BOULDER — When Mel Tucker's Colorado Buffaloes open fall camp Thursday, it might be one of the most highly anticipated camps for the Buffs since Gary Barnett took the reins at CU 20 years ago.
But the difference in the two openings could not be more stark.
When Barnett — a former CU assistant — stepped in, the Buffs were still basking in the glow of the most successful 10-year stretch in program history. It was a decade that produced three straight conference titles, a national championship, a long list of All-Americans and national award winners (including a Heisman Trophy), and eight final top-20 rankings.