Colorado University Athletics
Six Buffs Will Showcase Talents in Postseason All-Star Games
December 29, 2005 | Football
BOULDER - Six top draft prospects from the University of Colorado football team will get a chance to impress NFL coaches and scouts through an assortment of postseason all-star games.
A quartet of Buffs - All-Big 12 tight end Joe Klopfenstein, All-American punter John Torp, V-Back Lawrence Vickers and linebacker Brian Iwuh - will participate in the 2006 Senior Bowl, presented by Food World, officials have announced.
Klopfenstein, a 6-6, 245-pounder from Aurora, Colo., was a Mackey Award candidate and a first-team All-Big 12 selection who caught 33 passes for 468 yards and led the team with four TD receptions. His 12 career touchdowns are the most by a tight end in CU history.
Torp was one of the three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, presented to the nation's top punter. A 6-2, 205-pounder from Lafayette, Colo., he was a first-team All-Big 12 and second-team Walter Camp All-American selection who averaged 45.2 yards per punt, 27 of them in excess of 50 yards, and 24 downed inside the 20.
Torp followed up his solid season with an outstanding performance in the Champ Sports Bowl against Clemson. In the contest, he punted nine times for a 49.7 average; he booted a long of 68 and four of his kicks landed inside-the-20. Torp was also invited to participate in the Hula Bowl, but he will only be playing in the senior bowl.
Vickers was one of the nation's most versatile running backs, excelling as a tailback, fullback and pass receiver during the year as he rushed for 258 yards, caught 26 passes for 152 yards and scored 11 TD's. Projected as a fullback in the NFL, the 6-2, 235-pounder from Houston, Texas, was also a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2005.
Vickers joined the exclusive 500/500 club earlier in the season, becoming just the 10th player in Colorado history to total at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.
Iwuh finished fourth on the team with 70 tackles from his outside "Buff" linebacker position despite being slowed early in the year due to a knee injury. A 6-0, 225-pounder, he is a two-time All-Big 12 pick who recorded 98 tackles and 14 tackles for loss during the 2004 campaign. He ended the 2005 season with 65 tackles and three sacks; he also led the team with 18 third down stops and eight quarterback pressures.
The Senior Bowl is widely considered the nation's premier pre-draft showcase, annually featuring the top senior NFL draft prospects on teams coached by the entire coaching staffs of two National Football League teams. Senior Bowl practices are also attended by over 700 NFL general managers, head coaches, scouts and other front office personnel each year.
The 2006 Senior Bowl will be played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., with kickoff slated for 2:00 p.m. MDT on January 28; the game will be nationally televised by ESPN.
Another pair of Buffalo seniors will attend postseason all-star games elsewhere. Nose tackle Vaka Manupuna has accepted an invitation to the Hula Bowl, and tight end Quinn Sypniewski will participate in the Las Vegas All-American Classic.
Manupuna emerged as a premier run-stuffing defensive tackle for the Buffs over the last two seasons. He finished the 2005 season with 52 tackles; he was also second on the team with seven quarterback pressures. His ability to occupy blockers to let his teammates make plays proved invaluable as CU finished the season ranked 10th nationally against the run.
A native of Kihei, Hawai'i, Manupuna will return to his home state for the game, which will be played at Aloha stadium in Honolulu. The game will be played on Jan. 21, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 MDT. The contest will also be nationally broadcast on ESPN.
Sypniewski returned for his sixth year in 2005 and enjoyed a highly productive and injury-free season. He finished the year with 25 catches for 397 yards and a team-high 15.9-yard average per catch. He also tied Klopfenstein for the team lead in touchdown receptions, with four. He was CU's leading receiver in the Champ Sports Bowl, catching four passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.
The All-American Classic will be played on Jan. 14 at 8:30 MDT. The game will be played at Sam Boyd stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. Broadcast details are not yet finalized, but the game is expected to be carried by FSN.
