Lots of links recapping spring ball and the schedule changes over the last week. A little heavy on the ESPN and Buffzone links, but what can you do?
The Colorado Buffaloes And The Reunion Tour - SBNation.com
A look at the 2011 Colorado Buffaloes football team from stats guru Bill Connelly (also, a Tiger) over at SBNation.com. Prepare yourself for some bleak predictions from the preview mags and stories this year everyone, no one is going to expect much. This was the one stat that stuck out to me because I hadn't really heard it before.
Against teams with a winning record in 2010, the Buffs converted third downs at one of the highest rates in the country ... but they also went 2-5 against such teams. They ranked 21st in the country in 3rd Down S&P+ ... and 102nd in 1st Down S&P+. You win early in games and early in series of downs ... and Colorado did neither very well last year.
Top southern California QB Shane Dillon commits to CU Buffs - Buffzone
Colorados move to the Pac-12 may be paying off already for Jon Embree and the Colorado football program.
Rivals.com Football Recruiting - Catalon follows his heart to TCU
Well, at least we had the good news of the Dillon commitment to take some of the sting out of losing Catalon.
Post-spring power rankings - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
11. Colorado: The Buffaloes were mostly competitive last season in the Big 12, and it helps that they have an experienced quarterback in Tyler Hansen and a returning 1,300-yard rusher in Rodney Stewart. Still, it seems that new coach Jon Embree has inherited a team that needs to be rebuilt, particularly in terms of speed at receiver and in the secondary.
Names that kept popping up this spring - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
Colorado: DT Conrad Obi, LB Doug Rippy, WR Paul Richardson
Poll: Pac-12's most improved players - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
Conrad Obi was an afterthought at Colorado before the this spring, but the talented but previously underachieving defensive tackle dominated this spring. He could work his way into the 2012 NFL draft.
Ringo: CU Buffs must thrive to avoid rivalry with Rams - Buffzone
If things go well for the Colorado football program over the next fives years, the Buffs will find a new rival in the Pac-12 Conference to replace the rivalry lost by cutting ties with Nebraska and the Big 12.
Paige: Bring on the CU-Utah rivalry - The Denver Post
The Buffaloes once again will circle the annual big game on the day after Thanksgiving in RED.
Pac-12 football and basketball: Was expansion worth it? | College Hotline
Great look at the Pac-12 expansion by the numbers.
With the league adopting an equal-share model regardless of the size of its membership, yes — expansion was financially worthwhile … by an estimated $800,000 per school per year. Over the life of the contract, that’s about $9.6 million per school. Now, if you’re a traditionalist who would have been perfectly satisfied with an average of $20 million per year, as opposed to $20.8 million, that’s your prerogative. But Larry Scott was hired to maximize the league’s revenue, and he did just that — by nearly $1 million per school per year, if not more.
For CU track coach Mark Wetmore, Pac 10 move not a big deal | All Things Colorado Sports
As I stated on twitter yesterday, I don't think we lose Tad for a long, long time unless KU has an opening.
Tad Boyle staying at CU this year, but just how long can the Buffs keep him?
CU Buffs' Tad Boyle not leaving for Texas A&M - Buffzone
Tad Boyle remains loyal to Colorado. Major newspapers in the Lone Star State have suggested that Boyle should be the target of Texas A&Ms search for a new head coach.
Former Colorado coach Dan Hawkins opens up – kind of - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF Blog - Yahoo! Sports
Anyone else wish Dano would just go away for awhile?