Brooks: Liufau's Experience, QB Position's Depth Bode Well For Buffs

(Seventh in a series of position-by-position previews of the 2015 Buffs to be posted on CUBuffs.com during the preseason. Today: Quarterbacks)

BOULDER – In junior quarterback Sefo Liufau, Brian Lindgren believes he and the 2015 Colorado offense have something rare – and he's right.

After setting 51 school records in 2014, Liufau is poised to become only the sixth three-year starter in 125 seasons of CU football. But beyond Liufau, Lindgren, the Buffs' offensive coordinator/QB coach, also believes this is a rare season overall at his position.

“We've got depth . . . that's the No. 1 thing from when we got here (in 2013),” he says. “We've got some options now after your starter – guys who can go in there and have shown in practice situations they can perform.”

The hope always in August is that come late November the first starter will still be the starter. But that can be rare, too. Liufau opened in 11 of 12 games last season, missing the start at No. 3 Oregon because of a concussion. Still, he wound up playing much of the last half in CU's 44-10 loss.

The first snap in Eugene went to returning backup Jordan Gehrke, who has a fairly solid hold on that role entering 2015. Behind Gehrke, who's in his third year on campus, are redshirt freshman Cade Apsay, true freshman Steven Montez and walk-on T.J. Patterson, a homegrown (Boulder High) transfer from Wyoming.

Lindgren's best-case scenario will be keeping Liufau healthy through the Buffs' 13 consecutive games (no byes) and keeping Gehrke and Apsay game-ready if Liufau does come out. Montez is destined to redshirt and spend his first season adjusting to college life and absorbing Lindgren's offense.

The value in having a three-year starter, particularly one with Liufau's capabilities, “is huge, just huge,” Lindgren said. “The amount of situational experience (Liufau) has is so valuable for the whole team. He's gone on the road, had to manage the offense, and communicate in a loud environment under some chaos on Saturdays.

“He's had to deal with adversity, whether it's a turnover, a sack, a three-and-out . . . and then just the different situations that present themselves, particularly with the clock. It's huge to have a guy who can think and manage us out there in that environment.”

Liufau joins former CU QBs Gail Weidner (1959-61), Darian Hagan (1989-91), Kordell Stewart (1992-94), Joel Klatt (2003-05) and Cody Hawkins (2007-10) as three-year starters. (Note: Hawkins' starts were spread over four seasons.)

Among Liufau's records last season were 3,200 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and a 65.3 completion percentage (325-of-498, both records). He also set CU seasonal marks for total offense (3,336 yards) and the most 300-yard passing and 300-yard total games (five of each).

“There's always room for improvement – that's kind of the mentality I have,” he said in an interview earlier this summer. “I never like to keep myself satisfied, I guess. I don't think perfection is possible, but you can try and get as close as you can.”

Gehrke played in four games last season, completing 20 of 44 passes for 170 yards (no TDs, no INT), while running four times for 15 yards and one score. Entering his third season in Lindgren's system (he redshirted in 2013), Gehrke's understanding of the offense has become second-nature.

“Last year he felt pretty comfortable in the system but now he's understanding his answers for what defenses are trying to do to him,” Lindgren said. “Like, 'This is where I need to go with the ball.' Things are slowing down for him.”

That was Gehrke's off-season focus, and he believes he is significantly ahead of last August. “I feel more relaxed now,” he said. “When I get out there now, I don't even think about it. My first couple of years I was always thinking, 'What is the defense doing?' Now seeing it is more clean and efficient.

“Plus, my experience from last year helps, knowing I can compete at this level and that it takes a lot of hard work. That's what I focused on in the off-season – knowing the offense, my 'hot' reads and what everyone's doing.”

Gehrke's spring-to-fall improvement has been steady but Apsay's has been like a missle launch. “Really, of all the quarterbacks I think he's made the biggest strides thus far,” Lindgren said, pointing primarily to Apsay's improved knowledge of the offense and his composure. “He's still got some things to improve on but he's getting better and is now an option for us.”

Apsay attributes his improvement to “getting my priorities a little more in line . . . there's a lot more that I didn't expect coming into college football. It's a different world and I wasn't expecting what I got. I think I have a grasp on it now.”

But grabbing the handle didn't come easy. He said Lindgren “told me I was too quiet, too timid, too hesitant. So being more confident (overall) was my biggest goal.”

The more he studied his playbook, the more questions he asked in position meetings and of other coaches on the field, the more his confidence grew. “All of that definitely helped,” Apsay said. “And maturity was a factor for sure.”

The Buffs are likely to make their trip to Hawai'i for their Sept. 3 opener with Gehrke backing up Liufau and Apsay in the No. 3 role. But Lindgren's message to his QBs is that the competition is on-going, and that's how Apsay will approach the remainder of camp and the season.

“Time and experience in the system obviously give you a little more of an edge,” he said. “Making myself better does push (Gehrke) and I think that's not really an individual thing. If I make myself better it'll make the team better. Anything to help Jordan and Sefo makes the team better. It wasn't an individual goal (to get better), it was making the team better.”

RUNNING THE SHOW, LITERALLY: Lindgren's offense will feature some read option plays, which offer running opportunities for his QBs. The 6-4 Liufau, now weighing 235 pounds, says he's up for that challenge. And if Gehrke (6-1, 195) and Apsay (6-1, 190) don't have Liufau's bulk, they're both very mobile.

Lindgren says Gehrke's durability has increased and calls Apsay “a very quick guy who can make plays with his feet. They're both fairly mobile and comparable. Sometimes you're watching them out there and if you can't see the number on the jersey and are watching the wide angle you have trouble recognizing who's who.”

But as for any of his QBs – especially Liufau – becoming runners first, don't count on it. “You've got to be careful,” Lindgren said. “We don't want to run the starter so much that he takes too many hits. There's kind of a fine line there.”

Off-season work with Dave Forman and the strength/conditioning staff has improved Liufau's flexibility and quickness, But, added Lindgren, Liufau is “never going to be a Marcus Mariota speed-wise, but he's a big, physical guy. We've been working with him to start faster, and if he can avoid a guy in the pocket – make him miss scrambling – or if it's a quarterback run where he's got to get that mass going faster. He's done that. I think you're seeing that now, and if he can extend a couple of plays for us here and there it will be great.”

How much Liufau carries on the read option, noted Lindgren, will be decided “on a game-by-game basis . . . you want to be careful of how many hits you're exposing him to. You want just enough (carries) to make the defense aware of him.”

Liufau carried 69 times last season for 136 yards (2.0 avg). His 39-yard run against California was the longest by a CU quarterback in four years.

NO NEED TO GRAB THE HAMMER: Liufau was intercepted 15 times last season, a number he's very aware needs to decrease in 2015. Among his goals is for every CU drive to end with a punt or a PAT. A field goal would be acceptable . . . anything but a turnover.

Lindgren said taking better care of the football doesn't have to be hammered into Liufau: “That's one that you have to be careful of how you go about it. He knows that he threw too many interceptions last year. You watch a lot of those interceptions – we're down and trying to pull ourselves back into the game. We're putting a lot on a sophomore, a lot. But we're also putting a lot on our pass protection, our receivers to go beat coverage. It's a whole team thing, but a lot of it falls on the quarterback – and it should.”

If the Buffs' running game meets expectations, Liufau and the passing game shouldn't face the kind of pressure Lindgren mentioned.

“If we run the ball better and can get ourselves into situations where we don't have to put as much on his shoulders it's going to help him with those (interception) numbers,” Lindgren said. “I think they'll naturally come down . . . you never want to tell a guy, 'Don't throw interceptions.' It's experience, understanding of the scheme, the defense and then making great decisions.”

BROTHERS IN ARMS: Liufau and Gehrke are in their third seasons together, with Apsay beginning his second season in the group. A cohesiveness has formed that is beneficial to the position as a whole.

“I think this year especially all the quarterbacks are getting real close,” Gehrke said. “We've been close, but this is our third year of being together. Sefo and my relationship has really gotten closer; we're helping each other out, understanding and pushing each other. It's really good to see him go out there and do well. I'm learning from him – just his leadership skills and other things. It feeds to the entire team.”

Said Apsay: “We're all pretty cool guys who get along well . . . we like to joke around but when it's business time, it's business time and we get our work done. The competition is a lot of fun.”

BEEN THERE, EXPERIENCED THAT: Montez's physical skills have been hard to ignore in August camp, but he's still in freshman mode – which means he's in a brave new world and coping with a different experience almost every day.

Apsay was there last August, and he knows what Montez is facing.

“He gets a little excited, just like I did last year,” Apsay said. “There's a little lack of confidence in the plays and a lack of familiarity with who's on the field, the faster guys and all the personnel . . . that's his biggest thing now.”

But, added Apsay, Montez's upside is apparent: “The kid's got a cannon. I'm a little jealous of it to be honest.”

THE INSIDE LOOK AT . . .

Quarterbacks

Coach: Brian Lindgren, third season at CU.

Returning starters: Sefo Liufau, Jr.

Returnees: Jordan Gehrke, Jr.

Newcomers: Cade Apsay, RS-Fr.; Steven Montez, Fr.; T.J. Patterson, Soph. (transfer Wyoming).

Key losses: None.

Stat line: Liufau enjoyed a record-setting sophomore season by completing 325 of 498 passes for 3,200 yards and 28 touchdowns, with each of those totals among the 51 school marks he established. His five 300-yard passing games also set a CU record, but his 15 picks did, too.

Bottom line: The Buffs are deeper at the QB position than they've been in a while, plus in Liufau they have a third-year starter for the first time since 2010. But Liufau is at the point in his career where his overall play and decision making must match his experience. His offense can be prolific, but CU's evolving defense can't be put in the situations it was in 2014 because of turnovers. Gehrke got game experience last season and is a capable backup, and Apsay's strides from spring to fall were the position's best. Montez is a redshirt candidate and will spend his first season learning the offense.

Next: Tight ends

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU