Preview: Colorado

The 2010 season is one of great importance for the Colorado football team and more specifically their coach Dan Hawkins. It has been known that Coach Hawkins is on the hot seat and needs to have a drastic improvement from their 3-9 season in 2009. It also might be the last year for Colorado in the Big 12, as they are set to move to the Pac 10 either next year or the year after.

Offense - To improve, however, Hawkins will need to choose a starting quarterback. Tyler Hansen and Cody Hawkins, his son, started seven and five games, respectively, last season. Luckily for either of the two, seven other starters return on offense, including all five offensive linemen. Hansen, a junior, completed 56 percent of his passes last season for 1,440 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately he also threw seven interceptions and was sacked 33 times. Hawkins, a senior, put up similar stats so it is easy to see why they are in a dead heat coming into the fall. Hawkins threw for 1,277 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The running game will be bolstered by the return of Rodney Stewart, who returns as the lead back yet again. As the leading rusher in 2009, Stewart rushed for 804 yards and nine touchdowns. Behind him, however, there is not much experience as both the second and third leading rushers do not return for the 2010 season. Hansen is the next returning rusher after running for 61 yards, although the total would have been much higher if he wasn't sacked 33 times.

The receiver picture can be just as gloomy for the Buffs, as they return only one of last year's top five receivers. Luckily that one, Scotty McKnight, was last year's top receiver after catching 76 balls for 893 yards and six touchdowns. To show you how much experience the receivers lost, the second leading receiver had only 13 catches, 136 yards and the only other receiving touchdown returning. But what the lack of experience does is give players such as Will Jefferson, Jason Espinoza, Kendrick Celestine and Ryan Deehan to become more prominent figures in the offense.

Defense - The secondary was the strong part of last year's team as they allowed only 201 passing yards per game, which was good for fourth in the conference and 34th nationally. Four of the top five returning tackler leaders are members of the secondary, led by free safety Anthony Perkins. Perkins finished last season with 78 tackles and was tied for the team lead with two interceptions. Cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown were right behind him, as Smith finished with 70 tackles and Brown 66. Both also had two interceptions each.

The linebacker spot looks to be tough again, led by senior Michael Sipili. Sipili led the returning linebackers in tackles with 39 tackles in the 2009 season. B.J. Beatty also returns for his senior year after being in on 30 tackles and two and a half sacks, despite playing in only 10 games.

The defensive line was very young last season, and while that might still be the case in 2010, the experience the core earned last year will be vital in their development. Curtis Cunningham comes into his junior year after tackling 41 opponents and being in on two sacks. The returning sack leader from last year is senior Marquez Herrod, who had six sacks to go along with his 38 tackles. Will Pericak saw action in all 12 games in his freshman season and contributed with 36 tackles and three sacks.

Recruiting - The Buffaloes bring in 20 high school signees and two junior college kids to make up the 2010 class of 22. 15 of the signees are on the offensive side of the ball, including four running backs and tight ends apiece. Wide receiver Donnie Duncan had quite the senior year as he played primarily WR/DB. He caught 77 passes for 1,691 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also added three rushing touchdowns, two passing, two kick returns for touchdowns and a punt return touchdown. On defense he had 50 tackles and 10 interceptions, three on which he brought back for touchdowns. Tony Jones comes to Boulder after being named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year. As a senior he rushed for 1,387 yards and 34 touchdowns. Trea Jones rushed for 1,652 yards and 17 touchdowns, while averaging nearly seven yards per carry and 127 yards per game. Chidera Uzo-Diribe is a standout defensive end coming to Colorado. As a senior he had 69 tackles, seven and a half sacks and two forced fumbles.

Schedule - As per usual, the season starts out with the rivalry game against in-state Colorado State. The Buffs then travel to play the host Cal Bears and attempt to break a 2-2 series tie between the two schools. The team's home opener is a matchup against Hawaii, followed by an off week before they host the Georgia Bulldogs. Colorado will be looking to pick up their first victory against both schools in those games. The Georgia game starts a stretch of five tough games where they jump right into conference play with games at Missouri, back-to-back home games against Baylor and Texas Tech. Consecutive away games at Oklahoma and Kansas follow before the home slate is closed with Iowa State and Kansas State coming to town. The season ends, as it always does, with the annual day after Thanksgiving game against Nebraska, this year in Lincoln.