At this point, it’s hard for anyone to deny the season is essentially a wrap. A conference schedule includes upcoming dates with USC, Oregon, Arizona St, and this week’s opponent—No. 7 Stanford.

Senior Tyler Hansen looks downfield during the first half of Colorado's 28-14 win over Colorado State. The Buffs travel to California this Saturday to battle undefeated Stanford. (CU Independent/James Bradbury)

After the defense got a bit too relaxed with a ten point lead against Washington State, the Buffaloes find themselves sitting at a dismal 1-4 record. In these past weeks, inconsistency, injuries, and more recently, suspensions have beaten Colorado into submission. And to make matters worse, they’ll be facing Stanford’s Heisman candidate quarterback, Andrew Luck, next.

Luck is regarded as one of, if not, the best player in college football. He is a likely candidate for first pick in April’s NFL draft. If you’ve watched any sports highlights this past year, you’ve seen what Luck can do to defenses with his arm via his sheer power and precision.

“He’s kind of like the Peyton Manning of college football,” said CU quarterback Tyler Hansen.

So far this season, Luck has thrown for 1,013 yards and 11 touchdowns. At the rate he’s going, he’s on pace to surpass the numbers he put up last year. Luck leads an offense that racks up 45.8 points per game behind 471 yards total offense.

“He has all of the things you look for and then if you talk about the intangibles,” said Coach Jon Embree. “Being at a school like Stanford, and what he does academically and then the overall grasp of the offense and what they ask him to do makes him a pretty complete package.”

There’s no doubt that the locker room has seen the hype that surrounds Luck, and it’s impossible to say if it hasn’t affected them in some way mentally, while preparing this week. Embree knows this, and he says he’s been upfront about it.

“I’ve been honest the whole time with these guys,” Embree said. “I believe it, he is, but that also doesn’t mean that he can’t be beat, he has been beat. I think it is important to understand who you are going against and everything that I’ve said about the kid is true and it is validated over time anytime you watch him play. He is a very good player.”

Beyond Luck and Stanford’s potent offense, Colorado will be taking on one of the best defense in the conference.

CU, which is a run-oriented team at its core, will find themselves running into a brick wall against the Cardinals, who rank fourth nationally by allowing only 62 rushing yards a game.

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge. We’ve played against a lot of other great teams and quarterbacks in my career,” said wideout-turned-cornerback Jason Espinoza.

“They’re more of a balanced team than WSU was,” Espinoza said. “They run and throw the ball. They’re very sound; they execute everything. The big thing for us is that we get in the film room, know ours plays, and execute what our calls are.”

For CU to have a chance at winning, everything will have to click. Hansen will need to have the game of his career, Rodney Stewart will have to channel his inner Chris Johnson (circa 2009), and the defense will have to step up to levels they’ve never dreamed of.

If the Buffs manage to pull off a win and shock the world, perhaps one can say all isn’t lost for the team and Embree’s expectations. Rumor has it that his most recent speech was his most passionate yet.

“I think it’s a good thing,” Espinoza said. “He came here to win and he’s very passionate about that. That just shows he’s sick of losing and I am too. I’ve been here a long time. There’s been a lot of ups and downs. I think it’s a good thing. He’s so passionate, and him showing that will help our players be more passionate and want to win.”

Hopefully the team can channel that passion into a win.

The Buffaloes will face the Stanford Cardinals in their first Pac-12 road game Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on Versus.

Contact CU Independent Writer Shay Knolle at shay.knolle@colorado.edu.

I have been unconsciously waiting for the first Wednesday of February. It is a day that means nothing to most, but for me, it’s like Thanksgiving and Mardi Gras combined.

That day is National Signing Day, an annual sacrament for the most devout college football fans, when grown men regularly go crazy over the decisions of teenagers.

Nationwide, the best high school football players sign letters of intent for their choice colleges, with a watchful nation keeping its eyes on football’s future.

Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the opiate of the masses; he was wrong when he forgot to include football. This becomes evident today, when people tune in to witness high school seniors sign a piece of paper.

It’s hard not to notice a somewhat ridiculous aspect of national signing day: the fact that we rate players with five stars and label schools with recruiting rankings, when we know full well most will not pan out.

Failure is ingrained in the sport and National Signing Day is meant to celebrate the successes of these players’ careers up to this point. For most recruits, this is their only chance to get educations at their dream schools, so let’s give them their day.

At his press conference, CU Head Coach Jon Embree enters into a room unannounced, where a little more than 20 reporters wait for him. He takes his seat in front of a microphone stand.

Following his hiring in December, NCAA rules allowed Embree only 13 days of contact with recruits. The fact that he signed 19 is astounding, let alone getting so many of them to switch their commitments from other schools.

“There are some kids out there with a little more entitlement,” Embree said. “But to me, that shows you a kid you may not want in your program. I want kids who want to come and add, build on the tradition – not (asking) what are we going to do for them.”

Some consistently successful programs, namely Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Utah, or Iowa never have recruiting classes that shine with five stars. Not one of those teams is ranked in the top 25 of Rivals.com team recruiting rankings. Instead, they rely on long-tenured coaching staffs to find pieces that will work well in their systems.

Embree knows the Buffs can emulate those football powers, finding their own niche in the lost art of recruiting for scheme, not for flare.

“There are certain programs that somehow, every three or four years find themselves in the hunt,” Embree said. “But every year they don’t have these highly rated classes, and they do a great job of developing their athletes. I believe I’ve got great teachers. I believe I’ve got guys who can get the most out of players.”

One month ago, Assistant Coach Brian Cabral dragged his new boss on a plane for a seven-hour flight to his native Hawaii. The mission: persuade linebacker K.T. Tu’umalo away from his Boise State commitment.

Embree, who reluctantly crammed into an economy class seat, thought a visit to the island would be a waste of time. Meanwhile Cabral sat barefooted in the spacious first-class, after assuring the new head coach his efforts would not be in vain.

A few days later, Tu’umalo decided to switch. He is one of three players from Hawai’i who signed to CU.

“We have some coaches that are relentless,” Embree said. “That’s important in recruiting: you can’t take ‘No.’”

Thanks to Cabral’s efforts, this class features more Hawaiians (3) than Coloradans (2). Along with Tu’umalo, CU corralled linemen Paulay Asiata and Juda Parker.

Of the 17 recruits who signed with Colorado on National Signing Day, (two are already enrolled), not one is rated higher than a three-star recruit on any major recruiting service. They have no nationally televised announcements scheduled, no plans of donning a baseball cap of one team and then taking it off in favor of another hat.

Eight of these signees were at one time committed to another program. The gem of the class is Marc Mustoe, a 6-foot-7 inch offensive tackle, who pledged to CU after wavering from UCLA, where Coach Embree spent a stint as tight ends coach.

“Flipped him from the Bruins, that felt good,” Embree said.

Mustoe, like most of CU’s signees, did not partake in even a lunch banquet with his classmates on signing day.

Defensive end Stephan Nembot, who chose CU over his previous favorite, Washington, wanted his decision to be broadcast on a local station in his hometown near Burbank, Calif. He only chose to do this so his parents, who live in Cameroon, would be able to watch on an Internet stream. Maybe modesty still has hope.

According to Embree, the days of players earning their starting spots based on last name or reputation are over. The head ball coach delivered a message to his recruits and current players.

“I’m bringing in someone next year to beat you out; that’s the object in this game of recruiting,” Embree said. “If they can’t beat them out, then great; that means all the kids in this class are raising their level.”

National Signing Day is a rare holiday for the coach too; a break from the year-long frenzy of recruiting, a calm before the intense workouts and practices start all over.

Now I start my wait again. Not for next signing day, but for next season. That’s when we begin seeing results from Wednesday’s commotion.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Michael Krumholtz at Michael.krumholtz@colorado.edu.