2019 and CU Fans' Program Expectations.

[pcbuff]

Senior multi year starter at QB. This was a bowl season. Tucker is doing the change in culture thing, so I get it. I do feel MM would have gotten a bowl game out of this team. Kids have quit and moved on. They aren’t Tucker’s guys, so I applaud him for forcefully cleaning out cancer.
The reality is as a fan I’m tired of it. I’m tired of rinse and repeat. It starts with the line and offensively CU seems to be improving there. If they are better on D Line, Recruiting or play, I don’t see it.

 

[Bison]

Anyone who says this team didn't have the talent to go to a bowl game is flat out an idiot.

We could have won against AFA, UA, and USC in addition to our three wins on the season and we would be excited about going to a bowl game. The defense certainly cost us those three games and I do wonder if we had some of the DBs that Tucker didn't run off prior to this season and would it have made any difference? The heat needs to be on DC Summers next season if he is retained.

Firing FHCMM was still the right move because if we didn't and yet had to fire FHCMM after this season, we would be starting over with more green players next year. I think that would have been disastrous.

 

[Unleash Hell]

Senior multi year starter at QB. This was a bowl season. Tucker is doing the change in culture thing, so I get it. I do feel MM would have gotten a bowl game out of this team. Kids have quit and moved on. They aren’t Tucker’s guys, so I applaud him for forcefully cleaning out cancer.
The reality is as a fan I’m tired of it. I’m tired of rinse and repeat. It starts with the line and offensively CU seems to be improving there. If they are better on D Line, Recruiting or play, I don’t see it.

I see it in recruiting. The kids we currently have committed have more P5 offers than the kids HCMM was getting.
Also we have a chance to finish really strong recruiting, especially on the D line. The class is not finished and we have a big weekend coming up!

 

[NewEra 2014]

I would say at full strength they have generally as much or more talent on their roster than everybody on their schedule except USC, Oregon UW and Utah, who have all clearly dominated them in recruiting.

Of course, that doesn’t matter if our best players on both sides miss multiple games, and we sustain multiple injuries to our weakest position group.

I think you are overestimating the talent on CU's roster at the start of the season. Injuries just made things worse. Even at full strength, you need depth at the P5 level in order to get through a full season and be effective late in games and late in the season.

Tucker's success or failure will be due to his ability to recruit. If he can recruit well, his coaching acumen is just fine.

 

[dyemeduke]

Anyone who says this team didn't have the talent to go to a bowl game is flat out an idiot.

We could have won against AFA, UA, and USC in addition to our three wins on the season and we would be excited about going to a bowl game. The defense certainly cost us those three games and I do wonder if we had some of the DBs that Tucker didn't run off prior to this season and would it have made any difference? The heat needs to be on DC Summers next season if he is retained.

Firing FHCMM was still the right move because if we didn't and yet had to fire FHCMM after this season, we would be starting over with more green players next year. I think that would have been disastrous.

Generally agree with your post, except for a few things. I do NOT think we could have won against AFA. You could argue we should have due to having more talent, but we were dominated that game. UA and SC, sure, we could have won. Also, I don't think framing the DB losses as MT running them off is fair. It could be accurate, but I sincerely doubt he was just running off his starting safety and lots of backups. Pruning is needed.

Agree with most comments in this thread though - the season sucks, we should have won 6 this year, but I'm still fully on the MT train.

 

[Bison]

Generally agree with your post, except for a few things. I do NOT think we could have won against AFA. You could argue we should have due to having more talent, but we were dominated that game. UA and SC, sure, we could have won. Also, I don't think framing the DB losses as MT running them off is fair. It could be accurate, but I sincerely doubt he was just running off his starting safety and lots of backups. Pruning is needed.

Agree with most comments in this thread though - the season sucks, we should have won 6 this year, but I'm still fully on the MT train.

I agree that pruning is needed and I'm just wondering how different the season could be if we simply had a few more DBs that's all. But if those few more DBs weren't bought into what MT is trying to install, what's the point since they wouldn't be playing well anyway?

If we simply defended the long passes that AFA threw for TDs, we most likely win that game...I don't call that being dominated. Again they were coming off a bye week while we were coming off an OT win against Nebraska.

 

[hawg1]

Nixon dropping passes is one thing. A defense scheme that makes Nate Landman look average is something else.

Landman’s 2019 vs 2018 stats?

He is playing well. I think he is suited for this D. Still plays downhill. Somewhat of a liability on 3rd down passing, but improving. Involved recently on edge when CU runs Dime. Stats seem to suggest anything but average, even slightly better?

 

[ahoelsken]

Landman’s 2019 vs 2018 stats?

He is playing well. I think he is suited for this D. Still plays downhill. Somewhat of a liability on 3rd down passing, but improving. Involved recently on edge when CU runs Dime. Stats seem to suggest anything but average, even slightly better?

Here you go. And I would agree to an extent. These are inconsistent.

 

[Duff Man]

Landman is having a good 2019 season. Not all-conference level like we thought at the start of the season, but still a difference maker near the LOS. Should be on track to have an even better 2020 season.

 

[Gary Indiana]

Landman is having a good 2019 season. Not all-conference level like we thought at the start of the season, but still a difference maker near the LOS. Should be on track to have an even better 2020 season.

92 tackles, good enough for second in the conference.

 

[jizzrag85]

I’ve said multiple times I think MT is the man for this job. But it’s asinine to say, “We gave MM years to get his players and he only won 5 games last year so he had to go.” Then turn around and defend the current coaching staff for only having 3 so far this year.

Do we want to win or not? Quit with the ****ing excuses and goalpost moving. I want them to win, I want them to succeed, I want them to recruit in the top 30 teams every year consistently and most importantly I want to watch a DISCIPLINED team. I’m sick of the bull****, I don’t care what it takes just get it done.

 

[Darth Snow]

Landman is having a good 2019 season. Not all-conference level like we thought at the start of the season, but still a difference maker near the LOS. Should be on track to have an even better 2020 season.

the far bigger problem is the black hole next to him. Outside of a few spots, those guys are not making plays.

 

[Duff Man]

the far bigger problem is the black hole next to him. Outside of a few spots, those guys are not making plays.

The linebackers in general gave not been very good outside of Landman. Like you said, flashes here and there, but large stretches where no one else is making any plays within five yards of the LOS.

 

[BuffUp]

came into the season predicting 4/5 wins. Changed when we beat the nubs to 6. Now I think we have already seen our last win for the season.

I expect to see a competitive team on the field.
6 wins and a bowl game minimum every season.
a top 30 recruiting class every season.
a run for the conference championship every 4/5 seasons minimum.
Game Day in Boulder at least once every 4 or 5 years (we have marque games on the schedule)

 

[ahoelsken]

I’ve said multiple times I think MT is the man for this job. But it’s asinine to say, “We gave MM years to get his players and he only won 5 games last year so he had to go.” Then turn around and defend the current coaching staff for only having 3 so far this year.

Do we want to win or not? Quit with the ****ing excuses and goalpost moving. I want them to win, I want them to succeed, I want them to recruit in the top 30 teams every year consistently and most importantly I want to watch a DISCIPLINED team. I’m sick of the bull****, I don’t care what it takes just get it done.

Mel Tucker CAN be the guy here. The recruiting has to get better, and its obvious to me that we already need to upgrade spots on staff (See Summers, Tyson). If he's as loyal to "his guys" as his predecessor was, it ain't happening. Most of us are pretty good about calling the staff out where we think they deserve it-nobody in their right mind is saying fire Tucker. The "Thou shall not criticize Tucker and this coaching staff" crap that I see from certain people on here though-****ing stop it. I'd lump the FHCMM's guys aren't tough enough in here-Like it or not, we're paying Tucker big money to find a way to win with that talent. Theres no way you can categorize this season as anything other than a flop.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

I do NOT think we could have won against AFA. You could argue we should have due to having more talent, but we were dominated that game.

AFA may have dominated us, but CU made enough plays in the end to be a made 2 point conversion on the last play of the game from winning, had Tucker made the right decision to go for it. They absolutely could have won.

 

[leftybuff]

As others have said, absolutely no reason why this team should not qualify for a bowl. Anything less is a failure. The roster is not a burn down like when MikMac showed. There is plenty of talent to win 6. The OOC was a gimme. AFA and CSU are Mtn. West, and NU simply is not a good team. AZ and SC were there for the taking.

Others, including myself thought bringing the QC people from UGA was a bad idea. Johnson has been OK, but Summers has been a disaster from day one this season. Even with a healthy D CSU ran all over CU. Summers was Bobo's DC and he still had not a clue how to stop CSU. The guy is a bust. If he is here next year that is a very bad sign. Giving up 30+ every game? You almost have to try to be that bad.

No bowl=failure for 2019.

 

[patebuff]

I think you are overestimating the talent on CU's roster at the start of the season. Injuries just made things worse. Even at full strength, you need depth at the P5 level in order to get through a full season and be effective late in games and late in the season.

Tucker's success or failure will be due to his ability to recruit. If he can recruit well, his coaching acumen is just fine.

You think Air Force and Arizona has more talent than CU?

 

[hawg1]

The linebackers in general gave not been very good outside of Landman. Like you said, flashes here and there, but large stretches where no one else is making any plays within five yards of the LOS.

I sure thought Jash Allen would play. JVD is nowhere to be found.

 

[Not Sure]

JVD wins the Conrad Obi award for the guy most hyped going into the season and then disappeared once games were played.

 

[Darth Snow]

JVD wins the Conrad Obi award for the guy most hyped going into the season and then disappeared once games were played.

got injured, then lost his starting spot to a guy doin nothing much. Ugh.

 

[Creebuzz]

This team would be bowl eligible if not for two glaring things.

On offense, something better than last in the Pac 12 QB play. It’s up to each individual to determine wether that’s mostly on Jay Johnson or Montez or the surrounding cast or some combination thereof.

On defense, any edge pass rush. Anything at all. Opposing QBs have an eternity to scan the field.

And those two areas have to be the biggest fixes in the off-season.

 

[NewEra 2014]

You think Air Force and Arizona has more talent than CU?

Absolutely. CU has more high end talent, but not enough of it. CU’s two-deep talent is woefully thin.

 

[BuffLuke80]

This team would be bowl eligible if not for two glaring things.

On offense, something better than last in the Pac 12 QB play. It’s up to each individual to determine wether that’s mostly on Jay Johnson or Montez or the surrounding cast or some combination thereof.

On defense, any edge pass rush. Anything at all. Opposing QBs have an eternity to scan the field.

And those two areas have to be the biggest fixes in the off-season.

It's exactly why they've been dialing up a bunch of blitz packages. You have to get pressure in some way. Only problem is our secondary is a mess, but what else can you do? Don't get me wrong, I ****ing hate all the losing. That said, I'd rather go out being an aggressive D trying to make something happen. I know, Captain Obvious post.

 

[patebuff]

Absolutely. CU has more high end talent, but not enough of it. CU’s two-deep talent is woefully thin.

Air Force does not have more talent than CU. Come on

 

[BlackNGold]

Good ****ing lord. I have to respond to this-I'm going to apologize to @BlackNGold in advance.

One, I'm done with this team for this year-If I get my way next week (my brother's birthday), I'm going to ignore the Stanford game and watch LSU-Alabama. That's a hell of a lot more interesting to me than this ****ing clown show is right now.

Two, let me clear some things up with respect to Mike MacIntyre here. This program was the WORST in the Power 5 when he got here-we had no other choice but to give him the time he needed to flip the roster. He also had to go after 2018-the Oregon State loss was VERY fireable. That being said, he left this thing in significantly better shape than it was when he got here. That's not debatable. We all need to stop using him and the ACs of his who aren't here to excuse the shortcomings of Tucker and this staff.

We have playmakers. Go back and watch the 2018 ****braska game and focus on Landman in particular. He's been GROSSLY misused by this staff. Same with Davion Taylor. We have the talent to go 6-6 and make a third tier bowl game. It shouldn't be that hard to ****ing go .500 here, and the fact that this team is probably heading for 3-9 has nothing to do with all that nonsense you spewed.

This is not a year 0 situation. I expect defensive staff changes after this season-and I expect a new coordinator on that side of the ball heading into 2020. What this staff is trying to do isn't working. We're the third worst defense in the Power 5 right now-Boston College and Arizona (after they gave up 56 or whatever it was to Oregon State) and 124th nationally. Its unacceptable. Lack of depth only explains away so much.

I never compared MacIntyre to Embree, But I do not think his accomplishments at CU were all that great - so we will disagree there. Every team has playmakers, Every team has players that can play at this level. but CU's overall talent level is on the low end of scale in the PAC12. It is not the playmakers, it is the positions where we are at a P5 deficit in talent. My initial prediction for this season was 4 wins and I mentioned culture in my analysis. A lot of people say it should be easy to reach 6 wins but is has only happened twice since Barnett was fired.

I think many really underestimate the value of culture, leadership, mental toughness, etc. All of the intangibles. Not saying any of the players on this roster are bad but they were trained under the previous regime which did not have a winning culture - very seldom did you see 4 (or even 3) quarter of solid play. It takes time to coach these out and it is really difficult to see results with a talent deficit. Air Force is an example at the other end of the spectrum, they believe they will win, they don't take plays off, they don't beat themselves, and they have tons of leadership.

People want to blame scheme and that seems to be based on Landman not having a spectacular year. Well we were not winning with the old scheme either. The coaches know that other than Landman the opposing offense does not have to account for much on defense - you can scheme around one guy pretty easy. With the lack of pass rush and inexperienced secondary, the defense is playing more zone coverage and that requires Landman to drop over the middle. If Landman is going to be a stud in the NFL he is going to have to show he has some cover capabilities.

I am not sure it will be turned around next year.

 

[Da Lama]

Excellent post. My thoughts exactly on Tucker who inherited a hot mess.

 

[Da Lama]

There is enough TALENT on this team to win 6 games. The question is whether there is enough CHARACTER, LEADERSHIP, COMPETITIVENESS, TOUGHNESS, and CHEMISTRY to win 6 games.
We have been blaming coaching around here for a long time and much of it has been justified, but at this point, I’m laying this BS solidly at the feet of our players.
Jay Johnson and HCMT didn’t tell KD Nixon to drop three drive sustaining passes yesterday. Those things matter if your Q isn’t tough enough to overcome some adversity and make the next play.

I’m ready to replace the HCMM guys and move on to players that can take hard coaching, and be mentally tough. There are certainly plenty of exceptions but overall the HCMM recruits have proven over time to be very soft and mentally weak in the heat of the battle. They are at least not tough enough to win 6 games no matter how talented they are.

Part of a coaching staff's job is to cultivate CHARACTER, LEADERSHIP, COMPETITIVENESS, TOUGHNESS, and CHEMISTRY. There blame enough for the players in this situation, but let's not kid ourselves that MANY coaches out there could've have easily stepped into this and pulled at least 7 wins out of this group. Go baclk and look at the season predictions of people on this board. You'll see talent, character, chemistry and experience were seen as positive attributes of this team. now suddenly they are all soft and talentless? can't have it both ways, bub.

 

[hawg1]

Part of a coaching staff's job is to cultivate CHARACTER, LEADERSHIP, COMPETITIVENESS, TOUGHNESS, and CHEMISTRY. There blame enough for the players in this situation, but let's not kid ourselves that MANY coaches out there could've have easily stepped into this and pulled at least 7 wins out of this group. Go baclk and look at the season predictions of people on this board. You'll see talent, character, chemistry and experience were seen as positive attributes of this team. now suddenly they are all soft and talentless? can't have it both ways, bub.

This was never a 7 win team.

 

[Bison]

Part of a coaching staff's job is to cultivate CHARACTER, LEADERSHIP, COMPETITIVENESS, TOUGHNESS, and CHEMISTRY. There blame enough for the players in this situation, but let's not kid ourselves that MANY coaches out there could've have easily stepped into this and pulled at least 7 wins out of this group. Go baclk and look at the season predictions of people on this board. You'll see talent, character, chemistry and experience were seen as positive attributes of this team. now suddenly they are all soft and talentless? can't have it both ways, bub.

This was a seven win team if we had a QB who really cared about winning.