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Best CU return men, kick-off or punt return.
- Thread starter BuffLuke80
- Start date
That was Terrence Newman, wasn't it?
Since I never saw Cliff Branch play, it has to be Kelly. When the defense stopped the other team and it was time for a punt, you kinda shuffled in your seat, stood up and knew something special might happen. We need little Stanley today to start breaking some returns! Great weapon!
Rob DeVere
Well-Known Member
My years of watching equal yours, but I say it's a coin toss between Branch, Kelly, Bloom and Campbell..
Each had the speed to be great returners. Bloom had the hips (mogul moves) for great elusivenes. Kelly had the instinct. Branch was just plain faster than everyone else in his era! Soupy was surprisingly sneaky-fast.
I was on my way out of Folsom twice under the impression of losing (K.State and WYO), when my younger son insisted we stay for kick-offs and Kelly returned both times for TDs, helping to snatch victories from the jaws of defeat. Still, it's a toss-up!
We don’t beat Nebraska in 89 without soupy’s 2 big punt returns.
That said, Cliff Branch was Cliff Branch.
68buffs
Well-Known Member
They were all pretty special and I'm glad they chose to be Buffs, lots of great moments provided by them. But someone has to be #1 and you make excellent points, with that said, I'm going with what BuffsRising says
I think there's a difference between 'best returner I've seen' and 'best returner in program history' going on here.
Statistically, Branch is the best we ever had. I don't think it's really debatable.
Now, most of us never saw him play, so I think we're getting some votes for guys who were really freaking good, but weren't quite like Branch.
For my part, if we're going with the best we've actually seen, I alternate between Kelly and Bloom. Personally, I think Kelly was better as a Buff. We got cheated out of 2 years of Jeremy Bloom, where he could have continued to mature his talents. With Kelly, you knew that all he had to do is get a clean catch with some open space and he was capable of doing major damage.
Statistically, Branch is the best we ever had. I don't think it's really debatable.
Now, most of us never saw him play, so I think we're getting some votes for guys who were really freaking good, but weren't quite like Branch.
For my part, if we're going with the best we've actually seen, I alternate between Kelly and Bloom. Personally, I think Kelly was better as a Buff. We got cheated out of 2 years of Jeremy Bloom, where he could have continued to mature his talents. With Kelly, you knew that all he had to do is get a clean catch with some open space and he was capable of doing major damage.
Rob DeVere
Well-Known Member
Saw all four in person and yes,, Branch leads statistically; but he was first and foremost, a close-to-world class sprinter and a FB player second, at a time when raw speed was a relatively rare commodity in college FB.(He became a great pro receiver only when Al Davis began taping $100 bills to practice balls and told Cliff he could keep the bill for every pass caught!!---jk---
Yes, Kelly only needed some space, with a couple of blocks and he was gone; the best FB player among the group cited; while Bloom was the best athlete. Campbell was the most fun, because he was so small and tricky. He would have thrived as a Bellechik slot guy!
I loved Campbell because he was from a small high school in the mountains very similar to the school I went to.
He was shifty and surprisingly quick for a little white kid from the mountains. I don't believe he was actually better than some of the other guys we're talking about, but damn he was fun to watch on the option reverse.
He was shifty and surprisingly quick for a little white kid from the mountains. I don't believe he was actually better than some of the other guys we're talking about, but damn he was fun to watch on the option reverse.
WarBuff
Club Member
Still here shilling for Walter Stanley. Could only find one highlight and it was from his pro days at Green Bay. The following describes his last year at CU when he left after getting into trouble.
"In the second of his two years playing for the Buffaloes, Stanley led the Big Eight in all-purpose yardage. He led the team with kickoff and punt returns, and in one game he scored on both types of returns against the formidable defense of Oklahoma."
"In the second of his two years playing for the Buffaloes, Stanley led the Big Eight in all-purpose yardage. He led the team with kickoff and punt returns, and in one game he scored on both types of returns against the formidable defense of Oklahoma."
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Rob DeVere
Well-Known Member
Soupy was talented enough to spend five seasons in the League (5th rd.; 118th pick) with the Lions and Broncos. Who knows what he could have done as a slot receiver under a coach like Bellichik? No one would have heard of Welker! ( I know, they were not contemporaries, but...jus' sayin') In contrast, Kelly only spent 2 yrs. in the League,despite being a 3rd. round pick!
SerenityBuff
Well-Known Member
Nobody remembers Bloom in the 2002 Big 12 CCG? I don't blame you, other than his TD return, the game was crap.
nepbug
Well-Known Member
I liked how when he was back to return people would hold up 5 fingers because his jersey number was 5, but then it evolved into 2 fingers in a V because of the Roman numeral 5. Definitley a fun returner, and I'd consider him a top 5 Buff returner.