Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Get Some National Attention, Turn Focus To Oregon State
September 25, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
CU turns heads with win at Oregon
BOULDER — Notes, quotes, observations and opinions as the 3-1 Colorado Buffaloes prepare to build off Saturday's 41-38 win at Oregon:
TASK AT HAND: One topic of conversation this week among CU fans and the media will almost certainly center around whether the Buffs will be able to put the big win behind them and focus on Saturday's Pac-12 home opener against Oregon State (12:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).
The guess here is the Buffs won't have much trouble moving forward. This bunch of Buffs has shown a great deal of maturity since the day fall camp opened. They've kept their eyes focused on the task at hand, whether in the wake of their big opening win over Colorado State or after a loss at Michigan that sent three starters to the sidelines.
No doubt the coaches will do their part. But CU's upperclassmen leaders are also quite cognizant of the fact that one win — no matter how big — does not guarantee anything in terms of their season goals.
Late Saturday afternoon, in the midst of the locker room celebration, players and coaches were quick to point out that they still have plenty of room for improvement and plenty left on their plates to accomplish.
"We're a different team and I think we showed that today," said left tackle Jeromy Irwin, who spent the week battling a case of strep throat. "It was a statement game — but we all know we have a lot of work to do now. It's just one game in the Pac-12. It's only going to get harder. We have to look at next week and start focusing on Oregon State right away."
Even record-setting redshirt freshman quarterback Steven Montez didn't get too caught up in the moment, despite becoming the first Buff ever to throw for at least 300 yards (333) and rush for 100 (135) in the same game.
"I'm sure it means a ton (for the program), but for right now, for this team for this year, all this means for us is one win in the Pac-12," Montez said. "We've got a long ways to go."
You can also rest assured that head coach Mike MacIntyre was also looking ahead.
"It's just one for us," MacIntyre said. "Our goal is to win a Pac 12 championship. I know a lot of people still laugh about it, but that's what those young men believe. If we can't believe it, then you can't ever achieve it."
The Beavers, by the way, played just down the road from the Buffs on Saturday in Corvallis, where they dropped a 38-24 decision to Boise State to drop to 1-2 on the year.
GETTING SOME LOVE: By Sunday morning, it was already apparent that the Buffs' win produced some national attention.
Colorado received 16 points in the national coaches' poll (37th most) and 33 points in the Associated Press poll (31st most). They also received two votes in the Football Writers of America national "Super 16 Poll," were ranked 29th in the ESPN Football Power Index, and were given the fourth-best chance to win a Pac-12 title by the Power Index behind Washington, Stanford and UCLA.
As for bowl projections, the Buffs are also starting to get some mention. ESPN's Pac-12 blog moved Colorado onto its bowl projection list for the first time this year, "predicting" a Hyundai Sun Bowl berth for the Buffaloes. SB Nation, meanwhile, projected a Colorado bid in the Las Vegas Bowl against Boise State.
All of this, of course, means very little in the big picture. The 3-1 Buffs still have eight Pac-12 games remaining. It's a long season and they're just one-third of the way through.
But it does show that Saturday's win over the Ducks turned some eyes toward the program. It's been a long time since CU has been in any kind of conversation when it comes to national polls, conference contenders and bowl games.
Now, they have to make sure they continue to handle business.
LIUFAU STATUS: Another question that's sure to come up in a hurry this week will be who will start at quarterback for the Buffs against Oregon State.
It's an interesting and, to be honest, amusing question.
When the season began, a large contingent of Buffs fans was openly worried about the team being in the hands of Sefo Liufau. The CU senior answered those critics in a big way, completing 54 of 76 passes for 768 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions while leading the Buffs to wins over Colorado State and Idaho State and giving CU the lead over Michigan before being forced out of the game with an ankle injury.
Suddenly, Liufau was everyone's favorite QB.
Thus, when it was announced Saturday that Liufau wouldn't be able to play, those same fans then began wringing their hands at the prospect of Montez getting his first start. He, of course, answered with a terrific performance
Now, fans might not know which way to turn with their doubts.
The guess here is that it won't be much of a question if Liufau is healthy. He is still the senior starter and incumbent, and his teammates have great faith and respect for him. He's been elected a team captain three years in a row for a reason, and he's been playing at an extremely high level.
But it also wouldn't be a surprise to see the Buffs sprinkle in a few series here and there for Montez, not only as a means of keeping opposing defenses honest, but also as a way to keep him sharp in the event that he's needed again on a full-time basis.
The bottom line is this: opposing defensive coordinators now know the Buffs have two very capable quarterbacks who can throw and run. If you are one of those coordinators, that's one of those things that keeps you up at night.
DEFENSIVE SWITCHES: Speaking of coordinators, never let it be said Buffs defensive boss Jim Leavitt and his defensive assistants are too conventional.
With starting outside linebacker Derek McCartney out for the season, the Buffs switched up and threw Ryan Moeller into the mix at the position throughout Saturday's game. The 215-pound Moeller wouldn't seem to be a good fit to fill the shoes of the 250-pound McCartney, but against Oregon's speedy running backs, he did exactly what was necessary — helped keep the Ducks from getting outside on a regular basis.
Moeller technically started the game lined up at safety, but played OLB at a variety of junctures and was credited with three tackles. A tough, hard-nosed player, he had no trouble mixing it up with much bigger players in the trenches and used his speed and quickness to make plays.
"I'm really proud of Moeller," Leavitt said. "Joe (Tumpkin, CU safeties coach) really wanted to try him there. He asked me about it earlier in the week and I said sure, why not?"
Leavitt's defense was supposed to be a major strength for the Buffs this year, and it hasn't disappointed. But as he said Saturday, beating good teams will take a complete team effort — not just an outstanding effort from one side of the ball.
"I've said there's no way we can win unless we win as a team — and I think you saw it that way," Leavitt said. "Our defense at times wasn't great, but that (Oregon) offense is hard. We gave them some good field position a few times … But we made some plays, too."
Indeed, the Buffs came up with big plays in all three phases in the decisive fourth quarter Saturday.
The offense put together the game-winning, seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive, converting a second-and-15 and third-and-10 in the process. Special teams then got into the act with a 2-point conversion. The defense, meanwhile, came up with three straight stops on the Ducks' last three possessions after yielding three consecutive touchdowns.
"That's pretty special," Leavitt said of the final defensive stands. "Especially with that offense, this crowd and that momentum."
MORE ON INTERCEPTION: For 59 minutes Saturday, it looked as if CU's nation-leading streak of producing at least one defensive takeaway would stop at 16 games.
Then came Ahkello Witherspoon's game-clinching interception with 48 seconds to go. The CU senior went high in the air, getting perfect position on Oregon standout receiver Darren Carrington Jr. to come down with Dakota Prukop's pass.
"I honestly didn't think he was going to throw it," Witherspoon said. "I'm in coverage, I'm in good position, so I just went up and got it. Simple as that."
It's a play Witherspoon has made time and again this year in practice against CU's receivers.
"I've seen Ahkello do it so many times in practice to our guys," MacIntyre said. "He's like 'Stretcho Man.' I said he's going to pick it. I'm watching and and said he's going to pick it."
COOL UNDER PRESSURE: One of the most impressive things about Montez's performance on Saturday was his ability to put two costly interceptions behind him and move forward. Those two interceptions helped fuel a 21-0 Oregon run, but his response was representative of someone with far more experience.
Thus, he said, when the Buffs took the field trailing 38-33, his confidence didn't waver.
"We're a different Colorado team," Montez said. "We're way different. We're mentally tough, we're mentally strong and we prepare. We're confident. Our defense was doing well. I knew this game wasn't going to slip out of our hands.
OLUGBODE ON A ROLL: While some of his defensive teammates are grabbing headlines — Witherspoon had the honors this week — linebacker Kenneth Olugbode is quietly having a stellar season, the kind that has NFL scouts keeping an eye on him.
Olugbode was credited with a team-leading nine tackles against the Ducks, along with one pass breakup and one tackle for loss. While that total may change — coaches' final numbers are often different from press box numbers — there's no doubt he's still have an outstanding year. He entered Saturday's game with a team-leading 24 tackles, including a sack, another tackle for loss, three third-down stops, a quarterback pressure and a fumble recovery.
There was a time when Olugbode might have been considered too small — 6-foot-1, 220 pounds — for the NFL. But in this day and age, his speed, quickness and ability to play inside and out should give him a good shot at playing on Sundays.
BIG-PLAY EVANS: Lost in the rushing performance of Montez and the regular workmanlike effort from Phillip Lindsay (15 carries, 72 yards, 1 touchdown) was the play of sophomore Kyle Evans. The former walk-on carried 10 times for 61 yards and also had a 21-yard reception that helped set up a CU field goal and 10-0 early lead.
Evans had carried 27 times for 110 yards heading into the game, but most of his carries had come late in games.
"I kind of like being the secret weapon — the small but mighty type of guy," the 5-foot-6, 175-pound Evans said. "All my life, everybody has pretty much doubted me, so all I try to really do is prove to everybody else I belong out there. I know I can do it; I just have to prove it to everyone else."
QUOTEWORTHY: "I think these kids believe they can beat anybody. That's all you have to do. If they believe it, they can achieve it. … We're definitely one step closer than I think 99 percent of the people thought we'd be." Mike MacIntyre on the Buffs' oft-stated goal of playing for a Pac-12 title.
"I've never been in a train wreck, but that's probably what it would feel like." Oregon coach Mark Helfrich after his Ducks lost back-to-back games for the first time since 2007.
TIDBITS: The Buffs have won all four coin tosses this season and have deferred each time. … CU has also scored a touchdown on its first offensive possession of its first four games this year, the first time that's happened since 1989. … The Buffs have outscored their opponents 72-14 in the first quarter. … CU is now 2-4 in Pac-12 openers while ending a six-game losing streak to the Ducks. … True freshman kicker Davis Price appeared in his first game as a Buff, kicking off seven times. … Junior kicker Chris Graham hit two field goals, the first of his CU career. … Wide receiver Jay MacIntyre gave way to Isaiah Oliver on punt returns after suffering a slight injury in the first half, but continued to play wide receiver. Oliver returned one punt for 12 yards. … While Bryce Bobo earned the headlines with his one-handed catch for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown, fellow junior Devin Ross continues to be the Buffs' most consistent wideout. Ross had seven catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, the best yardage total in his career. He has also caught a TD pass in all four games, tied for the third-longest such streak in CU history.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
