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I’m Keeping My Towel
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In preparing for CU’s rematch with Washington, I made myself go back and take a look at the 2016 Pac-12 championship game.
The perception we have been left with for nine months was that the Buffs were humiliated, with the 41-10 final reflecting the Huskies’ domination.
The reality is that the score was 14-7 at halftime, but a pick six in the third quarter helped turned the game into a rout.
The perception of Washington’s 37-10 victory over Colorado to open 2017 Pac-12 conference play will be that the Huskies proved themselves to be College Football Playoff contenders, while exposing the Buffs as a mediocre team which had a fluke of a good season in 2016 (one which will not be repeated in 2017).
The reality is that the score was 17-10 late in the third quarter, but a pick six helped to turn the game into a rout.
The reality is also that the vast majority of college football “experts” were safely tucked into bed by the time the contest got out of hand (10:00 p.m., ET kickoffs will do that), and will only look at the final score before taking to their computers to write about the Buffs. This will only further the narrative that the Buffs are no good, and will struggle in Pac-12 play this fall.
The conclusion that this Buff team is no good is faulty.
The conclusion that Colorado will struggle in Pac-12 play this fall is spot on.
The Buffs are a third of the way through their 2017 campaign, and have a 3-1 record. But, as any Buff fan will tell you, that record is built upon a house of cards.
The main problems …
— Steven Montez is not a world beater … at least not yet.
One year ago today, Montez made his starting debut as the CU quarterback. All the red-shirt freshman accomplished in his first start was post the first 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing game in Colorado history, leading the Buffs to a 41-38 upset win over Oregon.
Montez has had a difficult time living up to that standard in the first four games this fall.
The sophomore has made some bad decisions. Against Washington, Montez threw three interceptions, including a pick six which turned the tide against the Buffs. Told he was abandoning the pocket too soon, Montez has become a statue, absorbing five sacks against the Huskies.
That being said, it’s not all on Montez, which leads us to …
— The offensive line play has been a disaster.
The offensive line starters for the Washington game: LT Jeromy Irwin; LG Gerrad Kough; C Tim Lynott, Jr.; RG Aaron Haigler; RT Josh Kaiser.
Offensive line coach Klayton Adams has said he will start his best five each week. As this was the same starting lineup as the Buffs put out the week before, we have to assume that these are the best five.
And they have not produced.
Colorado is 121st in the nation (out of 130 FBS teams) in sacks allowed, giving up 14 sacks in four games. The rushing game, despite the best efforts of running back Phillip Lindsay, is 89th in the country, producing only 141.5 yards per game.
And this is before the Buffs hit the meat of their schedule.
— The Buffs have become far too predictable on offense.
The first drive of the Washington game – a quick-hitting, 11-play, 75-yard effort which resulted in a Phillip Lindsay one-yard touchdown run – showed the Buffs’ potential.
After that?
Not much.
The Colorado offense produced only two completions of over 20 yards against Washington (with one of those coming in garbage time, a 20-yard completion from Sam Noyer to Laviska Shenault). The “Blackout Boyz” are either not getting open, are not being found by their quarterback, or are not being given enough time to run their routes as Steven Montez is distracted by a collapsing pocket.
The interception returned for a touchdown was an example of going to the well once (or fourteen times) too often. On third-and-four at the CU 30-yard line, Washington defensive back Myles Bryant jumped the route, and Montez threw it right to him. A 17-10 game was now 24-10, and the Buffs never showed any signs of life after that play.
This just in … you throw slants and quick outs all evening long, and eventually the opposing secondary will sit on those routes.
— The Colorado defensive line is a liability teams can exploit.
If there was one major concern Buff fans had heading into the season, it was that the entire defensive line had to be rebuilt. Two junior college players were immediately inserted as starters, confirming the problem.
The Huskies went for 254 yards on the ground, and the Colorado defense produced exactly zero sacks. In the fourth quarter, Washington ran 13 plays, and all were running plays. There were no passes by the Huskies, just 13 rushes … going for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
While Colorado running backs are confronted with defenders as soon as they get to the line of scrimmage, Buff tacklers (usually the linebackers), are getting in their first hits five or six yards downfield. Simply put, the Colorado defensive line is getting pushed around.
That’s a tough way to make a living.
“They were definitely down, no doubt about it”, CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said about his locker room after the game. “They were excited about playing the game and they wanted to play well. We just didn’t finish it like we wanted it to. They’ll bounce back and get ready to go. We have another one quickly. We have a ton (of games) in a row here, so we’ll just keep playing.”
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The perception is that the Buffs are done. The offense is predictable and prone to making drive-killing self-inflicted mistakes. The defense is thin and can be worn down over time.
Guess it’s time to throw in the towel, right?
As Lee Corso would say … not so fast, my friend.
Here’s the thing. Washington is likely the best team Colorado will face all season. Everyone else in the Pac-12 has issues, just like Colorado.
Let’s take a look at the schedule over the next few weeks:
— at UCLA … The Bruins are 2-2, and will face the Buffs after absorbing back-to-back road losses. UCLA gave up 560 yards of total offense in a 48-45 loss to Memphis, followed by a 58-34 loss to Stanford, giving up 553 yards of total offense to the Cardinal;
— Arizona … The Wildcats are also 2-2, and are coming off of a “better-than-expected” 30-24 home loss to Utah. The two victories on the season, though, have come against Northern Arizona and UTEP; and
— at Oregon State … The Beavers are 1-3, with their only victory coming with a last minute touchdown over Portland State. Oregon State will face Washington and USC before taking on the Buffs in Corvallis, so it’s likely the Buffs will face a 1-5 team on October 14th.
You can make a case for the Buffs winning all three of these games.
You can also foresee a scenario by which the Buffs could find ways to lose all three of those games.
And that’s exactly the point.
Colorado still has the potential to be a good team.
The Pac-12 is just beginning to sort itself out. There are three good teams: Washington, USC, and Washington State.
There is also one very bad team: Oregon State.
The other eight teams in the Pa-12 have question marks, including every team in the Pac-12 South not known as USC … Are the Arizona schools getting their mojo back, or will they ultimately fade? Is Utah good, or just untested? And what to make of UCLA? (In both their losses, the Bruins gained at least 595 yards of offense. Dating back to 2004, only one team — Texas Tech in 2015 — has ever lost more than two games in a season in which it has gained that many yards).
It’s going to be a difficult ride for the Buff Nation. They will likely lose a game (or two, or three) which they should have won. They will also likely win a game (or two, or three) which they had no business winning.
The loss to Washington was tough to take. Frustrating play calling; frustrating execution.
The Buffs will need to shake off the disappointment quickly, and come back to practice Monday ready to take on the challenge of facing UCLA in the Rose Bowl (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN2).
“We have a lot more season left”, said safety Ryan Moeller. “It was the fourth game that really sucks. It was the Pac-12 opener, that really sucks. But it’s the fourth game that’s out of here now and we have to go and get ready for the Pac-12. It’s not going to be an easy road but it’s one that we’re happy to be on.”
To be sure, there will be those in the Buff Nation who will be giving up on the team.
There will be plenty of negativity in the press over the next week.
Time to throw in the towel?
Hardly.
I’m keeping mine.
—
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...
I’m Keeping My Towel
—
In preparing for CU’s rematch with Washington, I made myself go back and take a look at the 2016 Pac-12 championship game.
The perception we have been left with for nine months was that the Buffs were humiliated, with the 41-10 final reflecting the Huskies’ domination.
The reality is that the score was 14-7 at halftime, but a pick six in the third quarter helped turned the game into a rout.
The perception of Washington’s 37-10 victory over Colorado to open 2017 Pac-12 conference play will be that the Huskies proved themselves to be College Football Playoff contenders, while exposing the Buffs as a mediocre team which had a fluke of a good season in 2016 (one which will not be repeated in 2017).
The reality is that the score was 17-10 late in the third quarter, but a pick six helped to turn the game into a rout.
The reality is also that the vast majority of college football “experts” were safely tucked into bed by the time the contest got out of hand (10:00 p.m., ET kickoffs will do that), and will only look at the final score before taking to their computers to write about the Buffs. This will only further the narrative that the Buffs are no good, and will struggle in Pac-12 play this fall.
The conclusion that this Buff team is no good is faulty.
The conclusion that Colorado will struggle in Pac-12 play this fall is spot on.
The Buffs are a third of the way through their 2017 campaign, and have a 3-1 record. But, as any Buff fan will tell you, that record is built upon a house of cards.
The main problems …
— Steven Montez is not a world beater … at least not yet.
One year ago today, Montez made his starting debut as the CU quarterback. All the red-shirt freshman accomplished in his first start was post the first 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing game in Colorado history, leading the Buffs to a 41-38 upset win over Oregon.
Montez has had a difficult time living up to that standard in the first four games this fall.
The sophomore has made some bad decisions. Against Washington, Montez threw three interceptions, including a pick six which turned the tide against the Buffs. Told he was abandoning the pocket too soon, Montez has become a statue, absorbing five sacks against the Huskies.
That being said, it’s not all on Montez, which leads us to …
— The offensive line play has been a disaster.
The offensive line starters for the Washington game: LT Jeromy Irwin; LG Gerrad Kough; C Tim Lynott, Jr.; RG Aaron Haigler; RT Josh Kaiser.
Offensive line coach Klayton Adams has said he will start his best five each week. As this was the same starting lineup as the Buffs put out the week before, we have to assume that these are the best five.
And they have not produced.
Colorado is 121st in the nation (out of 130 FBS teams) in sacks allowed, giving up 14 sacks in four games. The rushing game, despite the best efforts of running back Phillip Lindsay, is 89th in the country, producing only 141.5 yards per game.
And this is before the Buffs hit the meat of their schedule.
— The Buffs have become far too predictable on offense.
The first drive of the Washington game – a quick-hitting, 11-play, 75-yard effort which resulted in a Phillip Lindsay one-yard touchdown run – showed the Buffs’ potential.
After that?
Not much.
The Colorado offense produced only two completions of over 20 yards against Washington (with one of those coming in garbage time, a 20-yard completion from Sam Noyer to Laviska Shenault). The “Blackout Boyz” are either not getting open, are not being found by their quarterback, or are not being given enough time to run their routes as Steven Montez is distracted by a collapsing pocket.
The interception returned for a touchdown was an example of going to the well once (or fourteen times) too often. On third-and-four at the CU 30-yard line, Washington defensive back Myles Bryant jumped the route, and Montez threw it right to him. A 17-10 game was now 24-10, and the Buffs never showed any signs of life after that play.
This just in … you throw slants and quick outs all evening long, and eventually the opposing secondary will sit on those routes.
— The Colorado defensive line is a liability teams can exploit.
If there was one major concern Buff fans had heading into the season, it was that the entire defensive line had to be rebuilt. Two junior college players were immediately inserted as starters, confirming the problem.
The Huskies went for 254 yards on the ground, and the Colorado defense produced exactly zero sacks. In the fourth quarter, Washington ran 13 plays, and all were running plays. There were no passes by the Huskies, just 13 rushes … going for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
While Colorado running backs are confronted with defenders as soon as they get to the line of scrimmage, Buff tacklers (usually the linebackers), are getting in their first hits five or six yards downfield. Simply put, the Colorado defensive line is getting pushed around.
That’s a tough way to make a living.
“They were definitely down, no doubt about it”, CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said about his locker room after the game. “They were excited about playing the game and they wanted to play well. We just didn’t finish it like we wanted it to. They’ll bounce back and get ready to go. We have another one quickly. We have a ton (of games) in a row here, so we’ll just keep playing.”
—
The perception is that the Buffs are done. The offense is predictable and prone to making drive-killing self-inflicted mistakes. The defense is thin and can be worn down over time.
Guess it’s time to throw in the towel, right?
As Lee Corso would say … not so fast, my friend.
Here’s the thing. Washington is likely the best team Colorado will face all season. Everyone else in the Pac-12 has issues, just like Colorado.
Let’s take a look at the schedule over the next few weeks:
— at UCLA … The Bruins are 2-2, and will face the Buffs after absorbing back-to-back road losses. UCLA gave up 560 yards of total offense in a 48-45 loss to Memphis, followed by a 58-34 loss to Stanford, giving up 553 yards of total offense to the Cardinal;
— Arizona … The Wildcats are also 2-2, and are coming off of a “better-than-expected” 30-24 home loss to Utah. The two victories on the season, though, have come against Northern Arizona and UTEP; and
— at Oregon State … The Beavers are 1-3, with their only victory coming with a last minute touchdown over Portland State. Oregon State will face Washington and USC before taking on the Buffs in Corvallis, so it’s likely the Buffs will face a 1-5 team on October 14th.
You can make a case for the Buffs winning all three of these games.
You can also foresee a scenario by which the Buffs could find ways to lose all three of those games.
And that’s exactly the point.
Colorado still has the potential to be a good team.
The Pac-12 is just beginning to sort itself out. There are three good teams: Washington, USC, and Washington State.
There is also one very bad team: Oregon State.
The other eight teams in the Pa-12 have question marks, including every team in the Pac-12 South not known as USC … Are the Arizona schools getting their mojo back, or will they ultimately fade? Is Utah good, or just untested? And what to make of UCLA? (In both their losses, the Bruins gained at least 595 yards of offense. Dating back to 2004, only one team — Texas Tech in 2015 — has ever lost more than two games in a season in which it has gained that many yards).
It’s going to be a difficult ride for the Buff Nation. They will likely lose a game (or two, or three) which they should have won. They will also likely win a game (or two, or three) which they had no business winning.
The loss to Washington was tough to take. Frustrating play calling; frustrating execution.
The Buffs will need to shake off the disappointment quickly, and come back to practice Monday ready to take on the challenge of facing UCLA in the Rose Bowl (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN2).
“We have a lot more season left”, said safety Ryan Moeller. “It was the fourth game that really sucks. It was the Pac-12 opener, that really sucks. But it’s the fourth game that’s out of here now and we have to go and get ready for the Pac-12. It’s not going to be an easy road but it’s one that we’re happy to be on.”
To be sure, there will be those in the Buff Nation who will be giving up on the team.
There will be plenty of negativity in the press over the next week.
Time to throw in the towel?
Hardly.
I’m keeping mine.
—
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...