Friday's Fast Five: Keys For Buffs Vs. Stanford
October 21, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In what seems to be a never-ending "redemption tour" of sorts for Colorado, the Buffaloes head to Stanford on Saturday to face a team CU hasn't beaten in its last five tries.
That includes three Pac-12 games in which the Buffs have been outscored by a whopping 138-17.
But judging from what we've seen so far this year, much has changed since last year's 42-10 Stanford win in Boulder. The 5-2 Buffs (3-1 Pac-12) are coming off a 40-16 win over Arizona State and are tied for the lead in the Pac-12 South. The Cardinal (4-2, 2-2) have struggled in recent weeks, dropping two of their last three, including back-to-back Pac-12 defeats to Washington and Washington State.
Still, the Cardinal do have a solid defense, and they do have last year's Heisman Trophy runner-up, running back Christian McCaffrey.
What the Buffs must do to turn the tables on the Cardinal in Saturday's game at Stanford (1 p.m., Pac-12 Networks):
1. Contain Solomon Thomas. While Stanford's defense is not quite what it was a year ago, it's still a very capable unit, and it thrives when DE Thomas is having a solid game.
Already a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the week, Thomas is coming off a 12-tackle, 1.5-sack effort in the Cardinal's 17-10 win over Notre Dame. The 6-foot-3, 273-pound junior leads the team in tackles with 30, is tied for the team lead with four quarterback sacks, and returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown this year to ice a win over UCLA.
In short, he's a defensive lineman who can impact the game in a variety of ways. If the Buffs allow him to control the line of scrimmage, it could be a long day for CU's running game.
2. Force Stanford to throw. Yes, this is more often than not the case. Force the other team to the air and you have to like your chances.
But this is especially the case Saturday, as Stanford's passing game has struggled this year with senior Ryan Burns at the helm. Burns has completed just 79 of 123 attempts this year for 888 yards — and four interceptions. He's also been sacked 16 times.
Of course, to force Stanford to the air, the Buffs have to stop the Cardinal's running game. If McCaffrey is healthy and ready to roll, that's a tall order — but unlike last year, teams have managed to do it this season.
If there's a blueprint to follow, it's been provided by Washington in UW's 44-6 win. The Huskies limited McCaffrey early and at the same time, jumped out to a lead. McCaffrey finished with just 49 yards rushing on 12 carries against the Huskies while Burns was a pedestrian 15-for-22 for 151 yards and a touchdown — along with being sacked six times.
The first order will be to stop the run game. But the Buffs' offense will also have to do its part by putting some points on the board and forcing Stanford to put the ball in the air.
One interesting statistic to keep in mind: the Cardinal haven't scored more than 27 points all season. The Buffs haven't scored fewer than 40 in any of their five wins. If the Buffs can keep the Cardinal below its season high, you have to like CU's chances.
3. Don't let tight end make plays. In CU's two losses this year, some of the biggest damage has been done by the opponents' tight ends.
In Colorado's 45-28 loss at Michigan, the Wolverines' leading receiver was tight end Jake Butt, who hauled in seven catches for 87 yards. In the Buffs' 21-17 loss at USC, tight ends accounted for all three Trojan touchdowns, with Tyler Petite (two TD catches) and Daniel Imatorbhebhe (one score) combining for four catches for 63 yards.
The good news for CU is that the Cardinal no longer has tight end Austin Hooper, who burned the Buffs for three catches and a touchdown last year. But Stanford does have a pair of capable tight ends in Dalton Schultz and Greg Taboada, who have combined for 18 catches for 134 yards this season. Taboada, in particular, is a receiving threat: he's averaging 19.3 yards per catch this season and 16.2 for his career.
Colorado's secondary has done a solid job all year against some quality wide receivers. If they can also keep the tight ends in check against the Cardinal, it will be a big step.
4. Establish a running game early. CU's formula for success this year isn't a secret. When the Buffs are balanced offensively, they have great chance of winning.
In all five wins, the Buffs have put up at least 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing. In their two losses, they've finished with less than 100 yards on the ground.
This won't be easy. The Cardinal have been stingy against the run all year, allowing just 125.7 yards per game on the ground (22nd in the nation).
But, teams have been successful on the ground against the Cardinal. Washington ran for 214 yards against Stanford and Washington State ran for 101 — just enough to keep Stanford from unleashing an all-out attack on WSU quarterback Luke Falk.
This will be a big test for CU's continually improving offensive line. Klayton Adams' crew has made improved on a weekly basis, and looked terrific in last weekend's win over Arizona State. If they can come up with another dominant effort against the Cardinal, it will go a long way in paving the way for a successful day for the Buffs.
5. Tempo, tempo, tempo. When the Buffs' offense is clicking, it's hard to stop. CU's offense has truly struggled only once this year, in the 21-17 loss at USC with backup quarterback Steven Montez at the helm.
With senior Sefo Liufau in the game, though, the Colorado offense has been consistently productive. If Liufau and his receivers can establish a rhythm early and put the Cardinal defenders on the their heels, it will force Stanford out of its comfort zone.
It's something the Cardinal haven't seen from the Buffs before. This is simply the latest in a string of games in which the Buffs need to prove they aren't the Buffs of old. If they can land some big punches early, it will be a big momentum boost — exactly what they'll need on the road.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
