The biggest fear of Colorado Buffs fans came to fruition today when it was announced that defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt had accepted a four year deal for the same position with the Oregon Ducks program.
The departure of Leavitt leaves Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre searching for a new defensive coordinator two weeks before Colorado's first bowl game in a decade.
Oregon fired Mark Helfrich following a 4-8 season, less than two years after playing for the national championship following the 2014 season. His replacement, Willie Taggart was hired by Oregon last week. Taggartt's first hire for his staff was Jim Leavitt.
Taggart was hired by Oregon after leading South Florida to a 10-2 record, the best in their history. Their football history is not long, however. They started their football program in the late 1990's under... Jim Leavitt.
Leavitt led the Bulls for four years at the Division I-AA level before the moved to the Division I level. By 2007, Leavitt led the Bulls into the polls, which topped at #2 in the country. It was the quickest any team had ever moved into a Top 10 ranked position following entrance into the top football level.
Leavitt was fired in 2010 after he was accused of striking a player. The school was later forced to pay Leavitt $2.75 Million for wrongful termination.
Leavitt was hired by Jim Harbaugh as linebackers coach for he San Francisco 49ers in 2011. During his time there, Leavitt coached two all pro linebackers and their stout defense led the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Leavitt and the other assistant coaches were released by the 49ers after Harbaugh left to coach at his alma mater, Michigan.
Jim Leavitt was hired by the University of Colorado in February of 2015. When he arrived, the Buffs were one of the worst defensive teams in the country.
In two seasons, he coached a remarkable turnaround that brought Colorado into the AP Top 10, aided substantially by a defense that was one of the best in the country this past season.
His efforts were nationally praised, and he was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the FBS. Although he lost out on the award, his work rebuilding a downtrodden defense caught the eyes of head coaches around the country.
Since he was only earning slightly more than $500,000 from Colorado, Leavitt was a prime target for schools willing to pay more. Early reports indicate that Leavitt's salary will more than double in Eugene, and may come close to tripling it by the end of his contract.
One of Taggart's closest friends is Jim Harbaugh (Taggart was best man at his wedding). Harbaugh is also a trusted advisor as a coach who went to the Super Bowl and is now the highest paid collegiate football coach.
Leavitt and Harbaugh both have proven themselves at the highest levels of football. Their work together, and Harbaugh's friendship with Taggart most certainly led to Leavitt's hiring.
Another possible impetus was that there was widespread suspicion that Mike MacIntyre was not the one who went after Leavitt in the first place, and that his hire at Colorado was at the strong urging of Athletic Director Rick George.
Many fans also spoke openly during Leavitt's tenure in Boulder that there was obvious friction between Mac and Leavitt. And it was pointed out many times that MacIntyre rarely, if ever, praised the work done by Leavitt.
Leavitt was loved in Boulder by fans. Many, including this writer, gave him much of the credit for Colorado's turnaround. It was well deserved praise, but none of it seemed to come from Mac.
As a manager for several decades, I can tell you that everyone wants to be appreciated by the person they are working for and with. Praise and honest appreciation are worth even more than money in many cases. They may have not been enough this time to keep a guy like Leavitt at Colorado, considering the size of the pay increase he will be getting. But leaving Boulder for more money AND appreciation was an easy choice.
Good luck to Jim Leavitt. He is an outstanding coach, and Oregon can expect great things from him in the future. I will miss watching him prowl the sidelines and the phenomenal defensive efforts he inspired.
And I will continue to follow him on twitter:
@CoachJimLeavitt
Showing posts with label Michigan Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan Football. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
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.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Buffs Need to Rage Against the Machine of Self Destruction
The Colorado Buffaloes led the Michigan Wolverines 21-7 at the end of the first quarter. Michigan scored on a blocked punt but had been manhandled by Colorado on offense and defense. The quick paced offense and the attacking defense were doing their jobs, keeping the #4 Michigan team off balance and on their heels.
Then, for some reason, the Buffs decided to slow things down. They continued to line up quickly but started pausing at the line to change plays from the sideline. Instead of forcing Michigan to have 5 seconds or so to get ready for the next play, the Buffs started taking almost the full play clock to get their plays off. Michigan got their wind back, and the Buffs started faltering on offense. Add the faltering offense to a disastrous punt team and the recipe for destruction was complete.
The Buffs watched their 21-7 lead disappear as they fell behind 24-21 at the end of the first half when Mac and Lindgren decided to run out the clock instead of going for more points. The gambit failed. Michigan got the ball back and scored with 10 seconds left before half to take the lead.
In the 2nd half, the Buffs again turned on the offense and scored on a 70 yard pass shortly after beginning the 3rd quarter. They retook the lead 28-24. The Wolverines' Jabril Peppers returned the kickoff 55 yards and Michigan scored 2 plays later to take the lead for good.
QB Sefo Liufau was hurt on the play before he heaved the 70 yard TD. One more series showed that he was done for the day. Buff fans now wait to see if he will be ready for Oregon this week or will be out longer.
Backup QB Steven Montez' first two passes were dropped (one of which would have been a touchdown), and the deflation of the Buff offense was visible to all at Michigan Stadium. Lindgren's play calling packed it in as well, and the Buffs did their best to run out the clock and keep the loss under the betting line.
By then, as well, the defense realized the futility of their task. The offense was no threat to score and the punting team threatened to give up a score every time they came on the field. They watched their 21-7 lead evaporate into a 45-28 loss. Twenty-eight of Michigan's points came off of miscues by the special teams.
The defense under Jim Leavitt is one of the best in the Pac-12. But that fact is being shrouded by conservative play calling on offense and remarkably bad play by the special teams.
What Gives?
The Colorado Buffaloes offense under Mike MacIntyre and Brian Lindgren do not handle unexpected prosperity well. And it is not just this year. It has been going on since they arrived.
2015
In the game against USC, the Buffs built and squandered a 17-3 lead. They did not score again until they were behind 27-17. They lost the game 27-24.
They much prefer to roar back after being down. Against UCLA last year, the Buffs trailed 21-6 and 28-13 before retaking a 31-28 lead before finally losing 35-31.
Against Arizona, the Buffs trailed 17-7 before coming back to take a 24-17 lead. Then they gave up three 4th quarter touchdowns to fall behind by 14. They lost the game 38-31.
2014
In the game against Cal, the Buffs took had leads of 21-7 and 28-14. Cal came back to tie the game at 28. They eventually lost 59-56 in triple overtime.
Against Washington, the Buffs led 10-0 and 20-10 before giving up three touchdowns in the last 21 minutes and losing 38-23
In the Oregon State game, the Buffs came back from a 17-7 deficit to lead 21-20. They lost the game 36-31.
Against UCLA, the Buffs trailed 17-0 and 31-17 before storming back to tie the game at 31 and force overtime. The Buffs lost in triple overtime again, by the score of 40-37.
2013
The Buffs trail Utah 21-0 before finally losing 24-17.
What do the nine games have in common?
The Buffs either squandered big leads or came back from big deficits. And most importantly, the Buffs lost all nine games.
Lest anyone think I am only picking on the games the Buffs lost, remember that the conference record of the Buffs under MacIntyre is 2-25, so there are not a lot of conference wins to point at.
Despite the trials and tribulations, the Buffs need to address that they have shown they can play in the Pac-12, but they need to take the next step and actually win some of the games that are close. If they do not, changes need to be made.
The Buffs fan base called for Lindgren's head last year, and MacIntyre relented to bringing in a co-offensive coordinator in Darrin Chiaverini. It seems to be working out against the lesser opposition, but Mac needs it to work against conference foes if he expects to keep his job.
Some people point out (like this writer has many, many times) that the Buffs are so much closer than they used to be... but the time to win is now. If you win less than 10% of your conference games year after year, does the final score really matter?
Then, for some reason, the Buffs decided to slow things down. They continued to line up quickly but started pausing at the line to change plays from the sideline. Instead of forcing Michigan to have 5 seconds or so to get ready for the next play, the Buffs started taking almost the full play clock to get their plays off. Michigan got their wind back, and the Buffs started faltering on offense. Add the faltering offense to a disastrous punt team and the recipe for destruction was complete.
The Buffs watched their 21-7 lead disappear as they fell behind 24-21 at the end of the first half when Mac and Lindgren decided to run out the clock instead of going for more points. The gambit failed. Michigan got the ball back and scored with 10 seconds left before half to take the lead.
In the 2nd half, the Buffs again turned on the offense and scored on a 70 yard pass shortly after beginning the 3rd quarter. They retook the lead 28-24. The Wolverines' Jabril Peppers returned the kickoff 55 yards and Michigan scored 2 plays later to take the lead for good.
QB Sefo Liufau was hurt on the play before he heaved the 70 yard TD. One more series showed that he was done for the day. Buff fans now wait to see if he will be ready for Oregon this week or will be out longer.
Backup QB Steven Montez' first two passes were dropped (one of which would have been a touchdown), and the deflation of the Buff offense was visible to all at Michigan Stadium. Lindgren's play calling packed it in as well, and the Buffs did their best to run out the clock and keep the loss under the betting line.
By then, as well, the defense realized the futility of their task. The offense was no threat to score and the punting team threatened to give up a score every time they came on the field. They watched their 21-7 lead evaporate into a 45-28 loss. Twenty-eight of Michigan's points came off of miscues by the special teams.
The defense under Jim Leavitt is one of the best in the Pac-12. But that fact is being shrouded by conservative play calling on offense and remarkably bad play by the special teams.
What Gives?
The Colorado Buffaloes offense under Mike MacIntyre and Brian Lindgren do not handle unexpected prosperity well. And it is not just this year. It has been going on since they arrived.
2015
In the game against USC, the Buffs built and squandered a 17-3 lead. They did not score again until they were behind 27-17. They lost the game 27-24.
They much prefer to roar back after being down. Against UCLA last year, the Buffs trailed 21-6 and 28-13 before retaking a 31-28 lead before finally losing 35-31.
Against Arizona, the Buffs trailed 17-7 before coming back to take a 24-17 lead. Then they gave up three 4th quarter touchdowns to fall behind by 14. They lost the game 38-31.
2014
In the game against Cal, the Buffs took had leads of 21-7 and 28-14. Cal came back to tie the game at 28. They eventually lost 59-56 in triple overtime.
Against Washington, the Buffs led 10-0 and 20-10 before giving up three touchdowns in the last 21 minutes and losing 38-23
In the Oregon State game, the Buffs came back from a 17-7 deficit to lead 21-20. They lost the game 36-31.
Against UCLA, the Buffs trailed 17-0 and 31-17 before storming back to tie the game at 31 and force overtime. The Buffs lost in triple overtime again, by the score of 40-37.
2013
The Buffs trail Utah 21-0 before finally losing 24-17.
What do the nine games have in common?
The Buffs either squandered big leads or came back from big deficits. And most importantly, the Buffs lost all nine games.
Lest anyone think I am only picking on the games the Buffs lost, remember that the conference record of the Buffs under MacIntyre is 2-25, so there are not a lot of conference wins to point at.
Despite the trials and tribulations, the Buffs need to address that they have shown they can play in the Pac-12, but they need to take the next step and actually win some of the games that are close. If they do not, changes need to be made.
The Buffs fan base called for Lindgren's head last year, and MacIntyre relented to bringing in a co-offensive coordinator in Darrin Chiaverini. It seems to be working out against the lesser opposition, but Mac needs it to work against conference foes if he expects to keep his job.
Some people point out (like this writer has many, many times) that the Buffs are so much closer than they used to be... but the time to win is now. If you win less than 10% of your conference games year after year, does the final score really matter?
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
A Warm and Moving Tribute to Bill McCartney in his Return to the Big House in Ann Arbor
Bill McCartney is a Colorado legend and a Buff forever.
All CU Buffs fans acknowledge that Hall of Fame Coach Bill McCartney is and shall remain a Buff forever. McCartney is the most winning coach in the history of the program and led the Buffs to their only football national championship following the 1990 season. All coaches since him have been held up to the standard he created.
What many people in Colorado do not realize is that McCartney was a legend in Michigan before moving to Boulder. Mac was born and raised in Michigan. He coached Dearborn Divine Child High School's football AND basketball teams to state titles in 1973. Shortly thereafter, he became the only high school coach ever hired to coach at the University of Michigan by legendary coach Bo Schembechler. Mac worked for Bo from 1974-1981 and rose to the level of defensive coordinator before being hired at Colorado.
A fine article by Mark Snyder from the Detroit Free Press details the influence that Mac had at Michigan and how closely intertwined he is with current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and his family.
Before the Colorado-Michigan game this past weekend, many of the Wolverine faithful were fired up because former QB Tom Brady was in town to act as honorary captain. What was quite surprising to the Colorado fans in attendance was that the welcome for McCartney was equally as loud and moving as that for Brady.
The crowd showed that like Colorado, Michigan fans remember their roots. Mac grew up as a local boy who made good coaching two different high school sports to championships. He then moved on and up at The Big House in Ann Arbor under Schembechler, before finally moving on to his last coaching gig in Boulder.
Mac's last visit to Ann Arbor as a football coach broke the hearts of Michigan fans when Kordell Stewart and Michael Westbrook hooked up for one of the most memorable plays in college football history. The Miracle at Michigan is a play that is forever etched in the minds of Colorado fans. And it remains one of the more heart-wrenching endings in Michigan Stadium's storied history (at least to Michigan fans).
All history aside, McCartney was welcomed home as a returned son. To all of the Colorado fans there to see the game, it became quite clear.
Bill McCartney is a Michigan legend and Wolverine forever too.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Buffs Show the Nation they are THISCLOSE to Rejoining The TOP 25
A thank you to the Buffs for showing up ready to play both offensively and defensively. Until the time of the first punt, watching the Colorado Buffaloes brought back memories of a time long past. Their offense was on point and a threat to whoever they played and the defense was hard-hitting and a threat to score and shut down even very good teams.
By the end of the first quarter, feelings that had not been felt about the Buffs in more than a decade were raging throughout Buff faithful scattered around The Big House. Even the Michigan fans were impressed, and a whole lot shocked.
One of the wonderful side benefits to playing at Michigan is their fans. They were friendly and open even before the game started (on the walk to the stadium and in the stands). And they were very complimentary of the Buffs when they bolted out to a quick 14-0 lead.
And when the Buffs scored to go up by 14 again after the Wolverines had scored on a blocked punt, their fans around us raved about the play of Sefo Liufau and the Buff defense. "Your quarterback is REALLY good!" they said about Sefo.
As for the Buff defense, Michigan QB Wilton Speight commented about the hit by Chidobe Awuzie by saying that he had never been hit so hard in his life. The hit by Awuzie led to a Speight fumble that was picked up by Derek McCartney and returned for a touchdown.
The days when the Buffs could be counted upon to be easy pickings in every phase of the game are over. The offense and defense showed they were the equal or superior of a top 5 team. And not just any top 5 team either.
Coach Jim Harbaugh is a recruiting master and the Michigan team is filled with the recruits who are the envy of schools across the country. A name often called during the game was Rashan Gary, the #1 recruit in the country earlier this year. In addition to Gary, Harbaugh's Michigan squad hauled in an additional 17 FOUR-star players in this year's class.
Despite Harbaugh's recruiting prowess, the Buffs were up 21-7 at the end of the 1st quarter. Buff fans should applaud that accomplishment. The 21 points the Buffs scored in the opening quarter EQUALED the most ever scored against Michigan at the Big House in their long and storied history.
Hundreds of games against the likes of Ohio State, Michigan State and Notre Dame (and a 1994 Colorado team that may have been among the top 3 CU teams ever), and NO team ever scored more points against Michigan in Ann Arbor in the 1st quarter than Colorado did this past weekend.
Unfortunately for the Buffs, the Wolverines are not only top tier on both offense and defense, they are probably the best team in the country on special teams. It's the one thing that separates a very good Buff team from a top 10 team.
Many Buff fans are up in arms that Colorado did not go on and beat a Top-5 team on the road after being up by 14 to end the first quarter. They are missing the reality that Michigan is truly a threat to win the national championship this year. Like all championship caliber teams, they found the weakness of their opponent and exploited it.
The Buffs were exposed on special teams (specifically punting) as a team that still has work to do. One small part of the game was the difference between winning and losing on the road against a Top-5 team.
It's a hectic week in Boulder as the Buffs prepare to go on the road against Oregon. Listening to radio and reading the papers and blogs, many in Buff nation seem to think this UNRANKED Duck team is the same as the Top 5 teams of years past. That is not the case. This Oregon team is ripe for the taking. They have injuries to several of their star players, and their defense shows little sign of slowing down anyone.
If the Buffs can get their heads around the fact that they were so close to beating one of the best teams in the country on the road, they can go into Eugene and beat Oregon. If they fall back to psychological predispositions, it could be the beginning of a rough stretch of games.
The ball is in the court of Mike MacIntyre and his staff. How the Buffs respond will be played out Saturday.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
It's Time for the Colorado Buffaloes to Get Mean, Because A Muderers' Row Awaits Them
College football is not a game of manners.
Not anymore. It's a big money, win-or-go-home game. If you want to play with the big boys, there are no moral victories. You either win, or you lose. With overtime now, there is not even the possibility of a tie.
When head coach Mike MacIntyre arrived in Boulder for the 2013 season, Colorado was coming off their most embarrassing season ever. They were arguably the worst college football team in all of Division 1, and by far the worst team in a Power 5 conference.
On top of that, the Buffs were also still brand spanking new to the Pac-12 Conference. And MacIntyre was a newbie to coaching at a Power 5 school and in the Conference of Champions. Both Mac and the Buffs were still acting like the new kid on the block, who just wanted to make a few friends and keep a low profile. They've been wide-eyed and full of wonder.
If the Buffs want to go to a bowl game or be taken seriously as a competitor in the Pac-12, that politeness has to stop NOW!
The football Buffs have been politely knocking at the door of their new conference opponents for five years now. Their victories have been very few and far between. Mac's teams have won against Pac-12 teams only twice in three years.
That's not to say that the Buffs have not been inching closer. In the last two years in Pac-12 play, the Buffs have been involved in NINE games which were decided by 7 points or less. Unfortunately, their record in those games is 1-8, including two lost in double overtime.
It's time for the Buffs to quit knocking on the door and waiting to be let in. It's time for the Buffs to kick the damn door down!
Mac and his team have been looking for a signature win over a ranked opponent. They've been hoping for a game to announce to the conference and the country that the Colorado Buffaloes are back in the conversation after a decade of irrelevance.
Over the next 6 weeks, the Buffs face a murderer's row of games on the road against teams that always seem to be in the national conversation: Michigan, Oregon, USC and Stanford.
Are the Buffs going to be happy just to play the Big Boys tough? Or are they going to knock 'em down and keep on hitting til the game is over? Are they going to be happy with maybe winning six games this year, or do they want much more than that?
This is the year, and these next six weeks are the time, for the Buffs to step up and make a name for themselves. But they can only do that with wins. Close losses and moral victories will not cut it any longer.
The game at Michigan is the key. The Wolverines and their faithful are not even talking about the Buffs. Check out Buff sites and all anyone is talking about is Michigan. Check out Michigan sites and CU is barely mentioned. Talk about being disrespected!
Best of all, Michigan is rated as a top 5 team. A win at The Big House would not only give Colorado their signature win, but would also announce to the Pac-12 that Colorado is back and they will no longer meekly take their losses and go home.
The Michigan game is a huge opportunity.
The Buffs can get national attention for the best reasons, or they can go in with eyes wide and just happy to be there. How they play will be a statement for good or bad.
The current Buffs (and few teams ever did) do not have the firepower of the 1994 Buffs team that pulled off the Miracle at Michigan. They could not and will not win on a dramatic Hail Mary pass that covers more than 70 yards to end the game.
What the current Buffs do have is a team that can play with anyone in the country. Can they beat Michigan in Ann Arbor? It's a difficult task even for very good teams. But, yes, they can win the game if they play smart, hard-nosed defense and the offense can put enough points on the board to stay in the game.
Neither Michigan nor their fans, however, believe the Buffs have a chance. Most of them aren't even giving CU a second thought. Big 10 games start next week for them, and that's what they are focused on.
Former Buff Coach Bill McCartney will return to Michigan for the game. He is the coach that recruited Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to MU way back when he was the defensive coordinator for Bo Schembechler. It will be a coming home party for Bill Mac.
Colorado will not get a better opportunity to surprise people this year. The question is whether the Buffs will take advantage of that opportunity and hold a party of their own.
Go Buffs!
Not anymore. It's a big money, win-or-go-home game. If you want to play with the big boys, there are no moral victories. You either win, or you lose. With overtime now, there is not even the possibility of a tie.
When head coach Mike MacIntyre arrived in Boulder for the 2013 season, Colorado was coming off their most embarrassing season ever. They were arguably the worst college football team in all of Division 1, and by far the worst team in a Power 5 conference.
On top of that, the Buffs were also still brand spanking new to the Pac-12 Conference. And MacIntyre was a newbie to coaching at a Power 5 school and in the Conference of Champions. Both Mac and the Buffs were still acting like the new kid on the block, who just wanted to make a few friends and keep a low profile. They've been wide-eyed and full of wonder.
If the Buffs want to go to a bowl game or be taken seriously as a competitor in the Pac-12, that politeness has to stop NOW!
The football Buffs have been politely knocking at the door of their new conference opponents for five years now. Their victories have been very few and far between. Mac's teams have won against Pac-12 teams only twice in three years.
That's not to say that the Buffs have not been inching closer. In the last two years in Pac-12 play, the Buffs have been involved in NINE games which were decided by 7 points or less. Unfortunately, their record in those games is 1-8, including two lost in double overtime.
It's time for the Buffs to quit knocking on the door and waiting to be let in. It's time for the Buffs to kick the damn door down!
Mac and his team have been looking for a signature win over a ranked opponent. They've been hoping for a game to announce to the conference and the country that the Colorado Buffaloes are back in the conversation after a decade of irrelevance.
Over the next 6 weeks, the Buffs face a murderer's row of games on the road against teams that always seem to be in the national conversation: Michigan, Oregon, USC and Stanford.
Are the Buffs going to be happy just to play the Big Boys tough? Or are they going to knock 'em down and keep on hitting til the game is over? Are they going to be happy with maybe winning six games this year, or do they want much more than that?
This is the year, and these next six weeks are the time, for the Buffs to step up and make a name for themselves. But they can only do that with wins. Close losses and moral victories will not cut it any longer.
The game at Michigan is the key. The Wolverines and their faithful are not even talking about the Buffs. Check out Buff sites and all anyone is talking about is Michigan. Check out Michigan sites and CU is barely mentioned. Talk about being disrespected!
Best of all, Michigan is rated as a top 5 team. A win at The Big House would not only give Colorado their signature win, but would also announce to the Pac-12 that Colorado is back and they will no longer meekly take their losses and go home.
The Michigan game is a huge opportunity.
The Buffs can get national attention for the best reasons, or they can go in with eyes wide and just happy to be there. How they play will be a statement for good or bad.
The current Buffs (and few teams ever did) do not have the firepower of the 1994 Buffs team that pulled off the Miracle at Michigan. They could not and will not win on a dramatic Hail Mary pass that covers more than 70 yards to end the game.
What the current Buffs do have is a team that can play with anyone in the country. Can they beat Michigan in Ann Arbor? It's a difficult task even for very good teams. But, yes, they can win the game if they play smart, hard-nosed defense and the offense can put enough points on the board to stay in the game.
Neither Michigan nor their fans, however, believe the Buffs have a chance. Most of them aren't even giving CU a second thought. Big 10 games start next week for them, and that's what they are focused on.
Former Buff Coach Bill McCartney will return to Michigan for the game. He is the coach that recruited Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to MU way back when he was the defensive coordinator for Bo Schembechler. It will be a coming home party for Bill Mac.
Colorado will not get a better opportunity to surprise people this year. The question is whether the Buffs will take advantage of that opportunity and hold a party of their own.
Go Buffs!
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Moment of Truth Time for Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes
In around two hours, Ralphie the Buffalo will lead the CU Buffs onto Folsom Field as they take the field against the UMass Minutemen. Last year the Minutemen held an 11 point lead in the second half before the Buffs rallied to a three point victory at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
It was one of only two victories for the Buffs in 2014. The other was against Hawaii, who got their revenge last week as the Buffs fell 28-20 against the Rainbow Warriors.
The Buffs came into the season brimming with confidence and spoke openly about a bowl game at the end of the season. A month's worth of miscues (or, as head coach Mike MacIntyre put it, "shooting themselves in the foot, the leg, the head") doomed the Buffs to their 9th straight loss despite a strong effort from the revitalized defense under Jim Leavitt.
The Buffs enter this game knowing that any loss before the beginning of Pac-12 play pretty much dooms this team to yet another losing year. No bowl, no nothing. That means the Buffs have to hold serve against the Minutemen, CSU next week, and then a school called Nicholls before taking on the Pac-12. To paraphrase Stuart Whitehair over at "CU at the Game" -- Who the hell is Nicholls?
The Buffs are steadfastly claiming that they have not lost their confidence. That is good. Unfortunately, the head coach and offensive coordinator (and the Special Teams guy) all seem to think there was nothing wrong last week. They seem to be in some serious denial.
MacIntyre claims that Hawaii was able to put "a little bit of pressure" on quarterback Sefo Liufau. The reality? Four sacks, numerous knockdowns, little time to throw, and unplanned scrambles because the blocking schemes were a mess. If that only qualifies as "a little bit" most fans shudder to think what it will be like when the Buffs play a top defensive team.
OC Brian Lindgren sees no problem with the Buffs play calling last week, despite the fact that the team averaged only 4 yards a play both running and passing the ball. That's pretty scary when you throw the ball 40 times and only get 159 yards for the effort. Lindgren also completely abandoned the running game after starting to dominate on the ground. The offense also wasted two of three timeouts for no apparent reason, and as the game was winding down, seemed completely oblivious to the fact the clock was running. Sure, the refs botched the last play, but that was to be expected because they were pretty awful all day.
Fans all hope that special teams doesn't do all it can to lose the game. To take a quote from the movie "The Big Chill" (they were watching the Michigan game and making many mistakes) -- "Come on, Bo (Schembechler) , teach 'em the basics!" Just insert Toby (Neinas) for Bo.
Expect the defense to take it to Mass. They know that they might be ones needing to score points if Lindgren and Neinas put the Buffs in a hole again. Mike MacIntyre does not usually panic, but if the Buffs come up short today he will need to start working on his resume.
It was one of only two victories for the Buffs in 2014. The other was against Hawaii, who got their revenge last week as the Buffs fell 28-20 against the Rainbow Warriors.
The Buffs came into the season brimming with confidence and spoke openly about a bowl game at the end of the season. A month's worth of miscues (or, as head coach Mike MacIntyre put it, "shooting themselves in the foot, the leg, the head") doomed the Buffs to their 9th straight loss despite a strong effort from the revitalized defense under Jim Leavitt.
The Buffs enter this game knowing that any loss before the beginning of Pac-12 play pretty much dooms this team to yet another losing year. No bowl, no nothing. That means the Buffs have to hold serve against the Minutemen, CSU next week, and then a school called Nicholls before taking on the Pac-12. To paraphrase Stuart Whitehair over at "CU at the Game" -- Who the hell is Nicholls?
The Buffs are steadfastly claiming that they have not lost their confidence. That is good. Unfortunately, the head coach and offensive coordinator (and the Special Teams guy) all seem to think there was nothing wrong last week. They seem to be in some serious denial.
MacIntyre claims that Hawaii was able to put "a little bit of pressure" on quarterback Sefo Liufau. The reality? Four sacks, numerous knockdowns, little time to throw, and unplanned scrambles because the blocking schemes were a mess. If that only qualifies as "a little bit" most fans shudder to think what it will be like when the Buffs play a top defensive team.
OC Brian Lindgren sees no problem with the Buffs play calling last week, despite the fact that the team averaged only 4 yards a play both running and passing the ball. That's pretty scary when you throw the ball 40 times and only get 159 yards for the effort. Lindgren also completely abandoned the running game after starting to dominate on the ground. The offense also wasted two of three timeouts for no apparent reason, and as the game was winding down, seemed completely oblivious to the fact the clock was running. Sure, the refs botched the last play, but that was to be expected because they were pretty awful all day.
Fans all hope that special teams doesn't do all it can to lose the game. To take a quote from the movie "The Big Chill" (they were watching the Michigan game and making many mistakes) -- "Come on, Bo (Schembechler) , teach 'em the basics!" Just insert Toby (Neinas) for Bo.
Expect the defense to take it to Mass. They know that they might be ones needing to score points if Lindgren and Neinas put the Buffs in a hole again. Mike MacIntyre does not usually panic, but if the Buffs come up short today he will need to start working on his resume.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
It Was 20 Years Ago Today! The Miracle at Michigan
It was twenty years ago today
Kordell Stewart made a magic play
He threw the ball a football mile
And Westbrook caught the ball with style
Blake Anderson tipped the ball up high
Then Michigan fans began to cry
And Keith Jackson screamed out "Incredible!"
Twenty years later and the play still lives on as one of the greatest game ending Hail-Mary passes in the history of college football. Click the video to relive how Keith Jackson called the play at Michigan's Big House in front of more than 100,000 screaming fans.
It was also one of the greatest comebacks ever for top 10 teams playing one another. Colorado had trailed 26-14 with less than three minutes to play. The Buffs scored a touchdown to pull to within six points with 2:30 remaining. They opted not to go for an onside kick but instead chose to play defense.
Michigan failed to gain a first down and had to punt the ball back to the Buffs. They began the drive at their own 15. On first down Stewart completed a 21 yard pass to Westbrook. With only six seconds left in the game, the Buffaloes had only one choice, the Hail-Mary.
Usually these kind of last ditch passes only work within 50 yards. Stewart had a big arm, for sure, but no one on the the Michigan sideline or the stands thought he could throw the ball 70 yards. In fact, he threw the ball 73 yards to the goal line, where it was tipped by Blake Anderson and pulled down by Michael Westbrook.
The play was well covered, with Michigan All-American Ty Law wrapped around Westbrook's legs. The Colorado receiver's hands were free, though, and they grabbed the ball for the touchdown and the win.
It was one of the greatest wins in Colorado history, and the play continues to hold a place of honor in the pantheons of college football.
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Apologies to John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the mangling of the lyrics to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Enjoy the video below.
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