Buffs Offense Hitting Stride As Team Enters 'Game Week'
August 25, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — A Colorado offense that entered fall camp with high expectations appears to be hitting its stride, with its work over the last week perhaps the best of camp thus far.
The Buffs completed a crisp, full-pads workout Friday afternoon, technically the last day of camp. They will take Saturday off, then begin "game week" preparations Sunday for next Friday's season opener against Colorado State at Sports Authority Field in Denver (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).
While the offense has been making strides on a consistent basis throughout camp, the unit seemed to hit a new level over the last week. It began with a solid all-around effort in the Aug. 18 scrimmage, one that included what head coach Mike MacIntyre called Steven Montez's best scrimmage of camp, and continued with a week of the tempo hitting at a rapid-fire, consistent pace.
"We're a lot cleaner right now," co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said "Guys are starting to peak at the right time. They're getting their bodies back and their minds are right. When you have a long camp — four weeks — guys' bodies are going to go up and down. Guys are starting to get fresh now. These are veteran guys who know what the level of competition is going to be next week. Now they're starting to get their minds right and their bodies are following suit."
What has been particularly impressive over the past week is the pace at which the offense has operated. The up-tempo offense that Colorado instituted a year ago is now clearly ahead of where it was a year ago at this time.
"I think they just have a better feel for the offense," Chiaverini said. "We're an up-tempo offense that can be very dynamic. I think with the guys coming back, they know what the expectations are with the tempo. They've seen the tempo work in games and they're saying 'Wow, that's pretty cool.' I think you'll see us play at a high pace again this year."
It hasn't hurt that Montez not only received plenty of playing time last year, including three starts, but also now has two full springs under his belt working with the receivers.
But that chemistry is now even stronger after four weeks of camp.
"We're looking really clean, we're looking really good," Montez said after Friday's workout. "We're still getting some of the execution down, but we still have another week to clean all that up. I think we're going to be looking really tough when Sept. 1 rolls around."
Montez is literally surrounded by veterans in the offense, beginning up front, where four of five starters from last year are back, and continuing with a veteran wide receiving corps that includes all four starters from last year as well as starting tailback Phillip Lindsay.
"Right now, it's looking really clean, really crisp," Montez said. "It looks really good, the receivers are running really good routes and getting open and I'm making the throws."
One impressive part of the overall equation has been that Montez appears to work equally well with all four starting receivers — Shay Fields, Bryce Bobo, Devin Ross and Jay MacIntyre. Each has had outstanding days in camp, but all have been consistent on a day-in, day-out basis.
"If we're on, we're going to be very dynamic," Chiaverini said. "But the key will be if we're off, if we're not having that perfect day, can we still find a way to get first downs and score points. There's going to be games when you're not on and you have to find ways to manufacture points. This group went through some of those troubles and tribulations last year where things didn't go their way and we had games where we weren't playing very well. I think they have that taste in their mouth and they know how to approach that this year."
SCHEDULE: The Buffs will have Saturday off, and there's no doubt many of the players will take the opportunity to watch Colorado State and Oregon State play in their season opener in Fort Collins. They will return to practice Sunday and begin preparations for the Friday season opener in Denver.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
