BIG 12 CONFERENCE Colorado mimics Missouri's Smith to prep for game

Colorado is using Charlie Sherman III to emulate Missouri's Brad Smith.
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He's strong. He's fast. He's elusive. He has been a potent one-man offensive show in the past.
His name is Charlie Sherman III, but this week you can call him Brad Smith II. Everyone else is.
The University of Colorado football coaching staff turned to Sherman this week when looking for a player to serve as scout-team quarterback in preparation for Missouri.
Not many players can accurately stand in for Smith, the dynamic Heisman Trophy candidate from Chaney High who plays quarterback for the Tigers.
Sherman, a true freshman who is likely to red-shirt this season, is the best option for the Buffs, especially with fleet-footed former quarterbacks Bernard Jackson and Ryan Walters nursing injuries.
The true freshman from Sacramento, Calif., has been practicing at wide receiver and safety since arriving in Boulder in July, but coaches needed him to revert to his high school days this week.
Does decent impression
Sherman played quarterback in an option offense in high school, and he has managed to do a decent Smith impression so far.
"I'm doing the best I can to give the defense a good look," Sherman said.
His defensive teammates are taking their match-up with Smith so seriously this week, they are refusing to call Sherman by his name, even off the field. They call him Brad Smith instead. They made Sherman shed his No. 2 jersey, and handed him No. 16 for the week.
Sherman said when the team first began preparing for Missouri last week, he was able to break containment and create big plays like Smith, but the defense has become increasingly stout.
"Brad Smith is a great player, but I think our defense can stop him," Sherman said.
That is the primary challenge for the 3-0 Buffs as they begin the Big 12 Conference schedule this week in Missouri.
Total-yardage leader
Smith, a junior, already is Missouri's career record holder in total yardage, having gained a combined 7,597 yards on the ground and through the air.
He's among the most dangerous players in college football, despite suffering criticism for relying on his legs too frequently instead of progressing through reads in the passing game.
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel admits Smith has work to do in that area, but he pointed out what might be the most frightening part of Smith's resume.
"He's only three games into the second half of his career now," Pinkel said. "That's the other side you need to look at Brad Smith. When you look at it that way, understand that he's just got barely more than half of his career over with at Missouri."
Smith has completed just 57 percent of his passes for 670 yards and six touchdowns in the Tigers' first three games. He has run for 182 yards on 31 carries, including two touchdowns.
"He's tremendous, if you ask me," CU linebacker Brian Iwuh said.
Smith accounted for 380 total yards against the Buffs last year in what was considered a relatively successful day for the CU defense in a Folsom Field victory. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for 102 yards, but didn't provide many damaging and disheartening big plays.
The plan this year is to contain Smith by staying in running lanes and using one player on every play to act as a spy, mirroring Smith and forcing him to win the game with his arm.
It might seem like a strange tactic for the 116th-rated defense in the nation against the pass, but Smith has proven he can win games on the ground.