Colorado University Athletics
Steven Montez may get his first start at Oregon this week. Or Sefo Liufau could be ready to go. It'll be a game time decision.
Photo by: Brendan Mackey
Brooks: Tuesday Tidbits
September 20, 2016 | Football, B.G. Brooks
MacIntyre says decision on Liufau not likely until game time Saturday
UP AND AROUND: Although he didn't practice, starting quarterback Sefo Liufau was in full pads for Tuesday morning's work and, according to coach Mike MacIntyre, was "moving around better" than he did on Monday.
Liufau suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter of CU's 45-28 loss on Saturday at No. 4 Michigan. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Steven Montez, who has been getting more work with the Buffs' No. 1 offense in Liufau's absence.
MacIntyre said his starter for this Saturday's Pac-12 Conference opener would be a game-time decision, dependent on Liufau's status. Montez, who threw seven incompletions at Michigan and was sacked twice, would be making his first college start.
Working in Montez's favor is a full spring working with CU's No. 1 offense while Liufau recuperated from a Lisfranc injury that kept his availability for the 2016 season in doubt until late July. Also, Montez has played in all three games this season.
Sophomore receiver Jay MacIntyre said Montez's spring repetitions with the first offense improved his timing with all of CU's returning receivers. "It made us feel more comfortable with him, which has helped us feel comfortable with him now," Jay MacIntyre said.
NO LEADERSHIP VOID: When Liufau left Saturday's game, the Buffs offense appeared deflated. If Liufau isn't able to play at Oregon, where does the offense's leadership come from?
No worries, said "Jay-Mac," the offense is well-stocked with take-charge guys.
"We've got great leaders on the offensive side of the ball, with four of our captains being on offense," he said, citing tight end George Frazier, running back Phillip Lindsay, left tackle Jeromy Irwin, and Liufau.
"And Sefo's always going to be there, he's a guy who leads by example and with what he says," Jay MacIntyre added. "He's going to be there leading no matter if he's playing or injured. We look up to all those guys, and they're always positive and uplifting. And they'll be able to lead us."
COACHES TO SPORT ARM PATCHES: CU's and Oregon's coaches on Saturday will be wearing special arm patches in honor of the AFCA's Coach to Cure MD program. This is the ninth year coaches around the country join together to raise funding and awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Fans are encouraged to donate by texting "CURE" to 90999 or visiting www.CoachtoCureMD.org. Social tags: @CoachtoCureMD and #tackleDuchenne
Coach to Cure MD is a partnership between the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Parent Project MD. The program has raised more than $1.2 million over the last eight years, with more than 10,000 coaches at 525 colleges at all levels participating last season.
KICKING IT AROUND: The Buffs encountered special teams difficulties in Ann Arbor, having a punt blocked for a touchdown, allowing a punt return for a TD, and setting up Michigan with a short field on a scoring drive courtesy of a punt that hit a Buffs blocker.
CU punter Alex Kinney has been asked to use rugby style punting as well as punting traditionally.
The Buffs don't have a special teams coach per se but Mike MacIntyre said each area of special teams – punting, kicking, coverage/returns – is looked at "as a committee. We had no problems in the first two games at all. We had a mistake on the first punt (at Michigan) that caused it and then the next one we just messed it up a little bit."
He said "a lot of teams do the exact same scheme. Utah's punter has been the Ray Guy award winner the past two years and that's all they do is rugby punt. It's all about executing it. I wouldn't like to rugby punt as much as we did in the game. We've corrected that and worked on it. We'll be much improved on it for the rest of the way and we definitely need to be."
Mike MacIntyre contended the Buffs are fine schematically in their punting and punt protection approaches but merely need to execute better.
"We had to shore that up and I believe we have," he said, also noting that he would like to allow Kinney to employ more conventional punting than the rugby punt.
PASSING IT AROUND: Liufau has thrown 89 consecutive passes without an interception – 76 this season – and has passed for 748 yards and six TDs in three games. Coupled with his 54 completions, his passing efficiency rating is 182.0, ranking him third in the Pac-12 behind a pair of Washington QBs.
But Liufau is second on his own team. Jay MacIntyre threw his first college pass at Michigan, ironically completing it to Liufau, and has an efficiency rating of 217.
A high school QB, MacIntyre said he has dreamed of playing the position in college and "when (coaches) called the pass play for me to go in and throw I was pretty pumped. I wish the corner hadn't gone off and Sefo could have scored. But I like the 217 passer rating . . . I think that puts me third in the Pac-12."
NO SURPRISES IN SPEED: Oregon established itself as an ultra-fast offense under former coach Chip Kelly and hasn't slowed down the tempo with former CU assistant Mark Helfrich.
But the Buffs also have hit the accelerator this season with co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini.
As a result, neither team's defense should be caught by surprise by a fast pace on Saturday.
"We're pretty prepared for that up-tempo offense," CU defensive end Samson Kofavalu said.
"They practice each other the same way," Mike MacIntyre added. "They have their signals, communication down. There probably won't be as many busts as you see with teams that don't do that, especially defensively. Offensively, they're able to play at a fast pace, get the ball snapped and get lined up quick. I think both of our teams defensively won't really have a problem with the speed of the game. It's going to be who executes the best."
QUOTEWORTHY: "She's one of those people you don't want to sit by at a game, she'll go crazy. And if we're losing, sometimes she'll have to get away and go vomit." – Jay MacIntyre on his sister, Jennifer
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Liufau suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter of CU's 45-28 loss on Saturday at No. 4 Michigan. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Steven Montez, who has been getting more work with the Buffs' No. 1 offense in Liufau's absence.
MacIntyre said his starter for this Saturday's Pac-12 Conference opener would be a game-time decision, dependent on Liufau's status. Montez, who threw seven incompletions at Michigan and was sacked twice, would be making his first college start.
Working in Montez's favor is a full spring working with CU's No. 1 offense while Liufau recuperated from a Lisfranc injury that kept his availability for the 2016 season in doubt until late July. Also, Montez has played in all three games this season.
Sophomore receiver Jay MacIntyre said Montez's spring repetitions with the first offense improved his timing with all of CU's returning receivers. "It made us feel more comfortable with him, which has helped us feel comfortable with him now," Jay MacIntyre said.
NO LEADERSHIP VOID: When Liufau left Saturday's game, the Buffs offense appeared deflated. If Liufau isn't able to play at Oregon, where does the offense's leadership come from?
No worries, said "Jay-Mac," the offense is well-stocked with take-charge guys.
"We've got great leaders on the offensive side of the ball, with four of our captains being on offense," he said, citing tight end George Frazier, running back Phillip Lindsay, left tackle Jeromy Irwin, and Liufau.
"And Sefo's always going to be there, he's a guy who leads by example and with what he says," Jay MacIntyre added. "He's going to be there leading no matter if he's playing or injured. We look up to all those guys, and they're always positive and uplifting. And they'll be able to lead us."
COACHES TO SPORT ARM PATCHES: CU's and Oregon's coaches on Saturday will be wearing special arm patches in honor of the AFCA's Coach to Cure MD program. This is the ninth year coaches around the country join together to raise funding and awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Fans are encouraged to donate by texting "CURE" to 90999 or visiting www.CoachtoCureMD.org. Social tags: @CoachtoCureMD and #tackleDuchenne
Coach to Cure MD is a partnership between the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Parent Project MD. The program has raised more than $1.2 million over the last eight years, with more than 10,000 coaches at 525 colleges at all levels participating last season.
KICKING IT AROUND: The Buffs encountered special teams difficulties in Ann Arbor, having a punt blocked for a touchdown, allowing a punt return for a TD, and setting up Michigan with a short field on a scoring drive courtesy of a punt that hit a Buffs blocker.
CU punter Alex Kinney has been asked to use rugby style punting as well as punting traditionally.
The Buffs don't have a special teams coach per se but Mike MacIntyre said each area of special teams – punting, kicking, coverage/returns – is looked at "as a committee. We had no problems in the first two games at all. We had a mistake on the first punt (at Michigan) that caused it and then the next one we just messed it up a little bit."
He said "a lot of teams do the exact same scheme. Utah's punter has been the Ray Guy award winner the past two years and that's all they do is rugby punt. It's all about executing it. I wouldn't like to rugby punt as much as we did in the game. We've corrected that and worked on it. We'll be much improved on it for the rest of the way and we definitely need to be."
Mike MacIntyre contended the Buffs are fine schematically in their punting and punt protection approaches but merely need to execute better.
"We had to shore that up and I believe we have," he said, also noting that he would like to allow Kinney to employ more conventional punting than the rugby punt.
PASSING IT AROUND: Liufau has thrown 89 consecutive passes without an interception – 76 this season – and has passed for 748 yards and six TDs in three games. Coupled with his 54 completions, his passing efficiency rating is 182.0, ranking him third in the Pac-12 behind a pair of Washington QBs.
But Liufau is second on his own team. Jay MacIntyre threw his first college pass at Michigan, ironically completing it to Liufau, and has an efficiency rating of 217.
A high school QB, MacIntyre said he has dreamed of playing the position in college and "when (coaches) called the pass play for me to go in and throw I was pretty pumped. I wish the corner hadn't gone off and Sefo could have scored. But I like the 217 passer rating . . . I think that puts me third in the Pac-12."
NO SURPRISES IN SPEED: Oregon established itself as an ultra-fast offense under former coach Chip Kelly and hasn't slowed down the tempo with former CU assistant Mark Helfrich.
But the Buffs also have hit the accelerator this season with co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini.
As a result, neither team's defense should be caught by surprise by a fast pace on Saturday.
"We're pretty prepared for that up-tempo offense," CU defensive end Samson Kofavalu said.
"They practice each other the same way," Mike MacIntyre added. "They have their signals, communication down. There probably won't be as many busts as you see with teams that don't do that, especially defensively. Offensively, they're able to play at a fast pace, get the ball snapped and get lined up quick. I think both of our teams defensively won't really have a problem with the speed of the game. It's going to be who executes the best."
QUOTEWORTHY: "She's one of those people you don't want to sit by at a game, she'll go crazy. And if we're losing, sometimes she'll have to get away and go vomit." – Jay MacIntyre on his sister, Jennifer
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
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