Utah Utes Preview

One last chance to save a little, tiny bit of face. One last time to snatch a victory, and deny a winless home season. One last opportunity to grasp at some semblance of redemption.  One game time to frustrate, tease and disappoint.

§  Senior Day: The Buffs will bid adieu to eight seniors on Friday, most from a class that was touted as Hawkins’ foundation for the Buffs’ return to greatness.  However, most of the highly rated players from that class fizzled out due to academic or criminal issues, and most are out of football.  Wil Pericak rose from a relatively unknown Boulder High product, slated to play tight end, to a mainstay on the defensive line, playing all positions and starting every game of his career.  LBs Doug Rippy and Jon Major both struggled with injuries over the years and never quite reached their potential.  S Ray Polk is the likely winner of the Buffalo Heart Award voted on by fans for the senior who overcame the most during their career and Polk went through a lot, first switching from RB to DB as a freshman, then overcoming more injuries in his career than we have space to list, to being a team captain and unquestioned leader of the defense (which struggled so much without him).  Nick Kasa was one of the most highly rated players to sign with the Buffs, but also one of the most disappointing as he fought through injury and illness, could never find a place on the defensive line, finishing his career as mediocre TE. Ryan Dannewitz was solid, versatile backup offensive lineman who filled in every spot except center in his career.  Eric Richter set many strength records at CU and provided depth across both lines for seemingly forever, without actually contributing much on the field.  WR Dustin Ebner was a team guy, like his brother, and gave four years to CU, earning a scholarship this last season.  That’s it.  Goodbye and good luck guys!

§  Fourth-year juniors K Zach Grossnickle and WRs DaVaughn Thorton and Jarrod Darden are on course to graduate and were told in the summer that this year would be their last under scholarship, and therefore will be “honored” and thanked, and said goodbye to along with the seniors.

§  Burn the Redshirt: Most of the frosh who have played are contributing a lot.  Four starters any given day on defense (Tyler Henington got his first start at DT), with three more who play regularly, plus two who were injured last week but would have been on the field otherwise.  Add that to the one-two Upland RB punch of Powell and Abron, plus receivers Vincent Hobbs and Gerald Thomas on offense.  Plus, most of these guys participate a ton on special teams, including all the starting return men.

§  Depth Chart moves: Marques Mosley earned his spot back on the kickoff return team and made it count with the longest return of the year, a 59-yarder that set up the shutout killing FG.  Both lines continue to shuffle based on injury and youth progress.  Kenneth Crawley is technically listed as the starter at the left cornerback over Yuri Wright.

§  Injuries: There are a lot of guys who are definitely out: C Gus Handler, OL Ryan Dannewitz, RB Josh Ford, S Parker Orms, DT Justin Solis, QB Jordan Webb.

§  RB Christian Powell is doubtful, TE Vincent Hobbs is “day-to-day” with his concussion, as is Yuri Wright, who is still hobbled by an ankle;

§  DT Nate Bonsu is probable; both Ray Polk and Chidera Uzo-Diribe suffered stingers, but returned and are not listed on the injury report.  LBs Doug Rippy and Jon Major should be as healthy as they have been all year.

§  Utah Notes:   Utah may have hit the Pac-12 wall and is facing reality that the jump to “AQ” can be a little bumpy.  They will have their first losing season and will not go to a bowl game for the first time since 2002, pre-Urban Meyer. However, since Utah is 4-7, has been awful on the road and has really nothing left to play for, the oddsmakers have installed them as 23 point favorites.  The Buffs are bad and have lost any respect they might have still had nationally.

§  Pac-12 All-Academics honors: One positive note for the program as CU placed 16 players on the Pac-12 All Academic team, including DL Nate Bonsu, ST Justin Gorman, DL Will Pericak and QB Connor Wood on the first team. DB Issac Archuletta, OL Brad Cotner, WR Dustin Ebner, OL Stephane Nembot, PK Will Oliver, WR Nelson Spruce and ST Richard Yates earned second-team honors while RB D.D. Goodson, WR Tyler McCulloch, OL Daniel Munyer, OL Marc Mustoe and P Darragh O’Neill were honorable mention selections. In order to make this list a player must have at least a 3.0 GPA and be a “significant contributor”, which is a little odd since about half of this group really doesn’t play that much, except maybe on special teams.

When the Utes have the ball:

§  Frosh QB Travis Wilson is getting better as he gets more time under his belt.  RB John White is a hard runner and should be yet another RB who loves to spend extra time watching film during CU game week, especially of Ka’Deem Carey gliding through Colorado’s defense.  Devonte Christopher, a solid WR who has had an underachieving senior season, leads a mediocre receiving corps (which is still way better than what CU can send into the huddle).

§  The Buff defense needs to build on it first half effort vs. Washington, a superior offensive team to the Utes. 

§  The freshmen, seven who are getting regular playing time on defense when healthy, are no longer truly freshmen as they say and need to start playing like it.Chidera Uzo-Diribe (we decided we should create a drink named after him for next season) had a good game until suffering a stinger and needs to step up this week and into the future for this defense to have any success. Even if he is double-teamed, he has to find a way to make plays.  Kirk Poston continues to surprise and make plays as well.

§  Without S Parker Orms, Terrel Smith should get some playing time in nickel situations, Jeff Hall will get some snaps and we might even see Jered Bell or Josh Moten.

§  Likewise, for seniors Wil Pericak, Doug Rippy, Jon Major and Ray Polk, this is it-their college careers are only 60 minutes long now (and only Pericak appears destined for the NFL)-what memory do want to leave Boulder with guys?

When the Buffs have the ball:

§  It appears that QB Nick Hirschman will start (how sad is it that we are glad that is the case?), albeit I would assume we will see at least one other QB during the course of the day, first Connor Wood and maybe even John Shrock.

§  Without C Gus Handler, Munyer will shift to center, Jack Harris to RG and Stephane Nembot will open at RT.  I am sure they will get Richter a few series at RG, which will likely cause Nembot to sit and Harris to shift out (what a waste of effort).

§  Whoever is at QB, whoever is on the offensive line, whoever is in the backfield, they must account for all-everything DE Star Lotulelei.  He is the leader of the defense and they find ways to move him around so he can wreak a lot of havoc behind the line of scrimmage.

§  Brian Blechen plays a roving safety/linebacker that wreaks havoc in the middle of the field if an offense can get by Lotulelei.

§  RB Christian Powell’s availability could be key, he had one less day to go through the concussion test progressions and is listed as doubtful.  Donta Abron has played well last week and will probably get the start.  Tony Jones should get one more chance to show that his one 84-yard run to spark the comeback vs. WSU wasn’t a fluke (at least we’re not the Cougs with Mike Leach).  Can Malcolm Creer hang on to the ball is he gets a shot?

§  The wide receivers are almost a non-factor at this point, with only Spruce and McCulloch ever getting any targets, except for the one or two times they run a play for Gerald Thomas.  Utah won’t give them much thought either, leaving them in single coverage and everyone else hanging around the box to stop the run and keep an eye on the tight ends, who are much less dangerous without Hobbs.

§  Unfortunately (?), outside of the oft-injured Nick Kasa, who has his last chance to provide game film for NFL scouts, there are no seniors contributing much on offense, the lack of veteran leadership one of the many reasons it has been so pathetic.

Special Teams:

§  Marques Mosley put a spark in the team last week with his 59-yard kickoff return that set up the FG.  MVP Darragh O’Neill continues to be excellent, as does his snapper.  Wil Oliver is and will continue to be a decent if not great kicker. 

§  Long snapper Ryan Iverson is 5^th in special teams points, only 5 behind leader Josh Moten.

§  However, punt return has returned to debacle state with the two returners going back and screwing it up-hope we don’t see that again. 

§  Buffs were also unable to tackle the Husky punter when he dropped the snap, instead allowing him to get off a decent punt.

§  Utah returns Coleman Peterson, the kicker who missed three field goals in the season-ending Buff win last year.

§  Overall, these are two bad teams, limping into a bowl-less offseason.  Who wants it more?

§  If you truly need something else to get you through Thanksgiving Day:

Stuart’s TIPS: http://www.cuatthegame.com/2012/coloradoutah-preview/

Plati’s CU Game Notes: Dave come through this week! http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/utah12/cunotes.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600

Utah Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/utah12/utahnotes.pdf