Indispensable player: Colorado

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By Ted Miller

See your team in your mind's eye -- 24 starters, including specialists.

If you could put an absolute halo of safety -- perhaps a girdle of indestructibility? -- around just one, who would it be?

We're rating each team's most indispensable player. And when the choice is too obvious -- say, Stanford -- we'll try to offer a second choice.

Up next: Colorado

RB Rodney Stewart

You could make an argument that Stewart is as important to the Buffaloes as quarterback Andrew Luck is to Stanford. That might be just a bit extreme, but Stewart was the Buffaloes' offense last fall. He rushed for 1,318 yards, which would have ranked third in the Pac-10 in 2010, and scored a team-high 10 touchdowns. The Buffs' No. 2 rusher, Brian Lockridge, gained 146 yards. How extreme is that difference? It would have been the lowest number for a No. 2 rusher in the conference last fall. Heck, Oregon State's No. 2 rusher behind workhorse Jacquizz Rodgers gained 220 yards, and he was a receiver: Markus Wheaton. Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel was sacked 51 times, but he still managed to rush for 204 yards. Stewart finished with 290 carries. That would have ranked second in the conference -- Oregon's LaMichael James had 294 -- 30 ahead of Washington workhorse Chris Polk and 34 more than Rodgers. He also caught 29 passes for 290 yards, making him the Buffs' No. 4 receiver. Have we mentioned that Stewart is 5-foot-6, 175 pounds? Further, the depth behind Stewart is uncertain. Lockridge, also a senior, is still dealing with an ankle injury and might not be ready by the start of the season. There are high expectations for redshirt freshman Tony Jones after a solid spring, and sophomore Josh Ford also is a possibility. Still, Stewart is the unquestioned engine of the offense. New coach Jon Embree wants to be a run-first, physical team -- he brought back the fullback position -- and if the Buffs are going to be a bowl team in Year 1 of the Pac-12, they will ride Stewart there.

Originally posted by ESPN.com - Pac-10 Blog
Click here to view the article.

 

[aik]

I'd like to put the halo around Jon Major, but that's just me.

 

[sackman]

P Rich would be my choice. But hey, I have a man crush on P Rich.

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

If Speedy gets injured, we're pretty much done.

 

[Duff Man]

Tyler Hansen.

 

[dio]

If Speedy gets injured, we're pretty much done.

Maybe - but Tony Jones could emerge as a force this next season, so Speedy doesn't worry me quite as much.

Depth is paper-thin at most positions, so it is hard to know where it would hurt the worst :lol:

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

LT -- I assume that will be Bahktari. New system, more pro-type play action passes, and the speed on the edge that teams in our new conference possess. LT will be critical.

 

[Buffnik]

With 2 new young starters at corner and Polk still not anywhere close to being a coach on the field, I think that just like last season that Perkins is the player we can least afford to lose. Without him, our secondary goes from questionable to plain bad.

 

[chipwich]

Tyler Hansen.

:this:

 

[Darth Snow]

+1 to Perkins.

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

With 2 new young starters at corner and Polk still not anywhere close to being a coach on the field, I think that just like last season that Perkins is the player we can least afford to lose. Without him, our secondary goes from questionable to plain bad.

A couple of years ago, people were saying we had the worst secondary that ever suited up for CU. We managed to be pretty decent. So I wouldn't get to worked up about the secondary. Terror Smith saw plenty of PT last year, and I can see Parker Orms or Jared Bell filling in nicely. M. Pugh has made some noise at CB already.

I think the secondary will struggle, but it won't be horrible. Even if we lose Perk.