SB Nation Denver: All Posts by Jon Woods

Buffaloes Land Their Quarterback, Cade Apsay Commits

2013-06-19T02:29:32Z

The Colorado Buffaloes and Mike MacIntyre have found their 2014 quarterback with a verbal commitment from California star Cade Apsay. As a junior, Apsay was his league's offensive MVP and a second team all-state selection. Just over a walk and a half after receiving an offer, the quarterback made his decision. Landing a California QB this early in the process can only help recruiting going forward especially in such a fertile area.

After a very slow start, Apsay becomes the fourth commit in the past month, joining Issac Miller, Grant Watanabe and Chance Waz in the 2014 class.

Welcome aboard, Cade!

Cade Apsay

Image courtesy of BuffStampede

Position: Quarterback
Measurables: 6-2/176 lbs.
40 Yard Dash: N/A
High School: Canyon (Canyon Country, CA) H.S.

Rankings:
- Rivals: 3-star, 5.5
- 247Sports: 3-star, 84, #49 QB
- Scout: 3-star
- ESPN: No ranking

Other Schools of Interest: Arizona, Boise State, San Diego State

Status: Verbal to Colorado

Notes: From Rivals:
"Colorado's setting and just the atmosphere was great," he said. "I really like the campus life there. It was really vibrant and the people were very friendly there. The coaches were also cool. The mood and the vibe I got from the school was cool."

RR Radio: Looking Ahead to 2013-14 Colorado Basketball

2013-06-13T21:26:30Z

Season 3 of Ralphie Report Radio is here with a ton of discussion on the state of the athletic department, the search for the next athletic director and a tons of preview coverage on Tad Boyle's Buffaloes.

For season 3 we are going to try and keep the episodes closer to a half hour and we are hoping to bring in some funa and unique guests every week. Since we wanted to talk basketball this week we reached out to the expert, Ryan Thorburn, for some insights on what to expect next year.

Apologies for a few small audio issues. We have a lot of really great guests in mind for the rest of the summer, but we want to hear from you. Who would you like to join us this season?

Season 3 Episode 1:

- Where does the Colorado athletic department go from here?
- 2013-14 Buffaloes basketball

To visit and subscribe to Ralphie Report Radio on iTunes click here.

To visit Ralphie Report on TalkShoe (there are multiple ways to subscribe there) c lick here.

By Jon Woods

Buffaloes Land Commit From Texas Cornerback

2013-06-12T13:00:07Z

The Colorado Buffaloes received a somewhat quiet, but no less needed and appreciated commitment from 3-star Texas cornerback Chance Waz last night. The prospect from just outside of Austin is an all-district performer from a very strong area of Texas. It's good to see the staff continue to have success in these areas of Texas. Waz is a recruit that was gaining a lot of interest from some powerhouse schools and he could be a huge get if he ends in up in Boulder.

Welcome aboard, Chance!

Chance Waz

Image courtesy of BuffStampede

Position: Cornerback
Measurables: 5-11/173 lbs.
40 Yard Dash: 4.5
High School: Hendrickson (Pflugerville, TX) H.S.

Rankings:
- Rivals: 2-star, 5.4
- 247Sports: 3-star, 80, #124 S
- Scout: No ranking
- ESPN: No ranking

Other Schools of Interest: Arkansas State, North Texas, Utah, UTEP

Status: Verbal to Colorado

Notes: From Rivals:
"Waz chose the Buffs over scholarship offers from Utah, North Texas, UTEP, Texas State and Arkansas State. He had also been hearing from Baylor, Kansas State, Michigan State, Oklahoma and TCU among others.

Waz earned first-team all-district honors after tallying 116 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries while playing safety as a junior. He is being projected by most colleges as a cornerback or nickel back."

Linebacker Grant Watanabe Becomes Colorado's Second Commit

2013-05-30T03:09:35Z

Nothing like a new commit to take our minds off of the disarray caused by the firing of former athletic director Mike Bohn. As reported by Rivals writer Wes Crochet, San Antonio linebacker Grant Watanabe has given his verbal pledge to Mike MacIntyre and the Buffaloes.

3-Star '14 SA Brennan LB Grant Watanabe has confirmed to me that he has committed to Colorado. Watanabe is 11th on @insideutsas SA22, 1st LB
— Wes Crochet(@InsideUTSAWesC) May 30, 2013

In 2012, he was named the Defensive Player of the Year in San Antonio after recording 167 tackles, 27 for a loss, three sacks and four interceptions. He was a junior All-American, first-team all-state, first-team all-city and unanimous first-team all-district selection. Sounds like a guy that makes plays with one heck of a resume. It's always good to keep the Texas pipelines active, especially with the increased emphasis in California.

Welcome aboard, Grant!

Grant Watanabe

Image courtesy of BuffStampede

Position: Inside Linebacker
Measurables: 5-10/225 lbs.
40 Yard Dash: N/A
High School: Brennan (San Antonio, TX) H.S.

Rankings:
- Rivals: 3-star, 5.6
- 247Sports: 3-star, 84, #68 OLB
- Scout: No ranking
- ESPN: No ranking (but an awesome picture)

Other Schools of Interest: Utah, UTSA, Baylor, Boise State

Status: Verbal to Colorado

Notes: From Rivals:
"Oh man, they were very convincing at Colorado. They just had a lot to offer. Everything I look for in a college, they pretty much had it all. I really like what the coaches are doing there. I feel like [head] coach [Mike] MacIntyre is going to make the program good again and I really liked everybody there; the whole coaching staff. I got to talk one-on-one with Coach MacIntyre and he told me all the things he liked from my film and talked about how well I would fit into their program, so I thought that was pretty cool. It was a pretty awesome trip."

The Search for the Next Athletic Director at Colorado

2013-05-29T22:38:25Z

The news that Bohn has been unceremoniously let go from CU came out of left field.

Well, this is something I didn't expect to have to write today. Originating with Mark Johnson and now being confirmed by multiple sources, Mike Bohn has resigned (been fired) as the University of Colorado athletic director. At this point, Twitter tells the story better than I can.

Mike Bohn has been let go as @cubuffs AD! @850koa
— Mark Johnson (@MJohnson850KOA) May 28, 2013

Trying to pay attention to Roy amid story that Mike Bohn has been let go by CU. Just received a text from Bohn:"I am floored".
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) May 28, 2013

"Hire a new football coach? check. Announce major new athletic facility plans? check. Reorganize your fundraising arm? check. Great- GTFO
— Phil (@Phyltopia) May 28, 2013

Interesting to watch CU AD search. Current Memphis AD Tom Bowen hired Mike MacIntyre at SJSU (they remain close) and is from Denver.
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) May 28, 2013

The man hired Tad Boyle, but he also hired Dan Hawkins and Jon Embree. We don't know how the Mike MacIntyre hire will turn out, but either way it won't help Bohn to keep his job. Lots to discuss in the coming days and more to come...

Update: More from CU

"Mike Bohn led CU-Boulder athletics in a time of great transition and change," said DiStefano. "We are grateful to him for his vision, passion and commitment, and for his key role in revitalizing men's and women's basketball, helping us to join the Pac-12 Conference, and in taking important steps to upgrade athletic facilities at CU-Boulder. We wish him well."

DiStefano said he will in the coming days appoint a search committee to conduct a national search for Bohn's successor.

DiStefano said the university will be seeking "a dynamic leader" as athletic director - someone who, he said, "can focus on our key goals of fundraising, building a dynamic organization, and creating long-term sustainability in the athletics mission."

Ceal Barry Named Interim Athletic Director at Colorado

2013-05-29T01:58:40Z

The University of Colorado moved quickly today to name Ceal Barry the interim athletic director after announcing that former AD Mike Bohn had resigned earlier today.

Barry is a legend and a leader at the University and is a good choice to keep things running smoothly until a permanent decision has been made. The pressure remains squarely on the administration to find a replacement for Bohn that can take this athletic department to new heights and fix the string of wrong turns that have plagued this organization for the last decade plus.

University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano has named Adele Cecilia "Ceal" Barry interim director of intercollegiate athletics for the university, effective Monday, June 3.

Barry currently serves as associate athletic director for student services and senior woman administrator (an NCAA designation) in the department. She replaces Mike Bohn, who submitted his resignation today.

Hired as the women's head basketball coach in 1983 by then-athletic director Eddie Crowder, she has a 30-year history of involvement in CU athletics. She retired from coaching in 2005 as CU's winningest coach ever in all sports (427 victories), leading her teams to 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including six Sweet 16 and three Elite Eight appearances. Over 95 percent of her student-athletes graduated and 85 of her players earned Academic All-Conference honors.

"Ceal's experience, leadership and credibility with our athletic staff and stakeholders make her an ideal person to assume this important role as we search for new leadership," said DiStefano.

Mike Bohn Out as Colorado Athletic Director

2013-05-28T20:10:54Z

Mike Bohn has been let go as @cubuffs AD! @850koa
— Mark Johnson (@MJohnson850KOA) May 28, 2013

Trying to pay attention to Roy amid story that Mike Bohn has been let go by CU. Just received a text from Bohn:"I am floored".
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) May 28, 2013

"Hire a new football coach? check. Announce major new athletic facility plans? check. Reorganize your fundraising arm? check. Great- GTFO
— Phil (@Phyltopia) May 28, 2013

Interesting to watch CU AD search. Current Memphis AD Tom Bowen hired Mike MacIntyre at SJSU (they remain close) and is from Denver.
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) May 28, 2013

Update: More from CU

"Mike Bohn led CU-Boulder athletics in a time of great transition and change," said DiStefano. "We are grateful to him for his vision, passion and commitment, and for his key role in revitalizing men's and women's basketball, helping us to join the Pac-12 Conference, and in taking important steps to upgrade athletic facilities at CU-Boulder. We wish him well."

DiStefano said he will in the coming days appoint a search committee to conduct a national search for Bohn's successor.

DiStefano said the university will be seeking "a dynamic leader" as athletic director - someone who, he said, "can focus on our key goals of fundraising, building a dynamic organization, and creating long-term sustainability in the athletics mission."

Report States Colorado Basketball to Play Baylor (Again) in Dallas

2013-05-28T15:49:18Z

A report issued from ESPN over the weekend states that the Buffaloes could be facing the Baylor Bears for the third-straight year after leaving the Big 12 conference.

Sources told ESPN.com that four-game event in Dallas Nov. 8 will feature: Baylor-Colorado, SMU-TCU, Texas-LSU, Bama-Oklahoma
— Jason King (@JasonKingESPN) May 25, 2013

The game would be a part of a series played at the AAC in Dallas that would also include games between SMU and TCU (bad, but always fun and Larry Brown), Alabama and Oklahoma, and Texas (all players transferred) and LSU.

"We want this to serve as the tipoff to the season," bd Global president Brooks Downing told ESPN.com earlier this month. "The plan is to generate a lot of excitement and hype about college basketball in the city that's hosting the Final Four."

If the November event is a success, Downing said bd Global likely will stage something similar each fall in the city slated to host the Final Four. The 2015 Final Four will be in Indianapolis before shifting to Houston in 2016.

This year's marquee game will be Baylor vs. Colorado, as both teams are expected to open the season in the top 25.

The Bears return the crux of a squad that won the NIT championship and tout two future pros in Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson.

Colorado's backcourt of Askia Booker and Spencer Dinwiddie will be one of the nation's best, while forwards Josh Scott and Xavier Johnson were two of the country's top freshmen last year.

After losing to Brady Heslip's awfulness and Baylor 80-63 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament two years ago, the Buffs rebounded to take down the Bears 60-58 in the semi-finals of the Charleston Classic. I can't say that Baylor is becoming a rival for the Buffs, but the hatred for Scott Drew's team runs deep for Colorado fans and they would like nothing more than another win over the team from Waco.

This game is another excellent match-up in what is shaping up to be a fantastic non-conference schedule for a Colorado team that should start the season ranked in the Top 25.