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.
Showing posts with label Oregon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oregon. Show all posts
Friday, November 11, 2016
Saturday, October 15, 2016
It's Moment of Truth Time for Mike MacIntyre and the Colorado Buffaloes
Today is the day.
The Sun Devils of Arizona State are in town. The Buffaloes and Devils are tied for first place in the Pac-1 South. ASU is 5-1, while Colorado sits at 4-2. The winner tonight holds on to first place and controls their destiny the rest of the way out.
Something has to give.
ASU has never lost to CU. The Buffaloes have been dominant in the state of Colorado, winning their 3 games by a combined score of 147-20.
The Buffs publicly stated goal this season is to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Every team in the conference has the same goal, but for the first time since joining the Pac-12, the Buffs are considered as serious contenders. It makes sense. In their first five years in the league, the Buffaloes never won more than a single conference game in any given year. To make a trip to the title game this year, the Buffaloes will have to win more Pac-12 games than they have won in total in their first five years.
Colorado started well, winning their first two against Oregon and Oregon State.
But then came a hard fought close loss to USC at the Coliseum, another team the Buffs have never beaten. If the Buffs win today, their path to the title game is clearly defined. If the Buffs lose, the chances they win the South are much more difficult, but not impossible. The Buffaloes do not have to play the juggernaut Washington Huskies in the regular season, while USC and Arizona State have to play at UW, and Utah hosts the Huskies.
More importantly, a loss to ASU would force the Buffaloes to travel to Stanford next week with a likelihood of being 4-4 and making ANY bowl game much less secure.
It has been stated over and over in this column that ANY Pac-12 team can beat any other on any given weekend. The coaches in the Conference of Champions are among the best in the country at attacking weaknesses, and ASU's Todd Graham is one of the very best in the Pac-12.
Colorado's Mike MacIntyre and offensive coordinators Darrin Chiaverini and Brian Lindgren did not adjust to USC stacking the box to take away the run until late in the game, and that failure to adjust led to the Buffaloes first conference loss this season.
It's moment of truth time for Mike MacIntyre and the Colorado Buffaloes.
A win defends Folsom Field and keeps the Buffs on track to meet their stated goals. A loss may very well lead them to doubting their ability to win the South. If another loss comes next week, they may start to doubt winning six and going to a bowl game, or settling for a lower tier bowl instead the bigger games that everyone knows and loves.
Make no doubt about it, this game is HUGE for the Buffaloes.
The Sun Devils of Arizona State are in town. The Buffaloes and Devils are tied for first place in the Pac-1 South. ASU is 5-1, while Colorado sits at 4-2. The winner tonight holds on to first place and controls their destiny the rest of the way out.
Something has to give.
ASU has never lost to CU. The Buffaloes have been dominant in the state of Colorado, winning their 3 games by a combined score of 147-20.
The Buffs publicly stated goal this season is to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Every team in the conference has the same goal, but for the first time since joining the Pac-12, the Buffs are considered as serious contenders. It makes sense. In their first five years in the league, the Buffaloes never won more than a single conference game in any given year. To make a trip to the title game this year, the Buffaloes will have to win more Pac-12 games than they have won in total in their first five years.
Colorado started well, winning their first two against Oregon and Oregon State.
But then came a hard fought close loss to USC at the Coliseum, another team the Buffs have never beaten. If the Buffs win today, their path to the title game is clearly defined. If the Buffs lose, the chances they win the South are much more difficult, but not impossible. The Buffaloes do not have to play the juggernaut Washington Huskies in the regular season, while USC and Arizona State have to play at UW, and Utah hosts the Huskies.
More importantly, a loss to ASU would force the Buffaloes to travel to Stanford next week with a likelihood of being 4-4 and making ANY bowl game much less secure.
It has been stated over and over in this column that ANY Pac-12 team can beat any other on any given weekend. The coaches in the Conference of Champions are among the best in the country at attacking weaknesses, and ASU's Todd Graham is one of the very best in the Pac-12.
Colorado's Mike MacIntyre and offensive coordinators Darrin Chiaverini and Brian Lindgren did not adjust to USC stacking the box to take away the run until late in the game, and that failure to adjust led to the Buffaloes first conference loss this season.
It's moment of truth time for Mike MacIntyre and the Colorado Buffaloes.
A win defends Folsom Field and keeps the Buffs on track to meet their stated goals. A loss may very well lead them to doubting their ability to win the South. If another loss comes next week, they may start to doubt winning six and going to a bowl game, or settling for a lower tier bowl instead the bigger games that everyone knows and loves.
Make no doubt about it, this game is HUGE for the Buffaloes.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Buffs Looking for a Team Effort to Replace Diego Gonzalez
One of the bigger concerns going into the Oregon game in Eugene was how the Buffs would handle their place kicking duties. Senior Diego Gonzalez ruptured his achilles tendon during the game at Michigan and will miss the rest of the season.
Prior to the injury, Gonzalez had kicked off 19 times and forced a touchback on 16 of those kicks. That was a vast improvement for Colorado from 2015, when the Buffs had 42 out of 69 of their kickoffs returned.
On extra points, Gonzalez had been perfect in his Colorado career, hitting on 51 consecutive tries. He made 18 of 29 field goal attempts in 2015, and was 3 of 4 before his injury.
The Oregon game saw the Buffs using two kickers. Freshman walk-on Davis Price from Evergreen handled the kickoff duties while junior Chris Graham from Burlingame, California replaced Gonzales on field goals.
Graham was the kickoff specialist in 2015, handling all but one of Colorado's 59 kickoffs. So game experience was nothing new to him. He made field goals of 24 and 33 yards in the game. He did, however, have one extra point blocked.
For Price, however, being on the field was a whole new experience. His first time taking the field for the Buffs was to kickoff in Autzen Stadium, one of the loudest venues in all of college football. How did he respond? He boomed it into the end zone for a touchback. It was the only touchback of the day for Price on six kicks, but it did serve to calm the freshman's nerves.
The kickers will be back in the altitude of Folsom Field this week, which should help their distance. They also will have another week of work in practice knowing that they will be handling the kicking duties for the rest of the year.
With a fierce Pac-12 schedule ahead of the Buffs, how Graham and Price handle their kicking duties will be a big part of how far this Buffaloes team goes toward their stated goal of winning the Pac-12 championship.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Why Aren't Pac-12 Teams Winning Conference Games at Home?
Cue the music to The Twilight Zone... because something very mysterious is going on this year in Pac-12 football. In a top to bottom conference in which every league game is to tough to win, the one historical advantage that every team banked upon were the all-important "home games."
It's an old adage in college football that if you want to go bowling at the end of the season, the key was to win all your home games and play .500 on the road. By and large, those numbers will give you at least 9 wins year in and year out (unless you play in the SEC, where most of the teams seem to have seven or eight home games every year). Nine wins means a trip for the holidays.
This year, the world of Pac-12 football has turned upside down. Eleven games into conference play, and the home teams have only won TWICE!
And it is NOT because the ranked teams are beating up on the unranked (UR) teams. In fact, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason. Out of those eleven games, these are the numbers:
It's an old adage in college football that if you want to go bowling at the end of the season, the key was to win all your home games and play .500 on the road. By and large, those numbers will give you at least 9 wins year in and year out (unless you play in the SEC, where most of the teams seem to have seven or eight home games every year). Nine wins means a trip for the holidays.
This year, the world of Pac-12 football has turned upside down. Eleven games into conference play, and the home teams have only won TWICE!
And it is NOT because the ranked teams are beating up on the unranked (UR) teams. In fact, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason. Out of those eleven games, these are the numbers:
- UR Stanford beats #6 USC in L.A; 41-31
- #21 Stanford beats UR Oregon State in Corvallis; 42-24
- UR Cal beats UR Washington in Seattle; 30-24
- #9 UCLA beats #16 Arizona in Tucson; 56-30
- #18 Utah beats #13 Oregon in Eugene; 62-20
- #19 USC beats UR Arizona State in Tempe; 42-14
- UR Arizona State beats UCLA in L.A.; 38-23
- UR Oregon beats UR Colorado in Boulder; 41-24
- UR Washington beats #17 USC in L.A.; 17-12
- FIVE UNRANKED teams have won on the road in conference play.
- THREE of those UNRANKED teams have beaten RANKED teams on the road.
- ONE ranked team has beaten a lower ranked team.
- ONE lower ranked team has beaten a higher ranked team.
- Only TWO ranked teams have beaten UNRANKED conference foes on the road.
- Perennial power USC has lost TWICE at home already to UNRANKED Pac-12 teams.
- #24 Cal beats UR Washington State; 34-28
- #18 Stanford beats UR Arizona; 55-17
Monday, October 5, 2015
Pac-12 Football: The Split Personality Reigns Supreme
Only five weeks into the 2015 college football season and to quote Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, "What a long, strange trip it's been!" In the preseason AP Top 25 poll, the Pac-12 had SIX teams in the Top 22 and a total of EIGHT which received votes.
Preseason:
# 7 -- Oregon
# 8 -- USC
#13 -- UCLA
#15 -- Arizona State
#21 -- Stanford
#22 -- Arizona
Two weeks in and things have changed. Arizona State lost to #27 Texas A&M, Stanford lost to Northwestern.
Week 2 Poll:
# 7 -- Oregon
# 8 -- USC
#13 --UCLA
#22 -- Arizona
#21 -- Utah
Stanford and Arizona State drop out of Top 25, Utah joins.
Oregon loses to then #5 Michigan State and drops in polls.
Week 3 Poll:
# 6 -- USC
#10 -- UCLA
#12 -- Oregon
#20 -- Arizona
#21 -- Utah
USC loses to Stanford, Stanford re-enters Top 25 but is still ranked behind USC.
Week 4 Poll:
# 9 -- UCLA
#13 -- Oregon
#16 -- Arizona
#18 -- Utah
#19 -- USC
#21 -- Stanford
Utah destroys and humiliates Oregon in Eugene, UCLA manhandles Arizona in Tucson, USC rips Arizona State. Undefeated California enters the poll and Oregon and Arizona drop out of Top 25.
Week 5 Poll:
# 7 -- UCLA
#10 -- Utah
#17 -- USC
#18 -- Stanford
#24 -- California
Arizona State dismantles UCLA in L.A., Stanford rips Arizona. Stanford finally is ranked ahead of USC
Week 6 Poll:
# 5 -- Utah
#16 -- Stanford
#17 -- USC
#20 -- UCLA
#23 -- California
After five weeks, Utah has jumped from unranked to #5. Oregon, Arizona State and Arizona have fallen out of the Top 25. Stanford has dropped out and then rejoined the Top 25. California is ranked for the first time in years.
The powerful Pac-12 has only two undefeated teams left... and that will change this weekend when Cal takes on Utah.
Only 3 teams are undefeated in conference play (Stanford, Cal and Utah) and that will drop to two after this weekend. Stanford has a bye.
---------------------------
Week by week, teams that played awful and lost the week before come back and upset a ranked team the next week. How it plays out is anybody's guess.
Will Dr. Jekyll show up and dominate? Or will Mr. Hyde ruin the day once again?
Preseason:
# 7 -- Oregon
# 8 -- USC
#13 -- UCLA
#15 -- Arizona State
#21 -- Stanford
#22 -- Arizona
Two weeks in and things have changed. Arizona State lost to #27 Texas A&M, Stanford lost to Northwestern.
Week 2 Poll:
# 7 -- Oregon
# 8 -- USC
#13 --UCLA
#22 -- Arizona
#21 -- Utah
Stanford and Arizona State drop out of Top 25, Utah joins.
Oregon loses to then #5 Michigan State and drops in polls.
Week 3 Poll:
# 6 -- USC
#10 -- UCLA
#12 -- Oregon
#20 -- Arizona
#21 -- Utah
USC loses to Stanford, Stanford re-enters Top 25 but is still ranked behind USC.
Week 4 Poll:
# 9 -- UCLA
#13 -- Oregon
#16 -- Arizona
#18 -- Utah
#19 -- USC
#21 -- Stanford
Utah destroys and humiliates Oregon in Eugene, UCLA manhandles Arizona in Tucson, USC rips Arizona State. Undefeated California enters the poll and Oregon and Arizona drop out of Top 25.
Week 5 Poll:
# 7 -- UCLA
#10 -- Utah
#17 -- USC
#18 -- Stanford
#24 -- California
Arizona State dismantles UCLA in L.A., Stanford rips Arizona. Stanford finally is ranked ahead of USC
Week 6 Poll:
# 5 -- Utah
#16 -- Stanford
#17 -- USC
#20 -- UCLA
#23 -- California
After five weeks, Utah has jumped from unranked to #5. Oregon, Arizona State and Arizona have fallen out of the Top 25. Stanford has dropped out and then rejoined the Top 25. California is ranked for the first time in years.
The powerful Pac-12 has only two undefeated teams left... and that will change this weekend when Cal takes on Utah.
Only 3 teams are undefeated in conference play (Stanford, Cal and Utah) and that will drop to two after this weekend. Stanford has a bye.
---------------------------
Week by week, teams that played awful and lost the week before come back and upset a ranked team the next week. How it plays out is anybody's guess.
Will Dr. Jekyll show up and dominate? Or will Mr. Hyde ruin the day once again?
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Cherish the Wins Over Teams Coming Off 10 Win Seasons, It's What it Takes to Win in the Pac-12
Colorado Buffaloes football fans, especially those who have been around the program for a couple of decades or more, like to think of the Colorado State Rams as "little brother" and that the Buffs should never lose to their in-state rival. Guess what? Little brothers have an annoying habit of growing up and becoming as big and strong as big brother. Colorado State has grown up and is a very strong and physical football team. Make no mistake, CSU is a good football team and will be playing in a bowl at the end of the year.
Lots of fans commenting on articles and blogs have discounted the Buffs' overtime win by saying that a win over CSU doesn't count for much. That's BS to the highest degree. Colorado State won 10 games last year, and has won 18 in the last two years. It took the Buffs the last FOUR YEARS to win a total of 10 games, and the last SIX YEARS to win a total of 18.
Since 2000, the Rams have had FOUR 10-win seasons. The Buffs have had only one. Discounting the victory over a team with 10 wins last year is ludicrous because it has not happened very much to Buffaloes over the last 10 years,
In fact, this win is only one of four. In 2011, the Buffs beat a Utah team which had gone 10-3 in 2010. In 2008, the Buffs took out a West Virginia team which had won 11 games in 2007. And in 2007, the Buffs beat an Oklahoma team which had won 11 games in both 2006 AND 2007. Those are the only four times the Buffs have accomplished the deed in the last 10 years.
One thing all those four games have in common is the very close scores. Two of the victories came by 3 points in overtime, and two came by three points in regulation time.
Why is the 10 win threshold so important? The Buffs still have a lot of those games to play this year. Four of the teams the Buffs play in the Pac-12 this year won at least 10 games last year. Two more won 9 games. They are:
The Buffs only have two teams on their Pac-12 schedule which had losing seasons last year (Washington State at 3-9 and Oregon State at 5-7). Needless to say, those teams are also looking at Colorado as a team on THEIR schedules which had a losing team last year. Those two teams (and CU) are 2-1 so far in 2015.
The Pac-12 enters this weekend with six teams in the Top 21 in the country. Four of them are in the Pac-12 South with the Buffs, and the other two are on the Buffs schedule this year. For the Buffs to meet their goal of a bowl game at the end of the year, they will need to beat one or more of those six ranked teams. To make it even harder, a seventh team on the Buffs schedule (Arizona State) is just outside of the Top 25.
This weekend the Buffs will certainly win their third straight game, and that is a big deal. The last time the Buffs won 3 games in a row was in the 2008 season when they opened with wins over Colorado State, Eastern Washington and West Virginia.
For the Buffs to once again be a team that goes bowling every year, they will need to start having three game win streaks every year and perhaps more than once a year.
The Buffs are finally starting to grow up and believe in themselves. They are developing an attitude that could very well turn into a nasty streak. And a good nasty streak is what is needed these days to be a winning football team in the Pac-12.
Lots of fans commenting on articles and blogs have discounted the Buffs' overtime win by saying that a win over CSU doesn't count for much. That's BS to the highest degree. Colorado State won 10 games last year, and has won 18 in the last two years. It took the Buffs the last FOUR YEARS to win a total of 10 games, and the last SIX YEARS to win a total of 18.
Since 2000, the Rams have had FOUR 10-win seasons. The Buffs have had only one. Discounting the victory over a team with 10 wins last year is ludicrous because it has not happened very much to Buffaloes over the last 10 years,
In fact, this win is only one of four. In 2011, the Buffs beat a Utah team which had gone 10-3 in 2010. In 2008, the Buffs took out a West Virginia team which had won 11 games in 2007. And in 2007, the Buffs beat an Oklahoma team which had won 11 games in both 2006 AND 2007. Those are the only four times the Buffs have accomplished the deed in the last 10 years.
One thing all those four games have in common is the very close scores. Two of the victories came by 3 points in overtime, and two came by three points in regulation time.
Why is the 10 win threshold so important? The Buffs still have a lot of those games to play this year. Four of the teams the Buffs play in the Pac-12 this year won at least 10 games last year. Two more won 9 games. They are:
- Oregon (13-2)
- UCLA (10-3)
- Arizona State (10-3)
- Arizona (10-4)
- Utah (9-4)
- USC (9-4)
The Buffs only have two teams on their Pac-12 schedule which had losing seasons last year (Washington State at 3-9 and Oregon State at 5-7). Needless to say, those teams are also looking at Colorado as a team on THEIR schedules which had a losing team last year. Those two teams (and CU) are 2-1 so far in 2015.
The Pac-12 enters this weekend with six teams in the Top 21 in the country. Four of them are in the Pac-12 South with the Buffs, and the other two are on the Buffs schedule this year. For the Buffs to meet their goal of a bowl game at the end of the year, they will need to beat one or more of those six ranked teams. To make it even harder, a seventh team on the Buffs schedule (Arizona State) is just outside of the Top 25.
This weekend the Buffs will certainly win their third straight game, and that is a big deal. The last time the Buffs won 3 games in a row was in the 2008 season when they opened with wins over Colorado State, Eastern Washington and West Virginia.
For the Buffs to once again be a team that goes bowling every year, they will need to start having three game win streaks every year and perhaps more than once a year.
The Buffs are finally starting to grow up and believe in themselves. They are developing an attitude that could very well turn into a nasty streak. And a good nasty streak is what is needed these days to be a winning football team in the Pac-12.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Colorado Buffaloes Football 2015: What to Expect
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre is starting his third season at the helm in Boulder. His first two seasons produced four wins, and two wins, respectively. Entering his third season, the head coach knows the expectations for his Buffs is much higher than in the first two.
Mac took over a program that was arguably one of the very worst in the country at the Division 1 level, and absolutely the worst team from one of the Power Five Conferences. He knew he had his work cut out for him at Colorado, but he was fresh off an amazing job turning San Jose State from a perennial cellar dweller to a 10 win bowl team in three years.
Nobody expects the Buffs to reel off 10 wins this year, but seven wins and a bowl game are what most Buff fans have in mind. They need to remember that the Buffs won only two games last year. On the other hand, the Buffs were a few lucky bounces from being a six game winner last year. The goal this year is to win those close games, particularly against Pac-12 foes. The Buffs lost in DOUBLE overtime not once, but twice last year (UCLA and CAL).
Facing the Buffs is the reality that they play in the Pac-12 South, the toughest (bar none) conference division in college football. How do the other teams of that division rank in the opening AP poll?
- USC is ranked #8
- UCLA is ranked #13
- Arizona State is ranked #15
- Arizona is ranked #22
- And Utah is ranked #30
Even for an experienced rebuilder like MacIntyre, it will still be a tough row to hoe. But if anyone can achieve it, it is Mac and his staff. Mac is known for his organizational prowess. When he got into Boulder following the disastrous 2012 season, he started putting the foundational blocks down to build the Colorado football program back to respectability.
He brought in Brian Lindgren as his offensive coordinator. Lindgren's first year as OC at San Jose State saw the Spartans win 10 games. Lindgren took the raw and young Colorado offense which was one of the worst in the country and made the passing attack #34 in the country last year. The Buffs also rushed for more than 4 yards a carry and more than 150 yards a game for the first time in a decade.
Mac also brought Dave Forman, one of the best young Sports Performance Directors in the country. Forman came in and transformed the old "strength and conditioning" routine into a modern machine capable of increasing strength, speed, and stamina for athletes across many collegiate sports. The Buffs were routinely out-muscled back when Mac and Company arrived, but the Buffs are now able to compete in the Conference of Champions knowing they are just as strong or stronger than their opponents.
The results on the field on the defensive side of the ball have been slower to arrive to the casual fan. At the end of the day (or season), many look only at the wins and losses. But it is important to remember how the wins and losses occurred. In 2012, the Buffs were losing by an average for more than FOUR touchdowns a game (28.17 pts.). In 2013, that dropped to less than 13 points a game, and in 2014 it dropped to 10.5 points per game.
The response of the defense, which still ranked in the bottom fifth in the country last year, was not fast enough for Mac. He responded by bringing in two "Home Run" type hires for his defensive staff. The legendary Jim Leavitt was coaxed away from the San Francisco 49ers and joined the staff as defensive coordinator, and brought in Joe Tumpkin from Central Michigan University, where he had served as defensive coordinator. At Colorado, Tumpkin will coach the Safeties, which now have the added responsibility of calling the on-field defensive plays.
Leavitt is known as one of the finest defensive minds in all of football. His style of defense is known for its aggressive and attacking style. Tumpkin is known for creating hard hitting defenses which cause a lot of turnovers. That experience and prowess can only help the Buffs, which was one of the worst teams in the country last year in creating turnovers. In fact, the Buffs only had three interceptions the entire year, despite the fact that they play in one of the most pass-happy conferences in the country.
Expect much to change this year. The Buffs offense should be even better this year, perhaps a top 30 in the country if the rushing game can jump to the next level. The defense should be a great surprise to fans and opponents alike. Expect to see waves of defensive players going into and out of games to keep the players fresh. Expect more turnovers created by the defense and fewer committed by the offense.
Expect Nelson Spruce to again be one of the best receivers in the country and expect to hear his name called in the next NFL draft. Expect Sefo Liufau to cut his number of interceptions by more than half, while continuing to be a very efficient passer.
Expect Colorado to win at least seven games this year and go bowling. Expect one or more of those rated teams coming into Folsom Field this year to leave with a loss. Expect Colorado to have turned the corner after a decade of futility.
Expect the Colorado Buffaloes to be a winning football team.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Colorado Edges Closer in Pac-12 Play, But Falls Once Again
BOULDER--
The University of California Golden Bears find themselves in a very unique situation this week. They are in first place in the Pac-12 North Division. That's right, Cal. Not Oregon. Not Stanford. Not Washington. The California school that's in Berkeley.
Last year, the Bears went 1-11 under first year head coach Sonny Dykes. Colorado's Mike MacIntyre did somewhat better with a 4-8 record. Both Cal and Colorado are MUCH better teams this year than last. The difference so far this year is in the records. Cal is 4-1 while Colorado is just 2-4.
Colorado fans need to realize how little things can make a big difference in winning and losing. Is Cal atop the Pac-12 North because of their stifling defense? Certainly not. In fact, Cal is the only team in the history of college football (and probably pro and high school) to give up a combined 115 points in two games and actually win both those games. Colorado scored 56 on the Bears, and Washington State scored 59 last Saturday, but Cal walked away with three and one point victories.
Does that mean that California is much better than Colorado? Absolutely not. If you JUST look at the records, Cal is a very good team and CU is pretty mediocre. If you look at the reality of what is happening on the field, Colorado is every bit as good as Cal. The difference right now is that Cal has turned the corner and learned to finish games on top.
Colorado is very close to doing the same thing. It's a process. The Buffs have lots of young players and a young offensive coordinator who is still honing his chops at the Pac-12 level. Brian Lindgren has turned the Buffs offense into a group that can puts lots and lots of yards on the opposition. That is good. But he and his unit still go through times of miscommunication, poor play calling, and avoidable turnovers. Unfortunately, those mistakes are often just enough to have the Buffs on the losing end when the game ends.
It will get better. In fact, it is already so much better. Two years ago the Buffs were losing by an average of 32 points a game in conference play. Last year, the number was down to 25 points a game. Although the Buffs actually won one conference game each of the last two years, the overall pattern was the Buffs being smoked early and often when they took the field against Pac-12 opponents.
That is not the case this year. Colorado put up big yards against Arizona State, but a few mistakes kept putting them in the hole and they ended up losing a game by 14 they easily could have won. Against Cal, five breakdowns on defense led to losing a game by three points the Buffs should have won by 20.
Against Oregon State, the Buffs put themselves in a 14 point hole to begin the game. The came back to take the lead, but then had one of those quarters in which the offense could not do anything right. They came back yet again but could not overcome the double digit lead at the end.
Many fans are frustrated that the Buffs are coming up just short this season. They really need to remember how much fun it is to be still in the game when it ends. The Buffs are playing conference foes tough week in and week out for the first time since they joined the Pac-12. After three conference games, the Buffs have twice fallen by 5 points or less. Better yet, the 22 points in deficit in three games is three points less than the average conference score last year.
Look at those numbers again:
Buff fans should enjoy and appreciate how far these Buffs have come from just two short years ago. The Coors Events Center has quickly become the best place to watch college basketball in the Pac-12 over the last three years because of the raucous fans. Wouldn't it be great if CU students and football fans could do the same for Folsom Field?
Large and vocal crowds would do a great deal to push the Buffs around the corner toward becoming a winning program once again. And fans who have been staying away from Folsom should get out there to see the games in person. Pac-12 games are a blast to see from the stands. Many of the best players in the country play in the conference. Get out to see them and support your Buffaloes.
The University of California Golden Bears find themselves in a very unique situation this week. They are in first place in the Pac-12 North Division. That's right, Cal. Not Oregon. Not Stanford. Not Washington. The California school that's in Berkeley.
Last year, the Bears went 1-11 under first year head coach Sonny Dykes. Colorado's Mike MacIntyre did somewhat better with a 4-8 record. Both Cal and Colorado are MUCH better teams this year than last. The difference so far this year is in the records. Cal is 4-1 while Colorado is just 2-4.
Colorado fans need to realize how little things can make a big difference in winning and losing. Is Cal atop the Pac-12 North because of their stifling defense? Certainly not. In fact, Cal is the only team in the history of college football (and probably pro and high school) to give up a combined 115 points in two games and actually win both those games. Colorado scored 56 on the Bears, and Washington State scored 59 last Saturday, but Cal walked away with three and one point victories.
Does that mean that California is much better than Colorado? Absolutely not. If you JUST look at the records, Cal is a very good team and CU is pretty mediocre. If you look at the reality of what is happening on the field, Colorado is every bit as good as Cal. The difference right now is that Cal has turned the corner and learned to finish games on top.
Colorado is very close to doing the same thing. It's a process. The Buffs have lots of young players and a young offensive coordinator who is still honing his chops at the Pac-12 level. Brian Lindgren has turned the Buffs offense into a group that can puts lots and lots of yards on the opposition. That is good. But he and his unit still go through times of miscommunication, poor play calling, and avoidable turnovers. Unfortunately, those mistakes are often just enough to have the Buffs on the losing end when the game ends.
It will get better. In fact, it is already so much better. Two years ago the Buffs were losing by an average of 32 points a game in conference play. Last year, the number was down to 25 points a game. Although the Buffs actually won one conference game each of the last two years, the overall pattern was the Buffs being smoked early and often when they took the field against Pac-12 opponents.
That is not the case this year. Colorado put up big yards against Arizona State, but a few mistakes kept putting them in the hole and they ended up losing a game by 14 they easily could have won. Against Cal, five breakdowns on defense led to losing a game by three points the Buffs should have won by 20.
Against Oregon State, the Buffs put themselves in a 14 point hole to begin the game. The came back to take the lead, but then had one of those quarters in which the offense could not do anything right. They came back yet again but could not overcome the double digit lead at the end.
Many fans are frustrated that the Buffs are coming up just short this season. They really need to remember how much fun it is to be still in the game when it ends. The Buffs are playing conference foes tough week in and week out for the first time since they joined the Pac-12. After three conference games, the Buffs have twice fallen by 5 points or less. Better yet, the 22 points in deficit in three games is three points less than the average conference score last year.
Look at those numbers again:
- 2012 -- outscored in Pac-12 play by an average of 32.
- 2013 -- outscored by 25 on average.
- 2014 -- outscored by 7.3 after three games.
Buff fans should enjoy and appreciate how far these Buffs have come from just two short years ago. The Coors Events Center has quickly become the best place to watch college basketball in the Pac-12 over the last three years because of the raucous fans. Wouldn't it be great if CU students and football fans could do the same for Folsom Field?
Large and vocal crowds would do a great deal to push the Buffs around the corner toward becoming a winning program once again. And fans who have been staying away from Folsom should get out there to see the games in person. Pac-12 games are a blast to see from the stands. Many of the best players in the country play in the conference. Get out to see them and support your Buffaloes.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Big Dogs Beware: Colorado Poised to Turn Corner Against Pac-12 Foes
In every conference, they have what are commonly referred to as the "Big Dogs" which dominate conference play. When you play in the Pac-12, those big dogs are a pack of six schools which do fairly well on an almost annual basis during the football season.
The Big Dogs of Pac-12 football these days are (alphabetically):
In fact, in only one of those 17 games did one of those Big Dogs fail to score at least 42 points. Washington won in 2012 by 38-3. The three points scored by the Buffs in that game were not the worst they had done. The Oregon Ducks beat CU 45-2 in 2011, and Stanford shut out the Buffs 48-0 in 2012.
What's the point? In all 17 of those games, Colorado was completely manhandled in every phase of the game. In most cases, the Buffs were going up against 2nd and 3rd stringers after halftime. The stat sheets after those games showed Colorado giving up massive amounts of yards as well as points.
That all changed this past Saturday night against the Arizona State Sun Devils. Colorado was not only "in" the game until the very end, but had completely dominated the stat sheets following the first quarter. The Buffs put an astounding 523 yards on the Sun Devils in the final three quarters, while holding ASU to 204 yards in that time. The ASU starters (not counting injuries) were on the field the entire game.
Unfortunately, the Buffs committed three turnovers which led directly to 14 points for the Sun Devils. Take those away, and you have a tie game. More importantly, one of the interceptions should have gone for a touchdown for Colorado. Nelson Spruce was WIDE open deep down the field, but the moonball toss to him was so high that the ASU safety was able to come from all the way across the defensive backfield to intercept the ball. What should have been a Colorado touchdown instead led to an Arizona State touchdown.
Later, right after Colorado had cut a 17-0 deficit into a 17-14 nail-biter, the Buffs fumbled the ball deep in their own end and gave the Sun Devils a 7-point gift to put them down by 10 again at the half. The Sun Devils took the opening kickoff and scored another touchdown and were once again up by 17. Although Colorado dominated both sides of the ball for the rest of the game, the 17 points were too many to overcome. Colorado lost 38-24.
While some fair-weather fans bemoaned yet another loss, the more astute Colorado fans noted that the Buffs had played one of the conference "Big Dogs" tough for the very first time since joining the Pac-12. They noted that Colorado was equal or superior in most of the statistical categories against the Sun Devils. The two parts that ASU won, however, determined the outcome. The Sun Devils won the turnover battle and the final score.
The Buffs almost doubled their average score against the "Big Dogs" and also held the Sun Devils to a tie for the least amount of points scored against them by the big six. The 14 point loss was far and away the closest game against any of those teams. Remember, the Buffs average loss to the Big Dogs was by 37 points.
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre and his players have said time and again that they are not looking for moral victories. That is good. They are pursuing real wins against conference opponents. In three years in the Pac-12, the Buffs have defeated 4 conference teams one time apiece. They have beaten Arizona, California, Utah and Washington State.
The way the Buffs played indicates that they are ready to be competitive on a regular basis against conference foes. After a 4-24 record in three years against Pac-12 teams since they joined the conference, being competitive is a MAJOR step up.
The Buffs may not win six games this year to become bowl eligible. Buff fans have to remember that two of last year's four wins came against lower division FCS teams. There are none of those teams on this year's schedule.
Remember that UMass played Boston College tough for 30 minutes and only trailed 7-6 at the half. That is the same Boston College team that whipped USC last weekend. Colorado had to come back to beat UMass, but they did come back and win.
Hawaii only has a record of 1-2 coming into the game this weekend, but their two losses were very close games against Pac-12 opponents. Norm Chow is a great coach and the Rainbow Warriors are a much better team than people think. The Buffs will have to play hardnose and smart football to beat them.
This writer has been watching the Buffs for 30 years now, many of them as a season ticket holder. I have travelled to see them play. I have been to bowl games. I was there for some of the best times and teams in Colorado history. I have also seen some of the worst times.
For the first time in a long time, I am hopeful and proud of the way the Buffs have started to improve. I see good things ahead for these young men. College football is not as simple as it used to be. Learning from one coaching staff is difficult enough. Some of these young men are on their 3rd, but their hard work and the teaching ability of the coaching staff is finally start to pay dividends.
Look for that investment to begin paying off very soon. These Buffs CAN play in the Pac-12, and if last week was any indication, they can also put up a fight against the Big Dogs!
The Big Dogs of Pac-12 football these days are (alphabetically):
- Arizona State
- Oregon
- Stanford
- UCLA
- USC
- Washington
In fact, in only one of those 17 games did one of those Big Dogs fail to score at least 42 points. Washington won in 2012 by 38-3. The three points scored by the Buffs in that game were not the worst they had done. The Oregon Ducks beat CU 45-2 in 2011, and Stanford shut out the Buffs 48-0 in 2012.
What's the point? In all 17 of those games, Colorado was completely manhandled in every phase of the game. In most cases, the Buffs were going up against 2nd and 3rd stringers after halftime. The stat sheets after those games showed Colorado giving up massive amounts of yards as well as points.
That all changed this past Saturday night against the Arizona State Sun Devils. Colorado was not only "in" the game until the very end, but had completely dominated the stat sheets following the first quarter. The Buffs put an astounding 523 yards on the Sun Devils in the final three quarters, while holding ASU to 204 yards in that time. The ASU starters (not counting injuries) were on the field the entire game.
Unfortunately, the Buffs committed three turnovers which led directly to 14 points for the Sun Devils. Take those away, and you have a tie game. More importantly, one of the interceptions should have gone for a touchdown for Colorado. Nelson Spruce was WIDE open deep down the field, but the moonball toss to him was so high that the ASU safety was able to come from all the way across the defensive backfield to intercept the ball. What should have been a Colorado touchdown instead led to an Arizona State touchdown.
Later, right after Colorado had cut a 17-0 deficit into a 17-14 nail-biter, the Buffs fumbled the ball deep in their own end and gave the Sun Devils a 7-point gift to put them down by 10 again at the half. The Sun Devils took the opening kickoff and scored another touchdown and were once again up by 17. Although Colorado dominated both sides of the ball for the rest of the game, the 17 points were too many to overcome. Colorado lost 38-24.
While some fair-weather fans bemoaned yet another loss, the more astute Colorado fans noted that the Buffs had played one of the conference "Big Dogs" tough for the very first time since joining the Pac-12. They noted that Colorado was equal or superior in most of the statistical categories against the Sun Devils. The two parts that ASU won, however, determined the outcome. The Sun Devils won the turnover battle and the final score.
The Buffs almost doubled their average score against the "Big Dogs" and also held the Sun Devils to a tie for the least amount of points scored against them by the big six. The 14 point loss was far and away the closest game against any of those teams. Remember, the Buffs average loss to the Big Dogs was by 37 points.
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre and his players have said time and again that they are not looking for moral victories. That is good. They are pursuing real wins against conference opponents. In three years in the Pac-12, the Buffs have defeated 4 conference teams one time apiece. They have beaten Arizona, California, Utah and Washington State.
The way the Buffs played indicates that they are ready to be competitive on a regular basis against conference foes. After a 4-24 record in three years against Pac-12 teams since they joined the conference, being competitive is a MAJOR step up.
The Buffs may not win six games this year to become bowl eligible. Buff fans have to remember that two of last year's four wins came against lower division FCS teams. There are none of those teams on this year's schedule.
Remember that UMass played Boston College tough for 30 minutes and only trailed 7-6 at the half. That is the same Boston College team that whipped USC last weekend. Colorado had to come back to beat UMass, but they did come back and win.
Hawaii only has a record of 1-2 coming into the game this weekend, but their two losses were very close games against Pac-12 opponents. Norm Chow is a great coach and the Rainbow Warriors are a much better team than people think. The Buffs will have to play hardnose and smart football to beat them.
This writer has been watching the Buffs for 30 years now, many of them as a season ticket holder. I have travelled to see them play. I have been to bowl games. I was there for some of the best times and teams in Colorado history. I have also seen some of the worst times.
For the first time in a long time, I am hopeful and proud of the way the Buffs have started to improve. I see good things ahead for these young men. College football is not as simple as it used to be. Learning from one coaching staff is difficult enough. Some of these young men are on their 3rd, but their hard work and the teaching ability of the coaching staff is finally start to pay dividends.
Look for that investment to begin paying off very soon. These Buffs CAN play in the Pac-12, and if last week was any indication, they can also put up a fight against the Big Dogs!
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
It's Time to Remember Just How Young this Colorado Buffaloes Defense Really Is
It's two games into the 2014 CU Buff football season, and fans are starting to panic already. The feeling has even occurred to this writer. We have to remember to breathe.
It's only the 2nd season at the helm for Mike MacIntyre, and fans are already outraged that the team he inherited (the worst team in CU history) is not ready to go bowling. Is that really a surprise?
Buff fans need to remember that so much of the disappointment they feel is in their heads and their heart, and less so with the reality of the playing field. College football is a very interesting dynamic. It is the place where fans watch the growth of high school boys into college men, some of whom do well enough at their sport to move on the NFL.
With very few exceptions, young men fresh out of high school and even in their first few years of college are not ready to be dominant players at the collegiate level. We also have to remember that these young men are STUDENT athletes, who must attend to their scholastic responsibilities as well as their jobs as football players.
In most of the top tier football programs in the Power Five Conferences, a formula that has been in place for decades dictates the development of those high school boys into collegiate level football players. The best case scenario for those programs is as follows for the young men.
In most cases, the key behind a championship caliber team is how they play on the defensive side of the ball. Teams can have all the offensive firepower in the conference or the country and still go down to defeat if their defense cannot keep the opposition out of the end zone.
College offenses are more complex and difficult to read by defensive players than ever before. It's one of the reasons why so many games have scores in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Many offenses these days are designed with the idea that they can score on ANY PLAY. The teams that are content on working the ball down the field are rarer every year.
That being the case, it is more important than ever to have the defense manned by young men who have been learning the collegiate game for at least three years before becoming starters. It's no longer enough to be big and fast. They also need to know how to read the opposing team. Having 4.4 speed doesn't help if you're running in the wrong direction.
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How young is the Colorado Defense compared to their Pac-12 peers? Very young indeed.
A quick look at the defensive depth charts across the Pac-12 shows how many lower classmen are listed as starters.
It's no wonder that the Buffs have a hard time, when a majority of their defensive players have never been given the opportunity to learn the collegiate game with sufficient time.
Think of it like law school. How would it be if a month into your first semester you were being counted on to pass the bar and lead a big case?
Most people would be forgiven if the quality of their case was not the same as someone who spent three years in law school and couple of years interning as law clerks.
The same mindset should be used when dealing with the young Buffs playing defense. It is a testament to the quality of young men that MacIntyre has brought in that they are able to play at the high level they already do.
Fans should remember that they are only going to get better. In fact, in two more years, when the depth chart is rightly dominated by juniors and seniors, the quality of play from Colorado defense will seem like a night and day difference.
It won't be because they are smarter or more dedicated or faster. It will be because their brains have been given the opportunity to learn the craft of playing major college football. And, on top of that, many of them will have lots of game experience to go on as well.
The biggest weakness of the Colorado Buffaloes defense is youth, inexperience, and immaturity. Opposing Pac-12 coaches will do their very best to exploit that weakness while they can, because the time is coming when Colorado will be on a level playing field when it comes to the age and experience of their starters.
That one step in the wrong direction this season that leads to a first down or touchdown for the opponent, will soon be a step toward a sack, an interception or a big tackle for no gain. Now is the time to watch them learn and get better as they go. If we want to watch professionals play, the Denver Broncos are just down the road.
It's only the 2nd season at the helm for Mike MacIntyre, and fans are already outraged that the team he inherited (the worst team in CU history) is not ready to go bowling. Is that really a surprise?
Buff fans need to remember that so much of the disappointment they feel is in their heads and their heart, and less so with the reality of the playing field. College football is a very interesting dynamic. It is the place where fans watch the growth of high school boys into college men, some of whom do well enough at their sport to move on the NFL.
With very few exceptions, young men fresh out of high school and even in their first few years of college are not ready to be dominant players at the collegiate level. We also have to remember that these young men are STUDENT athletes, who must attend to their scholastic responsibilities as well as their jobs as football players.
In most of the top tier football programs in the Power Five Conferences, a formula that has been in place for decades dictates the development of those high school boys into collegiate level football players. The best case scenario for those programs is as follows for the young men.
- Freshman Year -- Redshirt, grow their bodies, and acclimate to college life away from home.
- Redshirt Freshman Year -- Work with the scout team, grow their bodies, become better acquainted with "system" their coaches operate.
- Sophomore Year -- Grow their bodies and begin to learn from the upper classmen the nuances of collegiate football, and how to read opposing teams.
- Junior Year -- Learn, grow bodies and compete for playing time.
- Senior Year -- Be counted upon as a major contributor to the team on the field and in the locker room.
In most cases, the key behind a championship caliber team is how they play on the defensive side of the ball. Teams can have all the offensive firepower in the conference or the country and still go down to defeat if their defense cannot keep the opposition out of the end zone.
College offenses are more complex and difficult to read by defensive players than ever before. It's one of the reasons why so many games have scores in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Many offenses these days are designed with the idea that they can score on ANY PLAY. The teams that are content on working the ball down the field are rarer every year.
That being the case, it is more important than ever to have the defense manned by young men who have been learning the collegiate game for at least three years before becoming starters. It's no longer enough to be big and fast. They also need to know how to read the opposing team. Having 4.4 speed doesn't help if you're running in the wrong direction.
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How young is the Colorado Defense compared to their Pac-12 peers? Very young indeed.
A quick look at the defensive depth charts across the Pac-12 shows how many lower classmen are listed as starters.
- Arizona (4)
- Arizona State (4)
- California (4)
- Colorado (6)
- Oregon (1)
- Oregon State (0)
- Stanford (0)
- UCLA (3)
- USC (2)
- Utah (5)
- Washington (3)
- Washington State (3)
It's no wonder that the Buffs have a hard time, when a majority of their defensive players have never been given the opportunity to learn the collegiate game with sufficient time.
Think of it like law school. How would it be if a month into your first semester you were being counted on to pass the bar and lead a big case?
Most people would be forgiven if the quality of their case was not the same as someone who spent three years in law school and couple of years interning as law clerks.
The same mindset should be used when dealing with the young Buffs playing defense. It is a testament to the quality of young men that MacIntyre has brought in that they are able to play at the high level they already do.
Fans should remember that they are only going to get better. In fact, in two more years, when the depth chart is rightly dominated by juniors and seniors, the quality of play from Colorado defense will seem like a night and day difference.
It won't be because they are smarter or more dedicated or faster. It will be because their brains have been given the opportunity to learn the craft of playing major college football. And, on top of that, many of them will have lots of game experience to go on as well.
The biggest weakness of the Colorado Buffaloes defense is youth, inexperience, and immaturity. Opposing Pac-12 coaches will do their very best to exploit that weakness while they can, because the time is coming when Colorado will be on a level playing field when it comes to the age and experience of their starters.
That one step in the wrong direction this season that leads to a first down or touchdown for the opponent, will soon be a step toward a sack, an interception or a big tackle for no gain. Now is the time to watch them learn and get better as they go. If we want to watch professionals play, the Denver Broncos are just down the road.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Why Pac-12 Coaches are Starting to Fear Sefo Liufau and the Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado's true freshman quarterback Sefo Liufau heads back home to Washington this week to lead his CU Buffs against the UW Huskies. Coaches and teammates alike hope and expect that Liufau will continue the strong start to his "era" as starting quarterback for the Buffaloes.
Washington coach Steve Sarkisian hopes the Huskies do not become the first conference "victim" this year to the Buffs and Liufau. Many consider a loss to Colorado a longshot, especially considering the long losing streak the Buffs have to conference opponents. The last time CU beat a Pac-12 team was all the way back to Sept. 22, 2012 against Washington State. It was the only win of the season for Colorado.
If one looks at the various team statistics for the Pac-12 conference this season, it is easy to see that Colorado ranks last or nearly last in most categories. What the stats DON'T show is that the numbers are changing drastically since Liufau became the quarterback for the Buffaloes.
Colorado is last in the Pac-12 in 3rd down conversions at 30.8%. Take away the 2 out of 33 conversions that CU had BEFORE switching to Liufau during conference play, and one finds that Liufau has led the Buffs to a conversion rate of almost 49%, which would be #1 in the conference.
Colorado's pass completion percentage is also at the bottom of the conference at only 51.5% of passes completed. When Liufau is on the field, however, things are much better. Sefo has completed 64.9% of his passes, and in three of the games he has played in the completion percentage has been at least 69%. Liufau's 64.9% would be third in the conference behind only UCLA and Oregon.
It is easy to see why Sarkisian and other coaches around the conference are starting to get concerned about the intangibles that Sefo Liufau brings to the Colorado offense. After all, he has started only three games and played in only one more at the collegiate level. Although he has been roughed up by opposing defenses, he has maintained his level-headed demeanor throughout his time at the helm of the CU offense.
As good as his play has been so far, opposing coaches know that Liufau will get better as he gets more experience. Then, the touchdown to field goal ratio when the Buffs get into the red zone will start to get better. Getting more points on the board will ease the duty of the Colorado defense, and time of possession will continue to grow as a strength for the Buffaloes.
Liufau is a Washington kid. He was a very successful high school quarterback there. His coaches from high school knew Sefo to be a great leader. Colorado's head coach, Mike MacIntyre, recognized those leadership abilities and burned Liufau's redshirt for the good of the team.
With each passing game, his teammates have grown to trust and respect him. Indeed, the way he stood up to the pounding (and cheap shots which drew penalties) from UCLA, inspired his offensive line to such a degree that by the end of the game they were willing to fight for him, leading to a skirmish with several Bruin players.
The emotional bonding into brotherhood between Liufau and his teammates is the crucial step that Colorado has been missing for years. As they continue to rebound from their lost decade away from the Top 25, the "coming together" of Colorado team will make them a much greater foe for any opponent.
UW coach Sarkisian does not want his Huskies to be the first victim to the rejuvenated Buffaloes and Liufau. That makes sense, because he knows that once those conference dominoes start to fall, a lot of teams in the Pac-12 will find out what it's like to be on the losing side across from Sefo Liufau.
Sefo Liufau will have droves of family and friends on hand at Husky Stadium this Saturday at 5 pm pacific time (6 pm mountain time). The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network. Those friends and family will be there to support and cheer Sefo and the Buffaloes as they try to take the next step back to respect. Liufau and his coaches and teammates want desperately not to disappoint them.
Washington coach Steve Sarkisian hopes the Huskies do not become the first conference "victim" this year to the Buffs and Liufau. Many consider a loss to Colorado a longshot, especially considering the long losing streak the Buffs have to conference opponents. The last time CU beat a Pac-12 team was all the way back to Sept. 22, 2012 against Washington State. It was the only win of the season for Colorado.
If one looks at the various team statistics for the Pac-12 conference this season, it is easy to see that Colorado ranks last or nearly last in most categories. What the stats DON'T show is that the numbers are changing drastically since Liufau became the quarterback for the Buffaloes.
Colorado is last in the Pac-12 in 3rd down conversions at 30.8%. Take away the 2 out of 33 conversions that CU had BEFORE switching to Liufau during conference play, and one finds that Liufau has led the Buffs to a conversion rate of almost 49%, which would be #1 in the conference.
Colorado's pass completion percentage is also at the bottom of the conference at only 51.5% of passes completed. When Liufau is on the field, however, things are much better. Sefo has completed 64.9% of his passes, and in three of the games he has played in the completion percentage has been at least 69%. Liufau's 64.9% would be third in the conference behind only UCLA and Oregon.
It is easy to see why Sarkisian and other coaches around the conference are starting to get concerned about the intangibles that Sefo Liufau brings to the Colorado offense. After all, he has started only three games and played in only one more at the collegiate level. Although he has been roughed up by opposing defenses, he has maintained his level-headed demeanor throughout his time at the helm of the CU offense.
As good as his play has been so far, opposing coaches know that Liufau will get better as he gets more experience. Then, the touchdown to field goal ratio when the Buffs get into the red zone will start to get better. Getting more points on the board will ease the duty of the Colorado defense, and time of possession will continue to grow as a strength for the Buffaloes.
Liufau is a Washington kid. He was a very successful high school quarterback there. His coaches from high school knew Sefo to be a great leader. Colorado's head coach, Mike MacIntyre, recognized those leadership abilities and burned Liufau's redshirt for the good of the team.
With each passing game, his teammates have grown to trust and respect him. Indeed, the way he stood up to the pounding (and cheap shots which drew penalties) from UCLA, inspired his offensive line to such a degree that by the end of the game they were willing to fight for him, leading to a skirmish with several Bruin players.
The emotional bonding into brotherhood between Liufau and his teammates is the crucial step that Colorado has been missing for years. As they continue to rebound from their lost decade away from the Top 25, the "coming together" of Colorado team will make them a much greater foe for any opponent.
UW coach Sarkisian does not want his Huskies to be the first victim to the rejuvenated Buffaloes and Liufau. That makes sense, because he knows that once those conference dominoes start to fall, a lot of teams in the Pac-12 will find out what it's like to be on the losing side across from Sefo Liufau.
Sefo Liufau will have droves of family and friends on hand at Husky Stadium this Saturday at 5 pm pacific time (6 pm mountain time). The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network. Those friends and family will be there to support and cheer Sefo and the Buffaloes as they try to take the next step back to respect. Liufau and his coaches and teammates want desperately not to disappoint them.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Colorado Quarteback Sefo Liufau's Fine Ability to Convert on 3rd Downs A Key to the Buffs' Second Half
If 3rd down conversions are the key to an offense's ability to hold onto the ball and keep opposing teams from getting their hands on the pigskin, then Mike MacIntyre's decision to promote Sefo Liufau to starting quarterback may very well be one of the best decisions he has made this year.
If one goes back and looks at the stats to the two games against Oregon State and Oregon, one sees that the Buffs converted only 2 of 15 third downs against the Beavers in Corvallis and converted 0 of 15 against the Ducks. Before Sefo Liufau entered the game in Tempe against Arizona State, the Buffs were 0 for 3 against the Sun Devils. That means that before Liufau entered the game, the CU Buffs had converted only 2 of their prior 33 third downs. It doesn't take a PhD in statistics to know that those kinds of numbers would make it difficult for any team to win.
How did Sefo do when thrust into the spotlight when his team was already trailing by 25 points? All things considered, he did marvellous. Liufau consistently led Colorado down the field. He did throw two interceptions and fumbled a snap, leading to more scores by the ASU, but he was extremely efficient at converting 3rd downs into first downs or better.
How good was he at converting? Seven of 10 (70%) of CU's third down tries with Liufau at the helm ended with either a first down or a touchdown. That not only kept the Sun Devil offense off the field, but also managed to give the Buff defense a rest. Rest for the defense has been in short supply since kickoff at Oregon State.
If Colorado and Liufau can drastically cut turnovers and continue to convert 3rd downs at a high rate, the Buffs could literally turn their season around on a dime.
The 1989 Buffs ended the regular season undefeated and played for the national championship against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. That team dominated almost every team they played that year. For the season, that great team converted 53.9% of their 3rd downs. The 1990 team which won the national championship (also against ND) converted 48.9% of their 3rd downs. The 1994 team which featured Heisman Trophy Winner Rashaan Salaam and a plethora of NFL draft picks converted 43.8% of their 3rd downs.
Make no mistake, the ability to hold onto the ball when facing 3rd down is an extremely important statistic. In the first two games of this year, Colorado converted 40% of their 3rd downs and won both games. In the games where the rate of conversion dropped into the single digits, the Buffs were blown out.
The game against undefeated Charleston Southern this week will give Liufau the chance to lead the Buffs from the opening kick. If they convert at over 50% on third down (and win the turnover battle) the team will walk off Folsom Field with a huge win.
The Buff defense under Kent Baer has been much maligned the last three weeks, but it must be remembered that the Colorado offense did nothing with any consistency during that same time. There were a few big plays, of course, but the Buffs failed miserably to hold onto the ball for any length of time. If Sefo Liufau can help the CU offense control the ball and the clock in the upcoming games, the Colorado defense will almost magically get much better.
Football is a game that is fueled by emotion. Nothing fires up the defense like watching from the sideline as their teammates on offense control the ball and the clock and drive for a touchdown. On the other hand, nothing does more to dishearten a defense than watching their offense go three and out over and over again. Or turning over the ball.
If Colorado can turn those two things around and do it on a weekly basis, they will immediately become competitive once again for the first time in many years.
If one goes back and looks at the stats to the two games against Oregon State and Oregon, one sees that the Buffs converted only 2 of 15 third downs against the Beavers in Corvallis and converted 0 of 15 against the Ducks. Before Sefo Liufau entered the game in Tempe against Arizona State, the Buffs were 0 for 3 against the Sun Devils. That means that before Liufau entered the game, the CU Buffs had converted only 2 of their prior 33 third downs. It doesn't take a PhD in statistics to know that those kinds of numbers would make it difficult for any team to win.
How did Sefo do when thrust into the spotlight when his team was already trailing by 25 points? All things considered, he did marvellous. Liufau consistently led Colorado down the field. He did throw two interceptions and fumbled a snap, leading to more scores by the ASU, but he was extremely efficient at converting 3rd downs into first downs or better.
How good was he at converting? Seven of 10 (70%) of CU's third down tries with Liufau at the helm ended with either a first down or a touchdown. That not only kept the Sun Devil offense off the field, but also managed to give the Buff defense a rest. Rest for the defense has been in short supply since kickoff at Oregon State.
If Colorado and Liufau can drastically cut turnovers and continue to convert 3rd downs at a high rate, the Buffs could literally turn their season around on a dime.
The 1989 Buffs ended the regular season undefeated and played for the national championship against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. That team dominated almost every team they played that year. For the season, that great team converted 53.9% of their 3rd downs. The 1990 team which won the national championship (also against ND) converted 48.9% of their 3rd downs. The 1994 team which featured Heisman Trophy Winner Rashaan Salaam and a plethora of NFL draft picks converted 43.8% of their 3rd downs.
Make no mistake, the ability to hold onto the ball when facing 3rd down is an extremely important statistic. In the first two games of this year, Colorado converted 40% of their 3rd downs and won both games. In the games where the rate of conversion dropped into the single digits, the Buffs were blown out.
The game against undefeated Charleston Southern this week will give Liufau the chance to lead the Buffs from the opening kick. If they convert at over 50% on third down (and win the turnover battle) the team will walk off Folsom Field with a huge win.
The Buff defense under Kent Baer has been much maligned the last three weeks, but it must be remembered that the Colorado offense did nothing with any consistency during that same time. There were a few big plays, of course, but the Buffs failed miserably to hold onto the ball for any length of time. If Sefo Liufau can help the CU offense control the ball and the clock in the upcoming games, the Colorado defense will almost magically get much better.
Football is a game that is fueled by emotion. Nothing fires up the defense like watching from the sideline as their teammates on offense control the ball and the clock and drive for a touchdown. On the other hand, nothing does more to dishearten a defense than watching their offense go three and out over and over again. Or turning over the ball.
If Colorado can turn those two things around and do it on a weekly basis, they will immediately become competitive once again for the first time in many years.
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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