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!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Could Jordan Webb be the Key to Third Downs for the Colorado Buffaloes?
Colorado Buff Connor Wood's passing is an absolute beast to contend with... as long as it's first down. Not quite so much on second down. But the real problem surfaces on third downs, where the problem is that it's either move the chains or get rid of the ball (punt, FG attempt, or go for it on 4th down).
During the first two games of the season, the CU Buffs were clicking along by converting 40% of their 3rd downs into first down. The result? Two wins. The last two games have been quite different. The Buffs have converted only two out of thirty (6-7%) of their third downs, and the Buffs have been blown out twice.
Those still clinging to the idea that the Buffs might make it to a bowl game at the end of THIS year should consider that Jordan Webb is now healthy again and is now likely the backup to Connor Wood (mostly to save the redshirt for Sefo Liufau), according to head coach Mike MacIntyre.
What does Jordan Webb offer? Mostly this: He has started or played major minutes in 31 college games at the FBS level. He has seen a lot of third downs, a lot of different defenses, and he's a gamer. He gives it his all every snap from the beginning to the end of each game. And he's seen just about everything that defenses from the Big 12 and Pac-12 have to offer.
Many Buff fans are horrified by the idea of Webb taking any more snaps at Colorado. Why? Because he was unfortunate enough to be the starting quarterback under the worst coaching staff in the country the last two years. It was not Webb's fault that the Buff D under Brown and Embree was the worst in the country. And it was not Webb's fault that OC Eric Bieniemy was a horrible play caller who had trouble even getting plays into his team with more than 6-7 seconds left on the clock.
But many so-called Buff fans continue to blame Jordan Webb for the lack of prowess by his coaches. Give him a break. Under the right play calling and a hurry up offense, Webb gives CU a much tougher scheme to defend, especially on third down. He is quicker than Wood if running becomes necessary, but more importantly, he has a softer touch on his short to medium passes. And this will allow the Buffs to move the chains.
No one is suggesting that Connor Wood be replaced as the starter, but it seems that using Webb on occasion for third and short (5 yards or less) would give opposing defenses fits because he is such a different type of player than Wood. If Connor and the rest of team are committed to winning above all (and I think they are) then strategic use of Jordan Webb would give Colorado their best chance at winning six games and making themselves bowl eligible this year.
Maybe I'm alone, but it seems the Buffs should use whatever assets are at their disposal in order to win. Using Jordan Webb on third downs once in a while (or more often if it works well) gives the Buffs a better chance to win than simply sticking with a young QB with only 4 real games under his belt.
Connor's arm makes him a threat to hit the long ball, for sure, but his greatest success by far has been on first down. Allow him to grow and learn from someone with lots and lots of experience. And allow him to learn in a winning environment. It's a lot easier to learn and remember your lessons after you get to sing your fight song in victory after the game.
Go Buffs!
During the first two games of the season, the CU Buffs were clicking along by converting 40% of their 3rd downs into first down. The result? Two wins. The last two games have been quite different. The Buffs have converted only two out of thirty (6-7%) of their third downs, and the Buffs have been blown out twice.
Those still clinging to the idea that the Buffs might make it to a bowl game at the end of THIS year should consider that Jordan Webb is now healthy again and is now likely the backup to Connor Wood (mostly to save the redshirt for Sefo Liufau), according to head coach Mike MacIntyre.
What does Jordan Webb offer? Mostly this: He has started or played major minutes in 31 college games at the FBS level. He has seen a lot of third downs, a lot of different defenses, and he's a gamer. He gives it his all every snap from the beginning to the end of each game. And he's seen just about everything that defenses from the Big 12 and Pac-12 have to offer.
Many Buff fans are horrified by the idea of Webb taking any more snaps at Colorado. Why? Because he was unfortunate enough to be the starting quarterback under the worst coaching staff in the country the last two years. It was not Webb's fault that the Buff D under Brown and Embree was the worst in the country. And it was not Webb's fault that OC Eric Bieniemy was a horrible play caller who had trouble even getting plays into his team with more than 6-7 seconds left on the clock.
But many so-called Buff fans continue to blame Jordan Webb for the lack of prowess by his coaches. Give him a break. Under the right play calling and a hurry up offense, Webb gives CU a much tougher scheme to defend, especially on third down. He is quicker than Wood if running becomes necessary, but more importantly, he has a softer touch on his short to medium passes. And this will allow the Buffs to move the chains.
No one is suggesting that Connor Wood be replaced as the starter, but it seems that using Webb on occasion for third and short (5 yards or less) would give opposing defenses fits because he is such a different type of player than Wood. If Connor and the rest of team are committed to winning above all (and I think they are) then strategic use of Jordan Webb would give Colorado their best chance at winning six games and making themselves bowl eligible this year.
Maybe I'm alone, but it seems the Buffs should use whatever assets are at their disposal in order to win. Using Jordan Webb on third downs once in a while (or more often if it works well) gives the Buffs a better chance to win than simply sticking with a young QB with only 4 real games under his belt.
Connor's arm makes him a threat to hit the long ball, for sure, but his greatest success by far has been on first down. Allow him to grow and learn from someone with lots and lots of experience. And allow him to learn in a winning environment. It's a lot easier to learn and remember your lessons after you get to sing your fight song in victory after the game.
Go Buffs!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
For Colorado Buffs to Succeed, they MUST Learn to Convert on Third Down
As Mike MacIntyre's University of Colorado football team gets ready to head south to Tempe, to face the Arizona State Sun Devils this Saturday night, one thing has become perfectly clear: For this CU team to be successful, they have to show the ability to move the chains.
In the first two games, Colorado's offense managed to convert 12 of 30 third down chances into first downs. That means that 40% of the time that they faced a 3rd down, the result was a first down. Not coincidentally, the Buffs won those first two games.
In the last two games, the Buffs have managed to convert only TWO of THIRTY 3rd down opportunities. Two BIG LOSSES later, it is quite apparent that converting less than 7% of their 3rd downs is no way to have a chance to win a game. Even worse than that, in their last game against the Oregon Ducks, the Buffs converted ZERO of their 15 third down opportunities. That 0-15 set a Colorado record for futility.
The O-fer on third downs not only ended drives for the Buffs, they also ended serious scoring opportunities. No fewer than 10 of the Buff failures to convert on third down occurred in Oregon territory (one was on the 50 yard line). Just look at where these failures to convert in enemy territory happened:
Of Colorado's nine forays into the RED ZONE thus far this season, only one drive ended with a touchdown. Seven times the Buffs settled for field goals, and one time they turned the ball over on downs.
It has become quite clear that the Buffs can extend the field with Paul Richardson and D.D. Goodson, as both average more than 18 yards per catch. The problem seems to be that the Buffs cannot count on those 7-12 yard catches that result in First Downs, particularly when it comes to converting on third downs.
Honing the skill of playing small-ball can only help with third down conversions, and more than likely it will help with red zone efficiency as well. Having the running game consistently pick up 5 yards at a time would also help immensely. Right now they are only averaging a little over 3 yards per carry, and often on important plays they are stopped for essentially no gain. It's hard to harp on the quarterback when the running game offers no respite.
If the Buffs are to have any chance in Tempe, they must be able to control the ball better by converting on 3rd downs. Taylor Kelly is yet another Pac-12 quarterback who can rip a defense apart if given the chance. One of the best defenses to players like Kelly is an offense that keeps him off the field. Running the ball efficiently and converting on third down are the only ways for the Buffs to avoid being blown out in the desert.
In the first two games, Colorado's offense managed to convert 12 of 30 third down chances into first downs. That means that 40% of the time that they faced a 3rd down, the result was a first down. Not coincidentally, the Buffs won those first two games.
In the last two games, the Buffs have managed to convert only TWO of THIRTY 3rd down opportunities. Two BIG LOSSES later, it is quite apparent that converting less than 7% of their 3rd downs is no way to have a chance to win a game. Even worse than that, in their last game against the Oregon Ducks, the Buffs converted ZERO of their 15 third down opportunities. That 0-15 set a Colorado record for futility.
The O-fer on third downs not only ended drives for the Buffs, they also ended serious scoring opportunities. No fewer than 10 of the Buff failures to convert on third down occurred in Oregon territory (one was on the 50 yard line). Just look at where these failures to convert in enemy territory happened:
- (1st Quarter) 3rd and 4 from the Oregon 23 -- Two yard pass over the middle from Wood to Spruce was dropped.
- (1st Quarter) 3rd and 10 from the Oregon 16 -- Three yard pass over the middle from Wood to Powell was dropped.
- (1st Quarter) 3rd and 15 from the Oregon 45 -- Powell run up the middle for 4 yards.
- (2nd Quarter) 3rd and GOAL from the Oregon 5 -- Wood pass to the right thrown out of the end zone.
- (2nd Quarter) 3rd and 2 from the Oregon 14 -- Run off a pitch to the left for Goodson results in no gain.
- (2nd Quarter) 3rd and 3 from the 50 yard line -- Incomplete 28 yard pass to Paul Richardson down the right sideline.
- (3rd Quarter) 3rd and 8 from the Oregon 41 -- Screen pass from Wood knocked down by defensive lineman.
- (3rd Quarter) 3rd and 5 from the Oregon 48 -- Short outside pass to Adkins dropped.
- (3rd Quarter) 3rd and Goal from the Oregon 10 -- Adkins run up the middle for 5 yards.
- (4th Quarter) 3rd and 6 from the Oregon 45 -- 25 yard pass incomplete to Ross down the left sideline.
Of Colorado's nine forays into the RED ZONE thus far this season, only one drive ended with a touchdown. Seven times the Buffs settled for field goals, and one time they turned the ball over on downs.
It has become quite clear that the Buffs can extend the field with Paul Richardson and D.D. Goodson, as both average more than 18 yards per catch. The problem seems to be that the Buffs cannot count on those 7-12 yard catches that result in First Downs, particularly when it comes to converting on third downs.
Honing the skill of playing small-ball can only help with third down conversions, and more than likely it will help with red zone efficiency as well. Having the running game consistently pick up 5 yards at a time would also help immensely. Right now they are only averaging a little over 3 yards per carry, and often on important plays they are stopped for essentially no gain. It's hard to harp on the quarterback when the running game offers no respite.
If the Buffs are to have any chance in Tempe, they must be able to control the ball better by converting on 3rd downs. Taylor Kelly is yet another Pac-12 quarterback who can rip a defense apart if given the chance. One of the best defenses to players like Kelly is an offense that keeps him off the field. Running the ball efficiently and converting on third down are the only ways for the Buffs to avoid being blown out in the desert.
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