After last week's 4th quarter implosion and loss to Arizona State, the Colorado Buffaloes made the walk of shame back to Boulder knowing their season of high promise had denigrated to a season based on delusions of grandeur.
Chatter on the fan boards ground to a halt this week, as fans (including this writer) sought out new ways to spend their Saturdays. Ways that involve more enjoyment and less disappointment than way too many of the Saturdays of the 2017 season in Boulder.
Tomorrow's game against USC represents the last home game of the year for the Buffaloes, and the last home game ever for the seniors on the roster. Final thoughts on some of these young men:
Michael Adkins - RB
The heart goes out for Adkins. From early on in his career, he has showed flashes of brilliance. Unfortunately, the injury bug was a persistent hindrance that kept the young man from ever really reaching his potential on the gridiron.
Bryce Bobo - WR
Bobo's nickname should be "Amazing!" No Buff fan will ever forget his unforgettable one handed catch against Oregon in the 2016 season. The young man's big hands made spectacular catches seem easy during his time in Boulder. Sadly, Colorado's woes during his stay have kept Bryce largely out of the national spotlight. Fortunately for Bobo, his skill set should play well at the next level.
Shay Fields - WR
Shay earned the nickname "Big Play Shay" due to his speed and ability to get in the open from early in his Colorado career. Even when the Buffaloes were struggling during his tenure, Fields could be counted on for a number of big yardage plays every season. He also struggled at times, making fans wonder if there were some unreported physical issues hindering his play.
George Frazier - TE/DT
Frazier is one of those guys who make us older fans yearn for the olden days. He's a guy who gives his all every play he's on the field, and also a guy who plays both offense and defense. If that seems strange, it's because only a handful of FBS players play both sides of the ball in the specialized world of college football.
Jeromy Irwin - OL
Irwin has been in Boulder for longer than the typical college football player. Sadly, that extended stay was due to several severe injuries that kept him off the field despite his tenacity and talent.
The final three players listed have a special place in the writer's heart.
Derek McCartney - OLB
Anyone with any sense of history knows that Derek is the grandson of the greatest coach in Colorado history, Bill McCartney. He grew up with football in his blood. His NFL father Shannon Clavelle was an all-time great at CU. But as good as his football bloodlines are, Derek is a world class student as well. He finished his pre-med degree in three years and will earn his masters degree next month. Barring a stint in the NFL, Derek will soon take his prodigious intellectual talents to medical school.
Ryan Moeller - DB
Most people have never heard of Rifle, Colorado. That is the small town where Ryan Moeller grew up and became a Colorado high school football legend. Ryan's senior year in high school was what most players would call a career. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards and scored 50 touchdowns in one year. Really.
Despite those gaudy stats, Moeller had to walk on at Colorado instead of being given a scholarship. Back in the days when we could still watch practice, Moeller stood out to the serious football followers. Soon enough, the young man from Rifle had earned a place on the field and also earned a scholarship. Watching the young man go down to injury against Arizona State was one of the lowest points of a disappointing season. Like the last player on this list, Ryan Moeller gave his all every play during his time at Colorado. His influence will be missed.
Phillip Lindsay - RB
Lindsay was such a force of nature during practice for Colorado that he quickly earned the nickname "The Tasmanian Devil" for his intensity. Not everyone remember the roots. Phillip grew up and Colorado Buffaloes fan and surprised many when he committed to Colorado following the disastrous 1-11 season in 2012. He proclaimed that he intended to help Colorado return to winning ways.
Even during his redshirt year, Lindsay stood out and was selected scout player of the year by the Colorado coaches. Over the next four years he became one of the best to ever line up at tailback in Colorado. He is the first running back to ever run for back to back 1,000 yard seasons at CU. Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam didn't do it. And all-time leading rusher Eric Bieniemy didn't do it either. Only Lindsay can make that claim.
Sadly, Lindsay will likely fall short of the all-time rushing record. He's close, but it's a tougher row to hoe than some of his predecessors. Both Salaam and Bieniemy had a stable of future NFL offensive linemen leading their way. Lindsay never had that luxury. His yards were earned the hard way.
More important even than the numbers, however, was the leadership that Lindsay gave the team. He gave his heart and soul every play and every practice, and also on the sideline. A great coach in Colorado's past once talked about they type of player that Lindsay represents. He said those types of players were the key. Give him 20 of those guys and he could beat anyone.
I will be on hand to give these guys my final salute tomorrow. I hope that both the serious and casual fan of Colorado football will appreciate the sacrifice and dedication these young men gave to dear old CU.
Showing posts with label Michael Adkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Adkins. Show all posts
Friday, November 10, 2017
Thursday, August 31, 2017
CU Offense: Who to Watch in the RMS
The 2017 version of the Rocky Mountain Showdown is quickly approaching. Tomorrow can't get here soon enough. There are lots of players I want to see, because I expect them to perform well.
This young man has all the skills needed to help him become one of the best to ever play for Colorado. He has Phillip "T.D." Lindsay behind him and one of the best collection of wide receivers in the country. And, he has a solid line in front of him. Look out.
RB Phillip "T.D." Lindsay
The Tasmanian Devil is looking to become the first Buff to run for more than 1000 yards in consecutive seasons. Barring injury, count on that happening. The fireball is the emotional heartbeat of this team and fans can fully expect great things from him.
The Wide Outs -- Fields, Bobo, Ross & MacIntyre
Co- OC Darrin Chiaverini must be champing on the bit to get his position group into the game. His group is one of the best in the country, and has to give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. What makes it even scarier is that the second team group (Winfree, Ento, Nixon and Walker) might well be as good as the first team.
The Offensive Line -- Irwin, Kough, Huckins, Lynott & Haigler
Coach Klayton Adams took over coaching the offensive line last year and the team won 10 games. Another year with Adams at the head of this group promises even better blocking and unity. These guys are the horses that the skill position players will ride and these young men are ready for the challenge.
Newcomers to Watch --
Juwann Winfree - WR
Before he was injured in the spring of 2016, this young man was earning raves as possibly the best and most talented guy in a phenomenal group of wide receivers. If fully healthy, he could become a star for the offense.
Sam Noyer - QB
Fans are hoping that Mike MacIntyre and Brian Lindgren learned a valuable lesson last year and will give Noyer a chance to play some meaningful snaps if the Buffs get out to big leads. Over the last several years, they left Sefo Liufau in WAY too long in big wins and paid the price when he went down to injury in big games throughout his career.
Noyer has been turning heads since he arrived on campus, and could provide solid backup to Montez.
Beau Bisharat - RB
This 4-Star back arrived last season and did outstanding work on special teams. This year, he'll give the Buffs a BIG back option on short yardage situations for the first time in what seems like forever.
Michael Adkins - RB
Adkins isn't a newcomer, but has had numerous injuries to deal with in his career. We're hoping his senior year can be injury free and he can finally fulfill the promise he's shown when healthy.
Offense
QB Steven MontezThis young man has all the skills needed to help him become one of the best to ever play for Colorado. He has Phillip "T.D." Lindsay behind him and one of the best collection of wide receivers in the country. And, he has a solid line in front of him. Look out.
RB Phillip "T.D." Lindsay
The Tasmanian Devil is looking to become the first Buff to run for more than 1000 yards in consecutive seasons. Barring injury, count on that happening. The fireball is the emotional heartbeat of this team and fans can fully expect great things from him.
The Wide Outs -- Fields, Bobo, Ross & MacIntyre
Co- OC Darrin Chiaverini must be champing on the bit to get his position group into the game. His group is one of the best in the country, and has to give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. What makes it even scarier is that the second team group (Winfree, Ento, Nixon and Walker) might well be as good as the first team.
The Offensive Line -- Irwin, Kough, Huckins, Lynott & Haigler
Coach Klayton Adams took over coaching the offensive line last year and the team won 10 games. Another year with Adams at the head of this group promises even better blocking and unity. These guys are the horses that the skill position players will ride and these young men are ready for the challenge.
Newcomers to Watch --
Juwann Winfree - WR
Before he was injured in the spring of 2016, this young man was earning raves as possibly the best and most talented guy in a phenomenal group of wide receivers. If fully healthy, he could become a star for the offense.
Sam Noyer - QB
Fans are hoping that Mike MacIntyre and Brian Lindgren learned a valuable lesson last year and will give Noyer a chance to play some meaningful snaps if the Buffs get out to big leads. Over the last several years, they left Sefo Liufau in WAY too long in big wins and paid the price when he went down to injury in big games throughout his career.
Noyer has been turning heads since he arrived on campus, and could provide solid backup to Montez.
Beau Bisharat - RB
This 4-Star back arrived last season and did outstanding work on special teams. This year, he'll give the Buffs a BIG back option on short yardage situations for the first time in what seems like forever.
Michael Adkins - RB
Adkins isn't a newcomer, but has had numerous injuries to deal with in his career. We're hoping his senior year can be injury free and he can finally fulfill the promise he's shown when healthy.
GO BUFFS!
Friday, September 25, 2015
Colorado Buffs Need to Play Smart and Keep Their Injured on the Bench
The Colorado Buffaloes enter their game against Nicholls this weekend on a two-game win streak. They are 45-50 point favorites to extend that winning streak to three games before Oregon comes calling next weekend.
In a season with 13 games and no bye weeks, the game against Nicholls is as close to a gimme as a team that has gone a decade without a winning record has the right to expect. That's right, the last time the Buffs had a winning record for the year was 2005 and Gary Barnett was still the head coach. No winning seasons for Dan Hawkins or Jon Embree, and MacIntyre's first two rebuilding seasons also fell short.
That brings us to 2015. The Buffs are 2-1 and should be 3-1 in about 30 hours. After that, the reality of playing in the "Conference of Champions" kicks in. Seven of nine of the Buffs' Pac-12 opponents will either be ranked or very close. In four years in their new conference, the Buffs have only managed to win 4 games against Pac-12 foes. That has to change for the Buffs to become an annual bowl team once again.
The Buffs will win against Nicholls. The question is: How smart will they be in achieving that goal and preparing for Pac-12 play?
Injuries are a reality for every football team. The Buffs entered last week's game against CSU with FOUR running backs in rotation to carry the ball and help protect the quarterback. By the end of the very hard-hitting game, they were down to one (Christian Powell) and he was doing a lot of limping.
The depth chart this week lists both Michael Adkins and Patrick Carr as injured. Wide Receiver Donovan Lee has been moved to running back this week to give the team more depth. He joins redshirt freshman Kyle Evans behind Powell and a gimpy Phillip Lindsay.
QB Sefo Liufau took a hit to the shoulder and suffered a slight separation that would have sidelined 99% of other quarterbacks. Instead, he re-entered the game and led the Buffs to a win from 14 points down.
Will the Buffs need their tough-as-nails QB to win against Nicholls? The answer is a resounding NO!
Sefo wants to play. Of course he does. He's a competitor. But fans and coaches want him to be fully healthy for the start of Pac-12 play next weekend. For the Buffs to win a few conference games and become bowl eligible, the Buffs are going to need to keep Sefo healthy.
Jordan Gehrke has thrown ZERO passes this year, and only 44 in his career as a backup to Liufau. He has only completed 45.5% of his passes, and his yards per attempt is a paltry 3.9 (Sefo's YPA last year was 6.4, and this year it is 5.9). Gehrke needs work with the #1 offense so that if he is called into action he is ready to actually run the plays that CU calls.
Gehrke has one start in his career. Last season at Oregon, he was thrown to the wolves. In the first half of play, he was 9-18-0 for 64 yards. That's 3.55 yards per attempt passing. He was also sacked twice. Liufau came in to play the 2nd half despite suffering from concussion symptoms and averaged only 2.9 yards per attempt.
Gehrke needs the work and the coaches need to let him use the full playbook. He cannot just hand off the ball 60 times, even though the Buffs would win even if they do not throw a single pass. Gehrke and third stringer Cade Apsay need to run the Buff offense and learn what it is like to play in a game the Buffs will win.
Everybody who is dinged up should sit out the Nicholls game.
All these guys are very competitive and want to play. We understand. We also know that playing a team of Nicholls level gives the guys a chance to "pad their stats" against a lesser opponent.
But, after a decade of losing, the only stat the Buffs should be worried about is wins. They are all that matters now. If the Buffs want to go bowling at the end of this season, they have to be smart about who they risk. 3-1 to start the season means nothing if they do not put some conference wins on the table. And that means keeping their key players healthy and getting their injured guys time to recuperate.
The coaches need to do what is best for the team for the entire season.
In a season with 13 games and no bye weeks, the game against Nicholls is as close to a gimme as a team that has gone a decade without a winning record has the right to expect. That's right, the last time the Buffs had a winning record for the year was 2005 and Gary Barnett was still the head coach. No winning seasons for Dan Hawkins or Jon Embree, and MacIntyre's first two rebuilding seasons also fell short.
That brings us to 2015. The Buffs are 2-1 and should be 3-1 in about 30 hours. After that, the reality of playing in the "Conference of Champions" kicks in. Seven of nine of the Buffs' Pac-12 opponents will either be ranked or very close. In four years in their new conference, the Buffs have only managed to win 4 games against Pac-12 foes. That has to change for the Buffs to become an annual bowl team once again.
The Buffs will win against Nicholls. The question is: How smart will they be in achieving that goal and preparing for Pac-12 play?
Injuries are a reality for every football team. The Buffs entered last week's game against CSU with FOUR running backs in rotation to carry the ball and help protect the quarterback. By the end of the very hard-hitting game, they were down to one (Christian Powell) and he was doing a lot of limping.
The depth chart this week lists both Michael Adkins and Patrick Carr as injured. Wide Receiver Donovan Lee has been moved to running back this week to give the team more depth. He joins redshirt freshman Kyle Evans behind Powell and a gimpy Phillip Lindsay.
QB Sefo Liufau took a hit to the shoulder and suffered a slight separation that would have sidelined 99% of other quarterbacks. Instead, he re-entered the game and led the Buffs to a win from 14 points down.
Will the Buffs need their tough-as-nails QB to win against Nicholls? The answer is a resounding NO!
Sefo wants to play. Of course he does. He's a competitor. But fans and coaches want him to be fully healthy for the start of Pac-12 play next weekend. For the Buffs to win a few conference games and become bowl eligible, the Buffs are going to need to keep Sefo healthy.
Jordan Gehrke has thrown ZERO passes this year, and only 44 in his career as a backup to Liufau. He has only completed 45.5% of his passes, and his yards per attempt is a paltry 3.9 (Sefo's YPA last year was 6.4, and this year it is 5.9). Gehrke needs work with the #1 offense so that if he is called into action he is ready to actually run the plays that CU calls.
Gehrke has one start in his career. Last season at Oregon, he was thrown to the wolves. In the first half of play, he was 9-18-0 for 64 yards. That's 3.55 yards per attempt passing. He was also sacked twice. Liufau came in to play the 2nd half despite suffering from concussion symptoms and averaged only 2.9 yards per attempt.
Gehrke needs the work and the coaches need to let him use the full playbook. He cannot just hand off the ball 60 times, even though the Buffs would win even if they do not throw a single pass. Gehrke and third stringer Cade Apsay need to run the Buff offense and learn what it is like to play in a game the Buffs will win.
Everybody who is dinged up should sit out the Nicholls game.
All these guys are very competitive and want to play. We understand. We also know that playing a team of Nicholls level gives the guys a chance to "pad their stats" against a lesser opponent.
But, after a decade of losing, the only stat the Buffs should be worried about is wins. They are all that matters now. If the Buffs want to go bowling at the end of this season, they have to be smart about who they risk. 3-1 to start the season means nothing if they do not put some conference wins on the table. And that means keeping their key players healthy and getting their injured guys time to recuperate.
The coaches need to do what is best for the team for the entire season.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Colorado Buff Football: Praise the Players, and Criticize the Coaches by NAME
The worst thing about the University of Colorado Buffaloes football team "shooting themselves in the foot, the leg, the head" (Head Coach Mike MacIntyre quote) in their embarrassing loss to Hawaii is that the blogosphere and web and news comments have been riddled with angry fans singling out PLAYERS by name to blame for the loss. That should not happen.
ALL BLAME FOR LOSSES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL BELONGS WITH THE MEN MAKING MILLIONS OR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
IT SHOULD NOT EVER BE PUT ON THE SHOULDERS OF YOUNG MEN WHO ARE FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Fans need to remember that kids on the field DO NOT call the plays and they DO NOT decide who is going to play. Those prerogatives belong to the coaches, and ultimately, the Buck Stops on the Head Coach's desk.
If a fan feels that the quarterback is to blame, the reality is that the blame belongs with the QB coach/offensive coordinator (Brian Lindgren) and Mike MacIntyre. Not Sefo Liufau. The quarterback does not call the plays, the coaches do. Also, the coaches decide which young men will be playing.
If fans feel the offensive line blocked horribly on passing plays, the blame goes to the offensive line coach (Gary Bernardi), Lindgren, and MacIntyre. Not the players on the field. The coaches are responsible for training the unit as a team dedicated to protecting the quarterback. When the QB gets hammered over and over again, the blame is on the coaches.
If special teams gave up turnovers and points, blame the special teams coordinator (Toby Neinas) and MacIntyre. It's not the punter's fault that no one blocked. If a return man makes a bad decision, it is ultimately because he was not trained properly by the people who are paid very handsomely to teach him.
MANY OF THE COLORADO BUFF PLAYERS PLAYED VERY WELL. THEY DESERVE TO BE PRAISED BY NAME.
The Colorado Defense played remarkably well when one considers the pressure put on them by turnovers and play calling on the offensive side of the ball which often left the defense backed up in their own end.
Last year the defense managed only three interceptions all year. In the game against Hawaii, they grabbed three of Hawaii's passes. One was nullified on a horrible pass interference penalty called on a player 15 yards away from the interception. Ryan Moeller showed why he earned a starting nod by being all over the field.
The rebuilt defensive front put lots of pressure on the Hawaii QB and will only get better as they get more experience under coach Jim Jeffcoat. Derek McCartney got an interception played very strong, and new players Jase Franke and Jordan Carrell made fine debuts. Ahkello Witherspoon also showed why fans were excited about him last year before he was slowed by injuries.
The influence of new defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and new safeties coach Joe Tumpkin was obvious. This might turn out to be the best Colorado defense in a decade.
Michael Adkins was beginning to dominate running the ball. Yet, inexplicably, the man calling the plays (LINDGREN) decided to stop running the ball and try to move the ball almost exclusively through the air.
Diego Gonzalez made all of his field goals and extra points in his first game and made it look effortless even though his FG's were from 40 yards out. Many fans are excited to see this young man with the powerful leg get a chance to boom one in from 50-60 yards out or more.
FANS NEED TO HOPE THE COLORADO COACHES MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO WIN SOME GAMES. THE TALENT IS THERE, BUT IT IS UP TO THE COACHES TO USE IT PROPERLY.
The Buffs beat themselves against Hawaii. They have three more games to correct the mistakes and ready themselves for Pac-12 play. Fans should give them a chance to make those changes before wholeheartedly dismissing the 2015 Buffs. And if they must criticize, they should criticize those professionals who are being paid very well to do their jobs.
Go Buffs!
ALL BLAME FOR LOSSES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL BELONGS WITH THE MEN MAKING MILLIONS OR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
IT SHOULD NOT EVER BE PUT ON THE SHOULDERS OF YOUNG MEN WHO ARE FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Fans need to remember that kids on the field DO NOT call the plays and they DO NOT decide who is going to play. Those prerogatives belong to the coaches, and ultimately, the Buck Stops on the Head Coach's desk.
If a fan feels that the quarterback is to blame, the reality is that the blame belongs with the QB coach/offensive coordinator (Brian Lindgren) and Mike MacIntyre. Not Sefo Liufau. The quarterback does not call the plays, the coaches do. Also, the coaches decide which young men will be playing.
If fans feel the offensive line blocked horribly on passing plays, the blame goes to the offensive line coach (Gary Bernardi), Lindgren, and MacIntyre. Not the players on the field. The coaches are responsible for training the unit as a team dedicated to protecting the quarterback. When the QB gets hammered over and over again, the blame is on the coaches.
If special teams gave up turnovers and points, blame the special teams coordinator (Toby Neinas) and MacIntyre. It's not the punter's fault that no one blocked. If a return man makes a bad decision, it is ultimately because he was not trained properly by the people who are paid very handsomely to teach him.
MANY OF THE COLORADO BUFF PLAYERS PLAYED VERY WELL. THEY DESERVE TO BE PRAISED BY NAME.
The Colorado Defense played remarkably well when one considers the pressure put on them by turnovers and play calling on the offensive side of the ball which often left the defense backed up in their own end.
Last year the defense managed only three interceptions all year. In the game against Hawaii, they grabbed three of Hawaii's passes. One was nullified on a horrible pass interference penalty called on a player 15 yards away from the interception. Ryan Moeller showed why he earned a starting nod by being all over the field.
The rebuilt defensive front put lots of pressure on the Hawaii QB and will only get better as they get more experience under coach Jim Jeffcoat. Derek McCartney got an interception played very strong, and new players Jase Franke and Jordan Carrell made fine debuts. Ahkello Witherspoon also showed why fans were excited about him last year before he was slowed by injuries.
The influence of new defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and new safeties coach Joe Tumpkin was obvious. This might turn out to be the best Colorado defense in a decade.
Michael Adkins was beginning to dominate running the ball. Yet, inexplicably, the man calling the plays (LINDGREN) decided to stop running the ball and try to move the ball almost exclusively through the air.
Diego Gonzalez made all of his field goals and extra points in his first game and made it look effortless even though his FG's were from 40 yards out. Many fans are excited to see this young man with the powerful leg get a chance to boom one in from 50-60 yards out or more.
FANS NEED TO HOPE THE COLORADO COACHES MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO WIN SOME GAMES. THE TALENT IS THERE, BUT IT IS UP TO THE COACHES TO USE IT PROPERLY.
The Buffs beat themselves against Hawaii. They have three more games to correct the mistakes and ready themselves for Pac-12 play. Fans should give them a chance to make those changes before wholeheartedly dismissing the 2015 Buffs. And if they must criticize, they should criticize those professionals who are being paid very well to do their jobs.
Go Buffs!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Sefo Liufau Takes Over as Quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes, Ushers in New Youth Era in Boulder
Less than 4 1/4 games into his freshman season at the University of Colorado, Sefo Liufau found himself taking over at quarterback for the Buffaloes. Despite entering the game with a 25 point deficit, and facing a fired up Arizona State team that was dominating the Colorado offensive line, Sefo never blinked and ended up completing 69% (18 of 26) of his passes. He threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions.
Although Liufau was listed 2nd on the depth chart behind Connor Wood, the line from the coaching staff was that they planned to redshirt the young man out of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, Washington if at all possible to allow him to acclimate to university life and grow and learn on the football field.
All was going according to plan during the first two games of the season. Wood completed 68% of his passes for 741 yards and 6 touchdowns in those two games. Wood threw only two interceptions during those games and the Buffs started the season with two wins.
Excitement was high in the Buffs program since new coach Mike MacIntyre had led the team to more wins in his first two games than the Buffs had experienced all of last year under fired coach Jon Embree. Riding high, the Buffs worked hard during a bye week and then the 1,000 year rains came to Boulder and Colorado and brought devastating floods. The result was that their game with Fresno State was ultimately cancelled.
After two long weekends away from being in live game situations, the Buffs headed to Corvallis to face Oregon State and had their dreams of a 3-0 start blown up and away by the winds and the Beavers. After flying high to start the season, the Buffs came crashing back to earth in a 44-17 beatdown.
The next week the #2 Oregon Ducks came to Boulder and showed why they are favored to be in the national championship game at the end of the season. The 57-16 whipping given by the Ducks was shocking in how quickly it happened after they fell behind the Buffs 10-8 in the first quarter. The responded with three touchdowns before the quarter ended and never looked back.
The first quarter against Arizona State in Tempe started the same way and before the Buffs could catch their breath in the desert they were behind by a score of 25-0. Out came Connor Wood and in came Sefo.
Unlike the first two games, the stats for Connor Wood against the Oregon schools and ASU were less than gaudy or even acceptable. He completed only 25 of 71 passes (35%) for only 351 yards and had 5 interceptions vs. 2 touchdowns. After Wood started 0 for 4 for zero yards and an interception and fumble and a 25 point deficit against the Sun Devils, MacIntyre pulled the starting quarterback position from Wood and the redshirt for Liufau.
Perhaps it was the play of some fellow freshman that led MacIntyre to allow Liufau to come off the bench. Addison Gillam went into the ASU game leading the Pac-12 in tackles and has already proven himself a star in the conference. Tailback Michael Adkins now gets more carries than listed starter Christian Powell. Wideout Devin Ross is now returning kicks and playing regularly with the offense. Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie and Tedric Thompson are also finding themselves on the field with greater and greater frequency.
After Liufau's effort, MacIntyre announced that the new plan was to allow Sefo to start for the remainder of the season ("unless something happens" of course). That means that he will be working with the number one offense during practice and getting many more reps, which can only help his game and confidence.
His first start will be at home in Boulder against undefeated FCS team Charleston Southern, who agreed to come to Boulder to replace the lost game against Fresno State. After facing an aggressive ASU team, the game against CS should allow Sefo a little more time to think on his feet as he moves into his new starting quarterback role.
One thing Buff fans and coaches can look forward to is increased athleticism at the quarterback position with Liufau. On top of the high percentage of passes that Liufau completed in Tempe, he also showed a much nicer touch on short passes than Wood has shown this year. He also seems to have some live legs that will allow him to move in the pocket or run more effectively than Wood.
Will Sefo make some rookie mistakes? Of course he will, but it is all part of the learning process. Those of us old enough to remember when Darian Hagan came to CU know that it can take some time to harness great talent and get it moving in the right direction. Liufau clearly has the talent to be the next great quarterback at CU, but he has to be given the chance to get his time in and be able to compete from the opening kickoff week after week.
In a season which now looks to part of a rebuilding process, watching Sefo Liufau and some his fellow freshman grow and mature as players will give fans a peak into the future. Perhaps fans of the Buffs got spoiled by two wins to start the season and got our hopes up higher than they should be. But in retrospect, the condition of the program was horrible when MacIntyre and his staff showed up. It is much better than it was, and it will continue to improve.
The Pac-12 is a tough conference to play in (just ask Stanford after their trip to Utah). At this point in the process, the Buffs need to show improvement. The wins will be hard to come by, but they will come in time. Look at Mac's record at San Jose State. His teams struggled to win until turning the corner, and then they won at an amazing rate.
The nature of college football is much more aggressive than in years past. It used to be that teams tried to wear each other down, and now it seems like there are a lot of teams that are swinging for the fences on every down. It is certainly exciting, but sometimes it is hard to watch when the other team is dominating. All it takes is a half dozen breakdowns by some defensive players and good teams will score 50 on them. These fastbreak offenses are designed to take advantage of mistakes.
A great deal of football is psychological. Mac and his staff are working on these guys, but it's gonna take some time to get their heads right. It will be frustrating while we wait, but a whole lot of fun when it happens. Let's hope that Sefo Liufau is an important part of solving this puzzle.
Go Buffs!
Although Liufau was listed 2nd on the depth chart behind Connor Wood, the line from the coaching staff was that they planned to redshirt the young man out of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, Washington if at all possible to allow him to acclimate to university life and grow and learn on the football field.
All was going according to plan during the first two games of the season. Wood completed 68% of his passes for 741 yards and 6 touchdowns in those two games. Wood threw only two interceptions during those games and the Buffs started the season with two wins.
Excitement was high in the Buffs program since new coach Mike MacIntyre had led the team to more wins in his first two games than the Buffs had experienced all of last year under fired coach Jon Embree. Riding high, the Buffs worked hard during a bye week and then the 1,000 year rains came to Boulder and Colorado and brought devastating floods. The result was that their game with Fresno State was ultimately cancelled.
After two long weekends away from being in live game situations, the Buffs headed to Corvallis to face Oregon State and had their dreams of a 3-0 start blown up and away by the winds and the Beavers. After flying high to start the season, the Buffs came crashing back to earth in a 44-17 beatdown.
The next week the #2 Oregon Ducks came to Boulder and showed why they are favored to be in the national championship game at the end of the season. The 57-16 whipping given by the Ducks was shocking in how quickly it happened after they fell behind the Buffs 10-8 in the first quarter. The responded with three touchdowns before the quarter ended and never looked back.
The first quarter against Arizona State in Tempe started the same way and before the Buffs could catch their breath in the desert they were behind by a score of 25-0. Out came Connor Wood and in came Sefo.
Unlike the first two games, the stats for Connor Wood against the Oregon schools and ASU were less than gaudy or even acceptable. He completed only 25 of 71 passes (35%) for only 351 yards and had 5 interceptions vs. 2 touchdowns. After Wood started 0 for 4 for zero yards and an interception and fumble and a 25 point deficit against the Sun Devils, MacIntyre pulled the starting quarterback position from Wood and the redshirt for Liufau.
Perhaps it was the play of some fellow freshman that led MacIntyre to allow Liufau to come off the bench. Addison Gillam went into the ASU game leading the Pac-12 in tackles and has already proven himself a star in the conference. Tailback Michael Adkins now gets more carries than listed starter Christian Powell. Wideout Devin Ross is now returning kicks and playing regularly with the offense. Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie and Tedric Thompson are also finding themselves on the field with greater and greater frequency.
After Liufau's effort, MacIntyre announced that the new plan was to allow Sefo to start for the remainder of the season ("unless something happens" of course). That means that he will be working with the number one offense during practice and getting many more reps, which can only help his game and confidence.
His first start will be at home in Boulder against undefeated FCS team Charleston Southern, who agreed to come to Boulder to replace the lost game against Fresno State. After facing an aggressive ASU team, the game against CS should allow Sefo a little more time to think on his feet as he moves into his new starting quarterback role.
One thing Buff fans and coaches can look forward to is increased athleticism at the quarterback position with Liufau. On top of the high percentage of passes that Liufau completed in Tempe, he also showed a much nicer touch on short passes than Wood has shown this year. He also seems to have some live legs that will allow him to move in the pocket or run more effectively than Wood.
Will Sefo make some rookie mistakes? Of course he will, but it is all part of the learning process. Those of us old enough to remember when Darian Hagan came to CU know that it can take some time to harness great talent and get it moving in the right direction. Liufau clearly has the talent to be the next great quarterback at CU, but he has to be given the chance to get his time in and be able to compete from the opening kickoff week after week.
In a season which now looks to part of a rebuilding process, watching Sefo Liufau and some his fellow freshman grow and mature as players will give fans a peak into the future. Perhaps fans of the Buffs got spoiled by two wins to start the season and got our hopes up higher than they should be. But in retrospect, the condition of the program was horrible when MacIntyre and his staff showed up. It is much better than it was, and it will continue to improve.
The Pac-12 is a tough conference to play in (just ask Stanford after their trip to Utah). At this point in the process, the Buffs need to show improvement. The wins will be hard to come by, but they will come in time. Look at Mac's record at San Jose State. His teams struggled to win until turning the corner, and then they won at an amazing rate.
The nature of college football is much more aggressive than in years past. It used to be that teams tried to wear each other down, and now it seems like there are a lot of teams that are swinging for the fences on every down. It is certainly exciting, but sometimes it is hard to watch when the other team is dominating. All it takes is a half dozen breakdowns by some defensive players and good teams will score 50 on them. These fastbreak offenses are designed to take advantage of mistakes.
A great deal of football is psychological. Mac and his staff are working on these guys, but it's gonna take some time to get their heads right. It will be frustrating while we wait, but a whole lot of fun when it happens. Let's hope that Sefo Liufau is an important part of solving this puzzle.
Go Buffs!
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