The
Buffs are sitting atop the Pac-12 South Division, riding a two-game conference (road) streak, with a visit from recently
ranked UCLA on the docket. It’s easy for me to
get up for this game as I attended USC for one year and hatred for the baby
blue from Westwood was quickly ingrained.
The Bruins were a big question mark before the season started, another
young team with a new coach, a possible win for the Buffs on their quest for a
bowl game. Then both teams opened the
season going in the opposite direction for the first three weeks, CU blowing
chunks all over smaller schools and UCLA surprising everyone and starting out
3-0, including a big win over then #17 Nebraska. Then came week three, when Oregon St.
announced they were for real, slowing down and beating the Bruins. Meanwhile, Colorado was waking up from their
slumber, coming from 31-14 down in the 4th quarter to rally and beat
the Cougars. So what does that mean for
this week? Who knows-it’s college
football!
§
Youth
movement: No new redshirts came off this week for CU, mainly because there
are only a few left as 13 true frosh have already hit the field, with half or
so playing major roles. Redshirt frosh and
other younger players are also contributing in big ways as Nelson Spruce is by
far their best receiver, Stephane Nembot started at RT and R-So. Jered Bell
started at safety and got his first career pick.
(Incidentally, UCLA has played
11 true frosh so far this season.)
§
Game Captains: For the second consecutive week Embree
sent out Bahktiari, Pericak, Polk, and Derrick Webb for the coin toss against
WSU. Even though it hasn’t been
“announced”, I think we are looking at our captains for the rest of the season
(the fact that Polk has been injured but out there shows that they aren’t
picking captains each week based on play).
§
Depth
Chart moves: S Jered Bell (officially #1 Nickel now with Polk still out) started
with Terrell Smith at the safeties, with Parker Orms moving inside to the
nickel slot. Stephane Nembot started at
RT (rotated with Dannewitz) and not sure what the plan is moving forward on the
line. QB Connor Wood had an injured
sternum but will be the number 2 again this week. CB Jeff Hall has taken over Marques Mosley’s
spot on kickoff return since he is not 100% healthy. Backup P Zack Grossnickle
has taken over holder duties from Justin Gorman. Although he must be a better holder, Gorman
is way more athletic and gave the team more options from FG formations for
fakes.
§
Injuries:
It would have been really nice to have S Ray Polk back this week but he is out
and we’re probably looking at after the bye week; C Brad Cotner is also still
out. Four players whose status was up in
the air all look to be available against UCLA if there are no setbacks: LB Doug
Rippy had said he would be back for this game, C Gus Handler was “almost” ready
last week, LB Paul Vigo had his best game as a Buff but is day-to-day with a
concussion, as is DT Josh Topou.
§
It can’t hurt that UCLA just started classes
this week, which would change up anyone’s routine as it is, but they have also
begun practicing at 7:00 AM, then they will travel, to altitude-we can only
hope that combination can lead to some lethargy and/or fatigue.
When the Bruins have the ball:
§
Overall, UCLA is leading the conference in
offense, putting up around 500 yards a game.
§
R-Fr. QB Brett Hundley is throwing the ball
really well to a corps of fast young receivers (including highly recruited redshirt
freshman Devin Lucien, who was pursued hard by Colorado) and have a very strong
running game. On top of that, Hundley
himself is fast and can run if he needs to.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all so see them run some zone-option-read
that has given Greg Brown defenses fits over the years and especially last
season. They will be looking at film
with wide eyes at the young Buffs secondary. However, CU played their best
defense down the stretch of the WSU game, especially Kenneth Crawley, who was
targeted throughout the game, but came up big on the last drive, knocking a
ball away in the endzone. UCLA should
continue to go after him so maybe this is the week he can really study film and
jump a route for a pick.
§
I hope Greg Brown pushes his corners up on the
receivers a little as they did late in the game; this helps a guy like Crawley
a lot. Otherwise, it is way too easy to
pick up 5-10 yards and move down the field. This would be much easier to do if Polk was
back there at safety.
§
Bruin TE Joseph Fauria is a mismatch for most
defenses, but was held in check against Oregon St. (I should know as he only
got me 2 points in my Pac-12 fantasy league).
I would think both he and the Bruin coaches will want to see him more
involved in Boulder. The safeties and
LBs need to be aware of him at all times.
Paul Vigo (if no concussion symptoms) and Kyle Washington, both former
safeties, should draw some Fauria coverage in their assignments. [Note: CU was
not really in the running for this legacy Buff as the Hawkins staff did
everything they could to alienate themselves and the program from the past and
missed out on a lot of recruits who were sons (or nephews in this case) of
Buffs from the Coach Mac days.]
§
RB Jonathan Franklin looked like a Heisman
candidate the first few weeks, piling up mountains of yards (not to mention the
186 he racked up against the Buffs last year).
Then he came back down to Earth against OSU, only gaining 45 yards on 12
carries. We definitely need to see what
the Beavers did on film to slow him down-this could be the key to beating UCLA
as they generally have won when they have been able to run the ball. The Buffs will need to tackle well in
general, but Franklin is strong and players must wrap him up, and no eye-closed
“big hits” from the safeties or arm tackles from the LBs.
§
While the defense played much better and made
some important plays late in Pullman,
they are still giving up an absolute ton of yards and points. The defensive line has got to be more consistent. While they had a few huge plays, Connor
Halliday did have a lot of time to run around and find receivers so he could
throw for 400+. WSU was also able to
gain a lot on the ground (especially for a Leach-coached team) and the line was
pushed around, leaving gaping holes. If
they don’t tighten up their assignments and tackling a little, it could be
another long day.
§
Chidera Uzo-Diribe has five sacks and was finally
a presence against the Cougars, especially in the second half. He and Wil Pericak are becoming quite a
pair. The line was getting great
pressure late and the young DTs, Topou, Solis and Henington, are clogging the
middle and letting the DEs do some work.
They must keep up the improvement and pressure for the Buffs to succeed.
§
I am still not sure what to make of the major
rotation that goes on at LB. This is
further complicated if Rippy (as expected) makes it back into the lineup this
week. Major, Webb, Daigh, Washington,
Vigo and even Greer have all logged decent minutes this season. With the addition of Washington and Vigo,
both former safeties, this group is getting faster as coaches wanted; it is
definitely the deepest group on the team and is supposed to be the strength of
the defense, but they are not making a lot of big plays and are not controlling
the middle of the field. The secondary
is still making way too many tackles.
For this defense to make the next step, the linebackers will need to
step their game up a notch.
When the Buffs have the ball:
§
UCLA’s defense has also given up a lot of yards
so far this year, including 501 to Oregon St. last week.
§
Pac-12
Offensive Player-of-the-week QB Jordan Webb will need to continue his
strong show of leadership, chemistry with his receivers, and not make the
stupid mistake (he is still prone to force some throws and carries the ball
loosely in the pocket and when he runs).
He is certainly tough, able to take multiple hits and get up and keep
playing. There is no questioning his
leadership of this team and it looks like they made a good move bringing him in
and starting him.
§
We’ll have to wait and see who starts at center,
and therefore the rest of the line. Handler
is getting healthy but may not be ready to go.
Meanwhile, the line looked decent with Munyer. After the decision at center, the dominoes
roll to Munyer or Harris at RG, and then Harris, Dannewitz or (hopefully)
Nembot at RT.
§
I have no idea how they will dole out running
back reps and touches. Christian Powell
is the likely starter still, but Tony Jones earned the right for some more
carries with his 84-yard TD and nifty running on the final drive, plus they
still want to see what Josh Ford (only 1 carry for 7 yards?) and T-Fr. Donta
Abron can do. What about Malcolm Creer?
Bienemy has said he would like to have 4 backs to split the carries and keep
defenses on their toes. It is very unlikely that they will burn the redshirt on
Terrence Crowder at this point. Nor does
it look like we will see T-Fr. FB Clay Norgard this year, even though he
enrolled early.
§
EB and the coaches have still had a tendency to
shy away from rushing the ball, passing a lot on first down, even when they
were not far behind. I hope they can
commit to the run a little more and wear down teams and save their own defense.
§
Also, they have got to mix up their play-calling,
especially on second down, as Joel Klatt pointed out numerous times that the
Cougar D (and the teams before them) were able to pick up on numerous
tendencies and blow up a play, or a few, because it was obvious that EB was
running or passing in that particular situation based on what he had called
previously. They could really make a
team pay now with a well-timed (not when
every fan and opposing player is
expecting it) deep ball, draw or screen that goes long.
§
The TEs were a big part of the game plan last
week and should continue to be so as they are finally developing into the
strong group they had the potential to be.
Nick Kasa, Kyle Slavin and DaVaughn Thorton (off his 2-game suspension
for the “air gun incident”) all had multiple catches and that was without T-Fr.
Vincent Hobbs (went home to Texas to be with his ailing dad), their fastest TE,
who they believe can create the most mismatches with defenders. Hobbs needs to improve his run-blocking so
teams don’t only expect pass when he is on the field, and so he can get in on
more downs. This tight end trend needs
to continue for the Buffs to have any sort of continued success. Knowing that he has capable TEs, who are big,
strong and fast, will allow EB some flexible play-calling so as not to be as
predictable and helps make up for the lack of talent at WR. Defenses will have to account more for the
TEs and won’t just be able to use an LB to cover them.
§
Nelson Spruce is a perfectly serviceable
possession receiver, T-Fr. Gerald Thomas definitely has a high ceiling of
potential, but is not quite there yet, Tyler McCulloch is fine…but that is
really it, with no real “number one” at WR until P-Rich is back and new
greyshirt and 2013 freshmen arrive next year.
This makes the TEs that much more important and we will likely see both Thorton
and Hobbs lining up wide sometimes as well.
§
Otherwise, let’s see them pound the rock and
keep the ball out of Hundley’s hands. CU has yet to show their “physical” run
game for an entire game. If they can,
then the no huddle becomes effective in the fourth quarter.
Special Teams:
§
The Buffs are coming off their poorest overall
showing in this area. I would expect to
Darragh O’Neill to rebound, but he is still young in football and punting years,
so he will have some bad balls at times, like the duck he shanked late at WSU.
§
UCLA has one of the best punters in the country
in Jeff Locke.
§
The Bruins also always have a plethora of very
fast players and therefore returners, so the coverage teams need to do their
job.
§
Not sure what to make of K Wil Oliver and his
short miss. I want to believe it was
just a fluke, but he just doesn’t look quite as comfortable and confident out
there as in the past.
§
CB Jeff Hall is number two kickoff returner now with
Donta Abron, while S Marques Mosley has been dropped to fifth on the depth
chart. Although he had a 100-yarder in a
scrimmage, Mosley has not been able to make consistently good decisions and has
left them with less than ideal field position (see next bullet).
§ I
would really like to see the kickoff returner (whoever is back there) just
kneel down on ANY ball caught in the
endzone and take the ball at the 25.
They are averaging only about the 15 when they take it out of the
endzone, automatically giving up 10 yards a drive in starting field
position. They should keep practicing
the deep return and then break it out again in a few games when opponents won’t
be expecting it because we have been so conservative.
§ True
frosh CB Kenneth Crawley has done a great job as the punt returner, with a very
respectable average, which is better than they have had for awhile. After the fumble
against csu (two losses to lower
division teams loses your capital letters) he has wrapped up the ball and been
fearless, rarely taking a fair catch with decent field position. Although he has not broken one (yet), he has
shown some great moves and it is only a matter of time.
§
Overall, the Buffs have a chance
in this one, but it will be tough.
Remember, this squad, with a worse coaching staff and QB, beat CU 45-6
last year. However, here is a key stat
from Ted Miller of the ESPN Pac-12 blog: “Since 1996, Colorado is 7-0 in the second conference game of the
season after notching a win in the league opener.” Also, UCLA is 3-15 in its last few years in
conference road games.
§
Let’s be loud Buff fans! The team needs all the support and help it
can get. This game will end under the
lights so it will be a great atmosphere, especially if the game is close in the
fourth quarter (within 17 anyway).
Go
Buffs!
§
Here’s some more links:
The must-see
video that helped inspire to their victory in Pullman: http://www.cushouldertoshoulder.com/
Stuart’s
TIPS: http://www.cuatthegame.com/2012/t-i-p-s-for-coloradoucla/
Plati’s
CU Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/ucla12/cunotes.pdf?SPSID=3843&SPID=255&DB_OEM_ID=600
UCLA
Game Notes: http://www.cubuffs.com/fls/600/gameday/ucla12/uclanotes.pdf
UCLA
preview of the Buffaloes (2-parts): http://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_football/2012/9/26/3412140/ucla-football-previewing-the-colorado-buffaloes-part-1-coaching-and
*Really
well-done play-by-play breakdown with stills and video of CU’s last drive vs.
WSU (by a bitter Coug fan): http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-football/2012/9/25/3408178/wsu-cougars-vs-colorado-buffaloes-buffs-football-jordan-webb
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