The 2013 Colorado football team came out onto Folsom Field... too soon. Smoke bellowing from the tunnel for the players with TV delaying the running of Ralphie V caused the greatest tradition in college football to take a Buffalo Chip. Coach Mike MacIntyre also looks a little ruffled like Ralphie, her handlers and the fans with the whole start.
After both teams looked a little out of it to begin the game, Colorado opened up the scoring where they started and finished the Colorado State game with none other than the 5 to 6 connection of Connor Wood to Paul Richardson. Richardson outran his double coverage to open it up. Then Greg Henderson continued his playmaking ways with a Pick 6 and the Buffs looked in control up 14-0. The last 5 minutes of the 1st half were ugly, Colorado allowed 2 long scoring drives to go into half knotted up at 14-14.
Ralphie did not disappoint to open the second half thundering down the east sidelines before making the turn at the south end zone and driving down the west sideline. Unfortunately the Kickoff and special teams continued their disappointing ways and allowed a long kick return. It appeared the Buffs would be down 21-14 but the defense showed the tenacity they did against CSU and seem to have under this staff that was lacking the past couple years when they only allowed a yard and held Central Arkansas to a Field Goal. Colorado answered with a FG shortly after. Another fumble on another sack by Markeith Gaines led to the Buffs ending the 3rd quarter with a defensive stand and 4th and 1 to begin the 4th. The excitement was short lived and with the Buffs 24-17, the stadium went silent. It was exactly what we had seen against Montana State and Sacramento State. The Buffs were down and the doubt glowed in the stadium. However, it appeared the Buffaloes went Harry Potter on us and summoned their Patronus of the Mighty Buffalo of past success and answered the call with a 21-point barrage that began with a tipped pass taken to the "house" for the second defensive interception return for a touchdown and 3rd defensive score for the season. Paul Richardson and Nelson Spruce made the final two touchdowns and iced the win of 38-24.
Central Arkansas showed a great deal of composure and tenacity. Their offense was not as explosive as I expected and I believe that's because this defense has been hammered on that it is important to keep the big play from happening. Central Arkansas' Quarterback Wynrick Smothers had a rough day with regards to turnovers but his ability to be patient and take the short gains and long drives led to the Buffaloes having to sweat out this win. He didn't fold when they got down early but answered the bell. Central Arkansas' defensive line and scheme dominated CU's offensive line. Their Defensive Ends were more athletic than initially thought and caused fits. Markeith Gaines was a beast and a huge reason CU found themselves in doubt. Look for Central Arkansas to respond with a great season and to compete for the FCS championship.
What we learned against UCA and through the first two games:
Positives
- There is a great deal of fight and never say die attitude in this Buffaloes team. Instead of the bickering and finger pointing from the past they continue to show the ability to come together and rally. The Buffs have outplayed their opponent by a large margin in the first and fourth quarters of their games. Now they need to finish the 1st half strong and answer the bell when the second half begins.
- Connor Wood is showing why he may be the best quarterback to line up at CU since Joel Klatt, with the potential to be much better if he stays on his feet. Wood has had issues with throwing off his back foot and overthrowing receivers, but for the most part he has been great stepping up when protection broke down and making good throws. He also picks his team up and says the right things. His offensive line got him killed a few times and instead of blaming them for getting hammered, he praised them for allowing the offense to make the plays they did.
- This wide receiving corps is the best I have seen at Colorado since McCoy-Hackett. They have two great possession receivers in Nelson Spruce and Tyler McColloch that are holdovers that were asked to do too much with an inept quarterback and no serious playmaking receiver to open up the game. That receiver is none other than...
- Paul Richardson. Richardson has 21 catches, over 400 yards and 4 scores in two games this season. While those numbers can't possibly occur for every game, there is no question Richardson is the dynamic playmaker that Colorado hasn't had at the Receiver position since... EVER. Rae Carruth, Michael Westbrook and Charles Johnson were all in the same class and are all great receivers that have wore the black and gold that are in the Colorado Record Books but no one has eclipsed 1150 yards in CUs long and proud tradition. Richardson is better than any of these guys as far as being a dynamic playmaker and being able to be the difference in a game EVERY week. Simply put...We're Not Worthy!!! Richardson could average 60 yards per game and eclipse the century mark being only the 5th Buff and 7th season that 1000-yards has been accomplished. Teams will start doing what they can to take him out of a game, but all that does is open this offense up to start getting the run game going and allow Spruce, McCulloch and DD Goodson to get more passes their way. Still, I see Richardson finishing with 90 catches, 1400 yards and 16 scores to crush CUs record books.
- Defensive playmaking ability. The staff has rode the defense. You could see it in spring ball, you could see it in fall camp and you can see the rewards that have come from it. The 3 interceptions this weekend matched the total for all of 2012. This defense has yielded very few big plays. Kenneth Crawley and Greg Henderson have been amazing in the first two games and they faced some talented, speedy receivers this weekend. Chidobe Awuzie has been a very solid nickel back and Jered Bell has been great helping over the top while Parker Orms probably had one of his best games as a Buff against Central Arkansas.
- Linebacker continues to be solid and the run stopping of the front 7. Both Central Arkansas and Colorado State couldn't get much going in the ground game and that's a far cry from last year's numbers.
Negatives
- Special Teams coverage units have been atrocious over the first two games. The kickoff coverage seems to stay in their lanes far too long and not break down towards the ball soon enough allowing large gaps with not enough Buffs and too many opposition at the point of attack. They will HAVE to get better. Additionally, it has caused them to put pressure on their defense. CUs defense responded quite well to a tired and overmatched overall team in Central Arkansas but allowing the opposition to start on average around the 40 yard line means for a short field. Against more talented teams, Colorado will get into big holes. The loss of Justin Castor due to injury in the off-season has hurt big time.
- Defensive quarterback pressure. Both CSU and UCA were allowed too much time. Fortunately the secondary were in great coverage and kept big plays from occurring but for Colorado to only have three sacks from the unit is a little frustrating on their end I am sure. Chidera Uzo-Diribe has a lot of QB pressures and a couple tackles for loss. It is a matter of time before he prays on a weak opposition and racks up a big day. He has had some big plays and I am sure is sack hungry.
Fresno State Preview
Colorado is 4-2 all-time versus Fresno State but have lost the last two. Both of these have come courtesy of a quarterback named Carr. In 2002 lightly talked about David Carr led the Bulldogs into Boulder in the Jim Thorpe Classic and upset CU 24-22. That game was the springboard to a season that sent Colorado on to what became a Big XII Championship season. Last year, brother Derek Carr and the Central Valley proud Bulldog's put a thumping that was the epitome of the ugliness Colorado's 2012 team was. Colorado was down 48-0 halfway through the 2nd quarter. Derek Carr had 5 passing touchdowns by that time and the Buffs were down 55-7 at halftime in what ended as a 69-14 drubbing. The bad news, Fresno returns most of their receiving playmakers from that team with Carr in his senior year. The positive news, their big running back Robbie Rouse whom opened up the passing game is gone.
Fresno State is averaging 332 yards passing per game and 121.5 yards rushing. They have not had great success rushing the ball this season with most of their yardage coming in the second half of a blowout of Cal-Poly. Fresno State leans heavily on the hands of their solid receiving corps and the arm of Derek Carr. This week the secondary will have to play better than it has to start the season and the front seven is going to have to put some pressure on Carr so he doesn't have the ability to pick apart the Buffs.
Fresno State has the ability to score on special teams with speedster Isaiah Burse taking two punt returns in for scores last week.
Fresno State is 2-0 but very well could be 1-1. They got fortunate field position with only 1:18 left in the game against Rutgers in Week 1 and scored quickly and won in overtime. The Bulldogs are prone to giving up the long score. Fresno State relies heavily on the blitz packages to provide pressure. The Buffaloes offensive line will have to keep the speed of Kyrie Williams from disrupting the offensive flow up the middle.
This weeks game appears to be set up to be a shootout with Fresno State having a strong offense and having difficulties on defense. The Buffaloes will need to shore up their pass protection but this should be the week their rushing game gets established with the ability of their passing game opening it up.
Prediction
This game was struck through with a big fat L after last season and even a coupled days before this season started and with the positivity increasing it had kept about 75% of its original size. After watching Colorado continue to fight in times they've folded for most of the past decade and seeing the Heart of these Buffaloes shine through and the ability to Win, my heart is torn as a Colorado fan. I have not seen the offense suddenly just explode like this and the defense cause turnovers to turn the game around since the Barnett era.
Colorado's keys to victory lays in three key areas that have been their biggest issues to start the season: Special Teams Coverage/Field Position, Pressuring the Quarterback and establishing a run game so Fresno State pays for playing Nickel and Dime coverage.
If these areas turn out to be a non-factor, where Fresno State starts behind the 35 on average, they get 150 yards rushing as a team and get pressure on Carr, then CU shocks the world and starts 3-0 with a 41-35 win and head into Corvallis 3-0 with the chance to go to 4-0 against one of the most overrated teams to start the season in the Pac 12.
If they allow Fresno State to start around mid-field on average and gives up a return TD and major yardage, continue to average under 3.0 yards a carry and allow Carr to sit back and carve up the secondary, CU loses 42-21.
My estimation is this staff will do everything to make this group remember what Fresno did to them in 2012 and prepare this team to do better on coverage with Toby Neinas feeling the heat already from fans starting to question what is going on and if he is in over his head. I have a world of respect for Tim DeRuyter at Fresno State and think both MacIntyre and DeRuyter are cut from a strong coaching pedigree. MacIntyre has already got his guys believing they can win which isn't easy for a first year coach.
While Carr has NFL pedigree, size and ability, he lacks key things that will cause him to have his worse game since the thumping that was given to him by SMU last year. This isn't your Jon Embree and Dan Hawkins Buffaloes folks, this is Mike MacIntyre's Buffaloes and Buffs win 41-35.
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