Q & A With The Ralphie Report

This week, our Q&A session with with irish1611 of The Ralphie Report on the upcoming Texas A&M-Colorado football game.

Good question. Who knows what is going on in that locker room today. Calls for the coaching staff to resign, a blue out this weekend, Darrell Scott leaving the program, etc, can't be an easy thing to deal with. But the way I will answer this question is looking at how they have handled adversity in the past. Look no further than their performance on the road the past four years. The Buffs have two wins when they go outside of the state of Colorado compared to eighteen losses, showing that they have difficulty playing in less than optimal situations. After the most recent road loss to Kansas State, many players say they don't have energy on the road and they are intimidated by an unknown environment. That tells you right there that they are tuned in more to their surroundings rather than the game plan or being confident in themselves. 

 

With the students/fan base wearing powder blue shirts to the game in an act of displaying "displeasure," the playing situation won't be optimal this Saturday either. The boo birds will be out early if this game gets off on the wrong foot. 

 

The Buffs haven't responded under Dan Hawkins one time, I don't think Saturday will be any different.

2. If you had to pinpoint one weakness of your team that needs to improve for you to win on Saturday, what would it be?

The Buffs need more than one thing to improve but the glaring issue right now is the offensive line. Preseason picks to be a top unit have made us all look stupid. The Buffs have had a difficult time protecting the quarterback and getting any sort of consistent offense going this year. Last week against Missouri, Tyler Hansen was running for his life the whole game, getting sacked eight times while the Buffs managed to lose 14 yards on the ground in total. You aren't going to win many games turning the ball over and not establishing a push in the trenches. I expect Von Miller to be able to increase his NCAA leading sack total this weekend.

 3. With Tyler Hansen firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback (for now), what are the chances of a Cody Hawkins sighting on Saturday?

I don't think you will see Cody Hawkins on Saturday unless Hansen is injured. I don't believe Dan Hawkins will want to be part of a walk out/frenzy that will ensue at Folsom if that were to happen. In fairness, no quarterback will be successful in this offense the way the game plans are being constructed, the poor play of the offensive line and a major lack of playmakers. I think being a quarterback at the University of Colorado, with all the criticism due to the coach's relationship with Cody, no help from your surrounding cast and the pounding you take back there, is the worst position player situation in college football today. I don't even think their is an argument to be had on that one.

 4. What offensive player should we watch out for on this Colorado team on Saturday? defensive player?

On the offensive side of the ball, the most productive player has been WR Scotty McKnight, who will lead the team in catches once again for a third straight year. RB Rodney Stewart has had his moments this year but with little running room the past few weeks coupled with the Buffs propensity to get behind early in ball games has limited his consistency. It all starts up front and since that has been a train wreck this year, the offensive has been less than potent.

 

On defense, I think we are all starting to see CB Jimmy Smith turn into a good one. He has been excellent the past few weeks in coverage, showing good breaks on passes and being the specimen we all thought he could be. If the Buffs want to be successful against A&M this week, they will need LB BJ Beatty to have a big game. Playing mostly as a rush end, when he has been able to get to the quarterback, the defense has done very well. If the Buffs let Jerrod Johnson sit back there, he will have the same big play success most of the other quarterbacks have had on Colorado. 

 

This game of football is really easy. Block up front on offense and pressure the quarterback on defense. The Buffs have been inconsistent at pressuring the quarterback and have done nothing to show that they can protect.

5. Will you be wearing a powder blue shirt to show your dissatisfaction with what is going on with the program?

No, I think it is stupid. This has been a fan base that hasn't sold out a game in a while and the student section is hardly ever full to start the game, if it ever gets full at all. As you know, home games are full of potential recruits. Do you think that any of those players will come to Colorado that visits Boulder this weekend? No way. Why would you want to play for a student section/fan base that wears blue instead of black and gold to cheer the Buffs on. If you don't like what the program is doing, don't go to the game, try to give away your tickets and then don't renew your season tickets next year. Don't make a public showing that will put more of a negative light on the program. Plus, what point does it prove. It doesn't take blue clothes to let everyone know that they are less than pleased about where the program is at. All this does is create more problems and does nothing constructive for our situation. I would rather see those people put five dollars each in a jar and start the pot for a buyout if they want a change.

27 - 17 Texas A&M.

Once again, thanks to irish1611 for answering all of our questions. To see my answers to his questions, go visit them at The Ralphie Report.