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- 2007 Colorado Preview
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Most college football
betting fans know Dan Hawkins took over at
Colorado in 2006 after five successful years
at Boise State. Yeah… last
year’s premier Cinderella Story, the Boise
State that beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.
So how did CU finish 2-10 last year? Several
reasons, but the most critical was the complex
story at quarterback.
Brian White had an
impressive performance in the 2005 Champs Sports
Bowl against Clemson (7-12, 81yds, 1 TD) and
was last-year’s heir apparent
to QB Joel Klatt. However, White failed to impress
in preseason camp and Hawkins surprised everyone
by announcing that underwhelming senior James
Cox would be the starter.
White immediately
transferred to Portland State and, worse, Cox
went 8 of 22 (110 yards, 0 TD’s)
in CU’s humiliating opening loss to Division
I-AA Montana State.
With nothing left to lose, the staff turned
to its best athlete, Jackson, who had impressed
in camps but was never expected to carry an entire
game plan. The Buffs gained only 145 total yards
the next week against Colorado State, but Jackson
accounted for 100 of them (70 passing; 30 rushing).
Jackson struggled
to master Hawkins’ complex
play-book, so the staff could only install subtle
new wrinkles to develop the offense each week.
Given the clearly incongruent fit between Jackson’s
quarterbacking and Hawkins’ scheme, Jackson’s
year-end totals (1,975 yds total offense; 14
TD’s) were noteworthy. However, the passing
game was a clear malignancy (1,422 yds; 7 TD’s
[4th worst in NCAA]) and the leading receiver
was a redshirt-freshman tight end, Riar Greer
(6-3, 245), whose final numbers were, frankly,
pedestrian (24-261, 3 TD’s).
Obviously, the Buffs’ chief spring objective
was to find a pure quarterback solution. Jackson
will be included in every game plan due to his
sheer athleticism but it will not be as the starting
QB. That position will go to either Cody Hawkins
(yes, the Coach’s son) (5-10, 190; rFr),
or JUCO-transfer Nick Nelson (6-1, 220; Jr).
The duo dueled all spring and will do so again
in preseason, but odds appear to be in Hawkins’ favor.
He is utterly intimate with the playbook and
was a clear leader this summer.
Unfortunately, the new starter will begin behind
an insanely thin offensive line (only six linemen
were available this spring). At least one true
freshman (Ryan Miller (6-8, 320; #2 OT [Rivals.com])
will start this season.
Besides Jackson, Colorado
has no proven home-run threat. Last year’s
starting TB, Hugh Charles, was serviceable
(779 yds), but durability is an issue and this
year he must score more than once, like he
did in 2006. JUCO-transfer PT Gates was a big-play
threat and recruiting plum but he was a summer
academic casualty.
The staff calls fullback
Maurice Cantrell (6-0, 240; Jr), a former linebacker,
the real-deal. The hard-nosed player had no
carries last year but he is brutal lead blocker.
The staff knows to turn to him often while
developing this year’s
system.
Tight end may be CU’s
strongest position in 2007. Greer is solid
and Joe Sanders (6-3, 235; Sr) is a very talented
addition to the ranks (he was highly-recruited
for the position).
The Buffs’ wide-receivers
are unproven and will likely receive a boost
from two freshmen: Markques Simas (6-2, 195)
and Kendrick Celestine (6-0, 190). Simas brings
a great frame and nearly half (19) of his 40
catches last year went for touchdowns.
The Buffs return a
solid core on defense, including junior DT’s
George Hypolite (6-1, 285) and Brandon Nicolas
(6-3, 285) as well as senior WLB Jordan Dizon
( 6-0, 225). However, only the defensive backfield
has significant experienced depth.
Hawkins is not in a hot seat. His personality
is infectious and even former lettermen are taken
by his optimism (though some former players took
poorly the decision not to hire former-Buff John
Embree back onto the staff this off-season).
Still, the alumni-player program is stronger
than ever.
Hawkins re-energized
a recruiting effort that nearly died under
former head coach, Gary Barnett. Complacency
ruled the coaching offices during the scandal-ridden
last two years of Barnett’s
reign. Darian Hagan, for one, has felt the new
jolt and has helped the Buffs to get into living
rooms that would never have been open under Barnett
such as the top running back (Darrell Jones)
and top receiver (Julio Jones) in the nation
this year.
Colorado has been assigned college football
odds of +700 odds to win the North and an NCAA
football line of +1000 of winning the Big 12
Championship.
With NCAA football just a couple months away,
the BetUS sportsbook already has tons of college
football Futures betting available for those
of us who can't wait. Bet on the Heisman winner,
Conference and Divisional winners and, of course,
the 2008 BCS National Championship winner. Bet
NCAA Football Futures in our sportsbook today
in the Future / props section!
Posted on 8/2/2007 4:04:44 PM
Bet on NCAA Football - Colorado Buffaloes
By Brock Murphy
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