Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Buffs Have Point(s) To Prove Against Bears
October 15, 2010 | Football, B.G. Brooks
Until Saturday night at Missouri, Colorado OC Eric Kiesau had never been shut out. "Never," he said - and if you're thinking, OK, his answer only includes his season and a half in that role with the Buffs, you're wrong.
"I've never been shutout," Kiesau repeated - and that takes in coaching stops at Glendale (Ariz.) Community College, Oregon, Utah State, California and CU.
But the scoreboard at Mizzou's Faurot Field read: MU 26, CU 0.
The Buffs offense came up empty, pointless and at times flirting with hopeless as he choked down his first goose egg, leaving Kiesau a week to deal with the nasty aftertaste before CU lines up Saturday night against Baylor (5 p.m., FCS, Folsom Field).
Kiesau related a story from a former boss who told him of being held scoreless several years ago, saying "it's the worst feeling ever" in football. Until Saturday night, Kiesau might have had his doubts.
"Now, I have to agree with him," he said. "It is the worst feeling."
The question, then, is how do the Buffs spell relief? The obvious answer: P-O-I-N-T-S. The obvious follow-up: How do they get them?
Despite being held to 61 ground yards last weekend - a huge comedown from its previous two games - CU hasn't lost any confidence in its run game, Kiesau told me this week.
"No . . . none whatsoever," he said. "Really, from the 30 to the 30 we were doing OK moving the ball. We just for some reason stalled once we got down there (in the red zone).
"We just have to come out, get back to the run game and just keep playing. I've gone back and watched the red zone several times - actually the red zone of every game this year. I looked at what we did well and you'll probably see more of that on Saturday.
"We just have to get back to playing football and executing. That's just the big thing. I don't know why we had that lapse there, I really don't."
For him, the Missouri game was more frustrating than the 52-7 debacle at California in Week 2. There were a variety of reasons for him feeling that way, probably topped by the fact that the Missouri game was CU's Big 12 Conference opener and it came against a North Division opponent.
By bombing out with their Big Zero, the Buffs took an early step back in the North race and elevated their next two games - Texas Tech visits on Oct. 23 - to must-win status if they are to keep their season on track.
Most frustrating for Kiesau against MU was getting no points after being presented a fumble recovery by the CU defense at the Tigers' 13-yard line. Kiesau's offense went flat, then into reverse; a missed 40-yard field attempt euthanized that opportunity.
"There, if you score a touchdown, it's 12-7 and a different game," he said. "Honestly, the Missouri game ticks me off more than the Cal game. We had some plays we were very close on. We were literally one guy (being blocked) away from a 60-yard play on a screen pass. Again, when it's a close game, 12-0, you get a touchdown, create a little momentum and get right back into it."
The Buffs should find running opportunities against the Bears, who are seventh in the Big 12 in rushing defense, allowing 150.8 yards a game. Before MU, CU had rushed for 230-plus yards in its past two games. The ground game "lapse" in Columbia, as Kiesau called it, also squelched the play-action passing game and any "shots downfield" the Buffs might have attempted.
"It really didn't (present itself)," Kiesau said of throwing deep balls against the Tigers. "We called like four or five plays where there was a deep ball with a crosser coming underneath. They (MU) were back on the deep ball, so we had to hit the crosser. Scotty (McKnight) got a couple of those. We were set up to do it, but we had to hit the intermediate guy and still were 18, 19 yards down the field."
Still, CU's receivers - supposedly a refurbished collection of playmakers - and quarterback Tyler Hansen are growing antsy in anticipation of long passes being called.
"We're so focused on the run game and controlling clock we haven't taken many shots (downfield)," Hansen said. "Maybe we should change up our tendencies a little because defenses are starting to - Missouri at least - figure us out a little bit. We're running the ball on first and second down, and on third down when it's third-and-eight, we're throwing the ball. That's kind of predictable. We've gotten into that a little bit; we need to change up the tendencies."
Hansen said Kiesau and passing game coordinator/receivers coach Robert Prince are receptive to suggestions, "And I trust them 100 percent. (Kiesau) is going to pick the right play to help us win. But we do need to change the tendencies a little to be successful."
Toney Clemons, whose 73-yard catch/run against Hawai'i is CU's longest play this season (and one of only two pass plays over 46 yards), said being a receiver, "I'm a pass catching guy and I love taking shots (downfield). I don't think we ever take enough shots. You could take 5-6-7-8 shots and to me that's not enough . . .
"I feel that if we don't take enough shots; (defenses) come in and storm our run game, which has been effective. But it comes down to the guys on the perimeter; if we're not taking shots you've got to take that personally as a receiver and go out every week in practice and prove that you're able to make those plays when they're called.
"But we've got to make plays - that's first and foremost always. We've got to execute the plays that are called and make plays when we have the chance. I felt like last game we lacked guys making plays on offense, and it showed up on the scoreboard. This week, we've got to refocus, go out there and make the most of every touch."
Hansen offered this advice to Clemons & Co.: "Stay focused, patient and confident. Right now they're a little frustrated with the amount of balls they're getting. It's hard because there's only one ball to go around and there's so many good receivers. We've got to do a better job of getting each one of them the ball in space."
But that might not happen if the running game limps through another 61-yard outing. Returning to the 230-run range would be a nice way to help expand the offense and keep the customers (and players) satisfied.
Baylor's most recent game was a point-fest against Texas Tech that saw the Bears outpointed 45-38. For an offense that is last in the Big 12 in scoring (18.2 points a game) and trying to rebound from a shutout, being forced into a shootout might not be advisable - but Clemons disagrees.
"Baylor has a lot of good athletes in the back half of their defense and in the front seven as well," he said. "Our defense is going to do a good job of slowing them down for us, and when they do that we've got to take advantage of all the field position we have - take shots and loosen these guys up so they can't sit in the box (load up against the run).
"If we do that we can put points up on these guys. They have a good defense; a lot of people don't realize that because they've played good teams like TCU (a 45-10 Baylor loss) and Texas Tech. But if we get in a shootout situation, a back-and-forth type game, we have the athletes to do that as well."
That's the word, anyway. Over the next two games, the Buffs will encounter a pair of teams that combined for 83 points last weekend. If Kiesau's offense is to rediscover itself, Saturday would be an opportune time. Once with no points is enough.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
