Colorado University Athletics
Colorado-Colorado State Notes
August 31, 2008 | Football
Quickly For the time being, the series in Denver is complete, with CU owning a 5-4 advantage in games played (1-2 at old Mile High Stadium, 4-2 at Invesco Field) ... Tonight's attendance of 69,619 was the highest of the three game set (2006-08) but ranked sixth in the nine games (two sellouts) ... Ralphie IV led the Buffs on to the field tonight; she has not retired as some may think but Ralphie V is in the wings and will appear in the role this year as well ... First Play of The Year: TB Demetrius Sumler was stopped for no gain on CU's first offensive play, just the 14th time since 1950 that CU failed to gain yardage on its first play of the year ... First Score of the Year: Cody Hawkins' 35-yard touchdown pass to Scotty McKnight early in the second quarter marked the second straight year the duo hooked up on CU's first score of the season. Hawkins joins Kordell Stewart as the only Buffs to throw TD passes for CU's first score of the year, while McKnight is the first player to catch two scoring throws to open the year's scoring for the Buffs and is the seventh player to score CU's first points of the year twice ... Colorado is now 20-14-1 when wearing all black uniforms, 3-0 in season openers (all against CSU)... CU improved to 75-39-5 in season openers, and have won 22 of its last 23 when scoring first ... The Big 12 Conference finished the first weekend of play with a 10-2 record.
SERIES STUFF Colorado now leads the series by a 59-19-2 count, including 16-5 since the series was resumed in 1983 after a 25-year dormancy. CU's 21-point win tonight was the largest in the series since a 41-14 Colorado win in 2001; the last six had been decided by a combined 25 points.
FIRST ACTION Six players saw their first action as Buffaloes on the opening play of the game on the kickoff coverage squad? three redshirt frosh (S Anthony Perkins, S Travis Sandersfeld, CB Anthony Wright), two true frosh (PK Jameson Davis, S Patrick Mahnke) and a junior college transfer (ILB Shaun Mohler). OG Blake Behrens was the only CU starter tonight who had not seen previous action. All told, 19 players saw their first action tonight in a CU uniform (seven true freshmen); in addition to the seven above, DT Curtis Cunningham, TE Ryan Deehan, PK Aric Goodman, DT Eugene Goree, ILB Josh Hartigan, OG Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner, DE Conrad Obi, DT Tony Poremba, TB Darrell Scott, TE Devin Shanahan, DT Lagrone Shields and TB Rodney Stewart all saw their initial action as a Buffalo.
236 & COUNTING Colorado scored in its 236th consecutive game (last shutout: 7-0 at Nebraska on Nov. 12, 1988), adding to the fourth longest active streak in the nation and the ninth longest of all-time. CU has now extended the streak in the first half 214 times.
J-FLY FINALLY HITS FOR SIX After 33 touches as a freshman in 2007 (for 485 yards) and a 34th touch on an 8-yard rush in the first quarter, Josh “S-Fly” Smith finally found the end zone. His 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter was the first by a Buffalo since Jeremy Bloom brought one back 88 yards at Kansas State on Oct. 18, 2003. His 160 total kickoff return yards (on three tries) are tied for the fourth most in a single game in CU history, trailing Ben Kelly (5-186, 0 TD at Oklahoma State, 1997); Howard Ballage (5-184, 1 TD vs. Nebraska, 1978) and Hugh Charles (6-161, 0 TD at Iowa State, 2007).Touch?: John Mosure answered Smith's return with a 90-yard one of his own, the first KO return for a score by a CU opponent since Sammy Moore had a 97-yard effort for Washington State in Boulder on Sept. 13, 2003.
QB CODY HAWKINS (29-20-1, 214, 1 TD, 1 INT) He moved into 10th place all-time on CU's passing yards list (2,907), passing Randy Essington (2,773 from 1980-82). His interception in the first half was off a batted pass, marking the eighth time that has accounted for a pick in 16 opponent interceptions.
FRESHMEN RUSHING CU freshman duo of Darrell Scott (11-54, 1 TD) and Rodney Stewart (4-38) combined for 92 yards on 15 carries, a healthy 6.1 yards per pop. Scott's 54 yards rank as the 16th most in CU history for a running back playing in his first game. Both Scott and Stewart's efforts are comparable to some other well known running backs in their first games: Ron Dayne (8-53, 1 TD vs. Eastern Michigan in 1996); Marshall Faulk (11-39, 1 TD vs. Long Beach State, 1991); Herschell Walker (24-84, 2 TD vs. Tennessee in 1980), Cedric Benson (15-64, 1 TD vs. New Mexico State) and Emmitt Smith (5-16, 0 TD vs. Miami in 1987).
BUFF DEFENSE The 258 yards CU allowed CSU was the fewest by the opponent in a season opener since 1998, when the Rams had 202 in a 42-14 loss to the Buffaloes at old Mile High Stadium. It's the seventh lowest total by an opponent in the last 40 season openers, as Washington State (196 in 1996), Fresno State (177 in 1988), Oregon (245 in 1978), Texas Tech (186 in 1976) and LSU (227 in 1971) join the '98 effort against CSU ahead of tonight's Buff defensive performance.
THE CLOCK, THE CLOCK. Well, the game still tool 3:07 to play, despite the fact that the teams combined for just 129 plays (CU 65, CSU 64). That's the second fewest by CU and its opponent in an opener since 1997, with only the 124 in 2006 (Montana State 70, CU 54) lower; that's the last year the rules committee tinkered with significant changes to clock.
INJURY REPORT As head trainer Miguel Rueda reported, one minor injury (OLB B.J. Beatty, lower leg bruise, day-to-day) and two bags of ice otherwise nothing else. Rueda did say that TE Riar Geer (knee scope last week) is progressing well and is on schedule to return for the West Virginia game
Colorado State Notes:
True freshmen:
? Over the previous two years combined (2006-07), the Rams used just two, both in 2007 (tight end Eric Peitz and long-snapper Steve Bryan). In 2006, CSU and
? Over the previous three years (2005-07), the number is just five, including S Klint Kubiak, DT Shaun McGoveran and DE Wade Landers in 2005.
? The last time CSU used as many as five true freshmen in an entire season was six in 2004 ? WR Damon Morton, RB Gartrell Johnson, DE Matt Rupp, TE Kory Sperry, QB Caleb Hanie and RB Kyle Bell.
Solid premiere: True freshman K Ben DeLine was perfect in his collegiate debut, converting two PATs and also hitting his first-career field goal attempt, hitting a 26-yarder with 2:17 left in the third quarter to pull the Rams to within 28-17. DeLine is the son of Steve DeLine, former CSU placekicker (1984-86). His uncle, Dave, was a kicker at
Permanent team captains: For the first time in since 1992, the Rams have voted for permanent team captains. Crowned by their teammates at the conclusion of fall camp, they are Kory Sperry and Gartrell Johnson (offense), Jeff Horinek and Tommie Hill (defense) and Dion Morton and Jason Smith (special teams). All but Morton, a junior, are seniors.
Strength of schedule after Week 1: CSU's 2008 opponents were a combined 10-2 in their opening games. The only teams that the Rams will face who lost their season-openers this weekend are
First-time Rams: Including the five true freshmen who played today, 20 total players made their
Coaches in debut: The last CSU coach to win his debut with the Rams was Jerry Wampfler, who led the Rams to a 28-9 victory over
Other player notes:
? Junior WR Rashaun Greer caught his first career pass on the second play from scrimmage, which went for 15 yards and a first down. Greer finished the game as the Rams' leading receiver, snagging eight receptions for 70 yards.
? Redshirt freshman LB Mychal Sisson made first career tackle, on CU's first play of the game, and made two of the team's first six tackles. Sisson finished with five solo tackles and one forced fumble in his collegiate debut.
? Senior TE Kory Sperry, who caught three touchdown passes and was named national tight end of the week following last year's game against CU, was held to just two receptions for 11 yards in the contest.
? LB Jeff Horinek recorded his second career interception with 7:27 remaining in the second quarter. Junior DT Sevaro Johnson tipped the ball on the pass attempt by Cody Hawkins. Horinek's returned his first interception for a TD, Oct. 7, 2006, in a home victory over UNLV, a span of 20 games between interceptions. Tonight's interception set up the Rams' first touchdown.
? Billy Farris threw his first career touchdown pass, connecting with sophomore Dion Morton on a 21-yard play with 6:53 remaining in the second quarter to cut the CU lead to 14-7.
? Colorado State answered CU's kickoff return for a touchdown with one of its own, on the ensuing kick, when John Mosure scored on a 90-yard return to make the score 21-14. It marks the first CSU kick return for a TD since Sept. 29, 2001, when Dexter Wynn scored on a 95-yard return against the Wyoming Cowboys. The streak of kickoffs without a touchdown was 285.
? Sophomore FB Zac Pauga notched a career-most five receptions. He eclipsed his old mark set in the Rams' 2007 finale against
? Senior RB Gartrell Johnson looked impressive running behind the Rams' offensive line. Johnson led all runners with 12 carries for 95 yards, an average of 7.9 yards per carry. Johnson broke several long runs, including six totes of 8 yards or more. Johnson has recorded 95 yards or more in six of his last seven games played, including the final three games of last season, all 100-yard efforts.
? Junior WR Dion Morton hauled in four receptions for 53 yards and one touchdown in his first action since Nov. 3, 2007. Morton missed the final three games in 2007 after spraining his ankle at BYU. Morton has now caught a pass in nine consecutive games played. Morton's touchdown reception marks just the second of his career and his first since the Rams played at
? Sophomore LB Ricky Brewer led the Rams defense with 11 total tackles. It is the second-highest total of Brewer's career, eclipsed only by the 12 tackles he recorded in the Rams' victory over
? In his first game since being sidelined in 2007 with an ulcer, Sept. 22 at
