To absolutely no one's surprise, Colorado's Mike MacIntyre was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year today. Since Mac is listed as the odds-on favorite for National Coach of the Year, many saw the Pac-12 nod as a formality. Such are the expectations when your team improves from 4-8 (1-8 in conference) the previous season to 10-2 (8-1 in Pac-12 play), and a #9 ranking nationally.
The other coaches in the Top 10 earned a combined total of $39,682,747 between them. That's an average of $4,409,194 apiece.
Mike MacIntyre's salary of $2,011,450 was less than HALF of the average of the top 10, with only Wisconsin's Paul Christ ($2,706,200) joining Mac under the $3 million threshold.
Seven schools pay their head coaches salaries of $5 MILLION or more. Jim Harbaugh at Michigan leads the pack with more than $9 Million. Nick Saban at Alabama earns close to $7 million. And Urban Meyer at Ohio State earns more than $6 million. Others in the $5 million range include Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, Jimbo Fisher at Florida State, Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M, and Charlie Strong (now fired) at Texas.
In the Pac-12, MacIntyre was the lowest paid coach in the conference this year. David Shaw at Stanford pulled in the highest salary at more than $4 million. Six more coaches in the conference make more than $3 million per year. And four earn between $2.5 and $3 million. And then, way down at the bottom, more than a half million less than his lowest paid conference peer is Mike MacIntyre.
If you compare cost per victory in the Pac-12 this season, the numbers are even more startling. MacIntyre earned just over $201,000 per victory this year. The next lowest (or most efficient) went to Mike Leach at Washington State. He was paid $368,750 per victory. His pay per victory was almost double MacIntyre's.
The least efficient salaries as far as the schools were concerned went to Rich Rodriguez at Arizona ($953K per victory), Jim Mora at UCLA ($863K per victory) and Mark Helfrich at Oregon ($828K per victory).
The average cost per victory in the Pac-12 (not including Colorado) was around $592,000 That means the average cost per victory not earned by Colorado was almost THREE times higher than what Mike MacIntyre earned.
Mac has done his job, and now it's time for AD Rick George and the University of Colorado to pay the piper and compensate their head football coach and the assistant coaches as well.
Top of the line Defensive Coordinators are now making $1-1.5 MILLION per year. No one can doubt that Jim Leavitt is one of the top DC's in all of college football. In fact, Leavitt is a finalist for the Broyles Award, which goes to the top assistant in college football.
Three of the finalists for the Broyles Award are defensive coordinators at Michigan, Alabama and Clemson. The head coaches of those schools collectively earn in excess of $21 Million. Needless to say, their DC's earn significantly more than Leavitt's $500K.
Unless the Buffs want to find themselves facing a defense that Leavitt is coaching, they need to do whatever is necessary to keep him in Boulder. Pay him commensurate with his top notch peers and there will be a much better chance that he doesn't bolt for a better paying job.
Leavitt loves Boulder. His wife Jody loves Boulder. His kids love Boulder. Buffs fans in Boulder love Leavitt. The University of Colorado needs to commit the dollars to keep this love affair going.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Papa George MacIntyre Would Be Very Proud of the Job Done by his Son Mike Coaching the Colorado Buffaloes
George MacIntyre was a very good man and an excellent coach. He was so good as a coach that he earned the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year award in 1982 while coaching at Vanderbilt. He also earned the Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year awards the same year.
In 1981, Vanderbilt's record was 4-8 (1-5 in the SEC). In 1982, they improved to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the SEC. Their three losses in the regular season were all on the road, two to Top-5 teams (Alabama and Georgia) and another to #11 North Carolina.
Winning the "Bobby Dodd" is a big deal. Since the award was created in 1976, only two coaches have won it twice. Neither one was Nick Saban, who has only won it once. In fact, the Colorado head coach carries the "Bobby Dodd" coin his father won in his pocket as a constant and solid reminder of excellence in coaching.
Coaching and football is a family affair for the MacIntyre family. Mike played for his father at Vanderbilt. And his son Jay plays for him at Colorado. It's in their genes.
Thirty-four years after his father won the Bobby Dodd COY, Colorado's Mike MacIntyre is now the odds-on favorite for national coach of the year honors. He is proving that lightning can indeed strike twice. The MacIntyre family may soon be very well the holders of TWO Bobby Dodd coins.
National Coach of the Year would be the 2nd time for the University of Colorado in the last 27 years. The first went to the original Coach Mac, Bill McCartney. In 1989, when the Buffaloes went 11-0 in the regular season, he won the Eddie Robinson CoY, the Walter Camp CoY, the Bear Bryant CoY, and the same award from the American Football Coaches Association.
What has Mike MacIntyre done this year? He has led the Buffaloes to an amazing 10-2 record, including 8-1 in the Pac-12. This was after the Buffs had won a grand total of TWO Pac-12 games in the prior three years. The Buffs won the Pac-12 South and will play against Washington in the Pac-12 Championship game on Friday.
Due to his battle with 20 year battle with Multiple Sclerosis, Papa George never got the chance to watch his son as a head coach in person. And during Mike's first three years at Colorado, he had to deal with the diminishing health of his father. Last season was particularly difficult personally for the Colorado coach, as George MacIntyre died on January 5th of this year.
The lessons that Mike MacIntyre learned from his father and coach have served him well in his career. And the job he has done this year is a fitting tribute to the man who meant the most to Mike MacIntyre's growth as a family man and coach. And to all who have witnessed the amazing feats accomplished by the Colorado Buffaloes this year, it is quite apparent that Papa George would be very proud of his son's accomplishments.
Photo Copyright -- Mark Rubi
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Rediscovering the Absolute Joy of Colorado Buffaloes Football
After a nightmare decade for fans, players and coaches, football at the University of Colorado is an absolute joy to behold once again. But it was not easy to find the joy, even though the Buffs have made the biggest turnaround in the entire country this year.
What really made the joy pop out to me was watching the students rush the field following the win over the #20 ranked Washington State Cougars. They did not run to the goal posts. They ran and surrounded their young men who represent their school. They bobbed up and down in euphoria and hugged and high-fived everyone they could.
The picture above does not really show the immense emotional impact, but the video's I shot show it all. I got a lump in my throat while watching these students celebrate. It reminded me of some times around 30 years ago when my wife and I were students and in the celebratory throngs.
I was lucky. When I was a student, the Buffs made their turnaround under Bill McCartney in my first year at CU. Mac won coach of the year in the Big 8 for taking a one win team from 1984 to a seven win team in 1985. And the next year we beat Nebraska for the first time in 20 years. The joy we felt was intensely palpable.
Then it dawned on me. For the Colorado students of 2016, the Buffs had not been in as big a game since most of them were in elementary school (or pre-school for some of the younger students). They joy they showed after the big victory Saturday evening was also intensely palpable.
Some writers have penned that the Buffs students should respect the sanctity of the field and not rush onto the gridiron to celebrate. That attitude is BS. After all, WE rushed the field when we were students. We wanted to celebrate with our classmates in the stands and on the field. We wanted to be overcome with joy. And like the students this year, we most certainly were.
The job being done by head coach Mike MacIntyre is phenomenal. All the coaches deserve credit for a turnaround that was three years in the making. Quarterback Sefo Liufau, the unquestioned leader of this Buffs team, has taught his teammates how to have the heart and resolve of a champion.
Sefo Liufau and his teammates deserve to celebrate with their classmates in the stands and on the field. The other seniors like Liufau only have a few more games before their careers are over. They have been through the worst times and through sheer will and determination have brought Colorado football back from the abyss.
They deserve to revel in absolute joy. They've earned it.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
The Colorado Buffaloes Have Delivered a Magical Season. It's Time for Fans to Return the Favor!
The Colorado football family has enjoyed a magical season so far in 2016. The Buffaloes sit at 8-2, and their six conference wins this season has more than doubled their previous five year total since joining the Pac-12 in 2011.
Folsom Field has once again become a hard venue to play in for opposing teams. And, as Ryan Moeller pointed out, the Buffs are now a team with a "certain swagger" to how they carry themselves off and on the field. It's the end result of countless hours of relentless work to turn the Buffaloes from one of the worst teams in the country to one which is now in the Top 10 of teams ranked for the College Football Playoff.
Fans should appreciate the quality of football being offered to them this month. They would have to look all the way back to 1996 to find a November in which the Buffs played two games against ranked opponents while also being ranked themselves.
This year is a special treat for the Buffs family, because both of those games are set to be played at Folsom Field. Number 20 Washington State, riding an eight game winning streak, comes to town this Saturday to pit the Pac-12's #1 team from the North against the #1 team from the South.
Next week, #11 Utah comes to Boulder. If the Buffs win both these games, they will represent the South division in the Pac-12 championship game. If they lose even one of the two, the championship game scenario becomes much more unlikely.
Some have erroneously reported that if the Buffs lose even one game that they cannot win the South. That is not true. But they would need serious help. The Buffs would absolutely have to beat Utah, and USC would have to lose to UCLA (unlikely, I know, but Trojan-Bruin rivalry is not based on records). That would give the Utes and the Trojans three conference losses, and the Buffs would only have two if they beat Utah and lose to Wazzu.
What is absolutely true is that any loss would end Colorado's unlikely possibility of playing in the college football playoffs. What is also true is that if Colorado wins the last two games and earns a trip to the Pac-12 Championship game, it will mean ending the season against FOUR ranked teams if CU's bowl game is counted.
These things make this a rare year for those in the stands at Folsom Field. The opportunity to watch TWO ranked teams take the field in Boulder does not happen very often, and to have it happen twice in the Golden Games of November is rarer still.
Fans should enjoy the job that has been done by Mike MacIntyre and his entire coaching staff. And they should also appreciate the work done by a remarkable group of student athletes.
We can show our appreciation by making Folsom Field LOUD, PROUD, and CROWDED for the final games of the year. The Buffs have done their part this year to make this season magical. It's time for Buffs fans to do their part as well and give their boys a full house to play in these last two weeks.
Go Buffs.
Folsom Field has once again become a hard venue to play in for opposing teams. And, as Ryan Moeller pointed out, the Buffs are now a team with a "certain swagger" to how they carry themselves off and on the field. It's the end result of countless hours of relentless work to turn the Buffaloes from one of the worst teams in the country to one which is now in the Top 10 of teams ranked for the College Football Playoff.
Fans should appreciate the quality of football being offered to them this month. They would have to look all the way back to 1996 to find a November in which the Buffs played two games against ranked opponents while also being ranked themselves.
This year is a special treat for the Buffs family, because both of those games are set to be played at Folsom Field. Number 20 Washington State, riding an eight game winning streak, comes to town this Saturday to pit the Pac-12's #1 team from the North against the #1 team from the South.
Next week, #11 Utah comes to Boulder. If the Buffs win both these games, they will represent the South division in the Pac-12 championship game. If they lose even one of the two, the championship game scenario becomes much more unlikely.
Some have erroneously reported that if the Buffs lose even one game that they cannot win the South. That is not true. But they would need serious help. The Buffs would absolutely have to beat Utah, and USC would have to lose to UCLA (unlikely, I know, but Trojan-Bruin rivalry is not based on records). That would give the Utes and the Trojans three conference losses, and the Buffs would only have two if they beat Utah and lose to Wazzu.
What is absolutely true is that any loss would end Colorado's unlikely possibility of playing in the college football playoffs. What is also true is that if Colorado wins the last two games and earns a trip to the Pac-12 Championship game, it will mean ending the season against FOUR ranked teams if CU's bowl game is counted.
These things make this a rare year for those in the stands at Folsom Field. The opportunity to watch TWO ranked teams take the field in Boulder does not happen very often, and to have it happen twice in the Golden Games of November is rarer still.
Fans should enjoy the job that has been done by Mike MacIntyre and his entire coaching staff. And they should also appreciate the work done by a remarkable group of student athletes.
We can show our appreciation by making Folsom Field LOUD, PROUD, and CROWDED for the final games of the year. The Buffs have done their part this year to make this season magical. It's time for Buffs fans to do their part as well and give their boys a full house to play in these last two weeks.
Go Buffs.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Where Have You Gone, Colorado Offense? Must the D do it all?
In some ways, 2016 has already been a magical season for long-suffering fans of the Colorado Buffaloes. For the first time in almost a decade, the Buffs know they are going bowling. Pre-season hot-seat head coach Mike MacIntyre is now listed as a top 5 candidate for Coach of the Year.
Better than that even is that these Buffs who were picked to finish last in the Pac-112 South are alone in first place in their division with two out of three of their last games at Folsom Field. This season, for the first time in what seems like forever, the Buffs control their own destiny.
Last season, the Buffs defense made a large improvement under the guidance of new coaches Jim Leavitt (Coordinator and Linebackers) and Joe Tumpkin (Safeties). Buff fans expected the D to be even better this year, and the defense has outperformed even the most generous prognosticators.
After nine games, the Buffs have given up only 155 points, slightly over 17 points a game. But that stat is skewed because 45 of those points were scored by #2 Michigan in Ann Arbor. The main reason the Buffs are in first place in the Pac-12 South it that they are giving up only 16 points per game against conference foes. As the season goes along, though, the D is becoming a dominant force. They have given up only 15 points total in the last two games, against Stanford and UCLA.
In a few hours from now, they will take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson. Arizona has had a horrible year, but they are a historically solid program with eight bowls in the last nine years. That won't happen this year, but the UA players and their head coach Rich Rodriguez are a proud bunch who would love nothing more than to take down a ranked team to help salvage their season.
Meanwhile, the Buffs offense has struggled mightily the last few games. In three of the last four, the Buffs have averaged less than 16 points per game. That's a far cry from the 42+ points per game the Buffs scored earlier in the season.
It will be important to get the offense going tonight, for sure, because the next two opponents, Utah and Washington State, are both ranked in the Top 25.
After many explosive plays earlier in the season, they seem to have dried up for the Buffs. The have had 38 plays of 20 yards or longer (including 13 of more than 40), but only TWO total in the last two games. Both of those were runs by Phillip Lindsay. The Buffs have not had a pass completion longer than 20 yards since the Arizona State game.
Even though the Buffs stand at 7-2, Buff fans are wondering loudly what happened to the explosiveness of the offense. They point out that early in the season that the Buffs were an unknown since they had a new co-offensive coordinator in Darrin Chiaverini and a new commitment to the hurry-up offense. That speed of play seemed surprising to many of the teams on the schedule, and the pace allowed the Buffs to surprise people with big plays over and over again. They even did it to #2 Michigan, the best defense in the country.
Lately, though, some of the better coaches in the league have seemed to figure out how to slow the Buffs big play offense, particularly in the air. David Shaw, Jim Mora and Clay Helton (with help from defensive mastermind Clancy Pendergrast) have quite effectively taken away the big passing game of the Buffs.
Granted, Stanford and the LA schools have the talent in the defensive backfield. But Michigan has a great secondary as well. What the Buffs seem to have lost is their element of surprise that was in their favor early in the season. It seems like they have fallen back to the bad form of being completely predictable in their play-calling.
Also, the offensive co-coordinators Brian Lindgren and Darrin Chiaverini, have been horrible at making in-game adjustments to their game plans. They also have a very questionable habit of going away from what is working. It's like they want the Buffs to be a dominant passing team even when the opponent gears their defense to stopping the pass. Likewise, they choose to run between the tackles against stacked box defenses.
Fortunately, the Buffs SHOULD be able to put numerous big plays on the board tonight against a reeling Arizona team. But the coaches need to be ready, because better teams are ahead and the Buffs cannot waltz to the Pac-12 championship game. USC is rolling right now, and they are just behind the Buffs and win the tiebreaker due to their victory over CU. Utah is also just behind, but the Buffs play them to end the regular season.
Most importantly, the Buffs must strive to be better. We have seen the strides made by the D this year to become one of the best in the country.
But the offense seems to be collapsing with inconsistency at the most important time of the season. The players can't be faulted though. The Buffs offense is really not good enough to be dominant if the opposing defensive coordinator has a good idea what plays the Buffs will call.
I know I am not alone in being able to pretty accurately anticipate what plays Lindgren will call in certain situations. And that's from watching the games once (sometimes twice). The Buffs need to realize that their opponents are studying their game film to find a way to stop them. In the last two games (and three of the last four), it has worked like a charm.
The saving grace has been the DEFENSE. But the Buffs cannot insist that the D does it all if they want to make it to the Pac-12 Championship.
Better than that even is that these Buffs who were picked to finish last in the Pac-112 South are alone in first place in their division with two out of three of their last games at Folsom Field. This season, for the first time in what seems like forever, the Buffs control their own destiny.
Last season, the Buffs defense made a large improvement under the guidance of new coaches Jim Leavitt (Coordinator and Linebackers) and Joe Tumpkin (Safeties). Buff fans expected the D to be even better this year, and the defense has outperformed even the most generous prognosticators.
After nine games, the Buffs have given up only 155 points, slightly over 17 points a game. But that stat is skewed because 45 of those points were scored by #2 Michigan in Ann Arbor. The main reason the Buffs are in first place in the Pac-12 South it that they are giving up only 16 points per game against conference foes. As the season goes along, though, the D is becoming a dominant force. They have given up only 15 points total in the last two games, against Stanford and UCLA.
In a few hours from now, they will take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson. Arizona has had a horrible year, but they are a historically solid program with eight bowls in the last nine years. That won't happen this year, but the UA players and their head coach Rich Rodriguez are a proud bunch who would love nothing more than to take down a ranked team to help salvage their season.
Meanwhile, the Buffs offense has struggled mightily the last few games. In three of the last four, the Buffs have averaged less than 16 points per game. That's a far cry from the 42+ points per game the Buffs scored earlier in the season.
It will be important to get the offense going tonight, for sure, because the next two opponents, Utah and Washington State, are both ranked in the Top 25.
After many explosive plays earlier in the season, they seem to have dried up for the Buffs. The have had 38 plays of 20 yards or longer (including 13 of more than 40), but only TWO total in the last two games. Both of those were runs by Phillip Lindsay. The Buffs have not had a pass completion longer than 20 yards since the Arizona State game.
Even though the Buffs stand at 7-2, Buff fans are wondering loudly what happened to the explosiveness of the offense. They point out that early in the season that the Buffs were an unknown since they had a new co-offensive coordinator in Darrin Chiaverini and a new commitment to the hurry-up offense. That speed of play seemed surprising to many of the teams on the schedule, and the pace allowed the Buffs to surprise people with big plays over and over again. They even did it to #2 Michigan, the best defense in the country.
Lately, though, some of the better coaches in the league have seemed to figure out how to slow the Buffs big play offense, particularly in the air. David Shaw, Jim Mora and Clay Helton (with help from defensive mastermind Clancy Pendergrast) have quite effectively taken away the big passing game of the Buffs.
Granted, Stanford and the LA schools have the talent in the defensive backfield. But Michigan has a great secondary as well. What the Buffs seem to have lost is their element of surprise that was in their favor early in the season. It seems like they have fallen back to the bad form of being completely predictable in their play-calling.
Also, the offensive co-coordinators Brian Lindgren and Darrin Chiaverini, have been horrible at making in-game adjustments to their game plans. They also have a very questionable habit of going away from what is working. It's like they want the Buffs to be a dominant passing team even when the opponent gears their defense to stopping the pass. Likewise, they choose to run between the tackles against stacked box defenses.
Fortunately, the Buffs SHOULD be able to put numerous big plays on the board tonight against a reeling Arizona team. But the coaches need to be ready, because better teams are ahead and the Buffs cannot waltz to the Pac-12 championship game. USC is rolling right now, and they are just behind the Buffs and win the tiebreaker due to their victory over CU. Utah is also just behind, but the Buffs play them to end the regular season.
Most importantly, the Buffs must strive to be better. We have seen the strides made by the D this year to become one of the best in the country.
But the offense seems to be collapsing with inconsistency at the most important time of the season. The players can't be faulted though. The Buffs offense is really not good enough to be dominant if the opposing defensive coordinator has a good idea what plays the Buffs will call.
I know I am not alone in being able to pretty accurately anticipate what plays Lindgren will call in certain situations. And that's from watching the games once (sometimes twice). The Buffs need to realize that their opponents are studying their game film to find a way to stop them. In the last two games (and three of the last four), it has worked like a charm.
The saving grace has been the DEFENSE. But the Buffs cannot insist that the D does it all if they want to make it to the Pac-12 Championship.
Friday, November 11, 2016
What's Happened to the Pac-12 Predictions in 2016?
Mike MacIntyre's 4th Colorado Buffaloes team entered the season finished to pick last yet again in the Pac-12 South. What else is new? So-called prognosticators in most cases are nothing more than those who review the last few seasons before sharing their "expert" advice.
Before the season, most of the media picked Stanford to win the North and UCLA to win the South. After those two, the next picks were Oregon and USC. The Washington Huskies were the 5th team selected in the Pac-12. Utah won 10 games last year and at one time were ranked #3 in the country, but they were expected to be only the 7th best team in the Pac-12 this hyear.
How has all this panned out? Stanford has stumbled to a 6-3 record while UCLA has collapsed to 3-6, a futile record that they share with Oregon.
Meanwhile, Washington is 9-0 and ranked #4 in the country. Colorado is 7-2, ranked #12 in the latest CFP poll, and alone in first place in the Pac-12 South.
Utah is 8-2 and ranked #15. USC, after a poor start is on a roll and ranked #20. Washington State started the season 0-2, but has since won seven straight to be ranked #23.
Arizona State and Arizona have had a rough patch unlike any in recent memory. The Sun Devils started the season 4-0, but since then they have lost 5 of 6. They have given up 180 points in their last four games. Arizona is winless in conference play (0-6) and have lost six in a row. They have given up 267 points in Pac-12 games, which is 44.5 per game.
Oregon will not be going to a bowl for the first time since the 2004 season. For UCLA, it will be first season not bowling since 2008. ASU will not go to a bowl for first time since 2010. Arizona has played in 8 bowl games in the last nine years. Not this year, though.
The moral of story, of course, is that the reason they play games is because any team in the conference can win or lose any conference game based on motivation, injuries, turnovers, horrible officiating or just plain luck.
North leader #4 Washington faces perhaps the most dangerous team on their schedule this weekend in USC. And South leader Colorado faces a down Arizona team with a long and proud history of taking down highly ranked teams in Tucson. Washington needed OT to beat them earlier this year. This is a game the Buffs must be prepared to take to the wire if necessary.
And best of all, these things represent the main reasons so many of us LOVE college football.
Before the season, most of the media picked Stanford to win the North and UCLA to win the South. After those two, the next picks were Oregon and USC. The Washington Huskies were the 5th team selected in the Pac-12. Utah won 10 games last year and at one time were ranked #3 in the country, but they were expected to be only the 7th best team in the Pac-12 this hyear.
How has all this panned out? Stanford has stumbled to a 6-3 record while UCLA has collapsed to 3-6, a futile record that they share with Oregon.
Meanwhile, Washington is 9-0 and ranked #4 in the country. Colorado is 7-2, ranked #12 in the latest CFP poll, and alone in first place in the Pac-12 South.
Utah is 8-2 and ranked #15. USC, after a poor start is on a roll and ranked #20. Washington State started the season 0-2, but has since won seven straight to be ranked #23.
Arizona State and Arizona have had a rough patch unlike any in recent memory. The Sun Devils started the season 4-0, but since then they have lost 5 of 6. They have given up 180 points in their last four games. Arizona is winless in conference play (0-6) and have lost six in a row. They have given up 267 points in Pac-12 games, which is 44.5 per game.
Oregon will not be going to a bowl for the first time since the 2004 season. For UCLA, it will be first season not bowling since 2008. ASU will not go to a bowl for first time since 2010. Arizona has played in 8 bowl games in the last nine years. Not this year, though.
The moral of story, of course, is that the reason they play games is because any team in the conference can win or lose any conference game based on motivation, injuries, turnovers, horrible officiating or just plain luck.
North leader #4 Washington faces perhaps the most dangerous team on their schedule this weekend in USC. And South leader Colorado faces a down Arizona team with a long and proud history of taking down highly ranked teams in Tucson. Washington needed OT to beat them earlier this year. This is a game the Buffs must be prepared to take to the wire if necessary.
And best of all, these things represent the main reasons so many of us LOVE college football.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Nine Games Into 2016, Mike MacIntyre Off the Hot Seat and Up for Coach of the Year
Mike MacIntyre entered the 2016 season on everybody's list of hot-seat coaches. The Buffs had won a total of TWO conference games over Mac's first three years as head coach at Colorado. My oh my, how things have changed.
Through 9 games this season, the Colorado Buffaloes are 7-2 and alone in first place in the Pac-12 South. Their FIVE conference wins so far have already doubled their total wins against Pac-12 foes since joining the conference in 2011.
And, Mac has gone from being on everybody's hot seat to one of the favorites for National Coach of the Year awards. If the Buffs win out the season and Mac takes CoY honors, he will join his father in winning such an award. George MacIntyre won several national coach of the year awards in 1982 while coaching at Vanderbilt.
Unfortunately for Mac, the coach listed as the odds-on-favorite for the coaching honors is Chris Petersen of the undefeated and #4 ranked Washington Huskies. If UW and Colorado both win their remaining regular season games, they will meet in the Pac-12 championship game. The winning coach may very well win coach of the year.
Big turnarounds for Buffs programs leading to coaching awards is not new at Colorado. Bill McCartney's 4th season saw the Buffs go from one win the prior year to seven in 1985. The original Mac won Big 8 coach of the year that season, beating out Barry Switzer of Oklahoma. What made it all the more impressive for Bill Mac is that OU won the national championship that year.
Through nine games this year, MacIntyre has earned a solid A grade. There is even speculation that Mac is now being sought after by programs in search of a head coach. Baylor has been mentioned as the leading candidate.
What will Mac do if the Buffs win out, play in the Pac-12 title game, and defeat whoever represents the North? He'll be fielding calls and offers if it happens, and he just might walk away with coach of the year awards as well.
The worst case scenario, however, is that the Buffaloes continue to struggle on offense and lose one or more of their remaining games. That would likely end the possibility of playing for the Pac-12 title, and with it would go the elusive coach of the year award. He might still be sought after by other programs, but certainly not with the same fervor that would be present if the Buffs win 10 games.
If the Buffs do win 10, Mac's grade will rise to an A+. If the Buffs fall flat in the last few games, the grade could fall all the way down to a B.
The Buffs surprised everyone around the country early in the season with their explosive offense. Now that there is film to look at the Buffs have been slowed down considerably by opposing defensive coordinators. USC, Stanford and UCLA all put shackles on the big plays the Buffs made often early in the season.
USC exploited the Buffs' seeming inability to adjust on the fly and took the victory. Stanford and UCLA also shut down the Buffs, but the games were won by Colorado due to outstanding defensive play which held the Cardinal and Bruins to a combined 15 points between them.
It's up to Mac and his offensive staff to get the Buffaloes back on track to explosiveness and playing as well as the defense. If they do, the Buffs can play against anyone in the country. Just ask Michigan. Colorado scored more points against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor than anyone the Wolverines have played.
If not, the Buffs will still have had an outstanding turnaround season. But they also will have to deal with the fact that expectations for the program have risen substantially. Fans want them challenging for championships, not being content to just get to a bowl game.
My oh my, how things have changed. Stay tuned for how it ends up.
Through 9 games this season, the Colorado Buffaloes are 7-2 and alone in first place in the Pac-12 South. Their FIVE conference wins so far have already doubled their total wins against Pac-12 foes since joining the conference in 2011.
And, Mac has gone from being on everybody's hot seat to one of the favorites for National Coach of the Year awards. If the Buffs win out the season and Mac takes CoY honors, he will join his father in winning such an award. George MacIntyre won several national coach of the year awards in 1982 while coaching at Vanderbilt.
Unfortunately for Mac, the coach listed as the odds-on-favorite for the coaching honors is Chris Petersen of the undefeated and #4 ranked Washington Huskies. If UW and Colorado both win their remaining regular season games, they will meet in the Pac-12 championship game. The winning coach may very well win coach of the year.
Big turnarounds for Buffs programs leading to coaching awards is not new at Colorado. Bill McCartney's 4th season saw the Buffs go from one win the prior year to seven in 1985. The original Mac won Big 8 coach of the year that season, beating out Barry Switzer of Oklahoma. What made it all the more impressive for Bill Mac is that OU won the national championship that year.
Through nine games this year, MacIntyre has earned a solid A grade. There is even speculation that Mac is now being sought after by programs in search of a head coach. Baylor has been mentioned as the leading candidate.
What will Mac do if the Buffs win out, play in the Pac-12 title game, and defeat whoever represents the North? He'll be fielding calls and offers if it happens, and he just might walk away with coach of the year awards as well.
The worst case scenario, however, is that the Buffaloes continue to struggle on offense and lose one or more of their remaining games. That would likely end the possibility of playing for the Pac-12 title, and with it would go the elusive coach of the year award. He might still be sought after by other programs, but certainly not with the same fervor that would be present if the Buffs win 10 games.
If the Buffs do win 10, Mac's grade will rise to an A+. If the Buffs fall flat in the last few games, the grade could fall all the way down to a B.
The Buffs surprised everyone around the country early in the season with their explosive offense. Now that there is film to look at the Buffs have been slowed down considerably by opposing defensive coordinators. USC, Stanford and UCLA all put shackles on the big plays the Buffs made often early in the season.
USC exploited the Buffs' seeming inability to adjust on the fly and took the victory. Stanford and UCLA also shut down the Buffs, but the games were won by Colorado due to outstanding defensive play which held the Cardinal and Bruins to a combined 15 points between them.
It's up to Mac and his offensive staff to get the Buffaloes back on track to explosiveness and playing as well as the defense. If they do, the Buffs can play against anyone in the country. Just ask Michigan. Colorado scored more points against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor than anyone the Wolverines have played.
If not, the Buffs will still have had an outstanding turnaround season. But they also will have to deal with the fact that expectations for the program have risen substantially. Fans want them challenging for championships, not being content to just get to a bowl game.
My oh my, how things have changed. Stay tuned for how it ends up.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Colorado Buffaloes IMPLODE Emotionally, But Dominant Defense Pulls Out Another Win
Mike MacIntyre and the Colorado Buffaloes were served up a triple scoop of psychological warfare by UCLA. The Buffs' angry and emotional response almost allowed the reeling Bruins to pull off an upset big enough to propel them toward a bowl game at the end of the season. Almost.
Bruins head coach Jim Mora is no dummy. And he is a hell of a recruiter. Last signing day the Bruins signed FOURTEEN 4-star recruits, including NINE of the ESPN Top 300. In the last four years, Mora's Bruins signed a total of 46 four-star players. That number is enough to have Buffs fans frothing at the mouth.
UCLA obviously came in with a specific game plan to mess with the heads of the Colorado Buffaloes, and the Buffs took it hook, line, and sinker. And it almost cost them the game on national television. Almost.
Jim Mora knows that UCLA and USC are the big fish when it comes to feeding on the recruiting grounds of California. Teams like Colorado have to settle for the leftovers and the under-the-radar players that Mike MacIntyre is so adept at identifying and signing.
The Buffaloes have nearly 40 players from the state of California on their roster. So it's safe to say that a LOT of the players from these two teams knew and/or played against each other in high school. And the fact of the matter is that the kids playing for UCLA were higher rated recruits. They knew it and the Buffs from California knew it as well.
Most of the Buffs from the Golden State grew up hoping for a scholarship offer to from the Bruins or Southern Cal. It would allow them to stay closer to home and the inherent support system that allows. Home cooking is a sports metaphor with real meat to it.
Then, there is the case of history. In Colorado's first five years in the league, UCLA and the Pac-12 had their way with Colorado. Sometimes it was close, but the Buffs always seemed to end up on the losing side before this season. All the bragging rights going back to high school belonged to the Bruins players. They were better in high school, and now they were better in college. Until this year, that is.
Like it was said before, the UCLA coach is a smart guy. He knew coming into this game that the Buffaloes were a better team on the record books and the stat sheet. The Buffs were 6-2, while the Bruins were 3-5. The Bruins had five close losses that came down to the last drive of the game (that should sound achingly familiar to Colorado fans).
The Bruins have had too much raw talent to be blown out. That's what Mora has banked on this year: Keep it close and find SOMETHING to put the Bruins over the top. The Bruins' coach knew that the only hope of beating the Buffs in Folsom Field was to turn it into a street fight and hope the Buffs would lose their cool. The Buffs did lose their cool, and it almost cost them the game. Almost.
UCLA came out talking smack from the get-go, and taking cheap shots in the piles hoping to draw angry responses from the Buffs. It worked like a charm. It's an old adage in football that it's always the SECOND piece of bad behavior that gets called by the refs. So the Bruins poked, prodded, and yanked on helmets and limbs while mouthing off non-stop. Unfortunately, the Buffs responded just as the Bruins hoped.
And the horribly clueless Pac-12 refs basically lost control of the game. The refs looked like a bunch of suburbanites who had been dropped in the ghetto, and their only protection was a yellow flag. They were too scared to call the Bruins (except on couple very egregious plays), and instead focused on the Buffs trying to protect themselves and their QB. On one play, when the Buffs should have had 2nd and goal from the one yard line, CU was hit with a 15 yard penalty after a UCLA player literally dragged Sefo Liufau from the pile by his head with no response from the refs. No, the refs did not drop a flag until one of the CU receivers tried to get between Liufau and the Bruin.
One could say that the Colorado players lost their cool, but that started from the top. Mike MacIntye was played like a fiddle by Mora, and emotionally drawn into a near melt-down on the sidelines. He was wide-eyed and screaming at the refs as well as his own players.
Mora, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber. He stayed calm, even while delaying the start of the second half while complaining that the safety of his players was being risked by the dangerous jeopardy of possibly tripping over marshmallows. Yes, marshmallows.
Another meltdown on the Buffs staff happened high above the field, where play caller and co-offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren continued to call passing plays against a very good pass defense and ignoring the running game against a horrible UCLA team against the run. In the Bruins last game, Utah tailback Joe Williams gained 332 yards against them.
What happened? The Buffs insisted on throwing into heavy coverage, and turned the ball over FOUR times. Anybody with access to replay knows that the Buffs really threw 4 interceptions. Calling one a "fumble" doesn't make it any less of a turnover. And, if it leaves the hand of QB with his arm moving forward, and is caught before it hits the ground five yards down the field, it is an interception. More worrisome is that the Buffs threw four pics and also fumbled three times.
If one just looks at the box score, one might come to the conclusion that the Buffs ran the ball 52 times and only threw it 33. But that would be a gross distortion of the truth. Almost HALF of the CU rushes were by the QB (all but one by Liufau). So, if you take away the dozen or so "runs" by the Buffs that were actually scrambles off of called passing plays, it is quite clear the Buffs offensive play-caller Lindgren REALLY wanted to win this game in the air. Gosh darn it, that's what his plan was BEFORE the game, and no way he's gonna change his play calling.
Mac's gotta do something. The UCLA game was the THIRD out of the last FOUR that the Buffs play calling on offense has been the weakest part of their game. It cost them a loss against USC, and the only reason the Buffs won against Stanford and UCLA is because the Colorado defense is so damned good under Jim Leavitt, Joe Tumpkin and the rest of the defensive staff.
The Buffaloes are good enough this year that they don't need to have Sefo try to win it all by himself. But Lindgren seems intent on ignoring whatever defensive strategies are facing the Buffs and winning it the way he wants it to be. Load the box like USC, and we run it up the middle. Lindgren doesn't seem to care. In one of the interceptions last night, the CU receiver was surrounded by no less than FIVE Bruins. FIVE. With that pattern, is it any wonder UCLA took it from our QB four times?
Today is the day that MacIntyre needs to look at the film and realize how easily manipulated he and his team were during the UCLA game. There are three games left between now and their stated goal of playing for the Pac-12 championship.
The Buffs, their head coach and their offensive play caller need to get their heads straight. They have to eliminate the hard-headed refusal to adjust their play-calling. And they have to eliminate their soft-headed response to negative emotional stimulus, from Mac on down. They can't continue to kill themselves with penalties and poor play-calling and hope the defense bails them out.
If the head coach loses his cool over and over, how hard is it for the players to follow suit? The Buffs need to understand the psychological ploys that will be thrown at them, and refuse to be baited into losing their composure. They need to remember that they are in first place in November, ranked, and needing to play big boy football the rest of the season.
Winning out the rest of the way will be the best revenge.
Bruins head coach Jim Mora is no dummy. And he is a hell of a recruiter. Last signing day the Bruins signed FOURTEEN 4-star recruits, including NINE of the ESPN Top 300. In the last four years, Mora's Bruins signed a total of 46 four-star players. That number is enough to have Buffs fans frothing at the mouth.
UCLA obviously came in with a specific game plan to mess with the heads of the Colorado Buffaloes, and the Buffs took it hook, line, and sinker. And it almost cost them the game on national television. Almost.
Jim Mora knows that UCLA and USC are the big fish when it comes to feeding on the recruiting grounds of California. Teams like Colorado have to settle for the leftovers and the under-the-radar players that Mike MacIntyre is so adept at identifying and signing.
The Buffaloes have nearly 40 players from the state of California on their roster. So it's safe to say that a LOT of the players from these two teams knew and/or played against each other in high school. And the fact of the matter is that the kids playing for UCLA were higher rated recruits. They knew it and the Buffs from California knew it as well.
Most of the Buffs from the Golden State grew up hoping for a scholarship offer to from the Bruins or Southern Cal. It would allow them to stay closer to home and the inherent support system that allows. Home cooking is a sports metaphor with real meat to it.
Then, there is the case of history. In Colorado's first five years in the league, UCLA and the Pac-12 had their way with Colorado. Sometimes it was close, but the Buffs always seemed to end up on the losing side before this season. All the bragging rights going back to high school belonged to the Bruins players. They were better in high school, and now they were better in college. Until this year, that is.
Like it was said before, the UCLA coach is a smart guy. He knew coming into this game that the Buffaloes were a better team on the record books and the stat sheet. The Buffs were 6-2, while the Bruins were 3-5. The Bruins had five close losses that came down to the last drive of the game (that should sound achingly familiar to Colorado fans).
The Bruins have had too much raw talent to be blown out. That's what Mora has banked on this year: Keep it close and find SOMETHING to put the Bruins over the top. The Bruins' coach knew that the only hope of beating the Buffs in Folsom Field was to turn it into a street fight and hope the Buffs would lose their cool. The Buffs did lose their cool, and it almost cost them the game. Almost.
UCLA came out talking smack from the get-go, and taking cheap shots in the piles hoping to draw angry responses from the Buffs. It worked like a charm. It's an old adage in football that it's always the SECOND piece of bad behavior that gets called by the refs. So the Bruins poked, prodded, and yanked on helmets and limbs while mouthing off non-stop. Unfortunately, the Buffs responded just as the Bruins hoped.
And the horribly clueless Pac-12 refs basically lost control of the game. The refs looked like a bunch of suburbanites who had been dropped in the ghetto, and their only protection was a yellow flag. They were too scared to call the Bruins (except on couple very egregious plays), and instead focused on the Buffs trying to protect themselves and their QB. On one play, when the Buffs should have had 2nd and goal from the one yard line, CU was hit with a 15 yard penalty after a UCLA player literally dragged Sefo Liufau from the pile by his head with no response from the refs. No, the refs did not drop a flag until one of the CU receivers tried to get between Liufau and the Bruin.
One could say that the Colorado players lost their cool, but that started from the top. Mike MacIntye was played like a fiddle by Mora, and emotionally drawn into a near melt-down on the sidelines. He was wide-eyed and screaming at the refs as well as his own players.
Mora, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber. He stayed calm, even while delaying the start of the second half while complaining that the safety of his players was being risked by the dangerous jeopardy of possibly tripping over marshmallows. Yes, marshmallows.
Another meltdown on the Buffs staff happened high above the field, where play caller and co-offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren continued to call passing plays against a very good pass defense and ignoring the running game against a horrible UCLA team against the run. In the Bruins last game, Utah tailback Joe Williams gained 332 yards against them.
What happened? The Buffs insisted on throwing into heavy coverage, and turned the ball over FOUR times. Anybody with access to replay knows that the Buffs really threw 4 interceptions. Calling one a "fumble" doesn't make it any less of a turnover. And, if it leaves the hand of QB with his arm moving forward, and is caught before it hits the ground five yards down the field, it is an interception. More worrisome is that the Buffs threw four pics and also fumbled three times.
If one just looks at the box score, one might come to the conclusion that the Buffs ran the ball 52 times and only threw it 33. But that would be a gross distortion of the truth. Almost HALF of the CU rushes were by the QB (all but one by Liufau). So, if you take away the dozen or so "runs" by the Buffs that were actually scrambles off of called passing plays, it is quite clear the Buffs offensive play-caller Lindgren REALLY wanted to win this game in the air. Gosh darn it, that's what his plan was BEFORE the game, and no way he's gonna change his play calling.
Mac's gotta do something. The UCLA game was the THIRD out of the last FOUR that the Buffs play calling on offense has been the weakest part of their game. It cost them a loss against USC, and the only reason the Buffs won against Stanford and UCLA is because the Colorado defense is so damned good under Jim Leavitt, Joe Tumpkin and the rest of the defensive staff.
The Buffaloes are good enough this year that they don't need to have Sefo try to win it all by himself. But Lindgren seems intent on ignoring whatever defensive strategies are facing the Buffs and winning it the way he wants it to be. Load the box like USC, and we run it up the middle. Lindgren doesn't seem to care. In one of the interceptions last night, the CU receiver was surrounded by no less than FIVE Bruins. FIVE. With that pattern, is it any wonder UCLA took it from our QB four times?
Today is the day that MacIntyre needs to look at the film and realize how easily manipulated he and his team were during the UCLA game. There are three games left between now and their stated goal of playing for the Pac-12 championship.
The Buffs, their head coach and their offensive play caller need to get their heads straight. They have to eliminate the hard-headed refusal to adjust their play-calling. And they have to eliminate their soft-headed response to negative emotional stimulus, from Mac on down. They can't continue to kill themselves with penalties and poor play-calling and hope the defense bails them out.
If the head coach loses his cool over and over, how hard is it for the players to follow suit? The Buffs need to understand the psychological ploys that will be thrown at them, and refuse to be baited into losing their composure. They need to remember that they are in first place in November, ranked, and needing to play big boy football the rest of the season.
Winning out the rest of the way will be the best revenge.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
November 1st Grades of Colorado's Defensive Coaching Staff
Yesterday, we looked at the grades of the offensive coaches for the Colorado coaching staff. Today, the focus moves to the defensive side of the ball.
Jim Jeffcoat -- A+
Defensive Line
I gotta admit that Jeffcoat has a special place in my heart. We're the same age and both showed up in Tempe, Arizona in 1979. I can still remember the tall gangly young man who grew into one of the finest players in Arizona State history and went on to become one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history.
Jim Jeffcoat has been with head coach Mike MacIntyre for six years, including the last four at Colorado. When he arrived, the Buffs' defensive line was routinely pushed around by Pac-12 offensive lines. Now, those young men under Jeffcoat are controlling the line of scrimmage. As far as defensive rankings are concerned, they have moved from worst to first.
Charles Clark -- A+
Cornerbacks
No coach on the staff has been working with Mike MacIntyre as long as Clark. He was a graduate assistant and Duke and followed Mac to San Jose State and then to Colorado.
Clark is known not only for his position coaching, but also as an outstanding recruiter and has a keen eye for talent. That combination has helped the Buffs upgrade their talent both on the field and on the sideline.
Clark not only works with the corners, but also the nickel backs along with Joe Tumpkin. His charges include Chidobe Awuzie, Ahkello Witherspoon, Isaiah Oliver and Anthony Julmisse. The collective work has helped make the Buffaloes' secondary one of the best in the conference and also the country.
Joe Tumpkin -- A++
Safeties
To say that Tumpkin is just a "safeties coach" would be a serious defamation. He is in just his 2nd year with the Buffs, but has a world of experience. At Central Michigan, he coached the entire secondary and was also defensive coordinator. Tumpkin understands how all parts of the D work together to create a cohesive and dominant force.
Tumpkin's knowledge provides excellent guidance to young cornerbacks coach Charles Clark, and together they have put together an outstanding secondary backing up Colorado's front six or seven.
Most importantly, Tumpkin works extremely well with defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt to help make the Buffs' D one of the best in the country. Tumpkin is also a great recruiter.
Jim Leavitt -- A+++
Linebackers and Defensive Coordinator
It's hard to find enough superlatives to talk about Jim Leavitt. He is, quite simply, one of the finest defensive minds in all of college football. He also showed his chops as a linebackers coach in the NFL where his unit had two All-Pro players and was a main reason the Jim Harbaugh led 49ers made it to the Super Bowl in 2013.
In his earlier years, he helped turn Kansas State from one of the laughingstocks of the college football world into a top defense under head coach Bill Snyder.
Later, he became the very FIRST head coach for the University of South Florida. He built that program from scratch and soon made them a Division 1-AA power. After moving to Division 1 (now FBS), Leavitt led his team to a #2 ranking. It was the fastest any NCAA team ever moved into the Top 10 after joining Division 1.
Jim Leavitt joined the Colorado staff in 2015 just days before the Buffs began spring drills and immediately made an impact. The Buffs had been one of the worst defensive teams in the country before he arrived and had been woeful in creating turnovers. Since Leavitt arrived, the Buffs have created a turnover in EVERY single game. It is the longest streak in the FBS.
In 2012, the Buffs gave up an astonishing 552 points (46 points per game). In 2014, the Buffs gave up 468 points (39 per game). In Leavitt's first year in Boulder, the Buffs improved by almost 12 points to giving up just over 27 ppg. This year, Leavitt's second, the Buffs are giving up only 18 points per game. Take away the loss on the road to #2 Michigan, and the Buffs are giving up only 14 points per game in one of the highest scoring conferences in the country.
OVERALL DEFENSIVE GRADE -- A++
Chances are, Leavitt will have a number of head coaching offers following this season. Only the fact that both Leavitt and his family ABSOLUTELY LOVE BOULDER do the Buffs have an outside possibility of keeping him much longer.
Jim Jeffcoat -- A+
Defensive Line
I gotta admit that Jeffcoat has a special place in my heart. We're the same age and both showed up in Tempe, Arizona in 1979. I can still remember the tall gangly young man who grew into one of the finest players in Arizona State history and went on to become one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history.
Jim Jeffcoat has been with head coach Mike MacIntyre for six years, including the last four at Colorado. When he arrived, the Buffs' defensive line was routinely pushed around by Pac-12 offensive lines. Now, those young men under Jeffcoat are controlling the line of scrimmage. As far as defensive rankings are concerned, they have moved from worst to first.
Charles Clark -- A+
Cornerbacks
No coach on the staff has been working with Mike MacIntyre as long as Clark. He was a graduate assistant and Duke and followed Mac to San Jose State and then to Colorado.
Clark is known not only for his position coaching, but also as an outstanding recruiter and has a keen eye for talent. That combination has helped the Buffs upgrade their talent both on the field and on the sideline.
Clark not only works with the corners, but also the nickel backs along with Joe Tumpkin. His charges include Chidobe Awuzie, Ahkello Witherspoon, Isaiah Oliver and Anthony Julmisse. The collective work has helped make the Buffaloes' secondary one of the best in the conference and also the country.
Joe Tumpkin -- A++
Safeties
To say that Tumpkin is just a "safeties coach" would be a serious defamation. He is in just his 2nd year with the Buffs, but has a world of experience. At Central Michigan, he coached the entire secondary and was also defensive coordinator. Tumpkin understands how all parts of the D work together to create a cohesive and dominant force.
Tumpkin's knowledge provides excellent guidance to young cornerbacks coach Charles Clark, and together they have put together an outstanding secondary backing up Colorado's front six or seven.
Most importantly, Tumpkin works extremely well with defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt to help make the Buffs' D one of the best in the country. Tumpkin is also a great recruiter.
Jim Leavitt -- A+++
Linebackers and Defensive Coordinator
It's hard to find enough superlatives to talk about Jim Leavitt. He is, quite simply, one of the finest defensive minds in all of college football. He also showed his chops as a linebackers coach in the NFL where his unit had two All-Pro players and was a main reason the Jim Harbaugh led 49ers made it to the Super Bowl in 2013.
In his earlier years, he helped turn Kansas State from one of the laughingstocks of the college football world into a top defense under head coach Bill Snyder.
Later, he became the very FIRST head coach for the University of South Florida. He built that program from scratch and soon made them a Division 1-AA power. After moving to Division 1 (now FBS), Leavitt led his team to a #2 ranking. It was the fastest any NCAA team ever moved into the Top 10 after joining Division 1.
Jim Leavitt joined the Colorado staff in 2015 just days before the Buffs began spring drills and immediately made an impact. The Buffs had been one of the worst defensive teams in the country before he arrived and had been woeful in creating turnovers. Since Leavitt arrived, the Buffs have created a turnover in EVERY single game. It is the longest streak in the FBS.
In 2012, the Buffs gave up an astonishing 552 points (46 points per game). In 2014, the Buffs gave up 468 points (39 per game). In Leavitt's first year in Boulder, the Buffs improved by almost 12 points to giving up just over 27 ppg. This year, Leavitt's second, the Buffs are giving up only 18 points per game. Take away the loss on the road to #2 Michigan, and the Buffs are giving up only 14 points per game in one of the highest scoring conferences in the country.
OVERALL DEFENSIVE GRADE -- A++
Chances are, Leavitt will have a number of head coaching offers following this season. Only the fact that both Leavitt and his family ABSOLUTELY LOVE BOULDER do the Buffs have an outside possibility of keeping him much longer.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Post Halloween Grades for the University of Colorado Football Offensive Coaching Staff
For the first time in more than a decade, the Colorado Buffaloes football program enters November with six wins and bowl eligibility already under their belts. It's a heady place to be, but this team has suffered for years and will not be satisfied to just settle for six wins and any old bowl game.
No, this team wants more. They want it all, really. And the men responsible for that attitude are not just the ones playing in the games, but also the ones doing the coaching and training.
And for the first time in more than a decade, the grades are not as scary as the Halloween season.
Drew Wilson -- A+++
Director of Football Strength and Conditioning
Technically, Wilson is not a coach. But, throughout the year, no one spends more time with the players than Wilson. The players love him, and Wilson's expertise in his field and motivational prowess has turned the Buffs into a team of gym rats.
No longer are the Buffs being pushed around by the rest of the Pac-12. Indeed, they may now be the most physical team in the league. What makes this even more impressive is that Wilson did not even join the staff until January of this year. Rick George and Mike MacIntyre need to do whatever it takes to keep Wilson.
OFFENSE
Klayton Adams -- A+
Offensive Line Coach
Adams has been with MacIntyre for six years (beginning at San Jose State). This is his first year coaching the offensive line at Colorado. The best line coaches make their charges realize that the line must play as an integrated unit to succeed, and not focus on individual achievement. Adams has done that quite well and the Buffs are reaping the rewards.
Gary Bernardi -- C-
Tight Ends and Full Backs
Bernardi was the coach of the offensive line during MacIntyre's first three years at Colorado. The Buffs were 2-25 in Pac-12 play during that time and finished 6th (last) in the Pac-12 South each season.
The tight ends and full backs have been relegated to blockers only this year. They have no carries among the fullbacks and no tight end has more than one catch. Their blocking has been part of the offensive rejuvenation this season, but their production has been non-existent.
Darian Hagan -- A+
Running Backs
This season is Hagan's second stint coaching running backs. He has excelled this time with Phillip Lindsay as well as his first go round with Rodney Stewart and Hugh Charles, who both rushed for more than 1000 yards under Hagan's tutelage. Barring injury, Lindsay should become Hagan's third 1K rusher.
On top of that, Hagan has his RB's blocking as well as running. Even though they are small in stature, Kyle Evans and Lindsay are two of the strongest pound for pound players on the team.
Darrin Chiaverini -- A+++
Wide Receivers and Co-Offensive Coordinator
Like Darian Hagan, Chev is a guy who played at Colorado. Hagan was a force of nature on the field and has become an excellent coach. Chiaverini was an excellent player but has become a force of nature as a coach.
He has risen through the ranks quickly in his coaching career, and as co-offensive coordinator at Colorado, he has been excellent not only in working with the wide receivers but also in recruiting and game planning. His ability to expand Lindgren's play-calling repertoire and explain the details of the plan to the players has been outstanding.
The receivers under Chev have become a dominant force in the conference. They not only catch the ball with outstanding purpose, but their blocking for each other and the runners coming from out of the backfield has been exemplary.
The Buffs have had 13 plays covering more than 40 yards this year so far, and 38 that have gone for more than 20. Many of those big plays can be attributed to downfield blocking by the receivers.
As for Chev, his energy and infectious enthusiasm fires up players and fans alike and his relentless social media presence makes him a remarkable ambassador for the University of Colorado.
Brian Lindgren -- A
Quarterbacks and Co-Offensive Coordinator
Lindgren has done a remarkable job as quarterbacks coach this season. Sefo Liufau has played the best of his career this season, and Steven Montez covered the QB position admirably while Liufau was hurt. Lindgren, Liufau and Montez have combined to be one of the most efficient offensive forces in the Pac-12. If he was only being graded on the play of the quarterbacks, he would have an A+.
Although it has been much better this season due to the overall strength of the offensive coaching, training and players, Lindgren has still had one shortcoming. Most of the game prep done throughout the season has been spot on. The Buffs have been the only team this year to put a hurting on #2's Michigan's defense. And they did it on the road.
But the Buffs did that prior to Liufau's injury in Ann Arbor. Once Montez came in (quite obviously unprepared for the possibility), the play-calling suffered as Lindgren did not adapt to having a redshirt freshman who had barely played this year even though the Buffs had put together several blowout wins.
At USC, their defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergrast put together a brilliant game plan to take away the run game from the Buffs. It worked, and by the time Lindgren got around to adjusting in the 4th quarter, the Trojans' lead was too big to surmount.
The Buffs again sputtered offensively against Stanford on the road. Liufau had by far his worst game of the season. Fortunately, the defense was prepared and able to shut down the Cardinal, holding them to their fewest points in more than a decade. This allowed the Buffs to escape with a 10-5 win.
Colorado Buffaloes Overall Offensive Grade -- A-
The Buffs offensively have been very good, and deserving of a full A for much of the season. But the small failures to adapt in the face of adversity cost the Buffs their two losses, and could have led to a third if not for fine defensive play.
As the going gets rougher in the meat of the schedule, every team we play will want to beat the first place team. The Buffs need to be ready before the game offensively, and need to be ready to adapt when the situations arise.
Some would say that the Buffs deserve a straight up A for how far they've come. But the layers want to be an A team against the best of the Pac-12, not just compared to how bad they used to be.
The next four games, three at home, will determine the overall success of the season. We know they will be playing in a bowl game. But they want to play in the Pac-12 Championship, and they want to play in the Rose Bowl. To do that for sure, they need to win out in the regular season.
-----------------------
Next up:
November 1st Grades of Colorado's Defensive Coaching Staff
and
2016 Grade for Mike MacIntyre After 9 Games
No, this team wants more. They want it all, really. And the men responsible for that attitude are not just the ones playing in the games, but also the ones doing the coaching and training.
And for the first time in more than a decade, the grades are not as scary as the Halloween season.
Drew Wilson -- A+++
Director of Football Strength and Conditioning
Technically, Wilson is not a coach. But, throughout the year, no one spends more time with the players than Wilson. The players love him, and Wilson's expertise in his field and motivational prowess has turned the Buffs into a team of gym rats.
No longer are the Buffs being pushed around by the rest of the Pac-12. Indeed, they may now be the most physical team in the league. What makes this even more impressive is that Wilson did not even join the staff until January of this year. Rick George and Mike MacIntyre need to do whatever it takes to keep Wilson.
OFFENSE
Klayton Adams -- A+
Offensive Line Coach
Adams has been with MacIntyre for six years (beginning at San Jose State). This is his first year coaching the offensive line at Colorado. The best line coaches make their charges realize that the line must play as an integrated unit to succeed, and not focus on individual achievement. Adams has done that quite well and the Buffs are reaping the rewards.
Gary Bernardi -- C-
Tight Ends and Full Backs
Bernardi was the coach of the offensive line during MacIntyre's first three years at Colorado. The Buffs were 2-25 in Pac-12 play during that time and finished 6th (last) in the Pac-12 South each season.
The tight ends and full backs have been relegated to blockers only this year. They have no carries among the fullbacks and no tight end has more than one catch. Their blocking has been part of the offensive rejuvenation this season, but their production has been non-existent.
Darian Hagan -- A+
Running Backs
This season is Hagan's second stint coaching running backs. He has excelled this time with Phillip Lindsay as well as his first go round with Rodney Stewart and Hugh Charles, who both rushed for more than 1000 yards under Hagan's tutelage. Barring injury, Lindsay should become Hagan's third 1K rusher.
On top of that, Hagan has his RB's blocking as well as running. Even though they are small in stature, Kyle Evans and Lindsay are two of the strongest pound for pound players on the team.
Darrin Chiaverini -- A+++
Wide Receivers and Co-Offensive Coordinator
Like Darian Hagan, Chev is a guy who played at Colorado. Hagan was a force of nature on the field and has become an excellent coach. Chiaverini was an excellent player but has become a force of nature as a coach.
He has risen through the ranks quickly in his coaching career, and as co-offensive coordinator at Colorado, he has been excellent not only in working with the wide receivers but also in recruiting and game planning. His ability to expand Lindgren's play-calling repertoire and explain the details of the plan to the players has been outstanding.
The receivers under Chev have become a dominant force in the conference. They not only catch the ball with outstanding purpose, but their blocking for each other and the runners coming from out of the backfield has been exemplary.
The Buffs have had 13 plays covering more than 40 yards this year so far, and 38 that have gone for more than 20. Many of those big plays can be attributed to downfield blocking by the receivers.
As for Chev, his energy and infectious enthusiasm fires up players and fans alike and his relentless social media presence makes him a remarkable ambassador for the University of Colorado.
Brian Lindgren -- A
Quarterbacks and Co-Offensive Coordinator
Lindgren has done a remarkable job as quarterbacks coach this season. Sefo Liufau has played the best of his career this season, and Steven Montez covered the QB position admirably while Liufau was hurt. Lindgren, Liufau and Montez have combined to be one of the most efficient offensive forces in the Pac-12. If he was only being graded on the play of the quarterbacks, he would have an A+.
Although it has been much better this season due to the overall strength of the offensive coaching, training and players, Lindgren has still had one shortcoming. Most of the game prep done throughout the season has been spot on. The Buffs have been the only team this year to put a hurting on #2's Michigan's defense. And they did it on the road.
But the Buffs did that prior to Liufau's injury in Ann Arbor. Once Montez came in (quite obviously unprepared for the possibility), the play-calling suffered as Lindgren did not adapt to having a redshirt freshman who had barely played this year even though the Buffs had put together several blowout wins.
At USC, their defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergrast put together a brilliant game plan to take away the run game from the Buffs. It worked, and by the time Lindgren got around to adjusting in the 4th quarter, the Trojans' lead was too big to surmount.
The Buffs again sputtered offensively against Stanford on the road. Liufau had by far his worst game of the season. Fortunately, the defense was prepared and able to shut down the Cardinal, holding them to their fewest points in more than a decade. This allowed the Buffs to escape with a 10-5 win.
Colorado Buffaloes Overall Offensive Grade -- A-
The Buffs offensively have been very good, and deserving of a full A for much of the season. But the small failures to adapt in the face of adversity cost the Buffs their two losses, and could have led to a third if not for fine defensive play.
As the going gets rougher in the meat of the schedule, every team we play will want to beat the first place team. The Buffs need to be ready before the game offensively, and need to be ready to adapt when the situations arise.
Some would say that the Buffs deserve a straight up A for how far they've come. But the layers want to be an A team against the best of the Pac-12, not just compared to how bad they used to be.
The next four games, three at home, will determine the overall success of the season. We know they will be playing in a bowl game. But they want to play in the Pac-12 Championship, and they want to play in the Rose Bowl. To do that for sure, they need to win out in the regular season.
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Next up:
November 1st Grades of Colorado's Defensive Coaching Staff
and
2016 Grade for Mike MacIntyre After 9 Games
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