Pac-12 Media Days Come To Close; Buffs Report To Camp Friday

LOS ANGELES — Notes, quotes and tidbits as the Pac-12 wrapped up its second day of Media Days:

EYE ON THE OPENER: Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre and Oregon State coach Gary Andersen had a common interest this week: the Beavers' season opener Aug. 26 in Fort Collins against Colorado State, a game in which the Rams will debut their new on-campus stadium.

Six days later, the Buffs will open their season against CSU in their Sept. 1 tilt in Denver (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network).

Andersen is no stranger to CSU, as he faced the Rams several times when he was the head coach at Utah State. Also, OSU assistant coach Dave Baldwin was an assistant at Colorado State from 2012-14, meaning he's still very familiar with some of CSU's personnel.

"They're going to be a challenge, there is no doubt" Andersen said. "They're a good football team and they proved that last year. They did some good things in the Mountain West. We've not won a road game since we've been there (in Corvallis). You've got to get that. First, you have to win at home … but then you need victories on the road."

The Buffs will play at Oregon State on Oct. 14.

MACINTYRE ON OPENER: As to which program — CU or CSU — owns the advantage with the Rams playing a week early, it depends on the outlook.

CSU Mike Bobo has said he likes the idea of playing first because of the experience factor, plus the chance to get those first-game jitters and mistakes out of the way. Meanwhile, several CU coaches have said they like the idea of having game film of CSU against a quality opponent available to prepare their game plan, while the Rams will be forced to ready their plan from last year's game films.

At Media Days, MacIntyre said the Rams owned a slight edge by playing first.

"They have the advantage this year," MacIntyre said. "They're playing 'zero week" … so that's a big difference to me. Then we're playing the first game, so we'll have to catch up with them a little bit. I wish I would have known that way beforehand, because we would have put a zero week game and not made it the first game. … Hopefully we'll be fresh and ready to go."

CU CONNECTION TO USC: Southern California head coach Clay Helton has a strong connection to the Buffs, both from the past and currently.

Helton was a boyhood friend of former Buffs great Bryan Stoltenberg, as they played football together at Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas. Stoltenberg, a consensus All-American offensive lineman for the Buffs in 1995, died in 2012 from injuries sustained in a car accident.

Helton, though, remains good friends with Stoltenberg's family, including current Buffs redshirt freshman linebacker Jacob Stoltenberg.

MAC ON LEAVITT: MacIntyre was asked during his time on the stage about the departure of former defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt, who went to Oregon at the end of last season

"Jim did a great job for us, (but) we have an excellent guy in D.J. Eliot in the exact same scheme, the scheme I wanted to put him in when Jim came," MacIntyre said. "Similar scheme I ran when I was at the Cowboys as a secondary coach. And we've 'hybridded' it, hybrid outside 'backer, safety, DB type of guy. Jim did an excellent job of setting that up and getting it going."

But, MacIntyre said, he also understood why Leavitt left for a similar position with the Ducks. "When he told me how much he was making, I said, 'Why are you even sitting here? Move on,'" MacIntyre said " I hated to lose him, but D.J. Eliot ran the exact same defense at Kentucky. Kentucky made big strides here over the last year, and it was a big part of it. We're excited about getting D.J. here."

NOT YET A TRUE 'RIVALRY': When Colorado and Utah entered the Pac-12 in time for the 2011 season, the league basically designated the two schools as rivals, understandable because all the other schools in the conference already had a natural rival (Oregon-Oregon State, Cal-Stanford, UCLA-USC, etc).

But Utah coach Kyle Whittingham doesn't believe the two schools have hit "rivalry" status yet, even though they finish each season by playing each other, and even though the games are closely contested every year and usually have a significant impact on the Pac-12 South final standings.

"I don't want to say it's a rivalry yet because it doesn't have that feel," Whittingham said. "We have all the respect in the world for those guys, they do a great job. Hopefully the feeling's mutual.

"(But) to me, a rivalry, just the term 'rivalry,' suggests some sort of bad blood, some sort of rift. We don't feel that with those guys. We respect them, they're a great program — but as far as any bitterness, something that transpired in the game that you want to get back at them, that kind of deal, I don't think you can manufacture a rivalry. I think it' got to happen naturally. It hasn't happened yet, in my estimation."

Utah's players also noted that they already have a built-in rivalry on their schedule, the annual meeting against Brigham Young in the so-called "Holy War."

"That game gives me goosebumps just talking about it," said offensive lineman Filopo Mokofisi. "That's a rivalry. Colorado is a big game, but all our games are big. BYU is just a little different."

Still, Whittingham said, there's time for the annual CU-Utah game to build a rivalry feel.

"Geographically it could have the makings for a rivalry," Whittingham said. "The timing of the game, everything's in place for it to become a rivalry — but I don't feel it should be termed a rivalry at this point in time."

PLAYOFF SUCCESS: Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoffs, stopped by the Pac-12 gathering on Thursday and chatted with reporters. Hancock has said there's no plan to alter the four-team format anytime in the near future, particularly since the current television contract that calls for four teams runs through 2026.

Hancock is very familiar with Colorado, having worked in the old Big Eight offices from 1978 to 1989, including a six-year stint as the league's assistant commissioner.

Hancock said one aspect of the current CFP format that has proven to be a boon is that it keeps a strong focus and importance on the regular season.

"The CFPs have been great for the game," he said. "It's attracted new fans. There are people who weren't fanatic about college football before who are now following it. It's been very good for the game at all levels, primarily because there's a tournament but we keep the focus on the regular season. We don't play a regular season to get ourselves into basically an all-comers postseason. We've chosen to keep the focus on the regular season. Overall, it's been great for the game."

Hancock also said the format has maintained the importance of the bowl season.

"Viewership ticked down a little bit last year; attendance ticked down a little bit, but the viewership is still stronger than anything else that time of year," he said. "Bowls are still providing experiences for athletes that they'll remember forever. I had a coach tell me last week, 'Whatever you do with this postseason after this contract runs out, don't do anything to take away the bowl opportunity for our kids.' It was a coach who said, 'We're not going to be in the playoffs, but we live for that chance to go play in a bowl game. Our athletes love it, so please don't let anything happen to take it away.'"

BUFFS SCHEDULE: MacIntyre and the two CU players in attendance at Media Days, running back Phillip Lindsay and linebacker Derek McCartney, returned to Boulder Thursday evening. The entire team will report for the beginning of fall camp Friday, then hit the fields for their first practice Saturday.

The Buffs will have 29 practices before the Sept. 1 opener against Colorado State, but for the first time in modern CU history, there won't be any two-a-day sessions, thanks to an NCAA mandate.

Instead, teams are now opening camp a week earlier in order to get in all of the allowed practices before the opener.

The Buffs' first four practices will be in shorts and helmets or "shells" (shorts and shoulder pads). They'll take Wednesday off, then have their first practice in full pads Thursday.

OPEN PRACTICE: The Buffs will have one practice open to the public in fall camp, set Saturday, Aug. 5. The scrimmage will serve as a "Select-A-Seat" event, with fans having the opportunity to pick seats available for purchase and know the exact location and perspective they will have with action taking place on the field. The event begins at 10 a.m. with the Buffs scheduled to practice and then hold a short scrimmage. After the scrimmage, players and coaches will be available for autographs and selfies. Parking will be free in lot 169 (adjacent to the lower practice fields) and paid in the parking garage next to the Champions Center.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu