The excitement has started to die down now in Boulder, home to Colorado Buffaloes football, and the new address ocach Deion Sanders.
Now a dose of reality has set in, followed by questions.
Questions like is Coach Prime being fair to the players that were in the program he inherited?
The scoreboad says those Buffs went an ugly (1-11) and led to the firing of former UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell.
They were young, not very athletic, not very good, not very competitive.
Enter Deion Sanders, coming off a phenominal (23-5) run over two years at 1AA-Jackson State, a historically black-college-university.
Coach Prime’s debut press conference was like a tent revival sermon, telling the throng in Boulder, who he was, how they were going to do business, and what he expected.
He also told CU players, here’s the transfer portal, you should consider entering.
He also alerted them, ‘I’m bringing my own baggage’, in essence his own players including stars from Jackson State and what he would acquire via the transer portal.
Now the scoreboard is showing the aftermath of the tornado new coach and what it has brought to the Black and Gold. Five months later, this is the new scoreboard.
He has 24-transfers on campus already, including his star quarterback son.
The wreckage left behind, a record 52-players are in the tranfer portal who wore CU colors last year, 52-of-90 on the roster.
An additional 12-have graduated and others have retired. It appears there will be as many as 70-new names on the roster when camp opens in August.
Think about the turnover, the attrition.
Think about the lack of respect a new coach has for the players left behind in the wake of the miserable season the Buffs had.
Coaches guide programs; coaches are caretakers of the program; coaches are confidantes to the players.
it seems Deion Sanders felt that every bum in college football happened to play at Folsom Field and he didn’t want any of them, regardless of who they were, how they played, or what they were promised.
Nobody in the CU administratio feels any guilt about this? Anyone turned off by this? Anybody think this is ethical to run that many places off?
Anyone believe this was what the Transfer Portal was to represent? Anyone think this is as bad as the bidding wars that have broken out via the NIL money being thrown around?
Just questions worth asking about Coach Prime, whom everybody was excited about in Boulder. Maybe not so exciting now that 52-CU players look like they are victims of the coaching change?
The excitement has started to die down now in Boulder, home to Colorado Buffaloes football, and the new address ocach Deion Sanders.
Now a dose of reality has set in, followed by questions.
Questions like is Coach Prime being fair to the players that were in the program he inherited?
The scoreboad says those Buffs went an ugly (1-11) and led to the firing of former UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell.
They were young, not very athletic, not very good, not very competitive.
Enter Deion Sanders, coming off a phenominal (23-5) run over two years at 1AA-Jackson State, a historically black-college-university.
Coach Prime’s debut press conference was like a tent revival sermon, telling the throng in Boulder, who he was, how they were going to do business, and what he expected.
He also told CU players, here’s the transfer portal, you should consider entering.
He also alerted them, ‘I’m bringing my own baggage’, in essence his own players including stars from Jackson State and what he would acquire via the transer portal.
Now the scoreboard is showing the aftermath of the tornado new coach and what it has brought to the Black and Gold. Five months later, this is the new scoreboard.
He has 24-transfers on campus already, including his star quarterback son.
The wreckage left behind, a record 52-players are in the tranfer portal who wore CU colors last year, 52-of-90 on the roster.
An additional 12-have graduated and others have retired. It appears there will be as many as 70-new names on the roster when camp opens in August.
Think about the turnover, the attrition.
Think about the lack of respect a new coach has for the players left behind in the wake of the miserable season the Buffs had.
Coaches guide programs; coaches are caretakers of the program; coaches are confidantes to the players.
it seems Deion Sanders felt that every bum in college football happened to play at Folsom Field and he didn’t want any of them, regardless of who they were, how they played, or what they were promised.
Nobody in the CU administratio feels any guilt about this? Anyone turned off by this? Anybody think this is ethical to run that many places off?
Anyone believe this was what the Transfer Portal was to represent? Anyone think this is as bad as the bidding wars that have broken out via the NIL money being thrown around?
Just questions worth asking about Coach Prime, whom everybody was excited about in Boulder. Maybe not so exciting now that 52-CU players look like they are victims of the coaching change?
The Chargers have virtually all their players in camp with their rookie orientation camp. New draft picks, alot of veteran players returning.
Some recovering from surgery in the off season.
And a new Offensive Coordinator in Kellen Moore, who came from Dallas, and who met with the media on Monday…comments I thought you’d enjoy reading:
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On the offseason:
“It’s been really good. It’s been really fun just being able to collaborate. Obviously, with coaches, initially. Now, that we have the players here, just really starting to build that. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been great kind of connecting with these guys. Today was the first day on the field to actually do some field stuff. We actually had a football out there. That was good.”
On QB Justin Herbert:
“He’s just really detailed, really diligent with his work. He really has just been awesome to kind of collaborate and make sure, as we go through this process, that we don’t lose anything as we go through a transition. I think that’s one big part of this thing, is that there’s been a lot of success. Justin has had a lot of success his first few years. We want to make sure we build off of that and not start from scratch.”
On if Herbert’s recovery affects the offseason program:
“Really, to be honest, most years I think there’s always a handful of guys that are going through this process. It just kind of happens a lot of times. OTAs [Organized Team Activities], a lot of guys are going through cleanups and a couple of different things to go through in an offseason. This happens. [G] Zion [Johnson] will be going through it just like Justin. I think you get as much as you can in the classroom, the walkthroughs, all of the different components to that thing. Obviously, there will be some field work that Justin may not be able to be a part of — as much as he would want to, we would all want to, but we’ll catch up with it. We have plenty of time through the training camp and all of that.”
On the roster:
“Really, ultimately, the roster we were pretty much able to bring everyone back from last year, for the most part. Walking in that room today, other than [Quarterbacks Coach] Doug [Nussmeier], [Offensive Assistant] Phil [Serchia] and myself, the three coaches that were new, everyone else was part of 2022. It has been really fun just to kind of start building those relationships. I think that’s the biggest thing about this thing, is that we’re doing this thing together. As we find each other, start understanding each other and start working together, I think, develop this thing and build it.”
On the positions on the roster:
“I think the really cool part is listening to the position coaches, initially, because those guys have spent a lot of time with these guys over the course of the last few years. Really, understanding where their position is, getting to know some of the players and then, ultimately, kind of setting our eyes on 2023. That was our whole plan from the beginning. It’s been really, really good. I think you have a really cool offensive line that’s young, that’s developing and that’s going to be a tremendous strength of ours. [C] Corey [Linsley] leads the way, but you have a bunch of young guys that may have dealt with getting banged up a little bit last year, but fought through it. That’s going to be a really, really good group. [TE] Gerald [Everett] at the tight end spot with young guys behind him kind of finding their roles, dealing with health things. It seemed like, obviously, a lot of guys were banged up. The receiver room, kind of the same thing. You have [WR] Keenan [Allen], you have [WR] Mike [Williams], [WR Joshua] Josh [Palmer], they’ve been doing it for a long time. They’re really, really good. Really talented. You have some younger guys in there. Then, obviously, at the running back position with [RB] Austin [Ekeler] and then, the younger guys who kind of have their different opportunities. Each group kind of has that feeling to it. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
On Head Coach Brandon Staley:
“Brandon has been awesome. He’s been really, really good. I’ve just loved working together, collaborating on this thing and kind of building this offense toward 2023. Again, kind of embracing all of the good things that are going on and then, hopefully, kind of being able to add some different things that can hopefully help us as we go on in our future here. Brandon has been awesome through the whole transition, through the draft process. It’s been a lot of fun.”
On the team selecting WR Quentin Johnston in the first round:
“Brandon [Staley] is this defensive guy and he’s drafting these offensive guys, I like this. It’s a lot of fun. Q [Johnston] really stood out for us as we went through the process. Everyone kind of sees the measurables, the size as far as the height and the weight. What he did for TCU from his versatility, I thought, was really, really special. His ability to kind of catch-and-run, he was a fly-sweep guy. He got the ball in a lot of different ways. You saw a lot of versatility in his game that maybe, initially, someone may not have necessarily anticipated. We were really excited that he was there and available for us.”
On areas Johnston can improve:
“Certainly, everyone is going to have things they want to improve on as they go into the NFL. He had a couple of drops, statistically, if you get detailed into that, but he makes some spectacular plays. I think he’s going to be just fine. It wasn’t a big concern for us. If you see enough of his contested catches at TCU and the challenge of the catches that he didn’t make, you feel very comfortable with that.”
On how Johnston and WR Derius Davis add speed to the offense:
“There’s a vertical element of it that we’re really excited about. With Q [Johnston], just the size, catch radius. He goes up and gets the ball downfield. You can do it however you need to do it, whether it’s size, catch radius, speed. He definitely brings a vertical element to us. Derius, obviously, the kick return and punt return component of it, and then he just has straight-up natural speed that’s very rare in this league. Only a handful of teams have those type of things.”
On not drafting a tight end and if that’s a position he’d ‘like to see grow’:
“No, sometimes drafts, that’s just the way drafts go. There was a lot of tight ends in this draft that we liked. Sometimes, that’s just the way drafts go. We feel really good about the group. Gerald [Everett] has done a tremendous job. He’s been in this league for a number of years. From afar, I’ve always been impressed with his production and versatility at the tight end position. Then, we have this younger group that we’re really excited about just developing these guys. Giving them roles and opportunities. I think the cool thing about football is that you can play it in a lot of different ways. There’s not just one way to do it. We find what these guys do really well and try to enhance those things.”
On the importance of tight end to the offense:
“I think the tight end room is a very rare room and it’s a very important room for an offense because they’re part of every aspect of the game. The run game, they’re right in there with the O-Line in the run-game component and the techniques. They’re in the pass game, obviously, with the QBs, at times they’re a protector, even in the play-action game and what not. Those guys have to be able to do a lot of different things. It’s a very important role just because of those things. We probably used a little bit more tight ends, maybe, the last couple of years in Dallas. A little bit more 12 and 13 [personnel] and some of those different things. It suited us well. We’ll do whatever suits us best as we kind of build this thing. I am excited about the guys we have. I think they all have traits that are really exciting. I’m excited to just work with them.”
On the importance of explosive plays:
“I think it’s just something that we’ve all talked about through this whole process this offseason. I think it’s a collaborative effort. It’s not just about Dallas or the scheme. I think it’s just all of us working together on creating more explosive opportunities. I think Brandon [Staley] is always a really awesome resource for me because he views it from the defensive side. He can express the challenges that certain things create when you’re on the opposing side. The quickest way to get to the end zone is big plays. In this league, if you go 12-, 14-, 15-play drives, they’re awesome. They’re really fun to be part of because it bleeds the clock and does so many good things. At the end of the day, when you do have explosive opportunities, you need to take advantage of those. It’s a quicker way to get to the end zone and, ultimately, when you look at the statistics, explosive plays has a huge impact on who’s winning games.”
On improving the running game:
“It’s just a collaborative effort. I think there was some health stuff. Obviously, there were some missing pieces last year. I thought there was some good stuff. Again, I think the biggest thing as you go through these transitions is don’t lose any of the good. There’s plenty of good that has gone on here, run game included. There will be different things, schematically, that come from my past experiences or someone else on our staff’s past experiences that we think may be able to better suit us or help us in some form or fashion. I think we’re really excited to just collaborate on this thing. I think we’ll utilize some of the things that were in place and some other stuff. We’ll suit it however it best suits our players. Whatever best suits us, we can adapt and adjust however we need to.”
On if RB Austin Ekeler’s absence affects the offseason program:
“Right now, we’re just so focused on really the foundation of the system, of offensive football. Just kind of building a really solid foundation focusing more on the bigger picture, the big picture from a scheme standpoint. Then, as you get into Phase Three of OTAs, training camp and as you get into the season, we start narrowing that thing, getting specific from player-specific responsibilities and what not. Right now, we’re at such a wider lens that we’re really teaching for everyone.”
On the team’s sixth-round selection, DL Scott Matlock, calling him the ‘Boise State GOAT”:
“He’s awesome. I got a chance to meet him when he was here for his visit. He’s a stud. I’m glad we have a couple of Broncos. I think we have two now [Matlock and DL David Moa]. We need to get a couple of more somehow. We’ll figure out a way.”
It was an extraordinary NFL Draft Weekend….from 35M-TV viewership…to 43-trades…to 15-Quarterbacks taken in the 7-rounds.
Here’s my team-by-team report card:
(Grade A)
EAGLES…How do you be a Super Bowl team and then draft so well with so many bold moves. Great defense got better with DT-Jalen Carter..LB-Nolan Smith..CB-Steven Brown and OT-Ty Steen and they traded for Lions RB-DeAndre Swift
SEAHAWKS..They bypassed DT-QB in the opening rounds yet cleaned up with CB-Devon Weatherspoon..WR-Jaxon Njiba and RB-Zach Charbonnet.
CHARGERS…Had specific needs-filled them with dynamic players..WR-Quinton Johnston is big-fast with lots of yards after catch..Tuli Tuipuluto can rush inside and even on edge…Elite return man in Derius Davis and special teams star LB-Daiyan Henley. Passion play type of personality. Excellent
LIONS..Wheeled and dealed all day and wound up with productive players led by RB- Jahmyr Gibbs and LB-Jack Campbell. Add in CB-Brian Branch and maybe a QB for the future in Hendon Hooker. Solid.
HOUSTON..Bold weekend, with CJ Stroud giving them a quarterback for years, then the elite pass rusher Will Anderson and C-Juice Suggs. Add in, the signing of 17-veteran free agents including 12-on defense. They will rise from the ashes pretty quick.
PITTSBURGH..Not sexy names but solid players in OT-Brod Jones, CB-Joey Porter and DT- Keeanu Benton.
ATLANTA..Areas of needs filled with RB-Bijan Robinson and OT-Matt Bergeron…they do need QB-Desmond Ridder to flourish in his second year.
TENNESSEE…Off season purge of veterans, and rebuild begins with QB-Will Levis and OT-Peter Skoronski.
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(Grade B)
BUFFALO..Just what Josh Allen needs-another bullet for his offensive gun in TE-Dalton Kinkaid, plus another OG-O’Cyrus Torrance.
CAROLINA..Future begins now with Bryce Young and WR-Jon Mingo
PACKERS..They wind up with 13-picks to add to the new look Jordan Love offense and they add a strong LB-Lukas Van Ness, TE-Luke Musgrave and WR Jay Reed.
PATRIOTS..Typical Belichick draft, but there is talent there in CB-Chris Gonzalez..DE-Keion White and small college rusher Marte Mapi. . Had 12-picks in all.
GIANTS..Can they build on last season’s surprise year? Three unique names in CB-Deonte Banks..OC-JM Schmitz and WR-Jaylin Hyatt, all with good reps.
VIKINGS…Add to the offense with WR-Jordan Addison and help the defense with CB-Mekhi Blackmon. Even added a QB in Jaren Hall
RAVENS…Fix the offense with WR-Zay Flowers, and remember they signed Odell Beckham and added help for Lamar Jackson. Maybe the personality of the offense changes.
RAIDERS..The constant churn of the roster continues, and another new group moves in to replace all the failed draft picks of the Gruden era. Led by DE-Tyree Wilson and and TE-Mike Mayer. Was stunned they bypassed Jalen Carter. They took 5-defensive players and will look at QB-Aiden O’Connell
TAMPA BAY..Lots of changes on an ailing offense coming, and they go younger on defense with DT-Calijah Kancey and OG-Cody Mauch. Got productive players.
DALLAS..You may not like Jerry Jones but they do draft well. They get house-wrecking DT Mazi Smith..active DE-Villi Fehoko..a productive TE too.
CHICAGO…Not a sexy draft, but they got grinders at OT-DT-in Darnell Wright and Gervon Dexter.
ARIZONA..So much turmoil in the Cardinals organization but getting OT-Paris Johnson, OG-Jon Gaines and LB-BJ Ojulari will play quickly. Now back to the chaos in Phoenix.
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(GRADE C)
COLTS…They needed a quarterback after going thru Brissett-Rivers-Wentz-Ryan experiments, and they will start Anthony Rchardson, a freak show athlete who is an uncut gem He has the dynamics of QBs-Shane Steichen coached prior but this won’t be easy. They need veterans to return to health.
CHIEFS…They have won so much, they draft so late, and yet they find players. Will see if DE-Felix Uzomah and WR-Rashee Rice play quickly.
JAGUARS..Coming off a great year, stunned they traded back so much, but did get what they need OT-Anton Harrison and TE-Brent Strange
SAINTS..They need youth upfront on defense and got it with DE-Isaiah Foskey and DT-Bryan Bresee.
MIAMI..Not many picks, but productive players in CB-Cam Smith and RB-Devon Achane
RAMS..Let the rebuild begin with 14-draft picks in all. Superb top choice in OG-Steve Avila and DE-Bryon Young and active DT-Kobie Turner. Will be a really young roster.
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(GRADE D)
BROWNS..They have Deshaun Watson but not many high draft picks. They did get a unique QB-in UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson. They add DT-Siaki Ika and Dawand Jones
JETS…They have Aaron Rodgers via trade. Thought they reached to take LB-Will McDonald and OC-Joe Tippman
WASHINGTON…Drafted defense early but it seemed awful early to take CB-Emmanuel Forbes.
DENVER…Not alot of picks and then they add WR-Marvin Mims to an already deep group of receivers. Sure seemed like they needed lineman, both sides of the ball.
BENGALS..Pass rusher Myles Murphy, but no offensive lineman nor defensive front guys.
49ers…Top draft picks gone in trades, so they sat there thru pick 87, and they took a kicker in the 3rd round-Jake Moody. Strange draft-not a good one.
The NFL Draft’s opening night was chock full of surprises.
Surprise trades…four high picks dealt away.
Surprise choices..Nine picks in the first round that may have been reaches
Surprise decisions…QB-Will Levis-Kentucky-undrafted in the first round.
Here’s a quick look at storylines from my corner of the world.
HOUSTON…Got a QB-CJ Stroud with a surprise pick as the second choice, and then paid a huge price to get Arizona’s picks at number 3-which led to the Texans drafting LB-Will Anderson. What a night
COLTS…Anthony Richardson has great athletic skill, but he is an uncut gem and is not ready to go play immediately. A bit of a reach.
SEATTLE..Bypassed the massive DT-Jalen Carter, whom they really needed to draft a CB and a speed WR. Don’t understand the choices.
RAIDERS..Equally stunned they bypassed Carter-at DT..and bypassed Christian Gonzalez-CB….then tookDE-Tyree Wilson-Texas Tech…good player but had foot problems.
EAGLES…What a haul, maybe best of the night, getting 2-Georgia Bulldogs in Carter and then LB-Nolan Smith-LB. Great defense gets better
ATLANTA..Great pick in RB-Bijan Robinson to compliment the great TE-Kyle Pitts they drafted a year ago. They will help young QB-Desmond Ridder, but surprised they bypassed their choice of quality OL.
LIONS..Explain all this, taking a running back and a 2nd round LB with their two opening round picks. Both were thought to be 2nd rounders.
PATRIOTS..Like the choice of Oregon CB-Christian Gonzalez-who now learns under Belichick.
STEELERS..Great choice at spot of greatest need, OT-Broderick Jones-Georgia.
CHARGERS…WR-Quinton Johnston comes in, which means either Keenan Allen or Mike Williams vacates next season. Would much rather have had Dalton Kinkaid the TE. Still have shortcomings at DT, CB and TE.
DALLAS…DT-Mauzi Smith created havoc at Michigan as an inside tackle, and he fits well into a Cowboys need.
BILLS..TE-Dalton Kinkaid…just what Josh Allen needs, more bullets for his offensive gun.
TAMPA BAY..Bypassed a QB-Levis to take a DT-Calijah Kancey..good choice at position of need.
Here comes the 2nd and 3rd rounds on Friday, but doubt we’ll have as many surprises as we saw on Thursday
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