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2025 Outlook (Bye Week mental masturbation)

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
Club Member
Junta Member
Here's the link to the roster: https://static.cubuffs.com/custompages/football/2024/roster.pdf

Here's the link to recruiting: https://247sports.com/college/colorado/Season/2025-Football/Commits/

What we expect back:

QB: backups (need a top prep and a good transfer). We haven't seen anything that instills confidence if the 2025 starter is anyone currently on the roster.

RB: Hayden & Augustave are sophomores and Welch is a freshman. This looks like a team strength next year.

WR: losing a ton (Travis, Horn, Wester, Sheppard), but there's talent waiting for its turn with O Miller, D Miller, Timmons, Mikell and several talented other guys who haven't gotten an opportunity. Probably need an impact transfer here, but it's a solid group of playmakers even without that.

TE: Smalls returns, which makes me pretty comfortable. He's getting better each week and is a plus blocker for the position right now while getting some involvement in the pass game. Recruiting commitment here already and a transfer with 2+ years of eligibility would be very useful.

OL: Seaton, Benson, Houston & Zilinskas all come back along with some developing depth and what looks to be shaping up as an excellent recruiting class. 5* prep is possible. Adding a good transfer could make this one of the best OLs in the Big 12.

Right now, I think we're set up to be a physical running team that won't have to rely on a QB covering deficiencies to be an effective offense. We'll be a very different team on O, but potentially a lot more consistent and balanced.

S: losing Shilo & CSC, which is a huge hit. Stoutmire and some developing depth come back and we've got good recruiting here. One really good transfer would make this a very good position group.

CB: you can't replace Travis and Hodge is also a huge loss. McKinney might be an all-conference level guy coming back. After that, it's developing underclassmen with talent but not much proven. I'd expect a transfer or two here.

ILB: NHG & Bentley both gone. Not sure if we've got any guys behind who would be plus starters next year, so this has got to be priority #2 after QB.

DT: Cokes & Nwanko are major losses, but there's a lot coming back with McNeill, Barnes, Thomas, etc. Recruiting and portal important here, but has the makings of a very good group.

DE: losing Green & Hayes, but I think we've got a lot of reason to be excited about Okunlola, McCoy, Wade, Walker & Davis-Swain. Keep recruiting, but should feel confident about this group.

I think the defense could be pretty special with a few transfer additions as long as they can get ILB figured out. The biggest key is probably not getting Livingston poached away.

Kicker: Mata might have turned a corner and he has 1 more year.

Punter: need one.

Returners: need them.

This is a work in process. With the composition of the 2025 team, we are going to need to win special teams. This has got to be a priority.

...................................

In short, I think that we'll be much deeper and that we'll be better at just about all positions. But you don't simply replace guys like Travis and Shedeur. We'll need everything else to be significantly better to be as good without those guys. There's definitely a realistic path, though.
 
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Great analysis.

QB has to be the number one position need. To me, other than that, I see much bigger need in D next year, we have many solid pieces but not enough elite guys in many positions.

High priority with high impact transfer (similar to NHG this year):

S, CB, LB * 2, DT * 2, TE

BTW, with the way we play defense, I don't trust McKinney enough to have him replace Travis. He got NFL level size&arm but his CB technique and instinct is not there. Hood is similar in the way that I feel okay with them being CB2&3 but not CB1.
 
He's 5/7 now, 20/20 on XPs and just drilled an important 46 yarder. Let's see how it plays out. I am starting to believe in him.
he is not a long range option really. if we going to rely on defense, a run game, and special teams next year, we will need a kicker who can go long. but, I love the guy's heart--- he has nerves of steel in his range.
 
Remaining Games, Predictions anyone?:

vs KSU - 10/12
@ AZ - 10/19
vs C - 10/26
@ TT - 11/9
vs UU - 11/16
@ KU - 11/23
 
I normally like this type of thread.... But the transfer portal makes it all so much chaos
Yeah. It's weird. We'll lose guys we don't expect. Prep commits will have a lot of flips the next two months. And we have no idea who will be available in the portal. Very likely that 10 of our best 2025 players aren't on the roster right now.
 
It's nice to only need to fill a third to a half of the 2 deep instead of 3/4 of it, assuming normal portal attrition.. But we've got some huge holes to fill..and as FSU is showing us this year, it's about more than plugging guys in. Fit and chemistry matter and that's going to be more of a crap shoot than ever before
 
He's 5/7 now, 20/20 on XPs and just drilled an important 46 yarder. Let's see how it plays out. I am starting to believe in him.
Say Less Bad Luck GIF by Bridge and Tunnel on EPIX
 
Great analysis.

QB has to be the number one position need. To me, other than that, I see much bigger need in D next year, we have many solid pieces but not enough elite guys in many positions.

High priority with high impact transfer (similar to NHG this year):

S, CB, LB * 2, DT * 2, TE

BTW, with the way we play defense, I don't trust McKinney enough to have him replace Travis. He got NFL level size&arm but his CB technique and instinct is not there. Hood is similar in the way that I feel okay with them being CB2&3 but not CB1.
My worry is if you took Travis and Shedeur off from this ‘24 team, what would our record be? 1-4? 2-3?

I really don’t think you can overstate the impact of losing those two next year.
 
My worry is if you took Travis and Shedeur off from this ‘24 team, what would our record be? 1-4? 2-3?

I really don’t think you can overstate the impact of losing those two next year.
The loss of Travis is much more impactful on the D side, IMO.

I know Travis is our No.1 receiver, but mostly because Shedeur trust Travis most. There are a lot other open WRs in a lot of our drives, Shedeur just laser focus on Travis. So losing Travis hurts, but it's not something you can't afford as long as you get 1-2 stud WRs from high school. Personally, I think Drelon Miller and Kam Mikell will be good enough to form a new, top tire WR core. Not sure if O Miller will stay or not, if he does, it will be another top WR group in Big12.

Lock down corner is harder to find, many schools don't need it much because their scheme don't depend on such a heavy man coverage. We need it every year and I don't see anyone in the team right now to fill that role. That's the biggest loss IMO.

Regarding Shedeur, yes, we likely won't find another passer as great as him. However, there are many ways to have a good to great offense in College. Colorado doesn't have a consistent offense now, and it's not very effective when it matters (e.g. multiple 3&out in UCF game when we really want to give D some time to rest). So, we might not have a passing offense as good as this year, but there are definitely ways to make the offense more consistent and overall better.
 
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The loss of Travis is much more impactful on the D side, IMO.

I know Travis is our No.1 receiver, but mostly because Shedeur trust Travis most. There are a lot other open WRs in a lot of our drives, Shedeur just laser focus on Travis. So losing Travis hurts, but it's not something you can't afford as long as you get 1-2 stud WRs from high school. Personally, I think Drelon Miller and Kam Mikell will be good enough to form a new, top tire WR core. Not sure if O Miller will stay or not, if he does, it will be another top WR group in Big12.

Lock down corner is harder to find, many schools don't need it much because their scheme don't depend on such a heavy man coverage. We need it every year and I don't see anyone in the team right now to fill that role. That's the biggest loss IMO.

Regarding Shedeur, yes, we likely won't find another passer as great as him. However, there are many ways to have a good to great offense in College. Colorado doesn't have a consistent offense now, and it's not very effective when it matters (e.g. multiple 3&out in UCF game when we really want to give D some time to rest). So, we might not have a passing offense as good as this year, but there are definitely ways to make the offense more consistent and overall better.
Considering Livingston came in ready to mold the playbook to fit the players he had, I wouldn’t bank on us needing to have a lockdown corner because we play heavy man. He might see us as a better zone team next year and switch up the play selection.
 
Considering Livingston came in ready to mold the playbook to fit the players he had, I wouldn’t bank on us needing to have a lockdown corner because we play heavy man. He might see us as a better zone team next year and switch up the play selection.
Good point. The only concern I have is, it feels like CP wants man coverage. Don't we run man heavy last year too?
 
My worry is if you took Travis and Shedeur off from this ‘24 team, what would our record be? 1-4? 2-3?

I really don’t think you can overstate the impact of losing those two next year.
I think you have to give Prime some credit and the smart bet that without Shedeur the team would have a better QB1 than Staub.

Definitely not Shedeur level, but a quality QB.

Travis can't be replaced, but I think the early returns in the Prime era make it obvious that getting talented CBs and WRs on the roster is not a problem.

We'll take a step back, but won't fall off of a cliff.
 
Good point. The only concern I have is, it feels like CP wants man coverage. Don't we run man heavy last year too?
I don’t know the percentages from last year. I don’t think it was nearly as weighted towards man. We have only heard about the % this year because it’s so stark. But I could be wrong.
 
I'm hoping Prime and CU can continue to build the notoriety of developing two-way players. So, in the vein of looking ahead, I'm hoping to see Kam Mikell all over the field next year. RB/WR and DB.
 
Having a good season over 8 wins, and not having our coaching staff completely picked over would be great. Also, not ending the season with multiple losses...

If the defense continues to progress and BL stays, seasons 2-3 in the same defensive scheme could have CU turning the corner for a long run. Same with Shurmer, if he is consistent and building something the continuity of that staff would help too. The offense will be different with a new QB. I think they can change one coordinator fine, but not another season with 2 new coordinators and multiple new assistants.

I'm not all the worried about Prime recruiting DBs to come here even with Hunter, Hodge, KSC, and Shilo leaving. It seems we get an influx of interest and talent at this position group. Breedlove is the #1N for Purdue. I did not think O. Cooper or Milner-Jones were bad players (they had some good moments), however they were just portaled/recruited over. I can't place the name, but the S who transferred from Utah Tech started and graduated last year was pretty good too.
 
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