More News and Notes for January blahs

New CU head coach Mike MacIntyre told the Denver Post’s John Henderson that he is not a “player’s coach… A lot of people say a player’s coach is ‘Ah, they’re having fun. Let them do whatever they want.’ I care deeply about my players. I don’t use them as pawns. And they know that…They also know I hold certain standards high and we’ve got to meet those standards. I’d like to say I’m a good parent. A good parent can laugh with their kids but at the same time they know there are certain standards and I hold them accountable.”

Recruiting: At least two of the four verbal commits who visited this weekend re-affirmed their loyalty to CU after a very positive visit.  ESPN recruiting bloggers talked to three-star CA prospects WR Bryce Bobo and OL Gunnar Graham (was supposedly offered by but turned down the U of Miami-the real one in Florida), and both are excited to sign with the Buffs in a few weeks.  Bobo was definitely feeling out elsewhere and is needed desperately in Boulder, as are any skill position players with speed. The other two previously committed in-state visitors, Denver South’s RB Philip Lindsay (greyshirt candidate depending on knee recovery) and Columbine’s OL John Lisella, were already on board with the new staff.

The fifth recruit that was supposed to visit last weekend, csu commit DE Timothy Coleman, did not end up making his visit.  I am not sure if he is re-scheduling.

I am trying to do the math after MacIntyre said he wants to sign 17 guys this cycle but I am not sure where all the scholarships are coming from after graduating only eight seniors, plus Grossnickle.  Plus, they invited back two of the wideouts who had essentially been let go by Embree in order to open up a couple of scholarships.  They had a full complement of 25 start camp last fall so none of the greyshirts can be counted back.  I guess they technically don’t need to be down to their official numbers until fall camp opens (this is how SEC teams overstock then let go lesser players each summer). I would guess a few players leave after spring practices when they see what the writing on the wall looks like, and some of the current 13 verbally committed guys will likely end up greyshirting until next January, counting toward the 2014 class which should have 20+ slots.

Lisella has now said that he will greyshirt, delaying enrollment until next January in order to put on weight, supposedly with outspoken former Buff and NFLer Matt McChesney, who now runs a local fitness and training company.

This coming weekend is the big weekend with more than a dozen recruits lined up for a visit, including most of the rest of the verbal commitments (QB Sefo Liufau, WRs Devin Ross and Elijah Dunston, LB George Frazier, OL Colin Sutton, Jonathon Huckins and Sam Kronshrage), at least four uncommitted prospects and one who is committed elsewhere.  More on them later this week.

CB Chidobe Awuzzie is slated to visit that weekend and has officially narrowed his choice to three schools: CU, San Jose State (can’t see them winning this battle even if he is from the area) and Washington State, which has much less depth at CB and may be more attractive for immediate playing time.

New WR coach Troy Walters is recruiting a guy he was after at NC State, Josh Jones, a three-star safety from Michigan, who is shopping around even though he committed earlier to Illinois.  He might visit January 25, but he has been changing his itinerary frequently.

It appears that CU is not recruiting local 4-star TE Mitchell Parsons (Chaparral), who decommitted from Embree before the firing and still has shown some interest in CU, has tweeted that he has not gotten any reciprocated.  The TE at SJSU was the second leading receiver last year, but they have many TEs on the roster and don’t use multiple TE sets often.  So. Vincent Hobbs is a perfect fit for the offense and they have other needs than stocking the TE position.

From the WOW category: New Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville showed his absolute lack of class by never bothering to call any of the prospects who had committed previously to Butch Jones. They only found out that their offers would not be honored after the families called the university trying to find out what was going on with their son’s life.  Absolutely terrible-if this is true then it should be publicized better so kids know that they may be cast aside at any time there.  The upside of this is that maybe MacInytre can capitalize and swoop in on a couple of those guys.

Spring Practice: I am really excited that practices will be open again, I just hope I can make some of them.  I will be very curious to watch who is getting reps at all position groups, but especially the offensive skill positions (QB, RB, WR, TE) and the defensive line.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of having a practice the Monday after the spring game (Saturday April 13) to go over everything and make sure the team is ready to keep working in the offseason.  The spring game always just feels anti-climatic-it just ends and there is no more football for a few months.  The kids should be able to go over the film and know what they need to correct in order to be better prepared for the following year and earn themselves more playing time.  Not many teams do this, but if those who do have some success, many will follow.

Other Program Notes: SI’s Stewart Mandel gave CU an “A” for hiring Mike MacIntyre: Colorado took a smart long-term approach and hired one of the few coaches who have experience overseeing the type of massive rebuilding job necessary in Boulder. In three seasons, MacIntyre lifted the long-irrelevant Spartans from 1-12 to 11-2. Prior to that, MacIntyre, 47, spent two seasons on David Cutcliffe's Duke staff. The guy knows rebuilding.

San Jose State QB David Fales, in an interview with the Denver Post’s John Henderson raved about coaches MacInytre and OC Brian Lindgren for helping him become the nation’s most accurate passer (72.5%-almost ¾ of his passes completed!).  This season he finished third nationally (albeit against slight inferior competition) in QB rating behind only national champion Alabama’s AJ McCarron and Georgia’s Aaron Murray, both sure fire first rounders in 2014.  Fales also said they gave him confidence, kept him focused and taught him how toprepare mentally. He also said that Lindgren’s Pistol offense and each play’s “base plan” keep it “real simple”.  At first this sounds good, but then I get worried that Jordan Webb will be out there under center again.

New WR coach Troy Walters tweeted that while he was “flattered by interest from Arkansas”, he is “pumped about the future of CU football” and the wide receivers he will be coaching.

We might be a little bummed that LT David Bahktiari is one of 10 Pac-12 players forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft, but in Baton Rouge LSU alone is losing ten guys who played a lot as juniors this year.  Remember though, most of those names were posted on Les Miles’s office door basically calling them out as slackers in bowl preparation.  Can the Mad Hatter bounce back from losing (including graduating seniors) most of his starters?  Probably.

It makes me sad that it has come so far that this is ESPN Pac-12 bloger Ted Miller’s BOLD prediction for CU next year: “Colorado will win four games in Year 1 under Mike MacIntyre: And Buffs fans will be reasonably encouraged.”

Go Buffs!