Colorado University Athletics
MacIntyre's Buffs Have Learned How To Close
November 21, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes have learned how to finish.
After two years of narrow losses, two years of watching games slip away in the second half — two years of heartbreak — the Buffs are no longer just coming close.
Now they close the deal. When it matters most, the ninth-ranked Buffs have more often than not owned the third and fourth quarters of games this year. Their defensive numbers are outstanding; their offensive numbers impressive.
— The Buffs have given up just 40 points in the fourth quarter this year, a paltry 3.6 points per game and 26 points fewer than the next-best team in the Pac-12 (UCLA has yielded 66). Last year, CU gave up an average of 12.6 points per game in the fourth quarter.
— CU's defense has held opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter in five games.
— Of the five touchdowns scored by opponents in the fourth quarter, only two — by Michigan and USC — have come with the game in doubt. The others came with the Buffs holding at least three-score leads.
— In the second half, CU has yielded just 92 points, again the best in the Pac-12.
— CU's offense, meanwhile, has scored 147 points after halftime, a plus-55 margin that is third-best in the Pac-12. (Washington State leads the conference with a plus-99 margin, but in their head-to-head matchup last weekend, the Buffs outscored the Cougars 24-7 after halftime).
— The Buffs are 7-0 in games they have led at the half and 2-2 in games in which they trailed at intermission. They are 8-0 in games in which they held a lead going into the fourth quarter and 1-0 in games that were tied going into the final period. A year ago, CU lost four Pac-12 games in which they held the lead in the third or fourth quarter or were tied at the half.
— Only two opponents, Michigan and Oregon, have outscored the Buffs in the second half. Last year, seven foes outscored CU after intermission.
There are obviously a number of reasons for the improvement in those close games.
One, CU's players are more experienced. They have not only improved, but they have played in close games and know what it takes to win one. That maturity level in pressure situations is key.
Two, they are more accustomed to their schemes, particularly on defense. Now in their second year of Jim Leavitt's defense, they are able to react to situations much faster and adjust on the fly.
Three, they are well conditioned. It's no coincidence that of the two close games at Folsom Field this year in which CU trailed in both at the half — UCLA and Washington State — the Buffs simply wore down their competition after halftime.
"Our young men are performing well under pressure," head coach Mike MacIntyre said after Monday's practice. "They don't get stressed out. Our coaching staff has done a phenomenal job of play calling in those situations, defensively and offensively. I think that's the key there, kind of a combination of a lot of things. But mainly the players just not blinking."
Buffs cornerback Isaiah Oliver said much of the credit has to go to CU's seniors.
"The guys that have been here for three and four years now know what it's like to be in the close games and they let us know what to expect," Oliver said. "They show a lot of confidence and it spreads. They've put it on themselves and the younger guys to focus on winning the third and fourth quarters."
But some of the second-half improvement also began last summer, when the Buffs were participating in offseason workouts. Then, they had to buy into the program new strength and conditioning coach Drew Wilson brought to Colorado.
"You talk to the guys all summer about that," Wilson said. "We want to be a great fourth-quarter team. … I preach to the guys that we're going to be a fourth-quarter team. Nobody's going to out-muscle us, out-hustle us, out-condition us or outrun us in the fourth quarter. A lot of games are won or lost in those final minutes and you can make or break your season right there."
Earlier this season, Buffs cornerback Chidobe Awuzie said CU's attitude and experience have been keys to their second-half performances.
"We've all been there," Awuzie said. "We were in a lot of close games the last couple of years. It's a matter of knowing what it takes, that one play here or there can make a difference, and then making that play."
It has also required a "team first" attitude, according to Wilson, one that is fostered beyond the practice field.
"The guys have to buy in," he said. "When you look around the locker room or see them in weight training, they have a love for each other. It comes down to what they want to get done. Their desire to win this year and not be pushed around is greater than any weight room number they could possibly lift."
Defensively, the Buffs have taken great pride in their fourth-quarter performances. A year ago, they gave up double-digit points to four opponents in the fourth quarter. This year, only one has managed more than seven points in the final period against CU — and that was Arizona, which scored 14 points after the Buffs had taken a 42-10 lead into the fourth.
Saturday, after the Buffs had blanked Washington State in the final period, defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt was beaming. Last year's second-half issues had rankled Leavitt throughout the offseason. Now, he's seeing an improved team.
"They play with passion," Leavitt said. "They play with their soul. That's what I'm so proud of them for. They finished. That team (WSU) in the second half has buried people. I was proud of the way we finished."
INJURY UPDATE: Both Bryce Bobo and Ryan Moeller were at practice Monday, but neither participated. Bobo is wearing a walking boot to contain swelling in his foot while Moeller is still undergoing concussion protocol. MacIntyre said Bobo's status would likely be a game-day decision while Moeller's status could be decided later this week.
SENIOR DAY: The Buffs will honor this year's seniors at Saturday's regular season finale when CU hosts Utah in a 5:30 p.m. game at Folsom Field.
"I love to see them go out on a winning note and with a lot riding on it," MacIntyre said. "It will be the biggest crowd in I don't know how long, definitely the biggest crowd I've seen here. It's going to be exciting for the young men and the fans."
KICKING DUTIES: MacIntyre said the Buffs' field goal kicking will continue to be "by committee." The duties had gone back to Davis Price last week, but after the redshirt freshman missed a try in the first half, the Buffs turned to junior Chris Graham, who delivered a career-long 46-yard kick to give CU a 31-24 lead in the fourth quarter.
UTAH 'RIVALRY': When Colorado and Utah joined the Pac-12 in time for the 2011 season, they were immediately paired as "rivals" for the final weekend of the season. All other schools in the conference already had their natural rivalries.
MacIntyre said it may be getting to that point, even though the Utes own a four-game win streak in the series.
"It's a rivalry when we start beating them, but we haven't beat them since I've been here," MacIntyre said. "Hopefully we're able to beat them this week. Right now they've beat us up pretty good every time we've played them. We need to find a way to get 'em."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
