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Final 2012 Spring Depth Chart
- Thread starter Darth Snow
- Start date
You need to get over my prediction from last year, or at least go back through and read it carefully.
For me, last season's hope pretty much ended when we got beat at Hawaii. That was the game we absolutely needed. There's a reason that Embo put such an emphasis on it. Giving up ridiculous big plays to blow the Cal and Wazzu games cemented it. That schedule demanded a 4-1 start to make a bowl game.
I'm feeling much the same about this season and the need to start 3-0.
That was the same with my prediction, re: Hawaii and the 4-1 start. Alfred talked about setting high expectations, and that's what I do. I felt that that my seven win goal was doable if we started out 4-1, which we didn't. I also feel the same way about this year. We start out 3-0, we have a shot. We drop one, I really doubt we can win six.
I haven't seen him interviewed this spring, but I think it was EB who said he was able to run around and do non-contact stuff now. I believe that the expectation is that he'll be a go for fall camp.
OUBuff
American
That is good to hear. I am hoping for him.
What is truly sad is that looking at a depth chart full of walk-ons and guys nobody ever heard of and lacking in upperclass leaders, it is still better than what we had last year at this time.
Don't take this to say that we are good, only that we are with all our flaws, less bad. To anyone who thinks an extra year with coach orangeslices didn't do major damage to this team just look at this depthchart. If anything we keep him two years to long, not one.
With all that, looking at the roster I do see a team that is improved. Not improved enough to be competitive with the top of the PAC, those schools can still name the score against us but better than we were last year. I know that a some people will argue that we lost the guys in last years senior class, we lost Miller, and TH, and Speedy, and Cunningham, and TClem, etc. etc. Don't forget that those are the guys that only won 3 games last year. Overall we are younger but becoming a more talented team.
Combined with a much more reasonable schedule we should and better see an improvement in the record this year. This won't mean that we are magically good but it will be a step in the improvement process.
Don't take this to say that we are good, only that we are with all our flaws, less bad. To anyone who thinks an extra year with coach orangeslices didn't do major damage to this team just look at this depthchart. If anything we keep him two years to long, not one.
With all that, looking at the roster I do see a team that is improved. Not improved enough to be competitive with the top of the PAC, those schools can still name the score against us but better than we were last year. I know that a some people will argue that we lost the guys in last years senior class, we lost Miller, and TH, and Speedy, and Cunningham, and TClem, etc. etc. Don't forget that those are the guys that only won 3 games last year. Overall we are younger but becoming a more talented team.
Combined with a much more reasonable schedule we should and better see an improvement in the record this year. This won't mean that we are magically good but it will be a step in the improvement process.
I didn't notice.
Come on, man. It remains to be seen what happens once the freshmen get here in the summer, but we are not better right now than we were at this time last year. It is okay to admit that there were a few players that graduated which we will miss.
I think we will be more talented this fall than we were last fall. But we'll be very young. Painfully young. And right now, we're looking at a depth chart that lost 28 seniors from last year. The spring depth chart is bad.
This is easy. The team knows the playbook, and the culture has changed significantly. Just watch the early games, especially the Hawaii games, to see the hot mess that was everybody not yet on the same page. We lost significant depth, and some good playmakers to graduation, this is the price we have to pay for the extra year of Squawkins that we were subject to. Back to the point, once the freshman are on campus, we should have better overall talent and better familiarity with the playbook to start the season.
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I do admit that we will miss some of the graduating seniors. TClem played himself from almost not starting into potentially getting drafted, Speedy was a warrior, Hartigan was one of the great overachievers who made a serious impact on some games. Miller was talented enough to be a first rounder but will likely be a third to fourth, still a good ballplayer.
At the same time the class going out across the board, top to bottom was not a great class. If they were we would have won more games. Speedy was quicker than fast and went down to easy. I don't see Tony Jones as a step down. Hansen probably could have been much better had Hawk not screwed him up but he did a solid job under trying conditions.
Bottom line is that last years team was a bad team, this years team will be a bad team. In my opinion however the depth chart as a whole looks more promising to me this year than last. With the new class coming in it will get even better. We will have more PAC 12 level athletes at more positions. This is not an insult to those Buffs who player their hearts out the past 4-5 years under Hawkins before finishing under Embree. Only a comment to guys who were recruited players on the depth chart that athletically were Sun Belt or Big Sky level guys. Embree is at a minimum in a process of replacing those guys with PAC level athletes. We still have to see it on the field but to me it looks better.
I do not disagree with this post, but I was commenting on your statement that said this depth chart was better than what we had last spring. This spring depth chart is as bad as I have seen since I started following the Buffs.
I am very excited about the freshmen coming in this summer, probably even more after seeing this depth chart released yesterday.
Sexton Hardcastle
Club Member
:lol:
jahbrahakala
Member
Fresno on the road will tell a lot.
Sexton Hardcastle
Club Member
Yup. I do get the feeling we're going to see another year of inconsistency. I do expect us to win some games on the road. Fresno State should be one of them.
Utah last year broke the ice. Team came home with the idea that they could win a road game.
The Fresno game will show if Embree's work on attitude has had some impact. It is a game that the Buffs should win but they have to avoid either making the mistakes that give it away or just coming in expecting to lose.
Fresno is a better team than some people may give them credit for but the Buffs should beat them if they play their game. It is a road game but not anywhere near as difficult as playing an opening game in Hawaii or or course playing at Ohio State.
Last year we also opened the conference road slate at Stanford and at Washington, not a recipe for building confidence. This year we open at Washington State which certainly isn't a gimee (at this point no PAC game is) but is a game that the team should have a reasonable shot at. The next two road games are then no-hopers (USC and Oregon) but if we beat Fresno and WSU then the team should have some confidence on the road later in the season.
I am only posting this off gut feeling. I wasn't able to get up to see the spring game/scrimmage nor do I have any "inside" information.
That said Norgard not taking the FB position from Alex Wood along with Pow coming in next year I wonder if we don't see Norgard move back to the defensive side of the ball sooner than later. The FB is not going to be a full-time position. Powell has the ability to be something special at the position and for the upcoming season you have wood at the position as well. They may decide that Norgard is to good an athlete to leave on the bench.
Some of this may depend on how the LB position shakes out with the incoming freshmen (do any of the DEs move back) and recruiting but my gut says a position change back is a real posibility.
That said Norgard not taking the FB position from Alex Wood along with Pow coming in next year I wonder if we don't see Norgard move back to the defensive side of the ball sooner than later. The FB is not going to be a full-time position. Powell has the ability to be something special at the position and for the upcoming season you have wood at the position as well. They may decide that Norgard is to good an athlete to leave on the bench.
Some of this may depend on how the LB position shakes out with the incoming freshmen (do any of the DEs move back) and recruiting but my gut says a position change back is a real posibility.
Sexton Hardcastle
Club Member
I would really like to see Powell switch to DL. I heard some good things about his potential there.
http://colorado.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1255010
http://colorado.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1231722
http://colorado.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1255010
http://colorado.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1231722
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We have seen that before as well with the Buffs. I'm spacing out the name of the kid who came in as a FB and played Nose for us.
I like the idea of having Powell desroying people from the FB position but if he can do it on defense and Norgard can give us the FB play I'm good with that as well.
Sexton Hardcastle
Club Member
I don't think it should be totally ruled out. Who knows. Maybe he'll kill it at FB from the start. I'm just glad to have him on the team.
After paying the 10 bucks to watch the spring game online, I decided to use my "premium" status to watch some game replays. A couple notes:
1. I cannot wait for the pac 12 network to take over online distribution.
2. I know the tendency is to compare the depth chart to last spring, but just to play the optimist here, try comparing it to week 5 of 2011.
Espinoza & Lockridge were already being leaned on at corner. Ahles was asked to switch sides of the ball & our receiving core was already thinning out. I know we can expect more of the same this year, but here's to hoping we stay healthy, some of the new blood pays off on D & we can start with 2 cornerbacks on the field at the same time!
And is it just me or have we added about 5" to our average height over the lost years?
1. I cannot wait for the pac 12 network to take over online distribution.
2. I know the tendency is to compare the depth chart to last spring, but just to play the optimist here, try comparing it to week 5 of 2011.
Espinoza & Lockridge were already being leaned on at corner. Ahles was asked to switch sides of the ball & our receiving core was already thinning out. I know we can expect more of the same this year, but here's to hoping we stay healthy, some of the new blood pays off on D & we can start with 2 cornerbacks on the field at the same time!
And is it just me or have we added about 5" to our average height over the lost years?
BehindEnemyLines
beware the habu
George Hypolite -- aka, The Rabid Goldfish. Played DT mostly, not NG.
George was also a FB but I am thinking of a kid who came out of Colorado, maybe Sterling, played before Joel Steed.