Brooks: Tuesday Tidbits

NOT-SO-FOND MEMORIES: But that depends on whose memory is being tapped. Most of the current Buffs don't remember Kevin Hogan, but it's probably a safe bet that Hogan remembers the Buffs.

In 2012, Hogan – then a sophomore – replaced Stanford starting quarterback Josh Nunes for the Cardinal's third offensive series. Or as Hogan's year-by-year timeline reads on the Stanford website: He was “handed offensive reins beginning with third offensive series at Colorado.”

Hogan handled the reins quite well that day and has ever since. He'll make his 41st start for the No. 9 Cardinal on Saturday at Folsom Field (11 a.m., Pac-12 Networks).

In its 2012 visit to Boulder, Stanford used four quarterbacks in a 48-0 rout – CU's first home shutout since Nov. 15, 1986, when Oklahoma blanked the Buffs 28-0. But it was Hogan who fashioned his future in that game in Folsom.

Completing 18-of-23 passes for 184 yards and two TDs and running seven times for 48 yards, Hogan earned his first collegiate start the following week against No. 13 Oregon State. The Cardinal won that game 27-23, and Stanford coach David Shaw had his starting QB.

Now a fifth-year senior, Hogan is 31-9 as the Cardinal's starter. He's currently second in the Pac-12 in passing efficiency (163.9 rating on 116-of-178 for 14 TDs and five interceptions). He's accounting for 207.8 passing yards a game and 231.0 yards in total offense.

Hogan is a more-than-efficient manager for the smash-mouth Stanford offense, which leads the Pac-12 in scoring (conference games) with a 42.5 point average. The Cardinal – the only undefeated team in league play (6-0) – is No. 2 in rushing offense (259.8 yards a game) and No. 2 in total defense (384.3 yards allowed).

Hogan has been around Shaw and the pro-style Stanford offense long enough to be accomplished at this: he typically comes to the line of scrimmage with three or four different play options and is charged with choosing the best play. More often than not, he makes the right choice.

“He makes the engine roll,” CU coach Mike MacIntyre said, adding that Hogan's running ability and the Buffs' difficulties in coping with running QBs likely will mean more legwork for Hogan on Saturday. And that, said MacIntyre, “hampers your pass rush, no doubt.”

IT'S SPR-O-O-O-CE TIME: With his first double-digit receiving game (11 for 90 yards) of the season, CU senior Nelson Spruce became the Pac-12's all-time receptions leader (267).

Spruce has caught at least one pass in 34 consecutive games, including multiple catches in 29 straight games. He has 21 career receiving TDs, needing two more in the Buffs' final four games to become the school's career leader in that category.

MacIntyre predicted Spruce's career conference record will “stand for a while,” and called Spruce “a phenomenal student, a “great person and great leader.” His football success, said MacIntyre, is a result of Spruce's mental and physical toughness and his commitment to constant improvement.

“He could play in any style of offense,” MacIntyre said.

He also predicted an NFL career for Spruce followed by success in whatever endeavor he pursues. “Whatever he does investment wise, business wise, he'll probably be hiring some of our guys,” MacIntyre said.

RECORDS WITHIN LIUFAU'S REACH: Another member of CU's offense is closing in on a couple of school records. Quarterback Sefo Liufau needs 231 passing yards to become the school's all-time leading passer and 194 yards to become CU's career total offense leader.

Stanford's defense will have a large say in it, but it's possible that Liufau gets both marks Saturday. He's averaging 244 passing yards a game and 268.7 yards in total offense (both nine-game figures).

Liufau said a winning record would trump any personal records, but he admitted setting school marks “would be good . . . (it) would be a tribute to the receivers, the linemen especially, and the running backs. I can't sit back there and throw if a lineman doesn't block for me; if the receivers drop the ball or I throw a bad pass—it's not all possible. It's not just my record, it is my teammates' as well.”

MacIntyre said Liufau's achievements should be that much more noteworthy because they have come in the Pac-12. He also said Liufau has “grown with the team (and) made plays for us . . . it would be a great honor for him. I know he'd like to have more wins.”

STANFORD BOUND (AND NOWHERE ELSE): Stanford all-purpose standout Christian McCaffrey's family tree is rooted in Palo Alto, which the Buffs knew all along in the recruiting process.

“We definitely tried to recruit him (out of Denver's Valor Christian) but I think he was probably going to Stanford all along,” MacIntyre said. “But he's a heck of a player and of course we would have loved to have him here.”

McCaffrey's token recruitment by CU, said MacIntyre, occurred “kind of when I was coming in (2013) and it (the recruiting process) was already kind of down the road a ways. The way recruiting has sped up so much, if you don't really know them a bunch at least by the middle of their junior year, you're already behind the eight ball in a way, unless they are a late bloomer.”

McCaffrey, whose father (Ed) and mother (Lisa) were both Stanford athletes, leads the FBS in all-purpose yardage (244.25 yards a game) and has rushed for 1,062 yards in seven games – the quickest 1,000-yard season ever for a Stanford running back. He also returns punts and kickoffs (29.4 yard average) and is a prime target for Hogan (25 catches, 310 yards, two TDs).

In watching Stanford game tape, MacIntyre said he “kind of got worried because they had a No. 5 on defense . . . I said, 'Wow, they have him doing that, too.' But they have double numbers, although he probably could (play defense).”

MacIntyre said at 6-0, 201, McCaffrey doesn't appear to be a powerful runner. But he's all of that, as well as being very fast and having excellent vision.

“He's powerful, even though he doesn't look powerful when you see him in person,” MacIntyre said. “He has a great body lean and he can make himself small in the hole; that sounds funny but he can get into a hole and turn sideways and slip and fall through it and keep moving forward and still have power.”

INJURY UPDATE: Concussions could sideline offensive lineman Gerrad Kough and receiver Jay MacIntyre this week, although Mike MacIntyre said his son “has a chance” to play Saturday. Also having a chance to return is linebacker Ryan Severson (hamstring). Linebacker Ryan Moeller (concussion) will miss the Stanford game while the status of running back Michael Adkins II (hamstring) will be reevaluated on Thursday.

QUOTABLE: “A lot of positives, especially from an offensive perspective where we move the ball up and down the field. It's just a matter of not being able to punch the ball in the end zone. When you go down there you really want to get points; in our case we wanted to get touchdowns. We weren't able to do that on Saturday, which was really frustrating because we were moving the ball well to get into the red zone. Stopping ourselves is really frustrating.” – Liufau on his takeaways from last weekend's 35-31 loss at UCLA

NOTABLE: MacIntyre said the first thing players should learn from the controversial ending of last Saturday's Miami-Duke game is to “always keep playing.” But he also believes the Hurricane's eight-lateral kickoff return for the game-winning TD will “change how we interpret instant replay” and the officiating of such plays. “It was tough for everybody.” . . . . The only blemish on Stanford's record is a season-opening 16-6 loss at Northwestern. Since then, the Cardinal has put together a seven-game winning streak – including six straight in the Pac-12. Stanford's seven-game streak is the school's longest since 2012 and its 6-0 league mark hasn't happened since 2011. In the loss at Northwestern, MacIntyre said the Cardinal “wasn't really clicking” – and he listed the long road trip and the game being the season-opener as possible reasons why. “If Northwestern came to Palo Alto, it might have been different,” he said . . . . Stanford's football record since 2010 is 61-14. CU's mark over the same span is 19-51 . . . . The Buffs were encouraged (but not mandated) to watch Tuesday night's ESPN 30-for-30 production of “The Gospel According To Mac.” MacIntyre said the documentary would be shown in the team's new auditorium at the Champions Center. MacIntyre had seen segments of the production before its airing . . . . Buffs linebacker Kenneth Olugbode's older brother Kyle played for Stanford. Asked Tuesday if Kyle would be cheering for Stanford Saturday, Kenneth answered, “I hope not (but) he knows a lot of their players. He's given me more advice than grief (this week).”

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU