Having moved to Colorado 19 years ago, I arrived relatively late on the scene among those fortunate enough to have known Eddie Crowder. We spoke a dozen or so times, usually when he would show up to watch a Buffaloes practice or if I needed to pick his brain on the phone about some college football issue.
My lasting memory will be of what would become our final conversation. It was during the 2008 signing day “celebration” at CU in February, when everybody was giddy over a class that included tailback Darrell Scott and other blue-chippers.
Cornering Eddie in a hallway, so others could not hear, I asked him about a theory I had.
“Eddie, let me know if this is crazy,” I said, “but I think Darrell Scott could become the most important signee for the CU football program since Bill McCartney went to Los Angeles and got Darian Hagan to be his option quarterback.”
I remember the old Oklahoma QB smiling back.
“I think you’re on to something,” he told me. “I hadn’t thought about that. But I think you’re right. At OU, I needed Billy Vessels (1952 Heisman Trophy-winning running back). Darrell Scott is going to help Coach Hawk’s offense. He will really help Cody.”
On Wednesday, just hours after learning that Eddie Crowder had died the previous night, I told Hagan of my conversation with Eddie on signing day. Hagan had been the lead recruiter on Scott.
“That really makes me feel good. I’m honored that Coach Crowder would say that,” Hagan said. “I hope he’s right about Darrell.”
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Reporting for “obit” stories isn’t much fun. And it can be frustrating talking to friends of the deceased. Everybody tries to be helpful. But you get a lot of “He was a wonderful guy” kind of stuff.
That’s nice, but doesn’t reveal what made that person tick. One of the most insightful comments I received on Wednesday came from John Meadows, the former Coors executive and ex-staffer of the CU athletic department.
“Eddie saw me as an opportunity (to get financial support from Coors),” Meadows explained. “He was an opportunist, that’s for sure. In that regard, he was a little bit ahead of his time. He brought in Continental Airlines. He brought in Jack Vickers.
“He was right on target, as it related to cultivating friends and business people. As a football coach, he knew he needed help. He needed facilities. He needed jobs. He started cultivating that long before he became athletic director. He did a lot for the University of Colorado.”
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The only time I saw Eddie Crowder at work as a coach, he was masterful. I was sitting up in the nosebleed student section at Ohio Stadium in 1971 when Colorado beat Ohio State 20-14.
At the time, Buckeye fans thought that was an upset. They didn’t know that CU would go on to finish No. 3 in the national polls. I’ll never forget the 68-yard punt return for a touchdown by Cliff Branch. The Buffs put on a show that day.
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Colorado sophomore receiver Scotty McKnight is taking advantage of CU’s open date and will be at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday for Ohio State’s game against Southern Cal. McKnight is a close friend of SC quarterback Mark Sanchez.
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Size of Eastern Washington’s media guide: 68 pages.
Size of West Virginia’s media guide: 208 pages.
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I hope I don’t hear any local media say “University of West Virginia” next week.
It’s West Virginia University, people.
Of course, it’s also the University of Colorado, not Colorado University. But “CU” has been accepted for decades.
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WVU first-year coach Bill Stewart is under fire for losing at East Carolina. But the catcalls might be louder if Stewart had not already showed the ability to recruit.
The Mountaineers have an oral commitment from the quarterback Tajh Boyd, a four-star quarterback from Hampton (Va.) Phoebus High School. Boyd is ranked by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 80 best prospect for all positions and figures to be the heir apparent to WVU senior quarterback Pat White.
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Quote of the week comes from University of Cincinnati defensive end Connor Barwin when asked after the 52-26 loss to Oklahoma about Sooners senior left tackle Phil Loadholt, the 6-foot-8, 337-pounder from Colorado Springs.
“I hope Loadholt is a top 10 pick (in the 2009 NFL Draft) or I’ve got a lot of work to do!’’ Barwin said.
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