You Got Two, You Got None: But Colorado QBs may be broken into many pieces

The Scheme. Although it's a "multiple" scheme that employs a little of everything, Colorado joins Kansas State as the only schools in the Big 12 that still use a fullback and two-tight end sets as part of their basic, every-down offense; in this spread-saturated conference, that counts as paleolithic defiance. And it shouldn't change much despite the late-breaking departure of offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich's to Oregon when Chip Kelly ascended to the boss's chair in April, since Helfrich's replacement is Eric Kiesau, receivers coach and "passing game coordinator" since 2006, and the main set of fingerprints on the Buffs' offense still belong to Dan Hawkins.

At any rate, personnel should matter more than philosophy: Hawkins has always been heavy on play-action and setting up the pass with the run, and with the conference's lowest-rated passing game two of his three years at the helm, the emphasis will still be heavily on the run, where Rodney Stewart got off to a great start as a true freshman and ludicrously hyped Darrell Scott is rumored to be in much better shape physically and mentally after a disappointing debut. From the quarterbacks' perspective, their role is to hand off, carry out their fakes and hope they don't find themselves in too many must-throw situations.

The Incumbent. Bless Cody Hawkins, who's fought courageously for two years against the notion that he's too short, too slow and doesn't have the arm to keep pace with the other prolific quarterbacks in the Big 12, but he's yet to prove any of the critics wrong: In the most high-flying league in college history, he's finished as the least accurate regular starter in the conference two years in a row and last year was the least efficient, as well. In October, he went four straight games with an efficiency rating below 100 (remember, we're using the college formula, not the NFL's; for some context, the national median for pass efficiency was around 125, and in the Big 12 it was about 150), games in which CU scored 14, 14, 14 and zero points. At least Li'l Hawk has disproved the notion that he only has the job because his dad's the coach: He either started or finished on the bench in six straight games at midseason.