Colorado University Athletics
Tumpkin, Clark Build Standout Buffs Secondary
September 22, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
CU leads Pac-12 in pass defense
BOULDER — When the season began, Colorado's secondary was being touted as not only a strength of the team, but also as one of the best collection of defensive backs in the Pac-12.
Three weeks into the year, CU's defensive backs have done nothing to dispel that notion. Heading into Saturday's Pac-12 opener at Oregon (3:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), the Buffs are first in the Pac-12 and fifth in the nation in both pass defense and pass efficiency defense, yielding just 119.7 yards per game through the air.
The Buffs also lead the conference in third-down defense, having allowed opponents to convert just 12 of 46 tries this year (26.1 percent); are tied for fourth in red zone defense; and have numerous players in the top 10 in various individual categories, including three in the top 20 in passes defensed: cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (fourth with five), cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (tied for seventh with four) and safety Tedric Thompson (tied for 11th with three).
Overall, one of the few defensive categories where the Buffs don't have players among the top 10 is tackles — mainly because CU's starters played only a half in the Buffs' 56-7 romp over Idaho State.
"Charles (Clark, cornerbacks coach) and Joe (Tumpkin, safeties coach) have done an excellent job with the secondary," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "They do a good job of communicating with them and a good job of pushing them. They've got some excellent athletes back there and I think we can cover anybody with those guys."
Indeed, Tumpkin and Clark have patiently built a standout secondary that boasts quality players throughout, as well as depth.
Awuzie, a preseason second-team all-Pac-12 selection, is getting most of the attention, and it's understandable. Each week he seems to deliver highlight-reel plays, and after last week's game at Michigan, was named by Pro Football Focus as one of the nation's "Four Rising NFL Draft Prospects."
But Witherspoon, Thompson, cornerback Isaiah Oliver and safeties Afolabi Laguda and Ryan Moeller are also producing quality plays on a regular basis.
In their biggest test thus far, CU's secondary had a solid day last Saturday against a group of quality Michigan wide receivers. The Buffs blanked all-Big Ten receiver Jehu Chesson in the game while allowing Amara Darboh to finish with just two catches for 51 yards and one touchdown. Overall, no Michigan wide receiver caught more than two passes (although tight end Jake Butt did his fair share of damage with seven receptions for 87 yards).
Witherspoon, Awuzie and Oliver all received grade of 75 or higher from PFF for their play against the Wolverines, with the website crediting Witherspoon with giving up just one catch in seven targeted plays.
As MacIntyre noted, CU's secondary is loaded with excellent athletes. But none of them were extremely highly ranked recruits coming out of high school (or junior college in some cases). Rather, they were good athletes who have become excellent defensive backs under the tutelage of Tumpkin and Clark.
Tumpkin is in his second year with the Buffs, coming to CU from Central Michigan, where he was the defensive coordinator for five seasons. Clark came to Colorado from San Jose State with MacIntyre four years ago.
"They've done a great job," said CU defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt. "They pay attention to detail. They make sure everything is spot-on and they do a good job with their players. They love their players, but they coach hard. They have a good mixture."
It's not as if the Buffs' success against the pass should come as a surprise. A year ago, the Buffs were second in the Pac-12 in pass defense, giving up just 218.2 yards per game. Colorado also recorded 14 interceptions a year ago, an exponential improvement over just three picks in 2014.
This year, the Buffs have "only" three interceptions — Awuzie, Thompson and Anthony Julmisse — but they are still a very big reason CU has the longest streak in the nation of consecutive games with at least one defensive takeaway (16).
"Charles and Joe have done a great job in developing our secondary," MacIntyre said. "Fundamental drill work, concepts of the secondary. They've taught those things. You have to know where your help is and when there's no help there, you have to be able to play — and they've done a good job of teaching them how to use their eyes."
The latter may may sound obvious, but it's something not all defensive backs know how to do well.
"It's important because offenses try to trick you," MacIntyre said. "Double moves, different formations, receiver splits. They've done a great job of teaching them how to recognize all those nuances and the attention to detail that's required in the secondary."
Buffs defensive backs also benefit from Leavitt's scheme, which sends defensive backs off the edge after the quarterback on a regular basis. Awuzie had four sacks last season and already has another this year, putting him just one away from setting CU's record for sacks by a defensive back. Awuzie also has a pair of quarterback hurries this season while Thompson and Laguda each have one.
That versatility has caught the eye of Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, whose Ducks will face the Buffs on Saturday at Autzen Stadium.
"They've got a bunch of versatility with what they do with their defensive backs," Helfrich said. "They've got a couple corners that play kind of every outside linebacker-nickel-dime position. They're really good and they're bigger guys."
FAST STARTS: Colorado through three games now has led after the first quarter by a combined score of 56-7, as the Buffaloes have scored on all three of their opening possessions. CU has outscored the opponent by 101-24 overall in the first half as well, and the opponent has yet to score on any of their first five drives in any game this season.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
