Brooks: Dedications Fall Short

BOULDER - It was a big game and it was worth trying, but the result wasn't what anyone in a Colorado uniform expected.

Following Tuesday's practice, Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins asked his players to dedicate Sunday's opener against Colorado State to someone close to them, someone who had had an impact on their lives.

Running backs coach Darian Hagan remembered the ploy from his CU playing days, when former coach Bill McCartney asked his players to do something similar before the Buffs played Nebraska in 1990.

Hagan dedicated the game to his grandmother Roberta Webb, who passed away two years ago at age 76.

"'Mac' told us to tell the person we dedicated the game to how we were going to perform, how we were going to perform for them," Hagan remembered. "And after the game, he told us to call that person and tell them a game ball was on the way."

Those calls relayed only good news: the Buffs defeated the Cornhuskers 27-12 in Lincoln, Neb., en route to an 11-1-1 season and a co-share of the 1990 national championship.

It didn't work out so well for the 2009 Buffs, who lost their opener 23-17 to Colorado State.

The CU running backs' dedications were wide-ranging - from God, to family members, to a close friend who died last summer.

It's a once-a-season endeavor, one to be used for special games - and Hawkins knew Sunday's contest qualified.

"You do it when you know there's something big, something special . . . something big on it," Hagan said. "It has to be monumental and you want to make sure that the kids understand that it's a big-time event when you're dedicating a game like that to someone."

But Sunday's outcome wasn't what the Buffs or those who had the game dedicated to them had in mind.

NEW ARRIVAL: Maybe he planned it this way, but Colorado linebacker Marcus Burton shouldn't have any problem remembering his children's birthdays.

First son Tysen was born on Sept. 29, 2007 - the Saturday the Buffs stunned No. 3 Oklahoma 27-24 in Folsom Field.

Second son Noah Alanea Christopher, who weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces, was born early on Sept. 6, 2009 (9:59 a.m.), with CU's game against in-state rival set for a 5:10 p.m. kickoff Sunday at the Buffs' home field.

Burton, a senior tri-captain who starts at middle linebacker, was excused from team functions early Sunday at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in Broomfield to be with his wife, Krislen, while she delivered.

He rejoined his teammates for their scheduled pregame activities before they departed for the stadium.

Burton, who finished with four tackle assists, half a sack and one tackle for a three-yard loss, said the Buffs now must focus on Friday's game at Toledo.

"You always want to start off the season with a win, but I don't think it's too late for us to do anything right now," he said. "The biggest thing now is for us to bounce back."

After giving up 20 first-half points to the Rams, the Buffs allowed only three in the second half. Burton attributed that to "just executing our plays . . . The first half, we had a lot of mental errors, but I think the second half we cut those out for the most part."

BUFFED AND POLISHED: It's not necessarily to make a fashion statement, but then again there is a statement involved.

In seasons past, the Buffs were required to wear coats and ties when traveling to one specified road game. This season, the coat-and-tie look is mandated for all games - home and away.

When players arrived by bus at Folsom Field Sunday afternoon for their pre-game walk through the south plaza to their locker room, they wore their game-day finery.

They'll pull on the spiffy new duds again Thursday when travelling to Toledo, Ohio, for Friday night's nationally televised game against the Rockets (7 p.m. MDT, ESPN).

The coat-and-tie look, however, won't be required for the return trips; players will travel back to Boulder in their CU-issued warm-up gear.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU