Home › Football
Injury bug hits Buffs defense
Dykes doesn't dress; Walters hurt on 1st series
This was not the way Ryan Walters wanted to leave Folsom Field for the last time.
STORY TOOLS
More Football
- Hawk viewing: CU coach to open 10 practices to public
- Fairview standout Bell mulls offer from Colorado
- Buffs receive record gift
Share and Enjoy [?]
Colorado's standout free safety and defensive captain had probably envisioned being carried off the field by the fans after a Buffs upset over the No. 11 team in the country.
Instead, Walters had to be helped off the field after suffering a sprained ankle and knee during CU's first defensive series in what turned out to be a disappointing 30-17 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday night.
Walters is listed as day to day for the Buffs' regular-season finale at Nebraska on Nov. 28.
"You never want to lose your senior safety captain," senior defensive tackle George Hypolite said. "(Walters) was born to be a Buff."
The Buffs were already without starting senior strong safety D.J. Dykes, who did not dress out for the game due to health issues/illness.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Perkins started in place of Dykes. True freshman Patrick Mahnke filled in for Walters after the deflating injury.
"It was so tough. Ryan obviously is our captain, a big-play guy and the leader of our defense and the leader of the team," senior cornerback Gardner McKay said. "It's hard to lose him. Luckily we have a backup in Mahnke who came in and performed pretty well. He showed himself today. ...
"In the future Perkins and Mahnke are going to be nice safeties. And Colorado has always developed some nice safeties. They just have to take it up to another level in the future."
CU's depleted defense held its own against OSU's high-powered offense in the first half, coming up with a pair of goal-line stands to force the visitors to settle for two Dan Bailey chip shots from 18 and 25 yards out for a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
After struggling CU place-kicker Aric Goodman bounced a 50-yard field goal off left upright with 8:52 remaining in the second quarter, the Cowboys capitalized on the favorable field position and marched down the field for a 13-0 lead.
Dez Bryant made a SportsCenter-worthy one-handed catch on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Zac Robinson to cap the drive.
"I think we basically did well as a defense," McKay said. "It was just a couple of plays here and there that killed us, and they turned them into touchdowns."
OSU took a 20-3 lead with an explosive five-play, 80-yard drive early in the third quarter. Robinson connected with Damian Davis on a 30-yard completion and Kendall Hunter broke off a 43-yard touchdown run on the next snap.
After the Buffs scored on a mini-immaculate reception -- a 28-yard touchdown pass from Cody Hawkins to Scotty McKnight that bounced off Cody Crawford first -- the Cowboys executed an 8-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown scamper by Robinson with 54 seconds remaining in the third quarter to make the score 27-10.
CU snapped a 10-quarter turnover drought in the fourth quarter when weak-side linebacker Shaun Mohler intercepted a Robinson pass and returned it 16 yards to the OSU 16, setting up a Demetrius Sumler touchdown run to cut the deficit to 10 points.
But the Buffs' offense couldn't generate much after that and the brief comeback bid fizzled.
"I think it's all across the board as a team, we need to work on developing a killer instinct and really putting people away or nailing people," Hypolite said. "That's the sign of a young team -- you're inconsistent, you show flashes but you don't do it consistently."
Entering Saturday's game, Walters -- who was still receiving treatment for his injuries after the game -- was second on the team with 86 tackles. Dykes was sixth with 55, including an assist on the game-clinching stop at the goal line on the final play of the victory over Iowa State a week earlier.
"I was definitely surprised when he went down and I was a little nervous going," said Mahnke, who had five tackles and two pass breakups in relief of Walters. "But once I started playing I got into a groove I guess. There's definitely a lot of stuff I need to work on this week. It was definitely a good experience and I loved every minute of it."
Perkins also had five tackles. Travis Sandersfeld, another redshirt freshman safety, suffered a hamstring injury on special teams in the third quarter and did not return.
"(The injuries) hurt a little bit, but I take my hat off to Anthony Perkins and Pat Mahnke," Hypolite said. "They stepped right in and didn't really miss a beat. They didn't really make any mistakes that I saw. They did a great job."
OSU was averaging 42.8 points per game entering Saturday's action.
"I am going to give them some credit," OSU head coach Mike Gundy said of CU's defense. "They had a nice plan and they have been pretty tough within the 5-yard line."
We are experimenting with a new comment system by IntenseDebate. Please use it below and email us at webmaster@dailycamera.com with any feedback. You will notice that the comment application has a lot of new features, such as, threaded comments, ability to add photos, gravatars, smileys, comment rating, ability to add a poll directly to your comment and many more. We look forward to hearing from you. You must register with IntenseDebate below in order to comment - this will prevent spam, impersonating other users and give you more control over your comments. Thank you.
Posted by donintucson on November 16, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Very proud of the kids, nice to see Gundy give them and the defensive coaches credit.
Same old mistakes and bad decisions, poor kicking and special teams, things that go on and on under this coach, it is amazing to watch! Remember, the head coach recruits the players he has and plays the players he wants to play. When they don't perform, it is on him and him alone.
He is not smart enough to fix this in ten days, we have watched this go on and on for 3 years without getting fixed.
One of the best Eddie Crowder teams was the 1971 team, very young and won 10 games, beat Ohio St. and LSU on the road. This young team excuse is getting old old. Texas is playing with two freshman safeties. Florida is younger than the Buffs with 60 freshman and sophomores. Both BC running backs are pure freshman. Tell me it ain't coaching and I will laugh at you!
Anyone with any sense would have let Scott heal up weeks ago instead of playing him. The trainer should have taken charge of this and not let the kid practice until he was healthy, period.
Hawkins is going to be under big pressure next year. The team needs to cut back on their torture sessions, too many injuries, and there are going to have to be some assistant coaching changes, OC and ST for sure. If that is not done, and unless Hawkins wakes up and gets a real power running game going, he can forget his fifth year in my book. He is done. 8 wins plus will be mandatory next year, and the team will be on the road at Texas and Okie St. so it won't be easy. And there is Missouri who has him mystified.
I would not hold out any hope for a bowl game.
Neb. will win at home and we will be living with it for the next year, as much as I dispise the red bxxxxxxs.
The fact is Hawkins version of the Buffs has only won 13 games in 3 years, and digressed this year to boot. It just ain't happening.
Go Buffs!!!
Posted by charlenegrelli on November 16, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And the fact that the scandal left us with a core group of one Offensive Linemen and zero QBs and zero playmakers in the upper 2 classes (Jrs and Srs) should just be ignored. No other team in college is recovering from the damage that was done due to the recruiting scandal. We're lucky to be holding it together as good as we are. We're on the right path and will improve drastically the next two years. The 2 real classes he has recruited have been very solid (see above on the safety play). Your criticism is premature given that this program was essentially DONE in 2005. Those last two years under GB have come home to roost. The '07 and '08 classes should return us to the top-25 in 2010 and 2011. And I'm confident that will be the start because winning the BTN wasn't so fun when we'd lose by 40 vs. OU. The real goal is BCS bowls. Until then, watch the patchwork take shape! The kids are getting experience....
Posted by donintucson on November 16, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Koolaid drinkers are still around the program!
What about this year, 58-0 to Missouri, your definition of progress, with Hawkin's players!
Put your money where your mouth is, loser donates $1000 to the GBSF. How about a loftier goal then top 25, that is a Hawkins lover's problem; Real fans should want a top 5 program and competing for an NC every year. Ain't gonna happen under WAC boy Hawkins.
Go Buffs
Posted by roamingbuff on November 17, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Buffs could be much better next year. Given how tough the schedule was this year, and given how young the team is, and given how many key players are injured - I think the Buffs are doing pretty good. I'm not happy about 6 and 5 - but you have to put things in perspective.
Think baout the potential next year. Look at the schedule for starters. Buffs could pick up a couple more wins on that issue alone.
Then you look at the players who should be back from the injury list. Then look at how much actual game expience the younger players got this year. Look at the players who should be on the roster next year - like Major, Kota, Simas, Periak, Polk etc.
Buffs could turn a corner next year. In the meantime - this is when the rest of the "team" needs to step up, now more than ever. By that I mean the fans. The real fans. Not the fair weather folks. Not the complainers. The real fans need to be there and support the team.
Get excited about the future. Tell people about what CU has going on. Get other former Buffs off the sideline. Donate cash. Fight to change the rules about contracts for asistant coaches.
Folks - if you want change - make it happen. Don't just post complaints on a website. Get it done! Get after it! Do the things that are out of the hands of the althetes, like Buff Club donations and assitant coaches salaries and contracts.
You want change - make it happen. They do it in places like USC and Texas etc. You want to play with them - step up - cuz we are way behind those programs. It goes well beyond just coaches and players. It starts with the fans base.
Maybe they should have a website where the coaches and administration can complain about the lame fans who don't pony up the money and don't show up at the games. Imagine what it would be like if they complained about us as much as some of us complain and criticise them.
We could complain about a 3rd down call. They could complain about the bone-head who threw stuff onto the field.
Donate what you can. I don't care if it's ten bucks or ten thousand. Instead of spending money on a recruiting website, send that cash to CU. That way you avoid the post season gossip and do something that will actually help the program.
O-kay - sorry for the rant, but it's true.
Posted by Buffpride on November 17, 2008 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So many injuries! This links to the strength and conditioning coach. Off season and in season work outs are to make sure players are strong and durable enough to make it through a season. The finger ultimately gets pointed at the head man for hiring this guy. I do think it is the injury bug, the bugs real name is Jeff Pitman.
Posted by buffalo_flyer on November 17, 2008 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I like it roamingbuff!
maybe
www.entitled-cu-fans.com
www.fans-know-nothing.com
Anyone who thinks CU can challenge for a title every year has been spending way too much time under the desert sun
Posted by reallifeshocker on November 17, 2008 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
really very sad about the two safeties, the heart and soul of the defensive corps, lost to, what else, injuries. we are just too small, weak, slow, and inexperienced to play with the best of the big-12. kansas has had it's comuppance, they can no longer surprise people. cannot rely on excellent play-calling, and skills position play to overcome their lack of overall team strength, size, and speed.(not to mention depth.) we need big, strong, fast, and hungry players. ( two deep, and some in red-shirts) not the ones that get a lift from beating up on skinny-armed frat-boys on the hill, but in competing with the studs on saturdays.