Buffs Welcomed in Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, La.-The University of Colorado Buffaloes arrived in Shreveport, La., Wednesday afternoon to begin their preparation for Sunday's PetroSun Independence Bowl.

"It will settle in a little bit more tomorrow. Today we were kind of rushed getting in here (to Shreveport)," head coach Dan Hawkins said after practice. "I thought they ran around well this evening. Execution is never where we want it to be, but the effort was there."

The team has been off since Sunday when players broke from morning practice and spent Christmas with their families. Senior linebacker Jordon Dizon said the short layoff should not be a concern for the Buffs.

"The guys have been traveling all day and we still have some of those holiday meals in us, so some of the guys were a little stiff," Dizon said. "We're getting ready to go and we'll be ready on Sunday."

Redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins said his teammates have done a good job of adjusting to the schedule this week.

"We have been practicing regularly these past few weeks," he said. "It was nice to have two days off for the holidays but we still have a lot to do. We have some things we need to polish up on and get ready for Alabama; we didn't come down here to lose."

Wednesday Notes: When asked what problems Alabama poses for the Buffs, Dan Hawkins said: "There aren't a lot of holes there. They are good in every phase." Senior defensive end Alonzo Barrett, who has several local ties to the area, said the team Alabama most reminds him of is Oklahoma: "Their offensive line is really similar to Oklahoma's; they are big, athletic and they get off the ball. They are very impressive when they run the ball. They have those big hogs up front that open up running lanes for their running backs." The Buffs will practice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Sunday's game. Temperatures in Shreveport Wednesday evening during practice were in the mid-40s.