Colorado-West Virginia: "John Denver Bowl" Takes Center Stage Thursday

P - Preparation

Both the Buffs and the Mountaineers had a bye week to prepare for one another.  For Colorado, the timing of the bye week was helpful.  The Buffs will be back to nearly full strength as two starters who were out for the Eastern Washington game return.

Junior tight end Riar Geer returns from minor knee surgery that has kept him on the sidelines so far this season, while junior guard Devin Head returns from a one-game suspension.  (Head’s suspension related to his being in a car with fellow lineman Ethan Adkins when Adkins was arrested for DUI—Adkins has been suspended from the team indefinitely).

Riar Geer led the team in receptions as a freshman in 2006.  Before his injury, Geer was suspended from the team, missing spring practice.  While Geer was out, he was more than adequately replaced by his backups.

Junior Patrick Devenny starred this spring and had five catches for 35 yards in the first two games of 2008.  Devenny’s numbers are not spectacular in and of themselves, until you consider that four of the five catches were on third or fourth down, and all four were converted into first downs.

True freshman Ryan Deehan had two catches against Eastern Washington, including his first career touchdown.

Geer’s return will only enhance the value of this position.  "I just want to get out there and prove myself again," said Geer.  "With all the stuff that has happened to me in the offseason, and then with this knee surgery, I want to get out there and prove I am 100 percent and a good football player."

Devin Head will not only need to return to the lineup against West Virginia—he will need to return with a vengeance.  "It was killing to know that a lot of that was because of me," said Head of his not being on the field as the Buffs’ offense struggled against Eastern Washington.  "I hung my teammates out to dry (against the Eagles).  That was the hardest part, not being able to go out and compete with them."

Not having to prove himself is junior college transfer Shaun Mohler.  Mohler, a junior linebacker, had nine tackles against Eastern Washington before he was injured rushing the quarterback in the third quarter.

Mohler was taken to the hospital after the game for what was feared to be a broken collarbone.  It turned out to be "only" a serious shoulder bruise. "I’ll be able to play next week," said Mohler last Wednesday.  "It’s loosening up already."

All hands on deck.  The Buffs will need every quality player they can put on the field to try to stay with the Mountaineers.

S - Stats

Two games into the season, statistics tend to be a bit skewed.  Still, at this point, it is better to focus on what is going on in 2008 rather than to try and take last season’s numbers as an accurate means of predicting what is to come.

A few numbers stand out.  West Virginia, with its blowout 48-21 win over Villanova tempered by the 24-3 loss to East Carolina, has not been a statistical marvel.  The Mountaineers, third in the nation in rushing in 2007, are 50th so far in 2008.  The passing game is ranked 105th, bringing in the total offense numbers at 95th overall (at 302.5 yards per game).

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