Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Cabral's Saturday Nostalgia Focused On CU Seniors
November 16, 2010 | Football, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - The Colorado Buffaloes play their final Big 12 Conference home game Saturday against Kansas State. The day will be historic, nostalgic, but forgive Brian Cabral for not being caught up in either.
Cabral's CU roots run Big Eight deep, tracking to 1989 when he was hired by former Buffaloes head coach Bill McCartney. Cabral's college playing days and the bulk of his coaching life have been spent at Folsom Field and various stops in the Midwest and Southwest.
And although he's never met Bill Snyder - that opportunity likely will present itself during pregame Saturday - he has been at CU long enough to see up-close-and-personal the dawning of the Snyder Eras, Parts I and II, at K-State. Snyder, 70, was hired by KSU in 1989, retired in 2005 and was rehired in 2009.
"I don't know that there is any other Big 12 coach that has seen coach Snyder develop that program the way I have," Cabral said Tuesday. "I've seen it, I've experienced it . . . I know full-well that we're going to have our hands full - and it's going to be mostly full of Bill Snyder . . .
"I saw how Coach Snyder brought that program along. I saw the changes he's made in that environment, that whole program . . . I know all too well the handiwork of Bill Snyder. We've got a tall task ahead of us. It's going to take more than just our best effort. I have an awful lot of respect for Coach Snyder . . .
"To Kansas State, he's what Bill McCartney is to Colorado."
Were Cabral in his old position as a position coach, he might allow himself to be more reflective about Saturday, the Big 12 and the Big Eight. But his new position - CU's interim head coach as of last week - has him turned outward more than inward. Saturday is Senior Day, and Cabral is focused on his departing players rather than the school's departure from a conference.
For Cabral, the only nostalgia that might envelop him Saturday is "that this is the last home game for our seniors. I'm stuck more on this team, our team; I'm stuck more on these seniors and the fact that this is the last time those seniors will compete out there in Folsom Field.
"I know how that feels, I know what that means. That's a feeling you'll never forget. That's why I'm asking for our fan support - come out and support these seniors . . . this is a class act of seniors and I think it's important that we show full support for them for this last act."
Saturday's kickoff is at 12:10 p.m. The game will not be televised, but live video will be streamed on BuffsTV (details to come).
BUTTON IT UP, BUTTON IT DOWN: Cabral's long history with K-State as a defensive position has taught him one central thing about Snyder and the Wildcats: They don't care about finesse or style points.
His first glance at the tape of CU's 20-6 loss in Manhattan, Kan., last season showed him that the Buffs "weren't prepared" for the physical game that Snyder reintroduced in his first year back on the job.
Cabral said the Buffs' caught Iowa State by surprise last week in their 34-14 win, but added, "We're not going to sneak up on Kansas State. We're going to have them full force."
K-State, he said, "is twice as physical" as Iowa State. "That's Snyder's trademark . . . I have visions of their O-line knocking our D-line out of our gaps. The game is going to be won up front."
CU senior left tackle Nate Solder echoed Cabral's thoughts on K-State being physical: "They've been physical every year since I've been here . . . it's the kind of game where you have to grit your teeth and get after it. There's lots of hitting."
THE TWO TOP CALLERS: Cabral heard from a host of people last week when he took over following Dan Hawkins' dismissal. But the advice he treasured most came from a pair of former CU coaches - McCartney and Gary Barnett.
Cabral said McCartney remains a mentor in a number of areas and that Barnett "gave me sound advice . . . they're both men who have known success here; they're men I respect, admire and trust. I know they have my back. Those two had the most impact on me."
TWO VOTES OF CONFIDENCE: Cabral has publicly acknowledged his interest in CU's permanent coaching job. Solder and freshman receiver Paul Richardson said if he was promoted, it would be a good move.
Solder cited Cabral's "passion for the Buffs, his knowledge of the traditions here. He made me feel like a cog in the wheel here . . . there's been a sense of rejuvenation for me and the team. Yeah, I think he'd make a good head coach."
Richardson, closing in on the end of his first season in Boulder, echoed Solder's description of Cabral's passion and said Cabral's focus last week was on "keeping us intact and together . . . he said this is a new team - everything we're doing now, we're doing together.
"Collectively, we've all bought in . . . you can see it in the way we've been practicing."
If Cabral was promoted, said Richardson, "It would be great; I wouldn't be mad at all. I hope they (the staff) do stay if we can finish off strong. We're playing for our coaches, but we're playing for us as well."
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
