Colorado University Athletics
CU Safeties Prepare For Another Top Quarterback
November 10, 2015 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — While the names and uniforms change each week, one thing remains virtually a constant for the Colorado Buffaloes' defense:
The Buffs are almost guaranteed to see a quality quarterback. Week in, week out, the conference known for its quarterbacks delivers.
It's up to the Buffs to figure out a way to stop them.
“When you're playing in the Pac-12, every week you know you're going to face a really great quarterback who takes control of their offense,” CU safety Tedric Thompson said this week. “You've just got to dial in and know that you're going to see his best and you have to try to stop him.”
Two weeks ago, it was UCLA freshman sensation Josh Rosen. Last week, it was Stanford's Kevin Hogan. Next up is USC's Cody Kessler in Friday night's home finale at Folsom Field (7 p.m., ESPN2).
Kessler has enjoyed some of his most successful days at USC against the Buffs, including last year's 56-28 win in Los Angeles, when he tossed seven touchdown passes. But the 4-6 Buffs believe they are a different defense this year. While they've yielded a few big passing games, it hasn't been the norm.
A year ago, CU gave up 256 yards per game through the air; this year they've cut that number down to 219. Overall, the Buffs have reduced the opponent's average yardage total from 460 to 428.
But most importantly, they've reduced the scoring by double digits. In 2014, CU was 11th in the Pac-12 in scoring defense, giving up 39 points per game. This year, they are currently sixth in the conference, yielding just more than 28 per game.
“We're not getting pushed around like we used to,” Thompson said. “Nobody's out there running up points and doing whatever they want to against us.”
CU's safeties have been doing their part. The Buffs started the year with junior Thompson at strong safety and sophomore Ryan Moeller at free safety; that changed when Moeller injured in a vehicle accident. Senior Jered Bell and sophomore Afolabi Laguda have stepped in for Moeller, and both have played well in his stead.
But Thompson has been the leader. He's currently second on the team in total tackles with 66, including 50 unassisted stops. He's played 664 defensive snaps, second only to nickelback Chidobe Awuzie's 682, and he also has four tackles for losses, a touchdown save and an interception that he returned 71 yards last week against Stanford.
Thompson is still angry that it wasn't 74 yards. After weaving in and out of would-be tacklers — breaking several along the way — he was finally brought down just 3 yards short of the goal line. When CU failed to convert the takeaway into a touchdown, Thompson didn't blame the offense.
“I should have scored,” he said. “I was upset with myself for that.”
Thompson is no stranger to interceptions. He led the team with three last season — the only interceptions recorded by the Buffs all year. This year, the Buffs have 11 thus far, with eight different players recording at least one.
But in Thompson's eyes, it's not enough. Now in his third year, he's seen the Buffs win just 10 games in that span, and he believes there's time to pick up a few victories more this season.
“No team out there has any better talent than we do,” Thompson said. “Every single game we've lost, if you go back and look at the film, it's about three or four plays on defense that made the difference. If we make those plays, the ballgame would be different.
“It's time for us to make those plays.”
But, said safeties coach Joe Tumpkin, Thompson has been making more and more of those plays this year.
“He's had a very very productive year so far,” Tumpkin said. “I really like how he's improving his game. He's been very aggressive in all sides and he's shown good coverage skills.”
When Tumpkin and defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt arrived last winter, they installed a defense that put a huge chunk of responsibility on the safeties, who are responsible for making sure the linebackers and cornerbacks get the correct defensive call.
“We put a lot of stress on the safeties, and they've bought into it,” Tumpkin said. “They've really bought into what we're trying to do, and that's a big part of it. They understand how important they are in the scheme.”
Tumpkin is also pleased with the progress of Laguda, a sophomore junior college transfer who arrived in time last winter for spring ball practices and played both corner and safety in the spring. In the wake of Moeller's absence, he's been playing more and more, and now has 13 tackles with a pair of third-down stops.
“He's come a long way since he got here in the spring,” Tumpkin said. “He's bought in, and you see an improvement in his game week in and week out. He's conscious of it and he wants to be good. He comes out and works at it, ask the right questions and tries to put himself in the best position to be successful.”
Bell, a sixth-year veteran who has endured an injury-plagued career, is making his senior season a good one. Along with two interceptions, he's also been in on 20 tackles with a pair of third-down stops.
With three games left, the Buffs' goal of going to a bowl game is still possible — but they have to win out to become eligible. Thompson believes the Buffs can do that if they pay attention to details.
“You've just got to pay attention to the little things, trust your eyes and trust what the coaches are telling us throughout the week,” Thompson said. “You can't overthink it, because when you start to overthink it, that's when you make start messing up plays. We've just got to take care of the details.”
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
