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2013 Recruiting
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The Buffs are standing at five verbal
commitments so far, still well ahead of recent years’ paces, including two
4-star rated prospects and two of the top ones coming out of Colorado. All those committed speak of CU’s family
atmosphere in addition to the campus and surrounding environment as the main
reasons for coming to Boulder.
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While they haven’t received any new verbals, I
haven’t read of any of their top prospects committing elsewhere.
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2012
Frosh
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Embree
said that they still might ask a player or two to “greyshirt” and delay their
enrollment until January. The coaches
will meet in June and decide.
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Shane
Dillon is coming off shoulder surgery (labrum) but should be throwing soon and
should be good to go by August camp. He
is scheduled to arrive in Boulder June 3.
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Three of his classmates and receivers will also be arriving soon: roommates-to-be
WR Jeff Thomas and TE Vincent Hobbs, both from Texas, move in June 1; WR Gerald
Thomas will also arrive from Texas June 7; many others will be following
shortly thereafter.
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Other
Notes
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One of
the other things the offensive coaches-Bienemy, Scherer and Embree-must also
decide is how they will split reps between the QBs in Fall Camp. They want to give everyone, possibly four
quarterbacks, enough of a shot to show what they can do, but they will also
need to get someone ready.
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At the
Pac-12 coaches conference call Embree said of when and how he will name a
starting QB for the CSU game and the season: “I’ll
play it by ear; I’ll have a feel for it. It’s kind of like the kicking game
last year. My gut instinct told me that Will Oliver was our guy. We did some
stuff and we felt like he was going to be our guy, so we named him (the
starter). When I know, I’ll definitely make an
announcement. If it’s a clear-cut deal, I’m not going to waste time. I think
it’s important that the team knows and obviously that the quarterbacks know
that he is going to be leading the team.”
§ Embree said it is still a “possibility” that
former Kansas QB Jordan Webb will transfer to CU and will be on campus this
summer. Buffscoop.com, through a post on
NetBuffs.com, had “confirm”ed this last week.
Assuming he does come to CU, it is still unclear as to what role he will
end up playing for the team, as he clearly thinks he can be the starter for two
years, but would have to do a lot in a short time, while also competing for
snaps with Nick Hirschman (recovering from foot injury) and Shane Dillon.
§ Embree praised LB Doug Rippy and said he is
on track in his knee rehab and will definitely be counted on as a leader this
season. “I am going to be relying a lot on him… not
just defensively, but he is the team leader. He is a guy that when he was out
there [last season], was a different maker. I think it says a lot that he was
voted by the coaches as honorable mention all-Pac-12 even though he only played
in really three games in the conference. It is imperative that
we get [back] the Doug Rippy that we had for us to have success.”
§ Kevin Gemmell of ESPN’s Pac-12 blog named DE
Chidera Uzo-Diribe as CU’s “under the radar” player for the upcoming
season. “Of the eight defensive
linemen named to the first and second team all-conference defense last year,
only two of them had more sacks than Uzo-Diribe, who finished ninth in the
conference. He tied for fifth in the conference in forced fumbles. But
Colorado's poor defensive showing last season (last in scoring defense, 10th in
total defense) didn't do much to help his credibility.” Those stats were achieved while playing part
time and in some games not much at all; he will be an almost every down player
this year. He was praised in the spring
frequently and was often held out of drills because he was wreaking too much
havoc and the offense could not do anything with him on the field.
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Senior
safety Ray Polk was nominated for the Lott Impact Trophy Watch List given to
the defensive player of the year, with an emphasis on personal character as
well as play on the field. Polk is a
possible captain and works with mentally challenged youth at Upward Foundation.
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The
Buffs are not getting much respect around the country. The Orlando Sentinel ranked them as the #99
team out of 120; at least three publications rank Embree as the worst coach in
the Pac-12 and one ranked him #106 (of 124) in the nation; the team will likely
be picked by most publications to finish last in the South as well; an ASU blog
wrote a piece on their schedule and the @ Colorado was treated as a given win,
not really addressed in the text, but listed as one of only 3 wins in the
“disaster” scenario. Hopefully, most
teams are thinking that way and CU can surprise a few of them.
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However,
in one of the most positive things I’ve seen written (non-local anyway), Ted Miller
of the ESPN Pac-12 blog wrote that CU’s “schedule is far more favorable
than last year. A 3-0 start is likely, and then comes three winnable conference
games. If things fall into place, the Buffs could win six and earn a bowl
berth. I think they are a year away from a bowl, but it's not inconceivable.”
Underachieving
DT Eric Richter made CBS Sports’
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Buffs in the NFL
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WR
Toney Clemons signed his rookie contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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S
Anthony Perkins is at Dove Valley this weekend on a tryout with the Broncos at
their rookie camp.
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