Buffs Notes: Liufau Injures Ankle; Big Day For Fields, Ross
September 17, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Sefo Liufau's best pass of the day Saturday came on virtually one leg.
One play after the Colorado quarterback suffered an ankle injury, the CU senior heaved a perfect 70-yard scoring strike to Shay Fields, a play that lifted the Buffs into a 28-24 lead over Michigan.
"All arm," Liufau said with a shrug. "I couldn't push off it and I just tried to make the throw. He made a great play."
The lead, though, was shortlived — as was Liufau's day after the injury. Michigan answered CU's score with a quick scoring drive of its own for a 31-28 lead, and Liufau then played just one more series before coming to the realization he couldn't play on the bad ankle.
"I just couldn't plant and throw," Liufau said. "I couldn't push off of it."
CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said CU's medical staff will evaluate the injury Sunday and begin to determine whether Liufau can play next week.
Liufau was having one of the best days of his career before suffering the injury early in the third quarter. He finished 16-for-25 for 246 yards and no interceptions, his third game this year without an interception.
The CU senior, who suffered a Lisfranc injury last season that forced him to miss the last two games of the year and all of spring ball, first called the injury "devastating," as he left when the Buffs trailed by just three points. He later amended it to "frustrating."
Fields finished with four catches for 99 yards, and now has seven career plays of at least 50 yards (all receptions).
"I respect him 100 percent," Fields said of his quarterback. "That's why he's one of our leaders. He has the heart of a lion."
ROSS STAYS HOT: CU wide receiver Devin Ross caught his third and fourth touchdown passes of the year, opening the scoring with a 37-yard pass from Liufau, then adding a 6-yarder later in the first quarter. Ross has caught a touchdown pass in all three of CU's games this season. He now has 18 catches for 202 yards and four scores this year.
TOUGH DAY FOR MONTEZ: Backup quarterback Steven Montez, who replaced Liufau in the third quarter, endured a difficult day, going 0-for-7 while also getting sacked twice.
It was a much different day than his effort against Idaho State, when he had a pair of touchdown passes in mopup duty.
"We tried to get him some easy completions to get him going, but they were coming after him," offensive co-coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said. "They're the No. 4 team in the country for a reason. We came out and did a good job of starting fast. I'm proud of the way our guys played, but I just wish Sefo could have had a chance to finish."
It's too early to tell whether Liufau will be ready to go next week at Oregon. The Buffs will no doubt make sure Montez gets more reps this week with the No. 1 offense.
"We have to clean some stuff up and get Steven ready to go if Sefo can't play," Chiaverini said.
OTHER INJURIES: MacIntyre said kicker Diego Gonzalez suffered an Achilles injury on a third-quarter kickoff and will be out for the season. While Gonzalez said it was just an initial diagnosis, he didn't sound too optimistic that further examination would yield a much different result.
"I just want to stay positive and hopefully have another year with the Buffs," Gonzalez said.
CU outside linebacker Derek McCartney also left the game in the first half with a knee injury. MacIntyre said McCartney would also be evaluated Sunday.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Linebacker Rick Gamboa was credited with a team-leading 11 tackles Saturday, with Kenneth Olugbode right behind with 10. Samson Kafovalu and Chidobe Awuzie each had a sack, the eighth career for Kafovalu and sixth for Awuzie. Josh Tupou and Jimmie Gilbert were credited with one-half sack each.
In the secondary, Ahkello Witherspoon was again CU's leader in pass breakups with two. CU also recorded a defensive takeaway for the 16th straight game, a fumble recovery by McCartney in the first quarter that he returned for a touchdown.
McCartney's grandfather, former CU coach Bill McCartney, was an honorary captain for the Buffs at the game.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
