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Woelk: Complete game should be Buffs' goal
Before the season began, I wrote that in order for Colorado to legitimately claim to be an improved team this year, the Buffs needed to win at least seven games.
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Obviously, that came without knowing that Dan Hawkins' team would be decimated by injury. Since the beginning of the season, the Buffs have lost nine players for the year to injury, including three key offensive linemen and the team's leading rusher -- more than a third of the starting offense.
One way to calculate the impact is this: to date, CU has lost a total of 97 "player games" to injury, with 86 of those by players who figured in either the two-deep or prominently on special teams.
Those kinds of circumstances can waylay even the best of plans.
Equally concerning is the compound effect. Every game that tackle Ryan Miller didn’t get to play this year will delay his development for the 2009 season. It’s even more of an impact for the younger players, such as Max Tuioti-Mariner, who would have entered next season as an experienced linemen, but will now be a still-green kid.
Simply, next year’s progress is also being set back.
But we also know that football is a game of injuries waiting to happen. Even when they come in droves, the basic measure is still wins and losses. Reasons may be many, but the bottom line is nevertheless how programs are ultimately judged.
So we’ll stick to that magic number of seven. It’s a goal still within the Buffs’ reach, but to get there, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to move one step closer tonight when Oklahoma State pays a visit to Folsom Field.
Of course, that’s easier said than done.
The 11th-ranked Cowboys will bring with them the nation’s fourth-leading rusher, Kendall Hunter. They also have the nation’s No. 3 quarterback in passing efficiency, Zac Robinson; the No. 2 receiver in yards per game, Dez Bryant; and the overall No. 6 offense in the land.
And if comparative scores are your bag, CU fans will want to skip the rest of this sentence: the team that dropped a 58-0 stink bomb on the Buffs earlier this year, Missouri, lost a 28-23 decision to Oklahoma State.
It’s just the latest in what has seemed to be a never-ending lineup of high-octane offenses on the Buffs’ schedule this year. Conventional wisdom would suggest that CU’s chances are slim and none, and slim has a bad ankle.
But despite conventional wisdom’s insistence, we’re here to say this is a game the Buffs can win.
It will require CU’s offensive line to pick up where it left off last week, particularly in the area of pass protection.
It will require freshman running back Darrell Scott to once again fight through pain and continue what he started last week, when he showed more than just flashes of the ability that could make him one of the nation’s best backs.
And, it will require quarterback Cody Hawkins to display the accuracy and decision-making ability that produced 229 yards and four TDs in 30 minutes of play just a week ago. (Also, nobody will be surprised if Tyler Hansen makes an appearance or two, just to keep the Cowboys honest.)
In short, the offense has to be at it’s best. Anything less and it could be a long, cold night.
Defensively, the Buffs absolutely must prevent the big play and force a turnover or two in the process. The Cowboys have put the ball on the ground 18 times this year (losing nine). That means they are likely to put the ball on the ground a couple of times tonight — picking up at least one would be a huge boost for Colorado.
Since the debacle at Missouri, the Buffs have had their backs to the wall. They let a winnable game slip away at Texas A&M, and salvaged a victory last week against Iowa State by the absolute thinnest of margins.
Certainly, improvement has not been steady this season. Rather, it has come in fits and starts as CU’s coaches have mixed and matched, simplified and strategized, trying to shore up glaring weaknesses and amplify what few strengths remain.
But what’s been missing for most of this season has been a complete game. That’s a solid effort by the defense from beginning to end, matched with a consistent, effective offense.
That should be the Buffs’ goal tonight and two weeks from now in the regular season finale. Play their best football of the year. Make improvement a reality.
If they do that, these Buffs still have the opportunity to reach plenty of their goals.
Including seven wins.
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Posted by NJBuff on November 15, 2008 at 4:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets go Buffs!
Posted by buffalo_flyer on November 15, 2008 at 6:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wouldn't a "complete" game mean the fans finally step up and sell out the stadium?
Posted by montanabuff on November 15, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There has to be a marked show of improvement tonight. Holding OSU under 50 and actually getting over 20 on offense should not be good enough. The CU program needs to show its fans, recruits, and future opponents that the Buffs are playing to WIN every game.
2009 starts tonight!
Go Buffs!
http://www.cuatthegame.com
Posted by Ralphie2 on November 15, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
GO BUFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by OUBuff on November 15, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BF... when the Buffs start putting a product on the field that is worthy of sell outs, they will get them. It is a 2-way street.
Fish... agree, no need to start making excuses for next year already. I do think Woelk is right however that the injuries have hade a huge impact on this year. If the Buffs have just a "normal" rate of injuries, they probably have wins over A&M and KU and a much better shot at the next 2 games.
The Buffs may have not shown a complete game this season, but they HAVE shown they don't quit easily.
Good luck fellas and give us something good to talk about!!
Posted by donintucson on November 15, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There is nothing that Dan Hawkins has done this year, or his first two, that makes it even remotely possible that this team will play a complete game.
Alabama beat us by 6 in the bowl last year; which team has made the most improvement? What do you think Hawkin's Buffs would do against Alabama this year?
I think it is going to be a long night, I hope I am wrong, I don't believe I am.
Go Buffs!!!
Posted by Saheeb on November 15, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"injuries" and some key losses to academics in Tau, Fataagi and Simas I would add, plus Maiavai's transfer.
The only complete game we've had all season was the opener against CSU. That has ended up being a real teaser as the rest of the play all season didn't come close to a complete game.
Posted by BuffTime on November 15, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Woelk is off on the impact for next year for sure. Miller has played enough and MTM was good enough to start this year already. Having more people with valuable game experience will only push the entire O-line to perform at an even higher level in the spring and summer to win those spots.
You think the guys playing now are just going to roll over and hand the spots back to Miller and MTM when they return next year? No way. They will put up a good fight and we will have a much stronger overall line for next season with a much more seasoned depth chart.
Also, don't forget that the linemen are cross-trained at every position. So even if the guy replacing Miller doesn't beat out Miller for his spot on the line, he just might displace someone else on the line.
Posted by bufffan8 on November 15, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can't look at the Alabama game last year and say it was close. Yes the final score was close but they completely blew us out and then cleared the bench. Alabama could of beat us by 50 if they played hard the whole game.
Look at OSUs starters. All but two are JRs and SRs. Until this year Gundy had a losing record. Now he has upperclassmen playing and is a top 15 team. That is where CU will be in 2009 and 2010.
So all you bandwagon jumpers that won't shell out $20 bucks for a game this year will come back in force to "support" the team in the next couple of years. Thanks for hanging in there with the young team folks.
Posted by donintucson on November 15, 2008 at 6:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I got news for you, Florida's team this year is younger than the Buffs!
Reality hurts, doesn't mean people are jumping off the bandwagon, just means the bandwagon is going backwards!!!
Go Buffs
Posted by Cornbred on November 15, 2008 at 7:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh oh Ralphie is going to die! Look out for the corn! NU ownes CU!
Posted by donintucson on November 15, 2008 at 8:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So the kicker finally makes a field goal, 13-3 at the half, and adjustments are made and Okie St. drives 80 yards in five plays for a TD. Why am I NOT surprised, this coach and his staff continue to disappoint.
Hoping you can win games is so lame!
Go Buffs
Posted by donintucson on November 15, 2008 at 8:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Offense soores and now the defense cannot stop them!!!
Go Buffs