Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Finally For Embree, Spring (Practice) Has Sprung
March 10, 2011 | Football, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - Finally, Jon Embree's first spring football practice as a head coach is mere hours away. "I hear it coming," he said with a chuckle the other day in his office at Colorado's Dal Ward Athletics Center.
Named CU's 24th head coach in early December, Embree and his staff have been laying the groundwork for installation of a new offense, retooling the defense and upgrading the mostly below average footwork that has haunted CU's once-spectacular special teams.
Obviously, the workload is daunting. The program has not experienced a winning season since 2005. Nonetheless, Embree won't allow all that needs to be done in 15 spring practices to dilute what he considers the teaching of foundational football or his players' opportunity to show him they can play.
| 2011 Spring Practice Schedule | ||
| Date | Time | Notes |
| M 11 | 4:30-6:15 p.m. | Open: Shorts/Helmets |
| M 12 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Open: Shorts/Helmets |
| M 13 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Open: Pads-NT |
| M 14 |
4-6 p.m. |
Closed: Pads |
| M 15 |
4-6 p.m. |
Closed: Pads |
| M 17 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads |
| Spring Break (March 19-27) | ||
| M 28 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads |
| M 29 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads |
| M 31 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads |
| A 1 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads-NT |
| A 2 | TBA | Open: Scrimmage/Pads |
| A 4 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads |
| A 5 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Pads-NT |
| A 7 | 4-6 p.m. | Closed: Shorts/Helmets |
| A 9 | 6 p.m. | Open: Spring Game |
|
CU is allowed 15 practices over 34 days per NCAA rules (not including spring break); sessions break down as follows, tentatively: three in shorts (no contact), four in pads (no tackling (NT)), four in pads (tackling allowed 50 percent or less of the time), four in pads (tackling allowed throughout). The primary location will be the practice fields north of Boulder Creek; the spring game will be at Folsom Field (other scrimmages on the practice fields). |
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"In a normal spring you'd probably have 10 days of installation on offense and defense . . . we're doing six," he said. "Instead of installing 25 plays and the next day installing another 25, we're going to spend a couple of days on the first 25, because I want to make sure that everyone gets evaluated."
Embree wants his post-spring depth chart formed by competition, not a lack of comprehension. Players will be given ample time to absorb unfamiliar nuances. "I want one kid to move ahead of another because he's better - not because it took one of them a little longer to pick something up," Embree said.
"It's a new language. It's all great in the comfort of the classroom, but then you're on the field and you just got hit in the mouth and you're trying to think and the coach is yelling at you and you're back in the huddle and you've got to hear the play . . . I want to make sure they have a chance and I want to teach. I want to make sure we're doing a good job of fundamentals."
Pay close attention to the fundamental part. Football is a tough undertaking, and Embree believes toughness - physically and mentally - has been lacking. Much of what he hopes to begin instilling from March 11 through April 9 (spring break is March 21-25) centers on reacquiring that edge.
"My impression is that this is a team that has some talent but is very inconsistent," he said. "We talked about this with the seniors . . . we look at the scoreboard w-a-a-a-a-y too much. We've got to learn to just play the play in front of us. We're not as mentally tough as we need to be, but we've made good strides and we'll get there, we'll get there.
"From a team standpoint, I want to start developing our mindset as far as being a physical football team. And then from a unit standpoint, offensively I'd like to see us be able to have two or three runs that we can just dial up and go - whether there are eight men in the box, whatever. I want to be able to do what we have to do to get the necessary yardage."
The Buffs averaged 3.6 yards a carry and 137 rushing yards a game in 2010 - next-to-last in the Big 12 Conference.
Specific spring objectives on offense will be establishing the base pro-style, West Coast offense - as well as base sets for third down, short yardage and goal line. Exiting spring drills with a starting quarterback identified also will be critical. The three main candidates: senior Tyler Hansen, junior Brent Burnette and redshirt freshman Nick Hirschman.
Defensively, Embree said he is unsure whether the Buffs will primarily use a 3-4 or 4-3 front: "Everybody kind of does something like that on third down, but I don't know if we'll be doing that or not." His main objective on defense will be "identifying who can play where, so we have flexibility to be in a three-down front or a four-man front" and forming a better pressure package for passing downs.
He also wants to upgrade the obvious: "We want to be good against the run, but I want a defense that hits you and gets turnovers. We've got to get turnovers."
CU broke even in the turnover department last season, yielding 19 and getting 19. That ratio tied the Buffs with Baylor for sixth in the Big 12. In rushing defense, CU finished fourth, allowing 140.2 yards a game.
Embree's special teams goal again falls into the obvious category: "I want an idea of who's comfortable punting and who can put it through the uprights. And I just want to have a good idea who the 15 to 16 guys are who we can count on from a coverage and protection standpoint."
His spring punting/placekicking candidates - sophomores Justin Castor and Zach Grossnickle - will concentrate on just one of those duties each. Grossnickle punted last season (35.7 yard average), Castor's only field goal attempt was blocked.
Said Embree: "Let's get good at something. You know, instead of being average at two things, let's be really good at one thing."
The only pre-spring position change involves linebackers Evan Harrington and Tyler Ahles moving to fullback - a critical spot in the pro-style West Coast offense being installed. Junior Ray Polk, who signed in 2008 as a running back, stays at free safety - the position he's played for two seasons. Junior defensive lineman Nick Kasa will be utilized as he was last season, either inside or out in a third-down pass rush situation. But he will remain on defense.
There will be spring experimentation with players the coaching staff considers "hybrids" - players who might fit at two positions. Embree wants his best players on the field. If a safety can play linebacker in an emergency, and the safety is better than the backup linebacker, Embree wants him to play regularly. "I want to evaluate some guys from that standpoint, again trying to keep our best players on the field instead of just using the next guy," he said.
Players will be asked to "learn the whole play" instead of only their assignments. Embree believes that also will aid the staff in player evaluations and allow them to keep the best players in the game.
A spring game format will be determined nearer to Saturday, April 9. It will be played at night, but Embree will "see where we are from a health standpoint" before establishing how it's played. "I'd like to divide it up (two teams), but if not, we'd do offensive vs. defense," he said. "If it's that way, I don't know about the scoring format; I've always hated 'you get two points if make 'em punt' . . . I'm not good enough at math to do all that stuff.
"We'll figure out what we can do to make it fun. Ideally, we'll have a game. It may not be at the pace because you're giving them a little longer time in between (plays) and change of possessions so guys just aren't worn slick."
From the time of his hiring through off-season conditioning work, Embree had 10-minute individual meetings with all returning players and has been meeting separately with the Buffs seniors. With the rest of the team broken down by classes, assistant coaches have been meeting with the underclassmen, three assistants per class.
Embree's focus with the 2011 seniors-to-be has been on leadership. He's had them read The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow (John C. Maxwell). Underclassmen have read 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player: Becoming the Kind of Person Every Team Wants (Maxwell).
"It's been really good; it's brought them closer together as a team," Embree said. "They're finding out more things about themselves. The thing I like about it that this will help them in life; this isn't just about football, it's about being successful in life and how that translates from the field to off the field."
Throughout the winter months and the new off-season program introduced by Director of Speed/Strength and Conditioning Malcolm Blacken, Embree said he has sensed "a commitment, hunger and sense of purpose."
"I feel like it's a team - and they've said it - that didn't really know each other," Embree said. "They don't really know each other; it's surprising but it isn't. That explains how you don't necessarily have success sometimes in situations where you should have success. You've got to be a team; you've got to have a guy you know you can trust and count on, and vice versa.
"They've asked for little things, like bringing training table back, to staying in the dorms together during two-a-days. They seem to have fun around each other. In the first few times I went through the locker room, it was like walking into a church. Guys were just sitting in there. I'm walking in unannounced, and I went in (last Tuesday) and it sounded like a locker room - guys laughing, having fun with each other, talking, interacting . . . it was good to see that."
By all accounts, Blacken's off-season program was a welcome departure from what players had been through in previous winters. "Players can't stop talking about how happy they are with the direction that's going," Embree said, adding that many players have gained weight but it's not noticeable because they are "leaned out."
"We're probably not as big as we need to be, but I think the changes we've made in a short period will translate into confidence," Embree said. "I think you'll see guys with more confidence, talking about feeling stronger. I think we'll have better balance and flexibility than we've had in the past, which will help us. I really feel great about what's happened down there.
"I'm not into measuring numbers - he benched this, he benched that. Great. Is it functional strength? I just want guys who can play football. I don't know how you can compare this to what has happened (in the past) but to me it doesn't matter. Those results will be determined on Saturdays - whether or not we're doing the right things."
In tailoring his 15 spring practices, Embree consulted Louisiana State Coach Les Miles (he has CU ties) and was hoping for a conversation with Oregon's Chip Kelly ("We've been playing phone tag.") before drills began. But the bulk of Embree's organizational ideas are his own, gleaned from his experiences and those offered by a veteran staff.
"I guess it's just how I am as a person - what's our clearly defined goal for the team, then how do we achieve that goal?" he said. "That's how I look at everything in life really. So, the goal is to be physical, can we run it, can we force turnovers? Then I'll try to tailor spring ball to those things and make sure we have enough opportunities and decent situations for everybody to get that accomplished.
"One thing about being in this chair is that you're always kind of going ahead . . . I'm sitting here with all these papers getting everything ready for two-a-days (in August) - how we want to practice, the things we need to do so that when we come out of spring ball I can go back and plug in what we need to do on those days and start us as a staff being prepared for that. Then players are going to know what to expect and how we do it. I think players, if you give them a clear objective and show them how to achieve it, that'll go a long ways.
"We have 29 practices before Hawaii in the fall (Sept. 3, Honolulu), and that's where we can do a little more (installation) than what we'll do in the spring. I just want them to get fundamentals and see who can pick up the basic stuff, what they can't learn, and if it's not a good fit then we won't run. I just want to make sure we can get our guys out there to play and have a chance.
"Like I told those guys, there's no such thing as 'Hawk's guys' and 'Embo's guys.' They're all University of Colorado Buffs and I'm happy with all of them. I want to do everything I can to make sure that they have a great experience . . .
"I challenged the seniors on what's your legacy going to be? How are you going to be remembered? You've got this time frame to write the story; how do you want it to end? I'm happy with them because they're giving me everything they have. That's all I can ask."
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
| Spring Injury Status | ||||
| Pos | Player | Injury | Notes | Spring FB Status |
| TE | Matt Bahr | shoulder | had postseason surgery to mend chronic injury | OUT |
| OL | Blake Behrens | shoulder | had postseason surgery to mend chronic injury | OUT |
| C | Mike Iltis | knee | suffered a torn ACL in the season finale at Nebraska; underwent surgery | OUT |
| OL | Max Tuioti-Mariner | knee | continues to rehab following multiple surgeries | OUT |
| OL | Shawn Daniels | foot | suffered a fracture against CSU; had surgery (Sept. 17) | FULL GO |
| DB | Vince Ewing | knee | suffered a torn ACL late in the first scrimmage (Aug. 12) | TBD |
| QB | Tyler Hansen | spleen | suffered a ruptured spleen vs. Texas Tech (clean hit) on Oct. 23; could have played in a bowl game | FULL GO |
| TB | Brian Lockridge | ankle | suffered a sprain against Georgia; tests indicated muscle tear; had surgery on Oct. 15 | FULL GO |
| ILB | Jon Major | knee | suffered a sprained/torn MCL against Texas Tech (Oct. 23), rehabbing without surgery | FULL GO |
| DB | Parker Orms | knee | suffered a torn ACL on the third play of the opener (CSU, Sept. 4), had surgery (Sept. 24) | TBD |
| DB | Anthony Perkins | knee | suffered a sprain at Missouri, re-evaluation indicated torn ACL; had surgery Oct. 22 | TBD |
| DE | Chidera Uzo-Diribe | big toe | suffered broken toe in winter conditioning; surgery in February | OUT |
