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By Stuart
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[h=3]Mid-Term Grades[/h]–
With Colorado midway through the 2014 season, and with a bye week giving the Buff Nation a time to catch its collective breath and reflect, it seems a good time to take a look at the team,*unit-by-unit, and see*how it is faring so far this fall.
Starting with the quarterbacks, we’ll take a look at each unit on the team, adding a new review each day.
Note … Grading is taking a look at the big picture, based not only upon production, but upon what was expected from each unit as the Buffs broke fall camp and began preparations for the 2014 season.
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[h=3]Quarterbacks [/h]–
… First half grade: “B-” …
Okay, a quick show of hands.
Who predicted*CU sophomore quarterback Sefo Liufau would be fifth in the nation in passing yards at the midway point of the 2014 season?
Yeah, me neither.
Liufau, who had 1,779*yards passing in eight games (seven starts) as a true freshman, has 1,887 passing*yards in the first six games this fall. Last year, Liufau had 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions; this year the ratio is 19-to-7. Liufau has thrown a touchdown pass in each of his 14 career games (a school record), and has thrown two or more touchdowns in eight consecutive games (also a school record). His seven touchdown passes against Cal was two more than any other quarterback in the 125-year history of the school had ever thrown in*a single game.
Yes, we can go on and on about Liufau’s record-setting performances (he has etched his name into the record book over 20 times already this season). In just over one full season of work, Liufau is already 10th on the all-time CU list for passing yards (3,666); 11th in total offense (3,829) and 8th in career touchdown passes (31). If Liufau continues as the starter for the next two-and-a-half seasons, all of the career Colorado passing records will belong to him.
But … in his first 13 career starts, Liufau is 4-9. With Liufau under center, the Buffs have defeated Charleston Southern, California, Massachusetts, and Hawai’i. Cal last year finished 1-11, while UMass and Hawai’i thus far this season have a combined record of 1-10. Not exactly a murderer’s row of quality teams.
It is quite true that quarterbacks get too much of the glory when teams win, and too much of the blame when they lose.
But it is also true that, until Liufau can lead the Buffs to a win over a team which has equal or superior talent, his resume of record-setting performances will continue to ring hollow. Colorado is close to being a 4-2 team this fall. If the Buffs were actually 4-2 instead of 2-4, Liufau would deserve an “A”.
As it stands, his grade for 2014 to date has to be a “B-”.
… Depth Chart / First Look: 2015 …
- Sefo Liufau, Soph.; Jordan Gehrke, Soph.; Cade Apsay, Fr.
- Colorado is finally building*the quarterback position into a position about which Buff fans can be excited. After years of having the incoming freshman being the “next great hope”, the Buffs will have actual depth and talent behind center*. While it will take some doing to uproot from Liufau from the starting position in 2015, Jordan Gehrke, Cade Apsay, and 2015 recruit Steven Montez will give the Buffs some viable options. Gehrke had a good spring and has enough experience to give Buff fans confidence that he can take over if Liufau is injured. Cade Apsay, red-shirting this fall,*was a three-star recruit out of Canyon Country, California, a prospect*who was ranked by Rivals as the No. 24 pro-style quarterback in the nation. Montez, meanwhile, had a nine touchdown performance in a game for his high school team in El Paso, Texas (before being pulled in the third quarter in a 75-16 victory).
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… Coming Tuesday … Running backs …
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Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie
–
[h=3]Mid-Term Grades[/h]–
With Colorado midway through the 2014 season, and with a bye week giving the Buff Nation a time to catch its collective breath and reflect, it seems a good time to take a look at the team,*unit-by-unit, and see*how it is faring so far this fall.
Starting with the quarterbacks, we’ll take a look at each unit on the team, adding a new review each day.
Note … Grading is taking a look at the big picture, based not only upon production, but upon what was expected from each unit as the Buffs broke fall camp and began preparations for the 2014 season.
–
[h=3]Quarterbacks [/h]–
… First half grade: “B-” …
Okay, a quick show of hands.
Who predicted*CU sophomore quarterback Sefo Liufau would be fifth in the nation in passing yards at the midway point of the 2014 season?
Yeah, me neither.
Liufau, who had 1,779*yards passing in eight games (seven starts) as a true freshman, has 1,887 passing*yards in the first six games this fall. Last year, Liufau had 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions; this year the ratio is 19-to-7. Liufau has thrown a touchdown pass in each of his 14 career games (a school record), and has thrown two or more touchdowns in eight consecutive games (also a school record). His seven touchdown passes against Cal was two more than any other quarterback in the 125-year history of the school had ever thrown in*a single game.
Yes, we can go on and on about Liufau’s record-setting performances (he has etched his name into the record book over 20 times already this season). In just over one full season of work, Liufau is already 10th on the all-time CU list for passing yards (3,666); 11th in total offense (3,829) and 8th in career touchdown passes (31). If Liufau continues as the starter for the next two-and-a-half seasons, all of the career Colorado passing records will belong to him.
But … in his first 13 career starts, Liufau is 4-9. With Liufau under center, the Buffs have defeated Charleston Southern, California, Massachusetts, and Hawai’i. Cal last year finished 1-11, while UMass and Hawai’i thus far this season have a combined record of 1-10. Not exactly a murderer’s row of quality teams.
It is quite true that quarterbacks get too much of the glory when teams win, and too much of the blame when they lose.
But it is also true that, until Liufau can lead the Buffs to a win over a team which has equal or superior talent, his resume of record-setting performances will continue to ring hollow. Colorado is close to being a 4-2 team this fall. If the Buffs were actually 4-2 instead of 2-4, Liufau would deserve an “A”.
As it stands, his grade for 2014 to date has to be a “B-”.
… Depth Chart / First Look: 2015 …
- Sefo Liufau, Soph.; Jordan Gehrke, Soph.; Cade Apsay, Fr.
- Colorado is finally building*the quarterback position into a position about which Buff fans can be excited. After years of having the incoming freshman being the “next great hope”, the Buffs will have actual depth and talent behind center*. While it will take some doing to uproot from Liufau from the starting position in 2015, Jordan Gehrke, Cade Apsay, and 2015 recruit Steven Montez will give the Buffs some viable options. Gehrke had a good spring and has enough experience to give Buff fans confidence that he can take over if Liufau is injured. Cade Apsay, red-shirting this fall,*was a three-star recruit out of Canyon Country, California, a prospect*who was ranked by Rivals as the No. 24 pro-style quarterback in the nation. Montez, meanwhile, had a nine touchdown performance in a game for his high school team in El Paso, Texas (before being pulled in the third quarter in a 75-16 victory).
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… Coming Tuesday … Running backs …
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Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie