Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

CU report: Pick your poison

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 11, 2008 at 10:21 p.m.

Text size  

He Said It

"Another day on the planet, another day on the job, another day with my wife."

Dan Hawkins, on what he got for his birthday Monday.

Numbers Game

16 tackles (13 solo) by senior safety Ryan Walters against Iowa State, both career highs. He also had a sack, third-down stop, another tackle for a loss and a pass deflection.

More College Sports

More stories »

"Stopping the run" is a football coach's first axiom in fashioning a defensive game plan, and so it is with the Buffaloes as they prepare for No. 11 Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys are No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference (sixth in Football Bowl Subdivision) in rushing offense, averaging 264.8 yards a game, and they feature the Big 12's leading rusher, Kendall Hunter (133.2 yards a game).

But if the run is stopped, then what?

Oklahoma State also can call on conference-leading receiver Dez Bryant (114 yards a game, 15 touchdown receptions). Then toss in quarterback Zac Robinson - his 181 passer rating is third in FBS, second in the Big 12 - and tight end Brandon Pettigrew, a likely first-round NFL draft choice.

While reiterating the Buffs' priority will be slowing Hunter & Co. in the running game, CU coach Dan Hawkins conceded the Cowboys "sure are talented and very good in a lot of areas - they have plenty of weapons.

"Part of the reason they have such an explosive offense (42.8 points a game) is that you can't just shut down one thing."

And the starter is . . .

Dan Hawkins confirmed sophomore Cody Hawkins will start at quarterback Saturday. Freshman Tyler Hansen, who opened last week against Iowa State, also is expected to play.

After leading CU to its 28-24 win against Iowa State, Cody Hawkins was chosen the Player of the Week (Colorado chapter) by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Can you kick?

Since CU's place-kicking woes began, special teams coach Kent Riddle says he has received e-mails from "everybody on campus" who has kicked - or believed he could.

Several prospective kickers were given a look, including Ryan Callahan, the sports/news director at 1190 radio on campus.

Callahan, though, was invited by Dan Hawkins.

Before Callahan, a junior, did a radio interview with Hawkins on Monday, he casually told the CU coach he was a kicker at Evergreen High School. Hawkins told Callahan, "Come on out."

In about 15 minutes after practice, Callahan showed decently from short range but conceded he was rusty from 45 to 50 yards. Riddle said he has found no long- or short-term answers, adding Aric Goodman will resume kicking Saturday.

Etc.

* The Buffs have received a commitment from defensive lineman Nate Bonsu, of Allen (Texas) High School, according to Rivals.com. Other schools that showed an interest in Bonsu, a 6-foot-2, 265-pounder, included Arizona, Brigham Young, Arkansas, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Iowa State and Washington State. He is CU's seventh known commitment for 2009.

* Freshman tailback Rodney Stewart, who suffered a broken right fibula in the loss at Texas A&M, underwent surgery to repair ligament damage in his right ankle.