Last Preview of the Year-Utah Utes

§  I watched the Pac12 1 hour replay of the USC game and saw a lot to like and still a lot to shake my head at, but Utah is not nearly as talented of a team, although much better than Cal. So, here is everything I know, which may not be much, about the last game of the season. This isn’t really a rivalry game, even with a history of over 50 games (all of which were played before I was born), even though the road team has won the first two Pac12 matchups, but it is the obvious regional end-of-year pairing when everyone else has clear-cut, long-standing, true rivals.  If both teams had pulled off the upset last week, this game could have had a bowl berth on the line; instead, it and means nothing but a tiny bit of 10^th place pride. Both teams sit a 4-7, 1-7 in conference play, but Utah has played a much more difficult schedule, and remember, this team upset Stanford in Rice Eccles Stadium where they are especially tough.  Both teams and sets of fan bases think they should win this game.

§  Line: The Buffs are bad enough still that odds makers are still listing Utah as a two touchdown favorite at home, with the spread reaching as high as 16.5.

§  Injuries: True frosh WR Devin Ross suffered a concussion against USC and is questionable.

§  LB Addison Gillam tweaked his back late in the USC game but is expected to play Saturday.

§  LB Brady Daigh suffered a “lower leg injury” but will likely play.

§  LB Woodson Greer will not play due to lingering effects from a stinger.

§  There are a few other players who don’t get on the field much with concussions.

§  Other Roster Notes: Connor Wood, Wil Oliver and Nate Bonsu were named first team Pac12 All-Academic. Nelson Spruce, Stephane Nembot, Darragh O’Neill and walk-on DB Richard Yates named to second team, with Brad Cotner, DD Goodson, Tyler Henington, Daniel Munyer, Tyler McCulloch, Jordan Murphy, Christian Powell, and Jordan Webb named honorable mention.

§  Sr. Josh Ford is petitioning for a 6^th year of eligibility after missing all of this season and parts of others.

§  It is still unclear if this was the handiwork of disgruntled fans, but the houses of two CU football coaches have been TP’d in the last week, first with Coach MacInytre’s house getting hit pretty badly this last weekend, followed up by Jim Jeffcoat’s house was a few nights later.  There are rumors of a feud between the Monarch Varsity Girls and boys Basketball teams (Jay MacIntyre plays for the boys, Jeffcoat’s daughter for the girls), but it is all speculation at this juncture. 

When the Buffs have the ball:

§  The Buff offensive line will face a very tough test this week.  The Utes are 2^nd in the country with 36 sacks as the defensive line gets pressure on the QB with DE Trevor Riley racking up 8.5 and Jacoby Hale 6.5.

§  However, even with a good pass rush, they have still given up almost 300 yards a game through the air.

§  Last week was the first time in a while that Sefo did not make a ton of progress, and in fact started pressing instead of remaining poised, but he was facing an excellent defense.  He should be able to have a better day this week, although he may have to move around a lot to do so. 

§  I wonder if they don’t let Sefo run a little and keep the ball on the zone option a little more since it is the last game and injury is not as big of a worry.  Some QB draws and his scrambling can help counter the pass rush.  He will probably utilize some screen passes as well.

§  CB Keith McGill will likely draw P-Rich in coverage and it could be a long day for him as I expect Richardson to have a big game in what is almost for sure his last game in black and gold (unless he gets drafted by Pittsburgh).  They need to make sure he gets involved early (no first half catches last week) as it opens things up for everyone else.  Stat notes: P-Rich is one TD from tying both the single season (11-Derek McCoy) and career (22-Scotty McKnight) TD catch marks, 8 receptions from single season record of 78 (DJ Hackett),  and only 190 yards from first on all-time Buff receiving record of 2548 yards by Michael Westbrook.

§  Nelson Spruce could also have another big day.  He has really developed into a great receiver who runs great routes, has great hands (his TD catch against USC was really nice), and although is not a “burner”, he has deceptive speed and has worked on his spin move after the catch and getting downfield.

§  It will really help Sefo and the entire offense if they can not only get P-Rich involved early, but spread the ball around to others like DD Goodson (usually a one-play wonder), Devin Ross (Sefo and he just missed on a deep ball last week) or TE Kyle Slavin, who nobody pays attention to in coverage (see TD vs. Cal and I would actually love to see that play or a variation of the pass out of zone read again).

§  The Buff would love to control the clock but the running backs could find it difficult against a stout run defense.  It appears the team will continue, even into next season, using a three-headed (don’t think I can quite say) “monster” of battering Christian Powell, speedy Michael Adkins, and experienced, solid, you know what you get Tony Jones.  If they can find a little success here, it will really open up the passing game.

When the Utes have the ball:

§  Utah is down to its backup former walk-on QB and this is probably the Buffs’ biggest advantage, although Adam Schulz has played fairly well.  The defensive line needs to get some pressure on Schulz who is just not as talented as Travis Wilson (second QB in two years to have to hang up the cleats for good).  However, since it is the last game of the season, MacIntyre expects Schulz to run some more this week because they don’t have to worry as much about injury going forward.

§  The Ute o-line has been vulnerable with LT Poutasi giving up 7.5 sacks by himself.  Look for Chidera to attack him.  Jimmie Gilbert and Juda Parker both have been making some plays lately and can take advantage of doubles on Chidera in preparing to be the starters next season.

§  WR Dres Anderson is a big playmaker and is only 90 yards short of a 1000 yard season.  Utah will certainly try to get him there if they are close.  They also have WR Sean Fitzgerald (5 TDs), and TE Jake Murphy can make slow safeties pay.

§  RB Kelvin York and Bubba Poole are both decent as well, though not huge threats. 

§  Since Utah plays a more traditional offense and runs the ball a decent amount, and because Greer is out, senior LBs Derrick Webb and Paul Vigo will get to play a lot in their last shot at winning a Pac12 game in a Buff uniform. 

§  This is also Parker Orms’ last game so expect him to really leave it all on the field, but his overzealousness could easily lead to injury, whiff tackle or an ejection (thought he’d have a couple by now).  Jered Bell has had a penchant for making a big play this year, but also misses some big tackles.  If these safeties and Tedric Thompson can limit the mistakes and big plays, the defense will be alright.

§  The Buffs may not play as much nickel in this game, but I always am watching number 4 Chidobe Awuzie when he is on the field.

Special Teams:

§   The Buffs have found a way to make every mistake in the special teams blunder playbook, so I wonder what I have overlooked that they could still do poorly in a new creative way and what they will pull off.  If one team loses this area badly, they will probably also lose the game.

Overall,

§  I want to be able to pick the Buffs here, but it is difficult to do at this point.  Both teams are pretty bad in many areas, but Utah has generally looked better more often and longer into their losses.  The game will come down to who makes the least mistakes and takes advantage of the other team’s miscue.  This will be especially crucial in the five minute window before and after halftime, where the Buffs have been horrible and lost many games, having been outscored 105-33 in the last 6:39 of the second quarter and 48-20 in the first five of the third. I expect a low-scoring game, but the road team wins again! Buffs 27 Utes 17

§  If  you need some more since it’s the last game of the year:

Stuart’s TIPS: http://www.cuatthegame.com/2013/colorado-at-utah-a-preview/

Rumblin’ Preview: http://www.cuatthegame.com/2013/colorado-at-utah-a-preview/

Plati’s CU Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/utah13/cunotes.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600

Utah Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/utah13/utahnotes.pdf

PS I am in the Pacific Takes Pac12 Fantasy Championship against “Huskier”!

Late reaction to USC game

The Buffs have certainly improved upon their overall record, effort and product from the past few seasons and kept fighting until the very end against USC.  Their lineup is littered with freshmen and sophomores with very few seniors in contributing roles and the lineup should be experienced and should be able continue to show improvement next year. However, there is still a huge talent gap and they still lost by 18 points at home, only getting the backdoor cover late against a tired defense that knew they had the win in hand. The Buffs made entirely too many mistakes to compete in a conference game against a good team.

If Paul Richardson indeed makes the jump to the NFL, will this team be able to compete and improve upon what they have accomplished this year?  The offense was almost non-existent in the first half, garnering only a couple of first downs and only once making it past midfield.  Once again the team made a string of mistakes in the closing minutes of the first half to turn a close game into a blowout.  The lines on both sides of the ball were getting pushed backwards all night (these two groups really worry me for next season).  Running plays rarely had any space and Sefo was running for his life most of the night.  The true frosh did not have his best game by any means, missing badly on a few passes and giving the ball away twice, but he was harassed all evening and his receivers dropped way too many balls when he was on target (7 or 8 at least, with 4 or 5 on early drives). Although the defense held USC in check at times, they gave up the big play at the most inopportune times as usual.  The defensive line got very little push and did not tackle particularly well.  Although Parker Orms played his Buffalo heart out for his whole career and again last night with limited snaps (and if you didn’t catch that, he also won the fans’ “Buffalo Heart Award”), and although Jered Bell had another big play with a fumble scoop and score to ignite the team to start the second half, they are slow and weak in the secondary.  The safeties are can’t keep up with opposing players and the cornerbacks, even though they can stay with receivers fairly well, don’t turn back for the ball and get beat on 50/50 balls way more often than not.  And they didn’t even have to face Marquise Lee yesterday, as he stayed back in LA to rest, although he would have played if they thought the outcome of the game would be in question.

And special teams…what can I say but that Toby Neinas is the most overpaid person on the staff and I have no idea what anyone makes outside of MacInyre’s $2M+.  He is a full time coach of the 3^rd unit that was once again terrible (even without giving up a huge return), with the glaring mistakes attributed directly to coaching.  First, I won’t even go into Ryan Severson being a slow choice to return kicks as he is not that quick or explosive and continues to be hesitant before he runs after catching the ball (oops, I just did); but besides making the decision to have Severson be the deep man, even with the now mentioned deficiencies, he is also instructed to, or at least given the green light to take the kickoff out of the endzone, even though he rarely (and when was the last time?) gets it out past the 20 let alone the 25 where they would get the ball after a touchback.  I don’t care if he averages 23 or 24 per return, because if you are taking it from 4 or 5 yards deep in the endzone, you are only getting the ball at the 18 or so, risking injury and fumble and giving up at least five to ten yards of field position each time! Second, teams usually choose to use the “rubgy” style punt because it is supposedly “safer”, but the Buffs still managed to let one get blocked (and luckily only for a safety and not a TD).  Darragh’s strength is his strength and ability to boom the ball (as witnessed as he was the choice for the free post-safety kick) but since Neinas can’t coach the team how to cover a punt and tackle, they have to do the rugby style and still suck at it.  Lastly, cover the damn ball when it is live and players are all around it!  This happened both on a punt that bounced off a Trojan but rolled out of bounds with three players looking at it, and again later on the onsides kick where it appeared three different Buffs got a hand on the ball, but USC recovered.

Best highlight? Actually it was during a timeout when limber cheerleader Ozell “O” Williams  did 57 consecutive back handsprings across the field to set a world record!  We’ll miss you O!

One last note: One thing that became clear was that the Buffs are definitely only the third worst team in the conference (could jump to only 4^th worst if they can beat Utah), as they are certainly ahead of Cal, but even Cal is light years above the worst group in the league, the infamous Pac12 officiating crew, which continues to stumble through games, missing calls, making strange calls, reversing calls, conferring forever on calls and never seeming to get anything right nor keep the game moving.  They started with numerous clock confusions early and continued on their way, letting DBs maul receivers throughout the evening (at least this seemed to be “consistent”), and kept everyone standing around while they were trying to figure things out over and over on a freezing night.  The best one was when they assessed a 15-yard penalty on CU after what would have been a big gain, moved the ball back but told USC that they could instead take the ball at the previous spot with loss of down (which is utterly ridicuolous?!), then figured out their stupidity only when the crowd and Buff sideline went ballistic, then moved the ball back again.  Additionally, on two separate punts, the incompetent refs made some very curious calls: 1) On one Darragh O’Neill punt, the Trojan returner appeared to meekly wave for a fair catch but then tried to run, which I believe, as a screaming Mike MacIntyre did, that this is a penalty, but the refs instead just blew the play dead and gave the Trojans the ball at the spot of the catch; 2) later, the USC return guy signaled for a fair catch but missed the ball, which bounced off the ground and straight up back into his hands, which should have made it a live situation and open to tackling, but the refs instead blew the whistle and stepped in to protect the inept returner and deny the Buffs the chance to make a play.  Often it just seems that they don’t know the rules and are scrambling to keep up with the action.  Most officiating crews throw the flag and signal or quickly tell the head ref what their call is, while this group throws the flag and then runs over to a huddle to confer what the call is or maybe what everyone thinks it should be, who really knows what they discuss, like a pitching mound conference in baseball.

Univeristy of Southern California Trojan Brrrrrrreview

Many in Buff nation were vocal in their support for Lane Kiffin earlier in the season, in hopes that he would still be at USC when the Trojans came to Boulder.  Alas, instead we have the 5-1 under fiery Southern interim coach Ed Orgeron, once again ranked and relevant Southern Cal coming into town on a wave of momentum after having upset Stanford last week. However, could there be a slight hangover from that huge win, and possibly the distraction a potentially Pac12 South-deciding showdown next week against UCLA?  Let’s hope so, as that scenario is probably the Buffs best chance at getting this upset win to keep their slim bowl hopes alive.  The Bruins play ASU this week, and if the Wildcats win (game will be done before kickoff at Folsom) they win the Pac12 South and USC has a little less to play for which could be one more small factor in CU’s favor; or, if UCLA wins, it makes next week’s LA showdown even bigger (if Arizona were also to beat ASU next week, USC could go to Pac12championship game with a win) and the Trojans might peek ahead.  Every little bit will help.

It will definitely be cold and possibly snowing.  MacIntyre said cold or bad weather isn’t really a problem, once you get going. Therefore, a strong start from the Buffs will be important, both in limiting USC and taking advantage of any mistakes, and especially finishing and getting into the endzone once they hit that “28-yard line wall”.

§  Line: Even I was little surprised that visiting #23 USC opened as a 22 point favorite, so hopefully that provides a little more motivation for the Buffs.

§  Weather Notes: Although it is doubtful there will be any significant precipitation, the forecast for the game is friggin’ cold and will likely chase away numerous fans from an already small crowd without many students who have already left for vacation.  CU gave away 4 free tickets to every season ticket holder, but that won’t be able to make up the difference. All six (2 season +4 free) of my tickets (well, five for sure) will be filled with black and gold clad Buff fans. Unfortunately, most pregame outdoor activities have been cancelled, with some moved indoors, including our regular tailgate.

§  The worst consequence is that Ralphie may not run, depending on field conditions.  I wonder if making this announcement ahead of time has anything to do with the HBO Real Sports segment on live animal mascots that showed how revered and doted on these animals are, as well as the view that they are mistreated by being in environments so foreign to their natural habitats, even though most of these animals were never able to be in the wild. The über-critical lady from PETA, who probably had a few valid points, had herself on the verge of tears for her entire interview.  I don’t remember a season when Ralphie didn’t run for whatever reason at more than one game.

§  Senior Night: The Buffs will be saying goodbye to fourteen (16?) total seniors, including a number of key seniors like C Gus Handler, LT Jack Harris, DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe, DT Nate Bonsu, LB Derrick Webb, S Parker Orms, long snapper Ryan Iverson, who all played and contributed regularly, as well as other fan favorites like TEs Scott “Scooter” Fernandez and Alex Wood, LB Paul Vigo, plus some others who didn’t really play much if at all.  The best news though is that this list is really not that long.

§  Of course, this could very well be WR Paul Richardson’s last home game as well.

§  The group of fans in charge of the Buffalo Heart Award circulated tailgates and stands last week getting the crowd’s vote to recognize the senior who has given it all and gone through the most, no matter what their role.  Nate Bonsu (multiple injuries) is one deserving candidate, Parker Orms (overcame size questions, multiple injuries) was the one I heard most mentioned and the favorite in my opinion, but I voted for Scooter, who moved d-line to o-line to TE as a walk-on and managed to earn a scholarship from two different coaching staffs and end his career as a some time starter.

§  Injuries: P-Rich has commented that he is only around 70% but that he can still help the team.

§  Overall, the Buffs (please knock on nearest wood) have continued to stay amazingly healthy, having lost very few relative “starter” games, especially with key players on both sides of the ball.

§  S Parker Orms is expected to play, recovered from his stinger, but LB Woodson Greer was still questionable.

§  RB Josh Ford’s ankle is still not 100% and he is going to petition for a redshirt and a 6^th year of eligibility.

§  USC on the other hand, has had a slew of injuries to an already sanction-depleted roster too long to list. They only used 13 total players on defense last week.

When the Buffs have the ball:

§  MacIntyre said that you have to keep the Trojans off balance on defense because they are so good against both the run and the pass.  I can’t wait to see what Lindgren pulls out of the bag.

§  When they get in the red zone they have to be more creative.  I will literally scream high-pitched like a little girl throwing a tantrum is they get first and goal and run it up the middle on first down and I cannot be responsible for myself if they gain nothing and then do it again, leaving themselves 3^rd and goal from the 8 or 9…again.

§  They need to hold on to the ball and not give away any turnovers because USC will capitalize.

§  USC defensive starters all played almost the entire Stanford game without substitutes (only two others even played on defense and one only sparingly) because of roster limitations further attrition because of injury.  If that is the case this week as well, the group should be very tired by game’s end at altitude.  It will behoove the CU offense to line up quickly and keep the ball moving, to keep the SC offense off the field and their defense on the field as much as possible and sucking wind.

§  However, USC has been playing great defense and not giving up many points, especially in the deeper passing game, where they shut down Stanford.  They have given up some rushing yards though, so Powell and Adkins could have good days and eat some clock.

§  Sefo is coming off his best game and is playing with confidence and needs to stay on this course.  He has to continue to stay in the game plan, keep poised in the pocket as he has done from his first snap and continue to get the ball to P-Rich and Nelson Spruce.  I have written numerous times that they need to spread the ball around more, but if teams keep giving those two space to catch the ball, then keep feeding it to them.

§  However, with the weather, I think they will be overall conservative with just a few wrinkles.  Sefo will concentrate on keeping the ball safe and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him keep it a few more times.

§  It was nice to see the way they got an easy TD with the tight end and they should be able to benefit by the attention given to the position or do it again. Slavin was wide open on a variation of the zone option read where everyone committed to the run and Slavin walked unmolested forward for easy score.  Sean Irwin actually got the start and it would be nice to see them hit him when no one was looking.

§  Do everything S/LB hybrid Dion Bailey is a beast in the middle and makes all kinds of plays. 

§  USC always has talented, fast defensive backs and S Su’a Cravens, a top target of Embree’s staff, is yet another and has had immediate impact.

§  Overall, SC defenders are much faster than Cal’s (and Colorado’s for that matter) at every position.  The front seven, led by DE Leonard Williams, who even limited by a shoulder injury has been effective, and LBs Devon Kennard and Hayes Pullard.

When the Trojans have the ball:

§  QB Cody Kessler has gotten better every week since separating from the influence of Lane Kiffin and so has the offense.  Kessler just does what he needs to do, effective, but gaining the dreaded “game manager” tag.  Kessler has a strong cast to work with, deeper on offense at the skill positions than on defense.

§  USC does have a stable of running backs, which is good for them, since almost all of them have been injured at some point this season.  But all are very effective and I believe four different guys have had a 100-yard game this year (or at least close to it)-Silas Redd (questionable with ankle), Tre Madden (solid whenever healthy and appears to be now), Javarious Allen (unknown factor early but hot hand with 7 TDs in last 3 games), plus Justin Davis (out for season)-and all have shown the ability to break a long one. This is their bread and butter (maybe not quite like the student body right days) and no matter whom it is they will run the ball a lot, especially considering the weather conditions. 

§  WR Marquise Lee has been a disappointment statistics wise with injuries and teams focusing on him, but he is still a huge threat, especially with the development of Nelson Agholor.  Lee was hobbling after the game last week but is expected to play (just like his former high school teammate Paul Richardson).  Crawley, Henderson and Chido will really have to be on their game.

§  Everyone on the Colorado defense has to play even better than they did last week (their best game of the season I might add) in order to slow down the Trojan offense enough for Sefo and crew to keep up.  They cannot be lazy on tackles as jerseys will be just a little slick even if there is no precipitation.  USC is definitely talented enough to take advantage of mistakes.

§  The Trojan offensive line may not be that big but they are very athletic and talented; Chidera said he thinks they are “the best offensive line that we play all year.”  I personally don’t expect the Buff defensive line to have much success against them, which means Kessler will have some time when he wants to throw and the running backs should find some holes. 

§  Look for LB Derrick Webb to have a huge day in his last game at Folsom and Addison Gillam to have another solid day, but they are not enough alone.  Someone will need to make a play or two on defense for the Buffs to have a chance.

Special Teams:

§  Agholor has also been lethal on returns and this will be a much stiffer test than Cal’s bumbling unit last week.  I think Darragh will be directional rugby-style punting a lot, but I could also see some trickeration happening as well.

§  Wil Oliver’s range will be shortened with the cold, but he really needs to connect on any chances he gets inside the 25 or so.  The return coverage team will need to be on its game because the kickoffs will likely be short with the cold.

§  This game could very easily be decided by one or two big plays, and special teams could certainly provide them.   So, the Buffs have to not give up the big return, and it would be a fabulous game for Severson or Spruce to finally break one!

§  Overall, it is hard to pick the Buffs here based on talent alone.   However, with the home field, altitude, weather, senior day, bowl carrot and USC at a perfect “trap” position in the schedule, if the Buffs can find a way to make a few big plays (and get a couple of good bounces or breaks) while limiting the Trojans’ big plays, they just might pull it off.  Colorado 29 Southern Cal 27.  Go Buffs!  Make me look like a genius!

§  If  you need some more to help stay warm until kickoff:

Stuart’s TIPS: http://www.cuatthegame.com/2013/no-23-usc-at-colorado-a-preview/

Rumblin’ Preview: http://rumblinbuff.blogspot.com/2013/11/2013-usc-football-preview.html#more

Plati’s CU Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/usc13/cunotes.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600

USC Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/usc13/uscnotes.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=600

Mid-week notes for Cal and USC snow-down

 Here are a few Thursday tidbits one week away from turkey day:

§  Review of the tape: I rewatched the game and came away really impressed with a few things: First, the secondary did not give up any big passing plays; Chido is getting really good and was involved in plays all over the field; Crawley played probably his best game and had some great open field tackles; Greg Henderson had the worst day of the three and he was still fine. The only guy they will lose next year from this secondary group is Parker Orms, but Tedric Thompson has gotten plenty of experience, so that bodes very well for the defense in general.

§  Sefo is a very good quarterback and continues to exceed expectations (only one pick where he got hit from behind).

§  P-Rich is probably gone after the season.  He is just too good, with a lethal combination of speed, route running, gaining yards after the catch, and has gotten more physical in going after balls and coming down with them.

§  However, there were still too many missed tackles on defense, although not nearly as many as the week before (nor nearly as many as Cal).

§  The special teams were very interesting with the wind and decisions, but Nelson Spruce’s “Oh my God?!” return of Cal’s botched onsides kick was hilarious (must have been sickening for Cal fans).

§  The other onsides kick, where Oliver kicked it hard and low because of the wind-MacIntyre said, “the guy usually gets out of the way”- was a huge play and then allowed them to deflate any energy and momentum Cal had left before the half, instead of being on the opposite side of that type of play in the closing minutes of the second quarter as they have done too many times before.

§  Lastly, we have to take this win with a grain of salt; although it was a great win for Coach Mike MacIntyre and his team, it was against a poor, injury-depleted team that would challenge the 2012 Buffs for worst team of the Pac12 era.

§  I wished I had read MacInytre’s comments earlier about how he watches reactions and body language of players on the sidelines when he watches game film.  I do sometimes live, but will do more of that in general.

§  Sledgehammer: I didn’t notice who carried the hammer out for Cal, but Derrick Webb had a sweet hit early in the RB at the line of scrimmage that was worthy.

§  Line: USC is now ranked #23 and favored by 22 points (even I think that’s a little high) for a chilly, 7:30 PM kickoff with the snow covering CU AD Rick George called for a few weeks back.

§  Team notes: TE Sean Irwin got his first start against Cal and was the only tight end on the field for that first play. However, Kyle Slavin still got the most work and his first TD.  Safety Tedric Thompson subbed for Parker Orms and played well, and was one of three true frosh who started on defense.

§  Injuries: Greg Henderson was shaken up during the second half Saturday, but returned to the field, and no other major injuries were reported.

§  We won’tl know for sure until Saturday about the availability of Parker Orms and Woodson Greer and their stingers.  Orms is listed as probable and has said that he plans to play in his senior finale.  According to MacIntyre, Orms has also been “dragging his bum knee” around all season.

§  USC’s injury list is long on an already depleted roster.  They only used 13 guys on defense last week and most starters played every defensive snap.  They have lost a dozen players for the season.

§  Honors, mentions and recognitions: Sefo was named Las Vegas Bowl player of the week for his performance

§  P-Rich grabbed a few more spots in the record book as the all-time single season yardage leader, only 5 catches for the season reception mark and two TDs for the scoring lead.  Were he to stay (is a little small and could be more physical at times) he would shatter all career marks as well.

§  He also got a “helmet sticker” from the Pac12 ESPN blog: “Richardson caught 11 passes for 140 yards and broke the school’s single-season receiving record in the process. He surpassed the record previously held by Charles E. Johnson and sits at 1,201 receiving yards on the year.”  They also named him an “offensive standout” in the Rewind column.

§  In a complete joke of a process on the national level, though, Paul Richardson, who is fifth in the nation in receiving yards per game, was left off the Finalist list for the Biletnikoff award.  Even though I am not intimately familiar with all ten guys, I find it hard to believe all of them, some from much smaller schools with lesser stats, could be considered better than him, and it is a shame he was not recognized.

§  The Pac12 ESPN blog also were one of many who now have CU firmly entrenched in the 11^th spot in their conference rankings, with a chance to still move up (Utah is 10). “After whipping California, the Buffaloes guaranteed they won't go winless in Pac-12 play. In fact, if they could find some magic and beat USC and Utah, they'd be bowl-eligible in Mike MacIntyre's first season. That seems doubtful, but you can pretty much call MacIntyre's first go-round a success and grounds for hope.”

§  2014 Recruiting: Twitter went crazy with #CUin2014 tweets Monday morning after two-star DB and track star Jaisen Sanchez from Honolulu committed to the coaching staff, becoming the 15^th member of the virtual class. He didn’t have any other scholarship offers from FBS schools yet, but had some interest from UCLA and Hawaii.

§  Other Buffs Notes: The (please, maybe “only” regular) season finale at Utah will kickoff at 12:00 noon Mtn.

§  Pacific Takes Fantasy League: Crushed it with my Buffies and in the playoffs with everyone but Jordon James healthy!  I have stuck with Kyle Slavin  at TE since Lyerla bailed and it finally paid off.  My biggest decision this week is Powell or Adkins at RB (with De’Anthony Thomas) and then the “loser” of that decision or Stanford WR Ty Montgomery or Utah WR Sean Fitzgerald in the flex spot. I am leaning Adkins and Montgomery for now.

Sunday morning VICTORY rant!

Hallelujah!  Buffs win! Check that. The Buffs win a Pac12 game in dominating fashion start to finish!  While it certainly was not perfect, Colorado had control of the game from the opening kickoff and never trailed.  It was the Buffs who stood strong and made plays to close out the first half instead of being the team to cave in and give the game away before halftime. Even gusts of over 40 miles an hour could not deter this team, even if it did chase away a good portion of the middling crowd.  Those that stayed were treated to a raucous singing of the fight song with the team.  The offense had its best day since playing an FCS or mwc school.  Sefo had his best outing of his career, using Nelson Spruce and Paul Richardson (the two combined for 19 of Sefo’s 23 completions and 281 of his 364 yards) to move down the field on route to 41 points.  Christian Powell and Michael Adkins were again an excellent one-two-punch and Tony Jones also contributed from the backfield.  Even TE Kyle Slavin finally got on the scoreboard! The defense had its best game, getting lots of pressure on the QB, forcing Cal to switch signal callers to Zach Kline then switch back to Goff, and only gave up one really bad play.  They were especially good in the third quarter where the game was decided. Chidera, Chidobe, Juda Parker, Derrick Webb (didn’t seem to miss Woodson Greer at all), Jered Bell all had big games and big hits. Rookie safety Tedric Thompson played well in place of Parker Orms, making it four true frosh contributing on the defense (Chido , Gillam and DE Jimmie Gilbert) The secondary gave up a bunch of yardage, but most of it was underneath and no long ones, plus friggin’ Crawley had an interception and it coulda shoulda been a few for the team. While special teams was not spectacular with one inadvertent onsides squib kick recovery off Wil Oliver’s foot, and later going the other way, Nelson Spruce caught Cal’s onside attempt on the bounce and hesitated before he realized there was wide open space in front of him for an easy TD.  Cal fans were tweeting it was the worst Cal loss ever.   There were some definite problems, mistakes and concerns on the Colorado side as well, especially seeing up close how bad Cal really is, but we’re gonna leave them to rest for now.  Looks like Mike MacIntyre was a solid choice for now, but Bears fans are not as content with Sonny Dykes.  Added bonuses: The women’s soccer team won and advanced in the NCAA tournament and the men’s hoops team blew out Jackson St. for the Buff trifecta Saturday. Next week matters now for CU with bowl eligibility (yes, I wrote it) a possibility now, albeit not necessarily likely.  Next Saturday, time to be announced later today, suddenly hot Ed Orgeron coached USC comes to town at maybe the perfect time, coming off an emotionally and physically (most of the 11 starters on defense played almost every snap without subs) draining upset of Stanford, and looking ahead to arch rival UCLA next week.  A few weeks ago Rick George said he would love it if it snowed all day Friday covering Folsom for USC’s walk-through, then clears up for the Buffs to pound the Trojans on Saturday. Let’s Go Buffs!

Cal-Berkely Bears Preview

This game is the Battle for the Conference Basement as each team is listed last in every divisional rankings, the two teams flip flop between the 11^th and 12^th spot for any full conference rankings, and they are often ranked 11/12 in most conference statistical rankings as well.  These two programs have combined to lose 26 consecutive conference games (CU in midst of 14 game losing streak, Cal at 12, with both teams’ last win coming against Washington St. last season).  There are not a whole lot of nice things to say.  It should be an ugly, high-scoring affair with numerous big plays and blunders.

§  Line: The Buffs opened as 3 point favorites, basically just the typical home field advantage, and nothing more. Not sure what the over/under is, but I would lean heavily on the over.

§  Roster Notes: I don’t think we will see too many more surprises the rest of the way in terms of who plays, except due to injury.  What might be telling is which veterans do not play as much down the stretch and then decide to leave the program in the offseason-no inside info or any names, but I would actually expect 3 or 4 to do just that.

§  Injuries: No new injuries reported. P-Rich all but admitted on Twitter that he probably shouldn’t have played, but hopefully he is a go this week (remember his last game against Cal at Folsom?).

§  LB Woodson Greer had a stinger last week and was still not cleared late in the week.  This is not that big of a deal as Derrick Webb can obviously team with Gillam in the nickel (and they might not even use a base defense in this one),

§  S Parker Orms also suffered a stinger in the Washington game and is questionable.  If he can’t go it means Tedric Thompson would get the start and most of the playing time, but we might also see some Marques Mosley.  Both are faster than Orms, just less experienced, although Orms is prone to stupid mistakes anyway.

§  Could this be the week that Josh Ford is available?

§  Cal has struggled through a ton of injuries to a thin roster and the list is too long for this space.  They are playing a ton of young players, and very few of their 4^th and 5^th year players are contributing.

§  The latest to be ruled out for Cal are LB Hardy Nickerson Jr. and RB Daniel Lasco.  LB Khairi Fortt is questionable.

§  There is one other so far yet-to-be-named Bear player who has been suspended from the team for his role in a locker room fight that sent freshman RB Fabiano Hale to the hospital.

When the Buffs have the ball:

§  The Cal defense is just plain awful.  They have also been decimated by injuries.  Every Bear opponent has scored at least 30 points, and they average giving up 46 in conference.  They are near the bottom nationally in more defensive categories than CU last year.  The Bear players have missed a ton of tackles even when they are in position (sound familiar?).  If Colorado can find a way to finish drives, Sefo and the Buff offense should have their best day yet.

§  The Bears’ strength, as it seems to be with every team in the conference, used to be its linebackers, but they have been hit hard with injuries here, so the middle of the field may be open. LB Khairi Fortt has been the leader of the defense, but he too is banged up, missed last week and will be a game time decision.  Without him they go deep down the depth chart and this is an area the Buffs can attack with the run game and short passes.

§  Defensive linemen Dan Camporeale and Deandre Coleman are the only Cal defensive players who have played in all ten games and they clog the middle up and can get some pressure on the QB.

§  If the Buff offensive line can do a decent job, the Buffs will be able to move the ball well.  They need to eliminate stupid penalties, bad snaps and missed blocks, especially by the seniors Harris and Handler.

§  Then, they need to work on cashing in TDs once they are inside the redzone!

§  RB Michael Adkins should be 100%, and he and Christian Powell could both have big days, as the Buffs will likely try to control the clock and limit how much the Cal offense is on the field.  A strong running game will really open up the play-action passing game as well, forcing them possibly also to leave P-Rich in single coverage.

§  This could also be the game that Sefo holds on to the ball a little more often and breaks a couple himself, as he has almost exclusively handed off to the RB so far whenever they have run the zone read option.

§  P-Rich had his breakout game the last time the Bears came to town for an unofficial Pac12 game.  He is technically listed as day-to-day, but has said that he will play.  He will have the opportunity to have another big game and add to his 50+ yard touchdown total, as this defense has given up a lot of yards, big plays and points through the air.

§  Cal safety Michael Lowe is likely to be bracketing P-Rich over the top, but Sefo will be looking to lead him over the middle and once he gets the ball with some space, he is great with angles and using his blockers.  I would be shocked, even with the bum ankle, if he doesn’t add to his record number of 50 yards+ plays.

§  If Sefo can continue to get other receivers involved, this offense could really flourish.  Nelson Spruce is usually good for 5+ catches including a couple of key first downs, but few TDs.  DD Goodson seems to have one big play a game, but that is it.  I am still waiting for Devin Ross to break out.  If Tyler McCulloch doesn’t want to ride the bench his senior year, he had better do something, because at least three more capable bodies join the shuffle next year.

§  The TEs should be a sneaky weapon at this point, since opponent might have forgotten there were any on the roster.  Dylan Keeney, TE verbal, is solid on his commitment to the Buffs and eyeing some playing time right away.

§  CalGoldenBlogs does an extensive break down of Colorado offense, with formation snap shots and comprehensive explanations: http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2013/11/14/5086074/colorado-buffaloes-mike-macintyre-paul-richardson-sefo-liufau

When the Bears have the ball:

§  This “Bear Raid” offense will line up and run plays faster than Oregon-they lead the nation on plays run with 894 (almost 90 a game). They know how to rack up a lot of yards and most of it is through the air, averaging almost 60 passing attempts per game.  Their weakness, like the Buffs, is converting once they move the ball into the redzone.

§  Therefore, the CU defense’s job is simply to limit the points-they are going to give up yards-and the really big plays.  Unfortunately, this probably means a lot of soft zone, Crawley lining up way off his man, and a lot of short completions. They will therefore need to be much better at wrapping up and bringing down the ball carrier; they practiced harder in pads this week and should be much better prepared to tackle this week.

§  The Bears are led by true freshman QB Jared Goff, who is setting freshman passing records all over the place.  He has a bunch of speedy receivers led by Chris Harper and former Buff recruiting target Bryce Treggs.  They will throw the ball at least 50 times, especially if the Buff offense doesn’t control the clock on the ground, and will certainly test the young secondary, but Goff is also prone to freshman mistakes. Ten different guys have at least 100 receiving yards for them (CU has only four).

§  Everyone on the defense, but especially the DBs, will have to step up their game and no one can take a play off because they will lineup and throw it again very quickly.

§  I have a feeling that this will be a very big game for nickel back Chido Awuzie.  He is getting better in coverage, but has also come just a fraction of a second late on a few blitzes.

§  Tedric Thompson is likely to see more time at safety with his speed and Orms’ injury. 

§  One Cal blogger called Jered Bell the Buffs’ best defender, and I guess that could be construed from the 4 INTs, but obviously has not watched much game film.  I don’t think that Cal or Goff is scared of Bell and he is much more likely to give up a long TD than before he gets another pick.

§  The defensive line play is paramount and they should have some more success against this o-line, which should totally help the secondary.  Chidera: see note about not taking off a play.

§  LB Addison Gillam has gotten quieter as the season has rolled on.  Defenses are now aware of him and he may be wearing down just a little with the longer college season and more physical level of play.

§  No word yet on Woodson Greer, but if he plays, it will be alternating with Derrick Webb, as I don’t think they will hardly ever be in their base defense with three ‘backers. 

§  The Bears play a few different running backs, but none of them have done a lot this year, as the run game is secondary to the passing in this spread.   With Lasco out, Daniel Bigelow will get the most work, but they could use a few others as well.

Special Teams:

§  Cal gave up three TDs on special teams last week against USC, two on returns and one on block, so the Buffs have to make sure they win this battle (they also gave up multiple return TDs against Oregon). 

§  People are jumping on the “replace Ryan Severson with someone faster” bandwagon after a few fumbles, but I have been saying it all along.

§  Wil Oliver has missed a few FGs lately after having been so stellar.  Coaches don’t seem too concerned, but they don’t seem to know the cause.  A third game with a bad or multiple misses would be cause for worry, although there is no one else really.  His kickoffs have been pretty solid and deep.  Diego Gonzalez will definitely provide a stout challenge for Oliver next spring and summer.

§  Long snapper Ryan Iverson has been nominated for a second time for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the most outstanding collegiate football player who began his career as a walk-on without any scholarship support.

§  Bottom line, the Buffs should win this phase of the game.

Overall,

§  Both sides know that this is their best chance for a win and each thinks they have the advantage.  This will just come down to who makes the most plays and/or least mistakes. They just need to dig deep and grab this game on their home field.  I think the game will test the collective hearts of Buff fans and go down to the wire, but Colorado pulls it out late with a TD from an unexpected source (maybe Devin Ross or Kyle Slavin) 43-39. 

§  If  you want a little more:

Stuart’s TIPS: http://www.cuatthegame.com/2013/cal-at-colorado-a-preview/

Rumblin’ Preview: http://rumblinbuff.blogspot.com/2013/11/2013-cal-football-preview.html#more

Plati’s CU Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/cal13/cunotes.pdf

Cal Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/cal13/calnotes.pdf