Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Lindgren Wants Wood To Be Playmaker vs. Ducks
October 04, 2013 | Football, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - The headlines go to Oregon's warp-speed offense and its insane point totals, miles of rushing yards and ridiculously fast scoring drives. But Brian Lindgren's focus this week has been on the Ducks' flip side - a defense that has been anything but downy soft.
Lindgren is Colorado's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, and Saturday's matchup against No. 2 Oregon at Folsom Field (4 p.m., Pac-12 Network) finds him plotting, perhaps praying, for ways to make headway and just enough points against a unit that's tied with Washington at fourth nationally in scoring defense.
Oregon and U-Dub, which CU faces in Seattle on Nov. 9, are allowing 10.8 points a game. The Ducks, said Lindgren, have been difficult to score on because they are "super, super athletic and have really good size. Their secondary is really impressive to me - one of the best I've seen in a long time, particularly at corner.
"Both of them (juniors Terrence Mitchell, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu) are able to play a lot of man coverage. They're physical on the perimeter. It's going to be a good test for our receivers."
As well as his tight ends, running backs, offensive line . . . In truth, the test runs across the board, and if the Buffs - an early 38.5-point underdog - are to shock the college football world, Lindgren's outfit and quarterback Connor Wood must find a way to score about twice the number of points the Ducks are allowing.
The speed of the Ducks' defense, said Lindgren, mirrors their offensive speed: "They cover a lot of ground at every position. There's really not a lot of holes. They try to create turnovers and they get after you up front."
The Ducks have four interceptions in four games and have registered 11 quarterback sacks. CU offensive line coach Gary Bernardi called Oregon's defensive front "very well coached . . . Nick (Aliotti, defensive coordinator) has done this for a long time. They've got good players, they've got a good scheme and they're very well coached. I think people overlook that part of it."
Unless they're infected with turnovers, be assured the Ducks will get their points. (They're averaging 59.8, No. 2 in the FBS). So it becomes incumbent on the Buffs and Wood to shake the offensive malaise encountered in last weekend's 44-17 loss at Oregon State and let Oregon know they're on the field.
Buffs coach Mike MacIntyre's hope is to have a close game at halftime, keep it that way through three quarters and see how the Ducks react to this strange scenario. Oregon's four halftime leads thus far have been 38-3, 28-10, 38-7, 41-3. Being close at intermission is tough to do.
"Nobody's done it, so that's our goal to be able to do that and compete in every play," MacIntyre said. "To be able to have the chance to take it into the second half and see what happens. Nobody has taken them into the second half yet and that's what our goal is, and to win the game is our main goal. I mean seriously, we want to win . . . period. But, the first goal is that we have to get them into the second half, which nobody else has done, then you have to win the game."
Oregon is tied with BYU at No. 23 in total defense, allowing 320.5 yards a game. The best way to attack the Ducks, said Lindgren, is to "keep them off balance, change up what you're doing, keep them guessing . . . I think we have to challenge their secondary. At the same time, complete some (passes) underneath, the high-percentage stuff, then mix in screens and be able to run the ball.
"It's really kind of basic stuff, but you have to change it up and keep them off-balance. I think if they make you one-dimensional, then that's where they really get after you."
And that's where a more efficient Wood must enter the picture. In the nasty weather at Oregon State, his overall effectiveness dropped from CU's previous two games. Of course, the second of those was played 21 days earlier, with the long unscheduled break courtesy of Mother Nature followed by a scheduled open date.
Averaging 370.5 passing yards after his first two games, Wood's output dropped to 146 yards on 14 completions (34 attempts) with two touchdowns and two interceptions last weekend. Neither MacIntyre nor Wood would blame the layoff for the ineffective afternoon, probably because neither is into excuses.
Wood, said Lindgren, began practicing for the Ducks with renewed purpose: "He was disappointed in the way he performed and really came back with a chip on his shoulder and was ready to work on Sunday . . . I've been impressed with the way he's responded. He's had a good week of practice."
Here's the improvement Lindgren wants to see Wood make this weekend: "I want to see him finish throws. I want to see him make plays that are there, the opportunities that are there. And he's got to do a better job on third down. He struggled on third down (at Oregon State) and I think he would tell you there's some opportunities to keep our offense on the field and keep drives moving - and at the quarterback position we missed some of those throws."
CU's defensive players have enough on their plates with Oregon's offense to become overwrought with what's happening (or not) on Wood's side of the ball. But they are hopeful of something other than an afternoon littered with three-and-outs.
Senior linebacker Derrick Webb said Wood & Co. understand that: "There are some great leaders on that side of the ball. Guys like Connor Wood, he might not have had the best game (last weekend) but he knows that. He's a great leader and a great player. I guarantee he's going to do everything this week that he can fix it and get ready for Oregon.
"There are some great competitors on that side of the ball. (But) if they have a day off the defense has to play that much better for them. We've got to make up for any weaknesses in other areas of our team . . . that's what good teams do."
Webb and his defensive buds don't expect to face the Ducks' leading rusher De'Anthony Thomas, who suffered an ankle sprain last Saturday on the opening kickoff against California. But Oregon rolls in fast tailbacks like General Motors rolls cars off the assembly line. When Thomas went down, sophomore Byron Marshall subbed for him with 19 carries for 130 yards and two TDs - all career highs. Plus, quarterback Marcus Mariota offers a running threat out of the spread that the Buffs haven't experienced this season.
Oregon also presents a special teams threat in return specialist Bralon Addison, who returned a pair of punts 75 and 67 yards for TDs against Cal. The Buffs encountered coverage difficulties in their first two games, but appeared to have shored up that area last Saturday.
The Ducks, who have won 16 straight road games, are the highest-ranked team to play in Boulder since No. 5 Texas visited Boulder in 2008 and won 38-14. The Buffs' most recent game against a team ranked as high as No. 2 was last season at Oregon, and the Ducks won that one 70-14. Oregon has won three straight meetings with CU, the last two in Pac-12 play.
Against the Ducks Saturday, MacIntyre simply wants his first Buffs team to "enjoy the moment. I mean, you're getting to play against the best team in the country on national television. You're at home, great crowd. That's what you dream about all your life is always playing and you get another day to play."
Top-ranked Alabama and its fans might scoff at MacIntyre calling Oregon the nation's best team, but he claimed he didn't misspeak: "I would say that right now to me, they look like one of the top two or three teams in the country. But, I would say right now the way they're clicking off and beating everybody, I mean it's not even close. At halftime, it's over every game . . . it's over. So, hopefully this one won't be over and we will be right in it - and that's what we're planning on doing."
FAMILY GATHERING: The Gary Bernardi family will be well-represented at Folsom Field on Saturday. Bernardi's son, Joe, is a graduate assistant on the Oregon staff. Also, Bernardi's daughter, Briana, is married to CU cornerbacks coach Andy LaRussa.
Gary Bernardi says he talks to Joe "every day in most weeks . . . but this week I haven't done that. When we've talked, it's been briefly. He's kind of used to that and so am I."
Joe Bernardi was a four-year starter (2007-10) at center for Fresno State. He is in his first season at Oregon.
Also on the Ducks staff as a graduate assistant is Cha'pelle Brown, who played corner at CU (2006-09) and spent the past two seasons with the Buffs as an undergraduate coach and graduate assistant. Brown's playing career at CU coincided with Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich's tenure in Boulder as offensive coordinator/QB coach.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
