The final score may not look so bad on paper, but the reality of the matter is that the Colorado State Rams are a much better football team than the University of Colorado. This writer, for one, hopes that CSU wins the remainder of their games. If they can get by Boise State and Boston College, they have a chance to run the table.
The thing they need to find out now is whether they were really that dominating or whether Colorado really is as bad as they looked. Can an offensive line made up of new starters all across the board (after the starting left tackle was injured early in the game) really be counted on to open holes big enough to drive hybrid four wheel drive vehicles through? Or is the Colorado defensive line really that bad? Only time will tell.
Unfortunately for Colorado, their offensive line played as poorly as their defensive line. Just like last year, the Buffs cannot run the ball, especially when they are lined up to do nothing but run the ball. They get a first down inside the 5 yard line and bring on the power run package of blockers as if challenging the defense to stop them from running the ball. Sadly, the challenge was accepted and the CSU defensive front DID stop them on three consecutive running plays. From that point on, Colorado State completely dominated the rest of the game.
After Colorado kicked a field goal to take a 10-0 lead, the play calling of Offensive Coordinator Brian Lindgren became truly offensive. It was unimaginative and certainly showed that Lindgren is incapable of adjusting his play calling during the game. Coach McElwain of CSU and his staff adjusted well and turned the game around after CU dominated the first quarter.
Colorado plays two teams in the next three weeks that only went 1-11 last year. After the sorry display against Colorado State put on by the Buffs, it is certainly possible that Hawaii and UMass are licking their chops to get onto the field with Colorado. Even if the Buffs do win against those teams, chances are that they will be the only two victories the Buffs can expect to see this year.
Earlier today I wrote about the Buffaloes being a team in search of an identity. The sad fact is that the Buffs has found an identity, and that is they there are a poorly coached football team. It would be pointless to single out individual players as the cause for Colorado's disgraceful performance. Football is a team game and the Buffs lost as a team.
The coaches, however, deserve to be called on the carpet. They failed in every aspect of the game. The coordinators (Lindgren and Kent Baer) , the line coaches (Gary Bernardi and Jim Jeffcoat), and the so-called special teams coach (Toby Neinas). They came up with the game plans, and they are responsible for the results.
The clock is ticking now and the job security that MacIntyre and his staff felt during the offseason and camp is a whole lot less secure. All fall camp, fans have heard nothing except how much better the Buffs would be in the trenches and on special teams. At this point, those claims are nothing but lies.
It doesn't look to get any better with a fierce Pac-12 schedule ahead. Buff fans and their dwindling confidence in the CU football program figures to take another big hit when the Arizona State Sun Devil juggernaut comes to Boulder on September 13th for the season's home opener. It may very well be the first of many lopsided scores in conference play. Also look for it to be the first in a long line of dwindling attendance at Folsom Field.
Unless magical changes occur in the very near future, this season looks to rival the infamous 2012 season for Colorado football futility. Mac needs to shake up his team from top to bottom, including the coaches. It's obvious that going with they guys with the "most experience" only works when those guys have experience winning.
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