Summer Preview: Colorado Buffaloes

Team: Colofado Buffaloes

Conference: Big 12 - North Division

Location: Boulder, Colorado

2006 Record: 2-10 (2-6)

Coach: Dan Hawkins

2007 Schedule:

In no particular order, 5 players of interest from Colorado:

1. Jordan Dizon, LB, Sr.: Dizon led the team in tackles last year with 137 (crazy, linebackers who tackle) and an average of 11.4 per game. Dizon showed up for every game except for the Georgia game where he was virtually shut out (only 3 tackles), but more than made up for it against Nebraska where he finished with 17 tackles, include 2 for a loss. For the most part, Dizon made plays every game, which is all you can ask for from your linebacker. In fact, for a 3 game stretch against Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma, Dizon had 40 tackles.
2. Hugh Charles, RB, Sr.: Hugh helped lead a fairly effective rushing attack for the Buffaloes last year. In fact Charles had two games over 100 yards rushing, one of which was the very disappointing Texas Tech loss where Charles finished with 119 yards on the ground. Charles needs to improve getting the ball in the endzone (former quarterback Bernard Jackson led the team with 7), but not all of it can probably be blamed on Charles. Early in the year Charles rarely touched the ball, and only averaged 11 rushes a game. That's not enough to be a consistent running threat, and perhaps that will change with Jackson no longer behind center.
3. Bernard Jackson, QB, Sr.: I know, Jackson isn't even starting and perhaps that's why I want to highlight what Jackson did for the Buffaloes last year. He wasn't great, but now the question is whether or not Cody Hawkins will be better. I know, the hope is of course that Hawkins will help Colorado be better in the long run because he'll gain experience. But if you were a coach who was coming off a 2-10 season would want the best opportunity to win and I have to wonder if Jackson doesn't give Colorado that opportunity. Granted Jackson was horrible from the air and when I say horrible I mean that Jackson was 97th in the nation in passing efficiency, but he wasn't asked to pass the ball. He only averaged 12 pass attempts each game, but Jackson was really good on the ground and you would think Senior Hawkins would figure out a way to get him on the field.
4. Ryan Walters, S, Sr.: Walters was decent last year and finished the year with 57 tackles. Walters started strong last year with 31 tackles in the first 5 games, but only finished with 26 tackles the remaining 6 games. Without knowing much about Walters situation, he was injured and didn't play against Baylor and his seemed to not recover the rest of the year. The Buffaloes will need Walters' presence in the defensive backfield to help a pass defense that was less that stellar.
5. Riar Greer, TE, So.: Greer actually led the team in receiving last year with 24 receptions (I know, this will seem like a 2 game total for Michael Crabtree this year). Greer also led the team in receiving touchdowns with 3 (once again, Crabtree will double this amount in 2 games this year). Greer caught 7 passes for 71 yards against Georgia and was fairly effective in the 3 games following the defeat to the Bulldogs where he had 3 receptions for 39 yards against Mizzou, 4 for 29 against Baylor and 4 for 46 against Texas Tech (anyone starting to feel that everyone had career days against Tech). Every other game Greer had 1 or 0 receptions and if Hawkins (both Junior and Senior) were smart, they'd get the ball to Greer a little more often.

In no particular order, key Colorado Buffalo statistics:

1. 112.42: Colorado was 30th in the nation against the run.
2. 172.92: Never would have guessed that the Buffaloes were 22nd in the nation in rushing offense.
3. 0.67: Colorado was 17th in the nation in turnover margin.
4. 138.42: This makes me happy, Colorado was 95th in the nation in pass efficiency defense.
5. 118.50: 116th in the nation in passing offense.

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