Colorado Insider
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
Colorado averages
Points
Offense: 19.2
Defense: 28.3
Yards
Offense: 321.0
Defense: 379.3
Rush
Offense: 132.0
Defense: 165.2
Pass
Offense: 189.0
Defense: 214.1
Time on field
Offense: 29:44
Defense: 30:16
Base formations
Offense: Multiple
Defense: 4-3
KEEP AN EYE ON ‘EM
Cha’pelle Brown
CB / Jr. / 5-7 / 180 pounds
Brown obviously has learned how to handle size mismatches. He’s played in all but 10 defensive snaps this season, leading the Buffs with 10 breakups and has 84 tackles.
Daniel Sanders
C / Sr. / 6-3 / 315 pounds
If you’ve seen this guy’s wild hair, you’d wonder how he gets a helmet on. Make no mistake, though, Sanders can play. He’s been on the field for every offensive snap and is No. 2 with 571/2 knockdown blocks.
Josh Smith
KR / So. / 6-0 / 180 pounds
Smith has to be itching to test Nebraska’s porous kick coverage. He has a CU single-season record 1,375 kick-return yards and is just the fifth Buff to amass more than 1,600 in all-purpose.
Quarterbacks (2 balls)
The Buffs have been in somewhat of a quandary all season, as they pulled true freshman Travis Hansen out of a planned redshirt against Kansas State in the seventh game. That came about with sophomore Cody Hawkins in a funk. Hansen struggled mightily in his first start at Missouri, and Hawkins regained the spot with a 20-for-29, 226-yard, four-TD performance in the second half against Iowa State. Typical coach’s kid, a gamer who makes good decisions that, in this case, helps him overcome some athletic deficiencies. He’ll probably get most, if not all, of the snaps Friday (he went the distance in the last game against Oklahoma State). If Hansen gets in, he’s more inclined to run. He’s the team’s third-leading rusher.
Running backs (1 ball)
The Buffs sorely miss freshman Rodney Stewart, who broke a leg against Texas A&M three games ago. He was fourth in the Big 12 with a 69.1-yard rushing average. Highly touted frosh Darrell Scott (he was the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Newcomer of the Year) has had a bum ankle most of the season, and is listed day-to-day for the regular-season finale. That means sophomore Demetrius Sumler (3.3-yard average on 54 attempts) could handle much of the load.
Receivers (2 balls)
Sophomore Scotty McKnight is listed behind senior Patrick Williams at one of the WR spots, but he leads the Buffs with 42 receptions, 461 yards and five TDs. Williams and Cody Crawford (who rotates with Smith) are next with 29 catches apiece. The fact that Smith (27 receptions) has the top yards-per-catch average (12.9) indicates the Buffs don’t throw deep very often. They also don’t look often to 6-4, 250-pound tight end Riar Geer, who has just 11 catches.
Offensive line (2 balls)
Injuries and academic casualties have forced youngsters to step into major roles. Not surprisingly, Sanders, who’s started the last 35 games, has graded out the highest of all Buff linemen, having allowed just one sack and three pressures all season. Left tackle Nate Solder has been the other mainstay. Devin Head has started seven of the last eight games at right guard (he started at center while Sanders played left guard in the other) after freshman Max Tuioti-Mariner was lost for the year before Colorado faced Florida State. CU then lost right tackle Ryan Miller for the year in that game, pushing redshirted freshman Matthew Bahr into a starting role. Bahr and left guard Blake Behrens, another redshirt freshman, are among the 13 Buffs who have made their first starts this season.
Defensive line (3 balls)
Probably the strength of the defense with three senior starters. Tackle George Hypolite is a mobile lane jammer who also has 12 QB hurries and six tackles for loss. He was named first-team midseason All-Big 12 by Phil Steele. Left end Maurice Lucas has 36 tackles, six behind the line of scrimmage. Nose tackle Brandon Nicolas also has six stops behind the line of scrimmage, while right end Marquez Herrod is second on the team with four sacks.
Linebackers (2 balls)
Brad Jones leads the Buffs with 13 QB hurries, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks from his strongside spot. Jeff Smart, who moved from the weak side to middle after three games, always seems to be around the ball, and leads CU with 103 tackles. Junior college transfer Shaun Mohler (a former Nebraska commit) became a starter when Smart switched, and is tied for second on the team with 87 stops. Sophomore Michael Sipili (who started the first three games) has the most experience of the backups. He’s played in seven games this season and saw action in 10 as a true freshman in 2006.
Defensive backs (2 balls)
Like Hypolite, Cha’pelle Brown was honored by Phil Steele as first-team midseason All-Big 12. He produced a game-winning TD on an interception return against Eastern Washington. He’ll move to nickel back when the Buffs go to an extra DB, with sophomore Jalil Brown entering as a corner. Senior free safety Ryan Walters is list as questionable with knee and ankle issues, but it’ll take a lot to keep him out. Walters, an ironman throughout his career, is No. 2 with 87 tackles and five touchdown saves, seven breakups, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. If he’s out, the Buffs have to relay on freshman Patrick Mahnke. Strong safety Anthony Perkins also is a first-year player, while the other corner, Jimmy Smith, is a sophomore.
Special teams (1 ball)
Outside of Smith, who ranks sixth in the Big 12 with a 10.4-yard average on punt returns and seventh in kickoffs at 25.2, the Buffs don’t have big threats. Before Aric Goodman hit a 31-yard field goal against Oklahoma State in the last game, he’d missed eight straight (no wonder CU has gone for it on fourth down 23 times this season, succeeding on 16). Meanwhile, opponents have made 16 of 20 three-pointers. Smith has 16 plays of at least 30 yards this season (13 of those coming on returns). The team’s net punting average of 34 yards ranks seventh in the league.
SCOUTING REPORT
In its last outing, CU limited Oklahoma State to three field goals after the Cowboys had driven inside the 10-yard line. While OSU did get three TDs on plays of 43, 29 and 12 yards in its 30-17 win, coach Mike Gundy was left impressed by how the Buffaloes “run to the ball and tackle. Other than the Missouri game (a 58-0 loss), Colorado has played well.”
Iowa State offensive coordinator made a similar observation about CU’s defense before the Buffs rallied to beat the Cyclones 28-24 on Nov. 8.
“As explosive as Missouri is, that game can get away from a lot of people,” McFarland said. “You take away that game, their defense has really been outstanding all year.They’ve very solid up front and they’re very solid in the back part of their defense, which is the key to any defense, really.”
McFarland also predicated big things are in store for Hypolite. “I think you’ll see him go on the first day of the NFL draft. Very talented player.”
Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman noted how the Aggies’ offense struggled for consistency during its 24-17 win against CU on Nov. 1. “They were playing very aggressive on us and we had to take some shots down the field,” Sherman said.
The Buffs outgained A&M 392-308 thanks to Hansen rushing for 86 of the team’s 194 yards.
“The major play that got us all day was the quarterback draw,” Sherman said. “We just could not tackle that quarterback.“
Iowa State’s defensive coordinator Wayne Bolt noted how the Buffaloes play two and sometimes three tight ends.
“It’s a type of offense (with) a lot of misdirection,” he said.
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