Special Athlon offer for SI.com readers

The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Dan Hawkins (1st season) 2005 record: 7-6 (Lost to Clemson in Champs Sports Bowl) Big 12 finish: 5-3 (1st North) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 97th (110.3 ypg) Passing: 59th (222.8 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 11th (100.2 ypg) Passing: 87th (248.9 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 Montana State Sept. 9 #Colorado State Sept. 16 Arizona State Sept. 23 at Georgia Sept. 30 at Missouri Oct. 7 Baylor Oct. 14 Texas Tech Oct. 21 at Oklahoma Oct. 28 at Kansas Nov. 4 Kansas State Nov. 11 Iowa State Nov. 24 at Nebraska #Denver CO Depth Chart: Offense 5 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 4 Patrick Williams So. 9 Blake Mackey Sr. WR 83 Dusty Sprague Jr. 1 Stephone Robinson Jr. LT 76 Edwin Harrison Jr. 72 Devin Head Fr. LG 66 Brian Daniels Sr. 57 Bryce MacMartin Sr. C 58 Mark Fenton Sr. 50 Zach Jones Fr. RG 63 Jack Tipton Sr. 75 Daniel Sanders So. RT 77 Tyler Polumbus Jr. 60 Paul Backowski Fr. TE 30 Paul Creighton Sr. 46 Dan Goettsch Sr. QB 3 Brian White Jr. 7 Bernard Jackson Jr. FB 42 Samson Jagoras Jr. 34 Jake Behrens Fr. RB 2 Hugh Charles Jr. 37 Mell Holliday Sr. Depth Chart: Defense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 33 Walter Boye-Doe Sr. 91 Maurice Lucas So. DT 86 George Hypolite So. 97 Taj Kaynor Fr. DT 94 Brandon Nicolas So. 96 Marcus Jones Sr. DE 53 Abraham Wright Sr. 47 Alonzo Barrett Jr. SLB 44 Jordon Dizon Jr. 54 Marcus Burton So. MLB 49 Thaddaeus Washington Sr. 34 R.J. Brown So. WLB 40 Brad Jones So. 13 Joe Sanders Jr. CB 26 Terrence Wheatley Jr. 10 Terry Washington Sr. CB 6 Gardner McKay So. 42 Ben Burney So. ROV 15 Ryan Walters So. 3 Tyrone Henderson Sr. FS 5 J.J. Billingsley Sr. 22 Lorenzo Sims Sr. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 16 Mason Crosby Sr. P 14 Matt DiLallo Fr. KR 1 Stephone Robinson Jr. PR 1 Stephone Robinson Jr.

To order your 2006 Athlon Sports annual and receive $1 off plus free shipping courtesy of SI.com, click here.

Perhaps the best way to characterize the change in atmosphere around the Colorado football program is first to compare it to a smoggy day in Los Angeles.

That kind of cloud enveloped the program, starting with the recruiting scandal two years ago, and never really left. Not, that is, until new head coach Dan Hawkins burst onto the scene in January. What followed were smiles and enthusiasm and sky-diving and golf-driving competitions at the end of spring practice and terms such as "Hawk Love."

That smog? Gone. Replaced by clear, crisp, Rocky Mountain air.

But that's just Phase One.

What brought Hawkins to Colorado wasn't just wit and charm, but expertise, a thirst for a challenge and enthusiasm to see it through to the end.

Well, CU is a challenge. Recruiting has declined. Wins in meaningful games and games have declined. The feeling the Buffs, a national champion in 1990, are still a player on a national landscape, has all but disappeared.

Hawkins is charged with changing both the perception and the results.

"When it really came down to it, deciding whether or not I was going to stay (at Boise State) or go, it really came down to: 'Are you going to be comfortable or are you going to have a sense of adventure?'" Hawkins says. "I'm more than willing to take on this challenge."

OFFENSE

Curiosity about what Colorado's offense will look like under Hawkins has been the main talk around Boulder since his arrival in January. Hawkins won't call it a 'spread offense' or a 'two-back offense' or anything of that sort. He says, if anything he'll call it the "just score" offense.

To do that, though, he'll need to find a quarterback in preseason camp and get everyone executing his schemes effectively. Patience will be paramount, because there will be growing pains.

Juniors quarterbacks Brian White and Bernard Jackson are neck-and-neck in the competition for the starting job. The offense will be tailored to whichever player wins the job.
At running back, expect junior Hugh Charles to start. He's the kind of running back Hawkins likes -- a versatile player who can take the ball on a hand-off, or catch it out of the backfield. Senior transfer Mell Holliday is on track to be the backup.

The tight ends were the biggest beneficiaries in the previous regime's offense, but, under Hawkins, the wide receivers are back. They'll be used more under Hawkins than they ever have before.

Some of CU's better players are along the offensive line, including center Mark Fenton and guard Brian Daniels. The line has the chance to be a solid unit.

DEFENSE

It is a transition period for a young defense that will be learning a new scheme. The new boss, Ron Collins, pledges to stop the run first and put mounds of pressure on the quarterback. But to do that, he'll need his youth to grow up.

Question marks surround the Buffs' defensive line -- but there are guys who can break out, such as end Maurice Lucas and tackle George Hypolite.

Senior Thaddaeus Washington and junior Jordon Dizon anchor a solid group of linebackers, which is always a position of strength for the Buffs'.

Injuries and a suspension have changed the look of the secondary -- originally expected to be a team strength. If sophomore Gardner McKay can step up, he'll give the Buffs stability at right corner. Terrence Wheatley will start at left cornerback. Expect to see J.J. Billingsley and up-and-coming Ryan Walters at safety, where there is plenty of depth.

SPECIALISTS

CU returns one of the nation's best placekickers in senior Mason Crosby. At the new coaching staff's request, he might double-up and punt as well, but Matt DiLallo is also in the running at punter.

The biggest loss, however, might be the departure of long snapper Greg Pace. Snapping for kicks and punts was a problem in the spring, but coaches hope true-freshman Justin Drescher can stabilize the position.

FINAL ANALYSIS

For Colorado to have any success this season, players have to have hit the books -- the playbooks -- in preparation for the season. Sloppy execution was the lasting mark of the team this spring, after being force-fed as much of the new coaching staff's offensive and defensive schemes as players could handle.

Studying and on-field work during the summer will be critical. If the Buffs are productive and build upon what they learned in the spring, expect a competitive team to step on the field starting the first week against Montana State. If not, expect CU to struggle while it goes through the pains associated with learning a new system.