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OL and run game better than I had thought

Buffnik

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
Club Member
Junta Member
Kind of lost due to the overall inept offense and atrocious QB play, the OL and Sanford's system is producing a much improved run game. This despite not exactly having RBs that strike fear in opponents.

Looking solely at RB carries:

Deion Smith: 5.7 ypa
Alex Fontenot: 4.2
Charlie Offerdahl: 6.6
Jayle Stacks: 1.7

Stacks gets mostly short yardage FB attempts, but that's still horrible. Otherwise, that's the best running game we've seen in a long while.

Overall, it's 67 attempts for 324 yards. 4.8 ypa from the RBs.

I find this at least a little encouraging in terms of the OL heading in the right direction.

www.espn.com

Colorado Buffaloes 2024 College Football Players Stats - ESPN

Get the full Players stats for the 2024 Colorado Buffaloes on ESPN. Includes team statistics for scoring, passing rushing and offense.
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@BuffUp is correct. if we did an analysis on effectiveness of the run game before v. after the game is out of hand, it would bear different results i suspect.

back in the day, fairbanks offenses actually generated a lot of points... after the game was already effectively over.

can we make a 3rd and short when the game is still competitive? how about a 4th and 1? or trying to score from a foot out?

this offense is totally ****ing broken. i don't blame the players- they are doing what they can.

but, hey, let's all not worry... we are going to see frosh qb3 this Saturday and he must be the answer since he looked good in garbage time for the hot minute he was in the game. again, not on the qb-- this is all on the staff.
 
Smith has been decent the past two games, but his AFA stat line is really propped up by the 25 yard run.

Fontenot, in the two games he’s played, has been in line with his career average which is mediocre at best.

Offerdahl got 8 carries last game and did well, but against mostly backups in a blowout.

It’s too small of a sample size across 3 blowout games to declare the running game is good, but I guess saying it’s better than last year is fine.

Let’s also remember that a 4-5 yard avg in college football is not good for a RB like it is in the NFL. A good RB in CFB needs to be mid 5s to high 6s is where to good to great backs are
 
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Buffnik said:
Kind of lost due to the overall inept offense and atrocious QB play, the OL and Sanford's system is producing a much improved run game. This despite not exactly having RBs that strike fear in opponents.

Looking solely at RB carries:

Deion Smith: 5.7 ypa
Alex Fontenot: 4.2
Charlie Offerdahl: 6.6
Jayle Stacks: 1.7

Stacks gets mostly short yardage FB attempts, but that's still horrible. Otherwise, that's the best running game we've seen in a long while.

Overall, it's 67 attempts for 324 yards. 4.8 ypa from the RBs.

I find this at least a little encouraging in terms of the OL heading in the right direction.

www.espn.com

Colorado Buffaloes 2024 College Football Players Stats - ESPN

Get the full Players stats for the 2024 Colorado Buffaloes on ESPN. Includes team statistics for scoring, passing rushing and offense.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
The Big Lebowski Dude GIF

Our opponent's 3rd stringers say hi.
 
Looking at 2021, where I would say the objections I'm seeing would be similar, here were the ypa stats for the top 4 RBs:

Broussard: 4.7
Fontenot: 3.4
Smith: 3.6
Clayton: 4.2

I'm standing by my "much improved" observation with the base run game. Not saying it's good enough to be an effective identity, but it has gotten a lot better.

www.espn.com

Colorado Buffaloes 2021 College Football Players Stats - ESPN

Get the full Players stats for the 2021 Colorado Buffaloes on ESPN. Includes team statistics for scoring, passing rushing and offense.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
Buffnik said:
Kind of lost due to the overall inept offense and atrocious QB play, the OL and Sanford's system is producing a much improved run game. This despite not exactly having RBs that strike fear in opponents.

Looking solely at RB carries:

Deion Smith: 5.7 ypa
Alex Fontenot: 4.2
Charlie Offerdahl: 6.6
Jayle Stacks: 1.7

Stacks gets mostly short yardage FB attempts, but that's still horrible. Otherwise, that's the best running game we've seen in a long while.

Overall, it's 67 attempts for 324 yards. 4.8 ypa from the RBs.

I find this at least a little encouraging in terms of the OL heading in the right direction.

www.espn.com

Colorado Buffaloes 2024 College Football Players Stats - ESPN

Get the full Players stats for the 2024 Colorado Buffaloes on ESPN. Includes team statistics for scoring, passing rushing and offense.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
A few things:

  • Smith and Fontenot are the only two who have enough carries to qualify for leaderboard statistics. Smith is 95th in the country by YPC amongst qualified players and Fontenot is 197th.
  • As a team, Colorado averages 3.79 YPC. This is 88th among FBS teams. If we took the 4.8 YPC "Running Back Only" number, that would be tied for 57th with Illinois. Last year, they did 3.5 YPC over the whole season.
  • Contrary to some other posts here, the Buffs actually run the ball better in the first half. (4.2 YPC in the first half vs. 3.2 YPC in the second half). Still true if you take sacks out (5.08 YPC first half vs. 4.3 YPC second half).
  • Definition of "garbage time" is a little squishy, but if we take it to mean "being behind 4 scores or more) then Buffs still run the ball better in regular time vs. garbage time (3.87 YPC regular, 3.6 YPC garbage time).
  • However, CU have gained 39% of their total rushing yards on 2 drives- one in the second quarter against AFA (21 yd rush by Fontenot, 23 Yard rush by Smith, 25 yard TD run by Smith for a total of 69 yards) and the garbage time TD drive against Minny (8 rushes for 71 yards). Take those 2 drives out and CU has 220 yards rushing on 84 carries- 2.6 YPC.

I'm not sure how you arrive at "much improved" when by any measure this is still a bottom 30 rushing offense instead of a bottom 15 rushing offense.
 
Buffnik said:
Kind of lost due to the overall inept offense and atrocious QB play, the OL and Sanford's system is producing a much improved run game. This despite not exactly having RBs that strike fear in opponents.

Looking solely at RB carries:

Deion Smith: 5.7 ypa
Alex Fontenot: 4.2
Charlie Offerdahl: 6.6
Jayle Stacks: 1.7

Stacks gets mostly short yardage FB attempts, but that's still horrible. Otherwise, that's the best running game we've seen in a long while.

Overall, it's 67 attempts for 324 yards. 4.8 ypa from the RBs.

I find this at least a little encouraging in terms of the OL heading in the right direction.

www.espn.com

Colorado Buffaloes 2024 College Football Players Stats - ESPN

Get the full Players stats for the 2024 Colorado Buffaloes on ESPN. Includes team statistics for scoring, passing rushing and offense.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
Like being the best looking guy in your high school band....
 
Liver said:
@BuffUp is correct. if we did an analysis on effectiveness of the run game before v. after the game is out of hand, it would bear different results i suspect.

back in the day, fairbanks offenses actually generated a lot of points... after the game was already effectively over.

can we make a 3rd and short when the game is still competitive? how about a 4th and 1? or trying to score from a foot out?

this offense is totally ****ing broken. i don't blame the players- they are doing what they can.

but, hey, let's all not worry... we are going to see frosh qb3 this Saturday and he must be the answer since he looked good in garbage time for the hot minute he was in the game. again, not on the qb-- this is all on the staff.
Click to expand...
We have 3-4 win talent but 0 win coaching.
 
Denver_sc said:
A few things:

  • Smith and Fontenot are the only two who have enough carries to qualify for leaderboard statistics. Smith is 95th in the country by YPC amongst qualified players and Fontenot is 197th.
  • As a team, Colorado averages 3.79 YPC. This is 88th among FBS teams. If we took the 4.8 YPC "Running Back Only" number, that would be tied for 57th with Illinois. Last year, they did 3.5 YPC over the whole season.
  • Contrary to some other posts here, the Buffs actually run the ball better in the first half. (4.2 YPC in the first half vs. 3.2 YPC in the second half). Still true if you take sacks out (5.08 YPC first half vs. 4.3 YPC second half).
  • Definition of "garbage time" is a little squishy, but if we take it to mean "being behind 4 scores or more) then Buffs still run the ball better in regular time vs. garbage time (3.87 YPC regular, 3.6 YPC garbage time).
  • However, CU have gained 39% of their total rushing yards on 2 drives- one in the second quarter against AFA (21 yd rush by Fontenot, 23 Yard rush by Smith, 25 yard TD run by Smith for a total of 69 yards) and the garbage time TD drive against Minny (8 rushes for 71 yards). Take those 2 drives out and CU has 220 yards rushing on 84 carries- 2.6 YPC.

I'm not sure how you arrive at "much improved" when by any measure this is still a bottom 30 rushing offense instead of a bottom 15 rushing offense.
Click to expand...
It's simply too early and too small of a sample size to declare anything other than maybe the running game has been marginally better with a few more explosive plays.
 
Analyzing the CU offense is like investigating a chicken coop fire and finding only charred beaks and neck bones. Bring in the bulldozers.
 
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I think you've been reading too much Homer Howell Hogwash. He, too, on twitter thinks the OL play is much improved.
This is akin to saying "Hey, look, one corner of the room still isn't on fire".

It will be shortly, if it's not already.
 
CU IT guy said:
I think you've been reading too much Homer Howell Hogwash. He, too, on twitter thinks the OL play is much improved.
This is akin to saying "Hey, look, one corner of the room still isn't on fire".

It will be shortly, if it's not already.
Click to expand...
I agree. As an 0-12 team, do we have to start claiming things like “We won the 2nd quarter!!” Or “we lost the game but we had a better 2nd half than they did!”
 
bless your heart, @Buffnik for trying to find a coupe de ville at the bottom of the cracker jack box.

even if i am prepared to accept there is some level of improvement in the ol play, watching the matador blocking on pass plays crushes all joy and hope for me.

i feel like this nightmare is coming to end- it will take longer than it should but even the powers that be at CU cannot let it go on like this indefinitely.

i feel bad for mccown as he is about to be thrown to the wolves as a human sacrifice to the folly and failures of this staff.
 
Liver said:
bless your heart, @Buffnik for trying to find a coupe de ville at the bottom of the cracker jack box.

even if i am prepared to accept there is some level of improvement in the ol play, watching the matador blocking on pass plays crushes all joy and hope for me.

i feel like this nightmare is coming to end- it will take longer than it should but even the powers that be at CU cannot let it go on like this indefinitely.

i feel bad for mccown as he is about to be thrown to the wolves as a human sacrifice to the folly and failures of this staff.
Click to expand...
Really, I'm looking for something to build upon for next year. I see all OLs on the roster as juniors or younger. Only Fontenot from the RBs is a senior. There is reason to believe that what we have going on with these players is not hopeless and that they can be an effective part of a competitive offense for the next HC.
 
i think the qbs are better than they have been able to show too-- i mean, they almost have to be, right? they are playing so scared it seems to me that nothing is working.
 
Buffnik said:
Really, I'm looking for something to build upon for next year. I see all OLs on the roster as juniors or younger. Only Fontenot from the RBs is a senior. There is reason to believe that what we have going on with these players is not hopeless and that they can be an effective part of a competitive offense for the next HC.
Click to expand...

Assuming that HC brings in a competent OL coach and not a guy who sells VHS tapes about blocking out of the trunk of his car, of course.
 
Buffnik said:
Really, I'm looking for something to build upon for next year. I see all OLs on the roster as juniors or younger. Only Fontenot from the RBs is a senior. There is reason to believe that what we have going on with these players is not hopeless and that they can be an effective part of a competitive offense for the next HC.
Click to expand...
Honestly, I see a fairly blank canvas for a new HC to work with, which is appealing IF he's able to hit the transfer portal hard. After telling myself (and trying to convince others) that returning 4/5 OL starters and adding an Alabama transfer was going to mean substantially better OL play, I have learned my lesson in that we simply don't have much talent on the OL. I'm hopeful that Carter and Gray can develop quickly and push for starting time, but there should probably be a decent amount of attrition in the OL room.

Since we're on the subject...

I can hope that Venn and Hankerson are good players, but that's just hope. Fontenot needs to be part of the attrition this offseason, as does Stacks. Smith can hang around as the veteran guy who has produced a little, but a new starter should be easy to find via transfer.

I'm also out on our veteran WRs. Arias, Bell, and Jackson all need to go. Sneed will be gone (I think?). Penry, Tyson, Robinson, Page and Sowell should be the only scholarship WRs that are kept.

Drew Carter and Brendan Lewis should both look elsewhere, IMO. Keep Shrout, McCown and Kopp (I guess), but a high caliber transfer is an absolute MUST.

TE might be the only room on offense I'm fine with seeing how the current guys develop (Fauria, Smith and Olsen).

Maybe this belongs in the Barzil Attrition Thread, but I see some serious attrition needed on offense and hopefully a new coach completely overhaul the roster.
 
The Alabaster Yak said:
Honestly, I see a fairly blank canvas for a new HC to work with, which is appealing IF he's able to hit the transfer portal hard. After telling myself (and trying to convince others) that returning 4/5 OL starters and adding an Alabama transfer was going to mean substantially better OL play, I have learned my lesson in that we simply don't have much talent on the OL. I'm hopeful that Carter and Gray can develop quickly and push for starting time, but there should probably be a decent amount of attrition in the OL room.

Since we're on the subject...

I can hope that Venn and Hankerson are good players, but that's just hope. Fontenot needs to be part of the attrition this offseason, as does Stacks. Smith can hang around as the veteran guy who has produced a little, but a new starter should be easy to find via transfer.

I'm also out on our veteran WRs. Arias, Bell, and Jackson all need to go. Sneed will be gone (I think?). Penry, Tyson, Robinson, Page and Sowell should be the only scholarship WRs that are kept.

Drew Carter and Brendan Lewis should both look elsewhere, IMO. Keep Shrout, McCown and Kopp (I guess), but a high caliber transfer is an absolute MUST.

TE might be the only room on offense I'm fine with seeing how the current guys develop (Fauria, Smith and Olsen).

Maybe this belongs in the Barzil Attrition Thread, but I see some serious attrition needed on offense and hopefully a new coach completely overhaul the roster.
Click to expand...
I think you're spot on here. There are a good 30 players on this roster that are here because they wouldn't make it onto any other P5 rosters. We're carrying a LOW G5 roster at the moment. Just to add: Kopp and all 3 of those TEs are free to leave as well.
 
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