Last Year: 2-10, Unranked
Fans Are: Stoned, and/or skiing
Expectations: Fewer embarrassing losses. Win six games and head to a lower-tier bowl.
Questions:
1. Is Montana State on the 2007 schedule?
Thankfully they are not. Colorado loses the I-AA giant killer, but will still have to contend with in-state rival Colorado State, Arizona State, Florida State and Miami (OH) on their non-conference slate. The Buffaloes face their toughest big 12 opponents – Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska – at home, but must travel to Baylor, Kansas State, Texas Tech and Iowa State. Even the most optimistic CU fan would be hard-pressed to find six "automatic" wins from that list to get the Buffs bowl eligible come December.
2. Can incumbent QB Bernard Jackson hold off challenges from Cody Hawkins and Nick Nelson?
Probably not. While Jackson has a season of experience under his belt, his performance was underwhelming at best. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and had as many interceptions (7) as touchdowns. While Jackson is a threat to run – gaining 80 or more yards rushing in 4 games – he will never be mistaken for Michael Vick.
Hawkins is a redshirt freshman and the coach's son, which gives him an advantage as he attempts to grasp the offense. He fancies Chris Leak and carries an impressive resume as a high school All-American and the Gatorade Player of the Year for Idaho in 2005. He lacks size (5-11, 190 pounds), but should be fine as long as he inherited his father's famed intensity. Nelson is a JUCO transfer who enrolled in January. He played against solid competition in the California JUCO system and threw for over 2000 yards and 18 TDs in 2006. If he manages to pick up the offense in the spring he will add depth and could wind up as the starter come August.
More than likely Hawkins or Nelson wins the starting job in the fall and Jackson is used as a QB in certain packages or moves back to RB or WR where he saw time in 2005.
3. Can Patrick Williams finally become the Buffaloes' go-to-guy at wide receiver?
Maybe. Williams arrived in Boulder as one of their most-heralded WR recruits in years but has yet to live up to his billing. Thus, for the third year in a row coaches and fans find themselves projecting a "break out" year from the 6-2, 200 pound junior. Some of his lack of progress can be attributed to CU's woeful QB play, but Williams caught just 20 balls for 303 yards and one TD in 2006. The Buffaloes have lacked a true deep threat since guys like D.J. Hackett, Jeremy Bloom and Derek McCoy departed. Although Williams is part of an experienced group of receivers that returns in 2007, that unit accounted for just three touchdowns in 2006. If Colorado can iron out their quarterback situation and find a playmaker at wide receiver, their offensive production – which ranked 102nd nationally in 2006 – should improve.
We know about Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson, and Brian Jordan, who all played in the NFL in addition to MLB. Josh Booty was a top pick by the Marlins and wound up playing football at LSU. Joe Mauer had a scholarship offer to play quarterback at Florida State but he chose to become the first pick in the baseball draft instead. Rockies stud outfielder Matt Holliday was no exception to this frequent trend in sports. However, it wasn't until I read Kelli Anderson's article "Twin Peaks" in Sports Illustrated that I found out how good of a football player Matt Holliday was. From the article:
