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Avoiding a CU football jinx

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I like the cover photo of a buffalo (it’s not Ralphie) on this year’s Colorado football media guide, commemorating 2008 as the 75th season with the American bison as the team’s nickname.

I just hope that buffalo stays safe because last year there seemed to be a cover jinx of sorts going on.

Three team captains were photographed at Boulder Falls for the cover of the 2007 media guide. Linebacker Jordon Dizon was terrific, of course, getting named Big 12 defensive player of the year by the league’s coaches and getting drafted by Detroit in the second round. But quarterback Bernard Jackson (academics) never played a down in 2007, and linebacker/special teams star R.J. Brown had to give up football after suffering the ninth concussion of his career in the third game, against Florida State.

“It was almost like the Sports Illustrated cover jinx,” CU sports information director Dave Plati shrugged.

Perhaps that’s why Plati chose to have an animal featured on this year’s cover rather than a player.

Unfortunately, Colorado has suffered its share of misfortune anyway. Ruled out for this season are freshman linebacker Lynn Katoa (suspension), redshirt freshman wide receiver Markques Simas (academics), sophomore linebacker Nate Vaiomounga (academics), redshirt freshman offensive tackle Sione Tau (academics), redshirt freshman offensive guard Mike Iltis (ACL knee injury), senior defensive end Drew Hudgins (ACL knee injury) and freshman linebacker Jon Major (ACL knee injury). Also senior cornerback Benjamin Burney (multiple offseason surgeries) must wait until 2009.

That’s a ton of talent missing. All but Tau might have seen substantial playing time this season, with Simas, Iltis and Hudgins expected to compete for starting jobs.

Instead of a CU media guide cover jinx, there seems to be a Parade All-America jinx this year. Katoa and Major are done for the year, so stay safe, Darrell Scott. Stay safe.

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It was good to hear CU coach Dan Hawkins give props to Plati on Sunday during an interview session with reporters following the scrimmage. Especially nice was the fact that Hawk did it while Plati was standing nearby.

Sports information department personnel never get enough credit. Do you think reporters have the time or energy to figure out all those facts, figures and statistics used in our stories?

Hawk said Plati is “in my top five” of the most unique individuals the coach has ever met. Hawk explained what we already knew: Plati is both an exceptionally good “people person” and a stats fanatic. He can see the big picture but also is a stickler for details. That’s a rare combination.

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I wasn’t surprised that, midway through August drills, running backs coach Darian Hagan elected to name sophomore Demetrius Sumler as the starting tailback for the Aug. 31 opener against CSU.

I wasn’t alone in thinking that starting Sumler would take some pressure off Scott and the other fab frosh, Ray Polk and Rodney Stewart. Also, freshman running backs always seem to struggle with pass protection responsibilities.

At the outset of the season, at least, Hagan figures it’s worth sacrificing some speed to ensure that Cody Hawkins isn’t bludgeoned back there.

But I still think there’s a good chance that Scott will become the featured back before the start of the Big 12 schedule, if not before. You don’t see 220-pounders with 10.5 100-meter speed sitting on the bench.

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Reporting that Sumler was named the starter took up most of the space I was given for a story about Sunday’s scrimmage. So here are a few observations:

Although it appears freshman Jameson Davis will not beat out Aric Goodman for place-kicking duties, Davis will be an asset on kickoffs. On Sunday, Davis boomed several that could not be returned.

By the way, Goodman booted a 49-yard field goal with room to spare.

Redshirt freshman Anthony Wright could become CU’s next great cornerback. His recovery speed may be as good as that of anybody on the roster. And the Los Angeles native plays much bigger than his listed size of 6 feet and 180 pounds.

It usually takes two defenders to bring down Scott. Gotta like that.

Cody Hawkins can’t afford to force any throws into coverage. He doesn’t put enough zip on the ball to justify the risk-reward, as evidenced by a Jalil Brown interception.

Freshman quarterback Tyler Hansen has some serious wheels. And at 6-2 and 205 pounds, he’s bigger than ex-Buff scramblers Bernard Jackson and Mike Moschetti. Has a stronger arm, too.

A big surprise during interviews afterward was Hagan saying Rodney Stewart is ahead of Darrell Scott and Ray Polk in the mental aspect of the game. That’s not to take anything away from Stewart, but he was not nearly as highly recruited as Scott and Polk. Maybe that says something about the high school coaching Stewart received in Ohio?

Receiver Josh Smith looks like he will be a weapon as a punt returner. But he seems awfully thin to also be a kickoff returner. Those collisions can be brutal.

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