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The straight scoop from
Colonel Mustard

Week of Dec. 1, 1996

WHEW! That was a lot more tense than I had hoped, but it was satisfying to see we have what it takes to win a close one against a fired-up Top 10 team. Time after time, the defense did what had to be done. And at the end, so did the offense -- even though they spent most of the second half gift-wrapping and delivering golden opportunities to the Buffs. Just like against Texas Tech, we tried to lose -- and couldn't. The fumbles I can understand, given the rain. What I can't understand are all those procedure penalties. That kind of stuff should have been ironed out long ago.

THE ELEMENTS: Indoors football has never seemed right, but this year it'll be good to be finishing up under a dome. Ain't nothin' worse than 33 degrees and rain. Especially when your QB has "small hands" and can't toss a wet ball. I had more than enough of that during the Mickey Joseph era.

EARTH TO NEUHEISEL: So the CU coach thinks Jay Foreman's TD was "lucky"? Not on a day when so many of Detmer's throws were tipped, batted or swatted by the Blackshirts. Restudy the film, Rick, and you'll see that it was CU who was lucky there weren't two or three more interceptions.

SPEAKING OF PASSING: I'm as guilty as anyone of screaming for Dr. Tom to put it up a little more often. But no way do we want to turn pass-happy like CU. Every year we hear that we won't be able to handle CU's golden arms and gifted receivers, and every year we prove them wrong. Holding CU to 12 points on Friday was no fluke -- in fact, in the five Nebraska-Colorado games since CU's offensive switchover, the Buffs have averaged exactly 12.8 points. And they have completed just 38 percent of their passes and had 10 intercepted, compared with just 2 touchdown passes.

GO FIGURE: So on Friday morning we're driving down to Lincoln and we're listening to the '71 NU-Oklahoma game for a little pregame inspiration. Somebody mentions Jeff Kinney. My teenaged boy asks, "Who's Jeff Kinney?" That's right, "Who's Jeff Kinney?" Incredible. My own kid. Sure makes you wonder what they're teaching our kids in history classes these days.
 
-- The Colonel

 

 
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