Buffs Utilizing LB Lewis' Skills; OT Miller Could See More Time
October 04, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Every week, Colorado inside linebacker Drew Lewis feels a little more comfortable in his role.
Now in his second year with the Buffs and first as a starter, the CU junior is also becoming more and more of a weapon every week. He has proven to be a solid pass rusher (he has four quarterback pressures and a pair of quarterback chasedowns), he is fast and agile enough to drop into pass coverage on a tight end or running back, and he is physical enough to play the run (he leads the team in tackles with 55, including two tackles for loss).
"Last year was a good year for him to get his feet wet," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "He played on all the special teams and backed up Kenneth Olugbode, who had a phenomenal year. He was able to do everything and learn everything, then we kept the exact same system. He's a good blitzer and he's extremely fast and athletic, so we're able to use him a little differently than we did with Kenneth. (Defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot) has done a great job at utilizing Drew to his strengths and he's played well."
Lewis will need all those skill Saturday when the Buffs play host to Arizona and dual-threat quarterback Brandon Dawkins in a 6 p.m. game at Folsom Field (Pac-12 Networks).
Dawkins has become a master of the Wildcats' read-option offense, an attack that gives him the ability to run, throw or hand off on the fly.
"He's an interesting quarterback," Lewis said of the Wildcats' leading passer and rusher. "He really likes to run the ball and get out of the pocket. You have to know he's not going to be standing there for too long and he loves to scramble. He'll just step up in the pocket and find a lane and go. We have to be aware of that."
While Lewis does not yet have a sack, he's been close multiple times. Still, MacIntyre said, Lewis is having a significant effect on opposing quarterbacks.
"He truly pressures the quarterback; they know where he is," MacIntyre said. "He hurries a lot of throws and causes a lot of incompletions."
Along with Dawkins, the Wildcats also have a small, shifty running back in J.J. Taylor (5-foot-6, 180 pounds) and a more conventional back in Nick Wilson.
But it is Dawkins who Lewis will keep an eye on the entire game — even when his first assignment may take him somewhere else on the field.
"Every play we run, we have to know we could always have to come back to the quarterback when he scrambles," Lewis said. "He runs hard and he falls forward. You always have to know where he is."
MORE TIME FOR MILLER? After seeing 11 snaps at right tackle last week near the end of the game, 6-foot-7, 280-pound sophomore Isaac Miller could be in line for some more playing time.
Miller, who had played mostly left tackle up to this point, played the right side against UCLA in relief of starter Aaron Haigler. While Buffs offensive line coach Klayton Adams and head coach Mike MacIntyre wouldn't say whether Miller would get a start this week, both also said they expected him to play.
Miller's most action thus far was 64 snaps against Texas State in relief of Josh Kaiser.
"When he went in there it was late in crunch time and he did a really nice job," Adams said of Miller's play at UCLA. "I'm excited about what he's done."
Miller has been hampered by injuries since arriving at CU in 2015 after a standout prep career at Silver Creek High School in Longmont. CU coaches have always loved his potential, but injuries have prevented him from establishing a foothold in the lineup.
"He was hurt last year and has come along and kept getting better and better and better," MacIntyre said. "We feel like he can be a phenomenal tackle."
Overall, CU's offensive line has had shown moments of dominance, helping the Buffs grind out long scoring drives. But consistency over the span of an entire game still eludes the group.
"I'm a little bit disappointed with where we're at in terms of consistency," Adams said. "There's some plays where you go, 'Yes, that's what we're suppose to do, that's what it's supposed to look like.' Then there's some other times when things happen and you go, 'Gosh, we should be able to adjust to that.'"
But, Adams said, he continues to see improvement in the overall performance.
"We've gotten a little better every week, but it's still not where we want to be," Adams said. "So we're grasping and clawing and fighting and trying to make this group what we want it to be. I think we're going to get there but it's not happening as fast as we want."
SWITCHING GEARS: After playing against a pro-style, stand-up-in-the-pocket quarterback last week in UCLA's Josh Rosen, the Buffs must change gears in a hurry when they face Dawkins.
It's something to which defensive coordinators in college must become accustomed.
"In college, every week is something totally different," MacIntre said. "This is another totally different package that's completely different than Josh Rosen. It is a big dynamic jump for us. That's why it's so hard for a defensive coordinator in college. Every week is something totally different. Hopefully our guys have figured it out and understand how to do it. Our coaches know what they want to do and are trying to get it across to them, but the players have to go do it."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
