 3 minutes of the game
HuskerExtra.com - Lincoln, Nebraska - Football
"Eight turnovers," Husker coach Bo Pelini said. "We could have gotten run out of the stadium. I don’t know if I’ve ever been around that in my coaching career. You can’t win a football game like that."