CU seniors want 'memorable' last game at Folsom

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

Published November 13, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.

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Photo by Darin McGregor / The Rocky

CU's Ryan Walters breaks up a pass intended for CSU's Rashaun Greer earlier this season at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Once September arrives, a football season sprouts wings. Blink once, and it's November. Blink twice and offseason conditioning is under way.

Same with a college career, contends Ryan Walters, one of 15 University of Colorado seniors set to make their final appearances at Folsom Field on Saturday against No. 11 Oklahoma State.

"Time flies, it really does," Walters, a three-year starter at safety, said. "It's crazy; I try not to think about it too much. But it's a special feeling being the last hurrah at Folsom Field."

"I try not to think of it like that, but it's in my head," added outside linebacker Brad Jones, also a three-year starter. "I just want to make it a good one, make it memorable."

Upsetting the Cowboys, who are 16 1/2-point favorites, and becoming bowl eligible with a sixth victory would meet Jones' specifications. And it might even elicit an uncommonly loud celebration from this senior class, one that coach Dan Hawkins says seems to cherish its collective silence.

While vocal upperclassmen have a role, Hawkins said no team needs "a bunch of screaming Mimis" - and those are blissfully absent from this CU team. On the flip side, many in this senior class have gone platinum with the "silence is golden" line.

"Many of them, to some degree, are like Brandon (Nicolas)," Hawkins said, referring to the defensive tackle who seems to have made word economy a second major. "Patrick Williams - the same thing; (he) shows up every day, doesn't say a whole lot and does whatever it takes.

"In any organization, consistency is a big, big deal. So many of those guys are like that."

But the class also has a few ever-ready quote merchants (see: defensive tackle George Hypolite) and a handful of appealing stories that have slipped under the headlines.

* A love of football plucked safety Joel Adams from racing downhill with the Buffaloes ski team (he was a two-year letterman and member of CU's 2006 NCAA championship team) and put him on scout team duty during the week and some special teams work on weekends. Adams is the first athlete in school history to letter in skiing and football.

* Punter Tom Suazo transferred to CU from Arizona State in 2005, then spent the next two seasons kicking around (literally) in practice. He kept working, finally entering the lineup three games ago, mainly for his directional punting ability.

* Receiver Cody Crawford, a walk-on in 2004, has been described by physically unimposing offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mark Helfrich like this: "He looks like me. Actually, I'm taller." But Crawford came up big last week in the win against Iowa State, catching eight passes for 79 yards and the decisive touchdown with 1:30 to play.

* After playing football and baseball in youth leagues, high school and junior college (Saddleback College in California), quarterback Nick Nelson decided to put down bat, spikes and glove and turn toward football. He has played sparingly at CU (three games in 2007, none this season), but Helfrich lauds Nelson for "staying in it."

These 15 seniors, Hawkins said, "have had pretty good resolve the whole time" he has coached them.

Hawkins said in Walters, whose father, Marc, played quarterback at CU in the mid-1980s, and fullback Maurice Cantrell, "You know what you're getting every day. Those guys are just very consistent . . . and that's a group that's come off some issues as well (in 2004 and 2005).

"Because they've had some of those experiences, they've been able to assert themselves a little bit more as leaders. In terms of the program, they've done a good job of that."

• November 14, 2008

  10:17 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Buff4Life writes:

  Good work, men. Thank You. Lay it all out on Saturday & whatever the outcome, you'll be satisfied.

  I'll be one of many cheering you on from the stands.

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