It's Colorado Week at the Ol' Rock M!  As always we start with links.  I didn't have to go to very many places to dig these up--CU's got three solid resources in the Boulder Daily Camera, Denver Post, and, of course, Ralphie Report.

2008 Recap

With a decent defense and rather horrid offense (just wait till you see the stats tomorrow), Colorado went 5-7, upsetting West Virginia early but losing 7 of 9 to finish the season.  In a high-octane conference, CU scored over 20 points just twice after September.

• 2008 Schedule/Results
• 2008 Statistics
• CFN.com: 2008 Colorado Buffaloes Season
  

2009 Previews

CU enters 2009 having once again been labeled as the North's "sleeper" team.  Pretty sure this is the fourth year in a row that they have earned that honor.

• 2009 Schedule
• CFN.com: 2009 CFN Colorado Preview
  

2009 Storylines

Dan Hawkins has kidney stones, Josh Smith requests a transfer and (quite frankly) gets d***ed over a bit, there's some turnover on the offensive line, a new offensive coordinator steps in (can't be a bad thing), and all eyes are on the RBs...one in particular.

• CUBuffs.com: Hawkins A-Okay after kidney stone removal
• Boulder Daily Camera: Hawk stays in hospital
• Boulder Daily Camera: WR Smith, TE Wallace to leave Colorado football program
• Denver Post: Josh Smith, other summertime musings

  Colorado officials insist they were not being vindictive by only granting former Buffaloes wide receiver and returner Josh Smith a release to one school: the University of Southern California. I will take them at their word. But there is sure to be a perception that Colorado was vindictive — for the simple reason that Smith unsuccessfully appealed that decision. Smith has avoided the media, but reportedly he also is interested in Arizona State and potentially other schools.

• Boulder Daily Camera: [Offensive Coordinator Mark] Helfrich leaving CU; Hawkins names [Eric] Kiesau offensive coordinator
• CUBuffs.com: Kiesau named Offensive Coordinator
• Rivals.com: CU = potentially underrated (HUH????)
• Denver Post: Ryan Miller moves to guard with good results
• Boulder Daily Camera: Buff lineman (Max Tuioti-Mariner) leans toward new mission
• Denver Post: Turning robots into running backs
• Boulder Daily Camera: CU sophomores provide safety net (in secondary)
• Boulder Daily Camera: Buffs don't lack depth at TE
• Boulder Daily Camera: CU QB Tyler Hansen plans to be ready by camp
• Boulder Daily Camera: APR could cost Hawkins' Buffs
• Boulder Daily Camera: Hawkins' Buffs thrive on accountability
• Boulder Daily Camera: Kasa, Orms get taste of life on CU campus

Spring Recap

Youth is on its way, particularly on the defensive line, but spring football was all about showcasing the running game, it seems.

• Boulder Daily Camera: Black over Gold in spring game
• Ralphie Report: Running Game Impresses in 2009 Spring Game
• Boulder Daily Camera: Scott leads revitalized run game
• Boulder Daily Camera: Buff Kevin Moyd impresses in switch from RB to WR
• Ralphie Report: Assessing Our Team for the Opponent
• Boulder Daily Camera: Five Buffs make strong cases to play in 2009
• Ralphie Report: Five Things About Five Players - Things We Hope to Learn (Part One)

  RB Darrell Scott - overweight? No more. Injured? Only the ankles of the defenders. Explosive back? Yes sir. A new year and a new back. This spring, Scott has given Buff fans a taste of what they have craved for a while now: a consistently explosive back who provides an instant home run threat every time he touches the ball. His desire to be successful is very visible and he is making a point to be the hardest working player on the field. An added bonus, Scott has begun to take on a leadership role, as he notices the bigger the player, the more of a leader you need to be. Clearly, this new offense is not only going to feature Rodney Stewart and Darrell Scott toting the rock but also in the passing game, utilizing the open areas in the flats and putting more pressure on the linebackers, which was not the case in 2008.
  

• Ralphie Report: Five Things About Five Players - Things We Hope to Learn (Part Two)

Et Cetera

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of one of the craziest games I've ever seen in person.  This will get the "Forgotten Classics" treatment when I get to writing up the 1999 season.  Ten years ago in Boulder, Mizzou withstood early pressure, built an improbable lead, blew it in crazy fashion, came back to force overtime in crazier fashion, then fell apart in overtime.  The game ended up having little to no impact on anything, but this is why football's great--rarely are far-from-meaningful games this memorable in other sports.

• Mutigers.com: Tigers Come Back for Overtime, Then Drop to Colorado
• The Trib: Captain Comeback rallies MU
  
• The Trib: Moschetti slices Tigers' hopes
  
• The Trib: Tigers re-Buffed

UPDATE, 1:10pm - The Quad ranks Colorado 43rd.  Forty-third!  And somebody still calls them underrated...