Brooks: Simplified Offense Needs Shot Of Adrenalin

BOULDER - One subpar afternoon in early April is no cause for panic, but late Friday several coaches and players agreed: The simplified offense simply must get better. But very few of the explanations cited Friday will hold up come September, and the Colorado offensive staff left Folsom Field fully aware.

Before nightfall, they already were plotting for a more productive finish in next week's final four days of spring drills.

Offensively, CU's second spring scrimmage - 106 plays in length and mostly situational in nature - lacked tempo and felt almost as raw as the weather. There were reasons . . . .

"We don't like using excuses (but) it's hard getting in a rhythm when you're doing a lot of segmented situational stuff," coach Dan Hawkins said. "Clearly, we had a few penalties here and there (11 for 72 yards, with seven of the flags on offense), and we've got to convert kicks.

"We had good Tuesday and Thursday practices. Maybe the length and intensity of yesterday took a little out of them today. That's an excuse, but we've still got to get lined up and know the snap count and make kicks when we've got a chance to make them."

After hitting all four of his field goal attempts and averaging 37.2 yards punting in the first scrimmage, redshirt freshman Zach Grossnickle was one for four on field goal attempts and averaged 31.5 yards on six punts Friday. Walk-on kicker Marcus Kirkwood missed both of his field goal tries.

"We just have to make it," Hawkins said of the kicking game overall. Of Grossnickle, he added, "He's been decent . . . but the young guy gets rattled a little bit and his rhythm gets off. It was good to see him come in there and make one later (a 27-yarder)."

Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau alluded to the absence of a number of key players - receivers Markques Simas, Will Jefferson and Scotty McKnight (previously injured), tailbacks Rodney Stewart and Brian Lockridge, offensive linemen Bryce Givens and Ryan Miller (previously injured) - in explaining his unit's difficulties.

Execution is problematic, said Kiesau, when "we don't have the right personnel out there. But it's also the circumstances of the scrimmage. It was so situational it was kind of hard to get in a rhythm . . . We just have to keep getting better. It's a hard gauge because of the way the scrimmage was set up."

Junior quarterback Tyler Hansen's critique of the offense mirrored that of his coaches: "We had a tough day except for the goal line and the red zone stuff. We kind of came out and were out of rhythm. At first I think we started off good, then hit a low spot and kind of relaxed a little bit. We definitely have to clean some things up before the spring game."

With Stewart injured Thursday and Lockridge hobbled early Friday, two running backs - Quentin Hildreth and Corey Nabors - shared 25 of the afternoon's 28 carries. In goal line situations, Hildreth scored two touchdowns and Nabors three - with none of the runs over three yards. Hildreth averaged 3.1 yards on his 11 carries, Nabors 2.0 on his 14.

"We ran the ball better on the goal line, (that) period was good when we put the ball down and drove at the beginning of the scrimmage," second-year offensive line coach Denver Johnson said.

But a good start wasn't a precursor for an efficient finish - either to the scrimmage or the week. Johnson called the three practices preceding the scrimmage "tremendous . . . probably the best week since I've been around here. We had some pretty high expectations for (Friday), and I don't think we achieved them. But until I see the film, it's hard to say that definitively."

NO SEPARATION AT QB: Kiesau said Hansen was "a little out of sync early; he wasn't mentally into it like I was hoping," while senior Cody Hawkins "was a little sharper mentally; he made better reads."

Still, Hansen, who completed 12-of-22 for 102 yards and two touchdowns (one interception), finished with a 114.4 QB rating and accounted for 24 points in his time with the first and second offenses.

Hawkins, meanwhile, went 10-of-22 for 111 yards, accounted for 12 points with the Nos. 1-2 units and finished with a rating of 87.8. Hansen was sacked once, Hawkins twice.

Their afternoon of shared work did little to resolve the starting QB issue, and it appears the Buffs might end spring ball with the question still hanging.

Asked if there had been any separation between Hansen and Hawkins, Kiesau answered, "No, and I like it that way. I want them to battle, to compete and know that they have to produce . . . get completions and play ball. I like it like that."

Kiesau said he has no timeline for naming a starter: "I want the best guy," adding, "The separation is not my decision. Those guys have to separate themselves. It's whenever they decide to separate themselves. I just kind of have to wait and see . . . I like the way they're both playing."

He also indicated that with just four spring practices remaining - next Monday is a review of Friday's scrimmage, next Saturday is the spring game - it is unlikely that either Hansen or Hawkins has time to emerge as a clear winner.

After the first scrimmage, Hansen described the duel with Hawkins as "dead even." After Scrimmage No. 2, he wasn't prepared to alter that assessment.

"I think we're both making plays," he said. "I don't know where we are right now. But I think we're both doing the right things, going in the right direction."

To reclaim the starting job, which he moved into last October, Hansen said he must "work harder, be more accurate and be smarter with the ball - just make the right decisions, be good with my reads, know what the coverages are. Be in the game more."

DON'T DISS THE 'D': In addition to the explanations cited above, Denver Johnson's search for an answer to the offense's rough afternoon also took him to an obvious place - the guys across the line of scrimmage.

Noted Johnson: "Our defense, to its credit, is showing us a lot of different looks, a lot of different things and that's going to pay off for us in the long run."

Defensive coordinator Ron Collins called his unit's Friday performance "overall good . . . our front line guys are playing well. The next guys in line - the twos and threes - need to pick up their games a little bit in their alignments and assignments. The guys are playing fast and physical."

Collins went into spring ball emphasizing more turnovers and improved tackling. On the first count, "We're close, but you always want more. I think we're getting there," he said.

Is his group tackling better? "Yes and no," Collins said. "We missed a few today that I thought were tackles that should have been made. It's something we have to constantly work at. It's not something we'll ever arrive at; you're playing against good players who'll make you miss. We definitely have to get better at that."

Friday's leading tacklers were freshman cornerback Josh Moten and sophomore linebacker Jon Major with seven each. Moten's total included six solo stops, with two tackles for loss and one quarterback sack.

Outside linebacker B.J. Beatty was held out of the scrimmage.

SIMPLE ANSWER? Add this to the theories for a struggling offense: For simplicity's sake, the number of plays the offense is running this spring has been pared down, therefore, the defense knows more of what to expect.

"We're running against the same guys, the same plays, every day," Hansen said. "I think when you simplify, you're going to do less stuff. You've just got to mix up the formations, the motions, kind of try to find new ways to be creative with the stuff you're simplifying."

Dan Hawkins agreed that offensive approach might make life a little easier for the defense in practice: "To some degree, yeah. But I think they (defense) are a little bit more adaptable in terms of what they're doing, too."

WEBB EMERGING: Redshirt freshman Derrick Webb eventually might make names for himself at two positions - inside linebacker and fullback.

At linebacker, he was credited with four tackles and a sack Friday, and he also was used at fullback on the goal line. Webb played tailback as a junior in high school, then switched sides.

"I know (fullback) well enough to do what I'm doing right now . . . I'm not doing too much in the offense right now - just the goal line," he said.

But he believes his prospect of playing time will increase: "If I keep working as hard as I am right now, I definitely feel like I'll earn some playing time - especially on special teams."

Webb, a 6-foot, 220-pounder, saw some duty Friday with the first defense. Linebacker coach Brian Cabral's plan was to assimilate his younger players into the lineup with veterans.

"Coach wanted to switch up the rotation so we had a veteran guy out there with young guys like me and Pat (Mahnke)," Webb said. "It helps to have somebody (experienced) out there, so if something comes up, we talk . . . it helps me pick up on things I'm not sure about."

Dan Hawkins called Webb "intense . . . he loves the game, has good tempo and a good motor. He can bring it. He's kind of like 'B-Lock (Brian Lockridge)' - he only knows one speed."

BETTER TO RECEIVE: With receivers Simas, Jefferson and McKnight out, junior transfer Toney Clemons - a primary target regardless - stepped up and caught six passes for 37 yards and two touchdowns.

Just behind him was Kendrick Celestine, with five catches for 83 yards - a 16.6 yard-per-catch average that was the afternoon's highest.

Kiesau on Celestine, a 2007 scholarship signee who has worked his way back onto the team: "We're still kind of waiting for him to break out and have that day. He's slowly but surely getting back into it. He hasn't done anything terrible, hasn't done anything great."

But after struggling with his receiving before spring break due to a broken right ring finger, Friday might have been the re-start Celestine needs.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU