Cuts » Liufau on the mend, the team has a dilemma: G

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Jake Long was just waiting for that call from an NFL team, confident his right knee was healthy again and thus frustrated to be out of action.The Minnesota Vikings, with both a former coach and quarterback of Longs as a bonus, finally checked in on the other end of the line.I know the type of player that I am, and Ive still got a lot of football left, Long said Tuesday after his first practice with the team, taking most of his turns at left tackle.It was frustrating, but like I said, I kept my head down, rehabbed, worked out every single day and knew a call would come eventually, and it finally did.Minnesota also placed right tackle Andre Smith on injured reserve, with surgery required on his damaged right triceps. Left tackle Matt Kalil is already on injured reserve following surgery on his right hip, and T.J. Clemmings has had his struggles filling in. Jeremiah Sirles has taken over for Smith.Right guard Brandon Fusco was held out of practice on Tuesday, too, before the players left for their bye week. He left the 31-13 victory over Houston on Sunday with a concussion and was replaced by Zac Kerin.Mike Harris, who started last season at right guard and filled in at right tackle the season before, has also been unable to play because of an unspecified medical condition, and general manager Rick Spielman said the Vikings dont anticipate hell play again.So the Vikings badly needed some help, and the 31-year-old Long was a natural fit as a four-time Pro Bowl pick and All-Pro selection in 2010.With 10 players on injured reserve, totaling almost $33 million in space under their now-tight salary cap, the Vikings had to make a few adjustments to make Longs deal fit with a little magic wand, Spielman joked.Were pretty much strapped against the cap right now, Spielman said.The first overall pick in the 2008 draft out of Michigan, Long played his first five NFL seasons for Miami. The first four were under coach Tony Sparano, who is now offensive line coach in Minnesota. Then Long signed with St. Louis, where he spent two years with quarterback Sam Bradford, whos now running the offense for the Vikings.Long and Bradford tore their ACLs in both 2013 and 2014, ruining consecutive seasons for each of them. Long was released and eventually signed with Atlanta, for whom he appeared in four games as a reserve last season. Bradford was traded to Philadelphia last season and then to Minnesota last month.My body feels great right now, Long said. Honestly, this is the best Ive felt in a long time. Im about two years out from my ACL, so really had time to heal. My whole bodys had time to heal. I feel great.Asked whether Long was acquired to start in place of Clemmings or simply add depth, Spielman declined to answer.That part takes care of itself once they get in here, and then as the coaches work with them, as they learn the offense, just like when Sam came in here, Spielman said.And then, we get to evaluate them as we go through the practices. I dont know how itll turn out. I just know that he was the best option we felt strongly about to bring and get him in the fold after we lost Andre.The concepts and terminology under offensive coordinator Norv Turner will be new, but the blocking scheme with Sparano will be familiar for Long.Luckily weve got the bye week, Long said, and I can really get in the playbook and spend some time with him and learn everything.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---AP freelance writer Brian Hall contributed to this report. David Montgomery Jersey Large . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Custom Bears Jersey China . 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Then, it was right back to work.In just two months, the No. 21 Buffaloes have gone from overlooked to ranked, and their coach from on the hot seat to quite a hot streak.No time to enjoy the moment, though. Not with the Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) traveling to Southern California (2-3, 1-2) on Saturday. This just may be the best matchup possible to keep their focus. The Buffs are 0-10 all-time against the Trojans.Being ranked 21st doesnt give you seven extra points when you go out there on the field to start, said senior quarterback Sefo Liufau, whos missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Its an honor, but we still have a lot of work to do. We believe we have a lot more work to be done.Granted, MacIntyre wanted his player to relish the programs first national ranking since Nov. 6, 2005, but not get too carried away.It means nothing Saturday. We have to keep doing this week after week after week, said MacIntyre, whose team leads the South Division and is looking for its first bowl appearance since 2007. Its whats got us here, our work ethic and believing in Colorado football. They have to keep doing that exact same thing. I think its nice for those young men, for as hard as theyve worked, to be acknowledged for something. But its just a blip right now.Still, its a measure of validation for MacIntyre that his program is on the right track. His job appeared in jeopardy heading into this season after going 10-27 during his first three seasons in Boulder.To really build a program, build it with integrity and build it with character and develop the type of young men you want to develop and stabilize it with a foundation for years to come, it definitely takes a while, said MacIntyre, who turned around the San Jose State program before arriving at Colorado. You cant build a housse overnight and have a bad foundation because it falls apart.dddddddddddd It definitely takes time to do that.Heres an illustration of how far the Buffaloes have traveled: They can sidestep some big injuries. Since Liufau, the schools all-time leading passer, hurt his ankle at Michigan, freshman Steven Montez has stepped in and they havent missed a beat. Montez has guided the Buffaloes to wins at Oregon and last week against Oregon State.That first day (Montez) was told he was going to play, you could see a fire lit in him. He was more amped up, junior receiver Shay Fields said. He was leading the offense, getting the (offensive) line huddled up, getting (on) the receivers, especially when we had bad practices, he would get on us -- just like Sefo. He was that leader away from our original leader.With Liufau on the mend, the team has a dilemma: Go with him or keep riding the hot hand of Montez. It will be a game-time decision, even if Liufau said he was 100 percent after practice Tuesday.I dont want to put him out there if hes not fully ready to go, MacIntyre said.This trip to Los Angeles will be a homecoming of sorts since many Colorado players hail from the area. Fields grew up a USC fan and as a kid proudly wore a Trojans jersey featuring Reggie Bushs number. So did fellow receiver Bryce Bobo, whos well aware of his teams past struggles against Southern Cal. Hes also well aware that not many are taking the Buffaloes all that seriously, considering theyre a 4 1/2-point underdog this weekend.We worked hard to get to the point where we are right now, said Bobo, who was born in Pasadena, California. Regardless of if theyre saying, `Oh, really, Colorado? and stuff like that, we have playmakers on this team and thats what were here to show the nation.---Follow Pat Graham on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pgraham34. ' ' '