Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Defense Gears For High-Powered, Up-Tempo Rams Attack
August 28, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — The old cliche in football is "film doesn't lie."
Truth is, the Colorado Buffaloes have seen plenty of the Colorado State offense this week — and the consensus is the Rams are a high-powered, multi-dimensional group that will pose a major test for the Buffs in their Friday night opener in Denver (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).
What is beyond dispute is that CSU is not the same team that struggled to score a touchdown in last year's 44-7 CU win in the opener for both teams. Rather, this is a Rams attack that slapped 58 points and 525 yards on Oregon State in their season opener Saturday.
That's enough to get anyone's attention.
"I saw a veteran group," said Buffs defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot. "I saw (wide receiver) Michael Gallup make a lot of plays. I thought (quarterback) Nick Stevens led the team well and I saw an offensive line that blocked the run game well. I was impressed with them. They played hard, they seemed to execute and they're doing a good job in a lot of areas."
Much of what CU's coaches and players saw from the Oregon State game was simply an extension of the end of last season, when the CSU offense went on a tear that saw them win four of their last six while averaging nearly 48 points per game.
But the Buffs coaching staff also saw a new wrinkle in the Colorado State attack — the ability to ramp up the tempo.
"They are a well-balanced offense," Eliot said. "They run enough pro-style plays, enough spread plays that you have to be ready to defend a lot of different things. It's a veteran group and they know what they're doing. They're playing fast and we have to be ready to play."
It's not that CU's defenders haven't seen an up-tempo attack — they practice against that type of offense every day. But it is an added concern as they prepare for an offense that threw and ran the ball with equal effectiveness in the opener.
A year ago, Stevens struggled in the opener against Colorado, which led to a spot on the CSU bench. But when he returned, he was a different quarterback, as he and Gallup paired up to produce a memorable finish to their season.
Gallup is the latest in what has been a steady string of quality receivers for the Rams. After a 76-catch, 1,272-yard, 14-touchdown year last season, he opened 2017 with an 11-catch, 134-yard effort against the Beavers.
Friday night, he will almost certainly be seeing Colorado standout cornerback Isaiah Oliver on a regular basis in what should be one of the marquee matchups of the evening.
"He's a great athlete," Oliver said. "He's a big receiver, a lot of speed. It's going to be a great challenge, going to be a lot of fun. Watching him in the Oregon State game I thought he played really well. They do a good job of doing different concepts to get him the ball. It's something we're preparing for and it should be a great game."
One big key for the Buffs defense will be putting pressure on Stevens. Oregon State did not record a sack against CSU, and while the Beavers did manage to put pressure on him a couple of times — one of which forced an interception — Stevens for the most part had plenty of time to set up in the pocket and throw.
"That starts up front with the D-line," Oliver said. "If they're able to get a good pass rush with just four and we don't have to blitz anyone, that would be huge for us. Get him off his spot in the pocket, get him to move around a little bit, it will affect his throws, affect the whole timing of every single route. That's something we look forward to trying to do."
BALL SECURITY: On the offensive side, the Buffs will be aiming to not give the Rams the same opportunities presented them by Oregon State when it comes to turnovers. CSU forced five OSU turnovers in the game — two fumbles and three interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
"Ball security is what we do all the time," MacIntyre said. "We work on it extremely hard. Hopefully we'll take care of the ball. We have to keep that up and we'll see if we can do it Friday night. They do a really good job of stripping the ball and getting after it."
MacIntyre's biggest worry in that area is that CU's running backs haven't experienced a game's worth of contact yet.
"That's the one thing you are concerned about as a head coach, going into the first game," he said. "We've hit our backs. We've hit them some. But in a game situation, they (the Rams) have already had one game where they're getting used to it. It's a little bit different but hopefully we've enforced it enough and the kids take enough pride in it to hold it high and tight."
MAC ON OLIVER: It's no secret that CU's Oliver is the latest in what is becoming a string of outstanding corners under MacIntyre (three corners who played for MacIntyre at CU are now on NFL rosters). Oliver, though, has the potential to be the best yet.
"He's an unbelievable athlete," MacIntyre said. "Anybody that can do what he can in the decathlon and then able to judge a ball in flight and has great depth perception … If you came out here and said 'Who you going to pick play kickball?' Isaiah. 'Who you going to pick to run track?' Isaiah. 'Who you going to pick to play wide receiver?' Isaiah. He's just that type of athlete."
NOTES: MacIntyre said he likely won't reach a decision on his kickers until later in the week. … As for the continuing question of who might be designated for a redshirt year this season, he said it's a decision that will be dictated by a variety of circumstances, including injury — and those factors likely will be in play over the first month of the season.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
