January Notes

It has been confirmed and reported everywhere else that LT David Bahktiari is indeed declaring for the upcoming NFL draft.  Although he said he woke up Monday morning and knew that this was what he wanted to do, his brother tweeted the news late Sunday night-I believe it was still during the Alabama rout of Notre Lame.  Bahktiari has been rated as the seventh best offensive tackle, projected as a second or third round pick.  Steve Marshall and Jon Embree also told them he rated well with their colleagues around the NFL. With a really good combine he could rise up into the early part of the second round, maybe even the first.  It is hard to blame him for not really wanting to stick around to impress a third head coach and fourth offensive line coach when he can go get paid.

Buffscoop (pay site I do not subscribe to) tweeted a tease that they had information on a new assistant coach.  They usually have good sources, but I don’t know if this is their piece on Walters, or they know something new.  If it’s the latter, it should come out soon.

Ted Miller of ESPN Pac-12 blog put out “returning starters” numbers. He lists CU with 18 total (tied for highest in the conference), 9 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists. This doesn’t include Paul Richardson, but the numbers wouldn’t change with his addition since both WRs (Spruce and McCulloch) are in there.  He lists “big names” as Sr. DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe and So. CB Kenneth Crawley. There are probably also a few others with some starting experience.  However, with new coaches and systems, all position battles are open. However, it probably means it’s time to update my 2013 “Positional Outlook”.

President Bruce Benson’s letter to alumni and donors just sounds like more begging-CU’s Athletic Department fundraising operates on a different wavelength.  Guilt, “woe is me” and begging will not get me to give (except with my dogs).  They have been “planning” and “studying funding options” for over a year now (remember, they used sketches of the “plans” to help lure recruits like Yuri Wright and Kenneth Crawley last year).  It sounds like planning and studying really mean waiting for one big donor to dump a bunch of cash in their lap. Show me some sound decision-making and assure my money will be used wisely, before I will ever ante up another penny; I doubt this is possible while the Bohnhead is still on campus.

Recruiting: Lose one, gain one.  LB Addison Gilliam (Palo Cedro, CA), who was greyshirting at San Jose State, has decided to follow the coaches to Boulder.  He was rated with two stars and obviously fits with the type of player MacIntyre and Baer want to see on the team. He will enroll in classes next week.

Meanwhile, WR Peyton Williams, however, has decided to go back to Texas to play.  He said that while he enjoyed his semester here, he realized he is a “Texas” boy.  It is not known if he has a school lined up. DE Kisima Jagne, the highest rated of the original five greyshirts, has decided to enroll at ASU.

However, WR Jeffrey Thomas will enroll and has moved into the dorms.  He looks to be a big part of the offense next year.  Two other greyshirts, who probably won’t contribute much in the near future, DE Derek McCartney and OL Gerald Kough, also moved into dorms this week.

Former Buff receiver Austin Vincent, who played sparingly as a freshman early in Embree’s first year, but then was dismissed for a dorm shower incident, apparently has cleared his name and is planning on returning to Boulder as a walk-on this fall.  He has been attending Cisco College in Texas to remain eligible.  I am assuming the team will provide with an ample supply of large towels.

The Buffs look to be in the running for two-star LB Lawrence Montegut (La Marque, Texas) and he will visit on Jan 18, along with verbal commit WR Devin Ross, CB prospect Chidobe Awuzie, WR prospect Devon Hardaway (had committed to SJSU over CU before coaching changes) and others.

If you want to read a bunch of mindless banter about any recruit with whom CU has ever been mentioned, then check out the AllBuffs forum: http://www.allbuffs.com/forumdisplay.php/14-Colorado-Football-Recruiting-Central

The entire Pac-12 conference schedule will be released later today and I will post it tonight or tomorrow.

Congrats to Greg Brown who officially will take over the secondary under Kirby Smart for the Two-time defending National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide.  I figure we will see him somewhere as a DC in the future after tutelage under Smart and Saban.  Interesting fact: the BCS Crystal Trophy has resided in the state of Alabama for four straight years now with Auburn having interrupted the dynasty three years ago with Cam Newton.

Go Buffs!