Players to watch: Colorado

While Colorado has been wallowing in the depths of the Pac-12 Conference cellar for much of the past two seasons, it has been noted that they are still working on adding more speed to the roster.

The two coaching changes over the past several seasons have completely decimated what was once a proud program. Nonetheless, there are some talented players on this team.

OFFENSE:

WR Paul Richardson

Richardson is a legitimate Biletnikoff Award candidate who is enjoying a major breakout season, not that he wasn't heard of prior to this year. But he's taken the world by storm to date:

• He has become the first player in Pac-12 Conference history to have back-to-back 200-yard receiving games (208 vs. Colorado State, 209 vs. Central Arkansas); only two players in NCAA history have had three straight 200-plus games (Howard Twilley, Tulsa, 1965; Trevor Insley, Nevada, 1999; Insley holds the NCAA single-season
• record with an amazing six that year).

• His 21 receptions in back-to-back games to open the 2013 season are a CU two-game record, snapping the old mark of 19.

• He now has three career 200-yard games, a CU record, and in fact has three of the school's five.

• He now has nine plays of 50-yards or longer in his career, all receptions including three this season.

• Richardson has played just 23 games in a CU uniform, he already has 15touchdown receptions, including four
• games with two TD catches; the latter already ranks as the third-most games with two, trailing only Rae Carruth and Derek McCoy, who had five two-TD games; Carruth and Richard Johnson are the only players with three in a game, each doing so once. As for the 11 touchdowns overall, he's already tied for the ninth-most in Buff annals.

Richardson is returning from injury which cost him to lose time much of the 2011 season. The following spring, he injured his knee. At that point he had become one of the best receivers in the conference, which no one really got a chance to know.

With his return he is playing better than he has plyed prior. His speed, route running and knowledge have all improved over that span. He is rumored to be a film room junkie.


DEFENSE:

OLB Addison Gillam

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Addison Gillam is exploding onto the Pac-12 scene in 2013

Gillam is a true freshman that has made an impact. Through the first two games he leads the team with 20 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

As a high school senior he earned PrepStar All-Far West Region honors at linebacker. He was also named first-team All-Eastern League, second-team All-North Coast Section and was named his school's Most Valuable Player. He recorded 74 tackles as a senior (39 solo), with eight for losses including two quarterback sacks; he also had seven pass deflections, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

He has good versatility and has provided a spark of a defense that was not very good the last two seasons.

The amazing thing is that he never played a sport in high school until his junior year when he started playing football; the only sport he played as a prep. Gillam has tremendous potential and has shown some of that potential early in the 2013 season. Expect Gillam to be flying around the field making plays for the Buffs in this game as well.