Colorado University Athletics
2016 In Review: Quarterbacks Answered The Bell For Buffs
December 09, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
As the No. 10 Colorado Buffaloes continue preparations for their Dec. 29 Valero Alamo Bowl meeting with No. 12 Oklahoma State, we take a position-by-position glance at the team that produced one of the more dramatic turnaround seasons in recent college football history.
Today, we look at the quarterbacks:
WHAT WE KNEW IN AUGUST: When the season began, the quarterback position was a paradox of sorts for Mike MacIntyre's Buffaloes.
Returning for his fourth season as a starter was Sefo Liufau, a senior who already held a long list of Colorado passing records and was well within reach of several more.
But Liufau had also missed all of spring ball because of a Lisfranc injury, a spring in which the Buffs made some fairly significant tweaks to their offense under co-coordinators Brian Lindgren and Darrin Chiaverini. Throw in the fact no one was sure whether Liufau would even be ready to play in August, and it all added up to some questions as the Buffs headed into the 2016 season.
Liufau, though, answered many of those questions in a hurry with an excellent fall camp. His foot was never a problem, he quickly picked up the nuances of the offensive changes, and by the time the season opened, he appeared poised for a solid senior year.
As for the backup spot, there was little question that redshirt freshman Steven Montez had taken a big step forward, especially after taking the majority of snaps in spring ball. A gifted athlete with a cannon for an arm, Montez was clearly more comfortable in his second year in Boulder and CU's offensive coaches were quietly optimistic about his potential.
Also in fall camp, CU coaches liked what they saw from true freshman Sam Noyer, whose poise in the pocket, quarterback instincts and arm were all impressive.
WHAT THE SEASON REVEALED: While every position had a significant contribution to CU's success this year, there is little doubt Liufau's early play helped set the tone. He threw for 318 yards and a touchdown in the Buffs' season-opening 44-7 win over Colorado State and two weeks later was on his way to a terrific day against Michigan — 16-for-25 for 246 yards and three touchdowns — before an ankle injury sidelined him early in the third quarter.
That brought Montez into the game, and his debut in meaningful playing time was less than stellar. While his first pass as a collegian a week earlier against Idaho State had gone for a 69-yard touchdown, he found Michigan's defense much more difficult. Montez finished with an 0-for-7 day.
But just as Buffs fans were wringing their hands in anguish over Liufau's injury, Montez used a week of practice the following week to produce a record-setting day in a win at Oregon. With Liufau still sidelined, Montez became the first player in CU history to produce a "300-100" day — 333 yards and three touchdowns passing to go with 135 yards and another touchdown rushing in a 41-38 CU win.
Montez then started two more games, guiding the Buffs to a win over Oregon State before a loss at USC.
A healthy Liufau then returned the following week to lead the Buffs to a win over Arizona State, the beginning of a six-game win streak that produced an 8-1 conference record and CU's first Pac-12 South title. He recorded CU's second 300-100 game in that stretch — 345 yards passing along with 108 yards and three touchdowns rushing in a win over Washington State —  and led the Buffs into the Pac-12 Championship game against Washington.
But injury struck Liufau yet again in the title game. A sack on CU's first possession left him with an injured ankle, and while he returned in the second half, he wasn't the same. Unable to generate yards as a running threat, a big part of CU's game plan was nullified and Liufau threw three interceptions in a 41-10 loss to Washington.
WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN 2017: While Liufau will leave with the vast majority of CU passing records in hand, CU offensive coaches are excited about next year's prospects.
They believe CU's offense could be even better.
Liufau's early season injury was no doubt a blow, but the meaningful playing time it provided Montez proved to be a major boost to his development. He has proven he can be effective in CU's offense, both with his arms and his legs, and he now has a running head start heading into his sophomore year. Montez will benefit from CU's bowl practices and another session of spring ball will also be a big help. We will also likely see Lindgren and Chiaverini throw in some special wrinkles to fit his skill set, much as they did with Liufau.
By next fall, Montez should be quite comfortable in the system, and surpassing CU's offensive numbers from this year will be a distinct possibility.
Noyer, meanwhile, should also benefit greatly from bowl practices and a spring ball session, giving CU depth at the position — and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Noyer give Montez some competition by the time fall camp rolls around.
The Buffs are also expected to add another quarterback in their 2017 recruiting class.
Thus, one year after the Buffs entered August with some unknowns at quarterback, CU's 2017 fall camp should be one that will show CU's future at the position is solid.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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