Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: Chip Bromfield, ProMotion Ltd.
Brooks: Tuesday Tidbits
September 27, 2016 | Football, B.G. Brooks
Buffs’ Win At Oregon, 3-1 Record Creates Stir On Campus
It's been a while but football is making some noise at the University of Colorado – and the campus and fan base are responding.
When the Buffaloes' traveling party returned to the Champions Center early Sunday morning after the team's 41-38 win at Oregon, coach Mike MacIntyre estimated about 200 fans – many of them students – greeted the players.
"It was exciting for our kids," MacIntyre said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "They (players) went around and gave them all high-fives and talked to them. That was really neat."
Senior defensive back Chidobe Awuzie called the reception "ridiculous" – and he meant it in the best possible way.
"I've never seen anything like that before," he said. "It was like 12:30 at night and everyone came to show their support. Everybody on the team gave the fans handshakes and 'daps.' It really felt good that the fans are really sticking behind us and that they believe that 'The Rise' is real, so we really appreciate that support from everybody."
Awuzie wants the support to go a step further. He called CU "a big-time college football program, that's why we came here. We wanted to reinstall that to everyone in the community. From Boulder to Colorado in general. We want everyone to come out to our games, we want people to fly out for our games.
"It doesn't matter if you've been a fan for 10 years, 20 years, or if you just became a fan today we welcome all the support. And it's really good for the players to know that we have that support and no matter what they're going to stick by us. If any fan saw the game and wants to come out we'll really love that."
The Buffs play Oregon State on Saturday at Folsom Field (12:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network) in their Pac-12 home opener. MacIntyre said his players relish being at home: "We love the grass, we love the scenery, we love our own locker room, we love running out behind Ralphie. The crowd's so tight on you, even if it might not be a packed house, it's loud."
But the Buffs, who played before 39,505 at Folsom two weeks ago against Idaho State, are hoping for a larger crowd this week. "We'd love to see a packed house," MacIntyre said. "The more we keep being successful, the more that'll happen. I believe that definitely will keep happening.
"We want to make those fans proud, there's no doubt about it. Our players were really excited when we turned the corner and saw all those students standing there in the Sunday morning at 1 a.m. I told them there were going to be some people here."
Junior tailback Phillip Lindsay said some fans were worried that the team's signature win in Eugene might prompt an emotional downturn this weekend against the Beavers, who are two-touchdown underdogs.
Not to worry, said Lindsay: "Everyone is excited. Some people are telling us to not let it get to our head but we're an older team. We've been through a lot and we've been through hard times and hopefully we're getting ready to have a lot of great times. The atmosphere is great. We just need to continue to come together as a student body and as a whole unit at the University of Colorado. That helps."
TWO GOOD QBS BETTER THAN ONE: In the absence of senior starter Sefo Liufau (ankle), redshirt freshman Steven Montez acquitted himself nicely.
How nice? He completed 23-of-32 passes for 333 yards and ran 21 times for 135 yards. Two of his passes went for touchdowns, one of his runs went for a score. He was intercepted twice but didn't let that rattle him.
His 300/100-yard performance was the first ever for a CU QB, and he reaped several conference and national honors for it.
So does Liufau, if able, remain the Buffs' starter on Saturday?
That's very likely, but making that decision is premature and wasn't on MacIntyre's priority list Tuesday. Of Liufau, he said, "Sefo still isn't completely well right now. He did a little bit more today in practice. We'll see how the week goes along and how it plays out with his leg.
As for the status of the QB position beyond the Beavers, MacIntyre said, "It's all going to depend how our team is at the time. Everybody understands that in sports. We need both of them, because somebody's going to get dinged up, it's the way the game goes. We need both of those guys ready to play and ready to go."
Liufau said on Tuesday that he "definitely feels like I'm getting closer. I did a lot more in practice today, which is great mentally for myself. I'm just working my way back."
He added that he would "like to start every Saturday. That's the feeling of a competitor. Even if it's me or Montez, we have a game plan down and we'll be ready to go this weekend."
Asked if he could play at 90 percent, Liufau answered, "That's probably a question for the trainers. If it was me, I'd try and play. I just want to keep seeing how it feels every day and go from there, and ultimately have the trainers hold me back or not."
Lindsay said Montez's spring work with the No. 1 offense while Liufau was recuperating from a Lisfranc (foot) injury reinforced Montez's ability to the Buffs.
"We've known all along that Steven Montez and Sefo Liufau are great quarterbacks," Lindsay said. "You have to . . . understand that Steven took all of the snaps during spring ball. Sefo has been here for a long time. It pretty much comes down to everybody around them."
He said Montez's performance at Oregon was expected "because that's the caliber player that he is. I'm proud of him and excited to see what he can do in the future."
PREVIEWING THE BEAVS: From his San Jose State tenure, MacIntyre has a history with Oregon State coach Gary Anderson, who previously coached at Utah State. MacIntyre called Anderson "a heck of a football coach" and expressed the highest respect for him.
Anderson's team is 1-2 (0-0 Pac-12) and is coming off a 38-24 loss to Boise State. The Beavers and Buffs have had one common opponent – Idaho State – and both won big. CU's win was 56-7, OSU's win was 37-7.
The Beavers lead the series with the Buffs 5-3, but CU won last season's meeting 17-13, snapping a 14-game Pac-12 losing streak.
Oregon State is last in the conference in total offense (340.7 yards a game) and sixth in total defense (385.0 yards allowed a game). Quarterback Darrel Garretson has averaged 151.0 passing yards a game (three TDs, one pick).
Ryan Nall is a big (6-2, 234) running back that MacIntyre said the Buffs remember for his hard running. He rushed 20 times for 122 yards and a touchdown last season against CU.
"We need to tackle Ryan better than we did," MacIntyre said. "He's a big load. You have to tackle him different; if you hit him up high, he's so big, you've got to hit him a little bit lower and wrap him up. You cannot just try to knock him down, he's not going to go down easy. He runs really well (and) he's faster than you think."
Another OSU player CU must keep an eye on is versatile Victor Bolden Jr. He's the only current player in the NCAA with two plays of 90-plus yards – a 92-yard sweep and a 99-yard kickoff return. He leads the FBS in kickoff return average (40.2 per).
MAC'S EMOTIONAL FLOOD UNDERSTOOD: MacIntyre's understandable post-Oregon show of emotion was caught on the Pac-12 telecast. It was also well-received by his players.
"It helps a lot," Lindsay said. "Coach Mac has been a father figure to a lot of us. He gave a lot of us opportunities. The senior class here, we're really close with each other with the coaches and with each other period.
"With Coach Mac, he's spent tireless days to try to get through to us and get us to understand that we're a special team and group of kids. To sit there and see him be able to share his emotions, it's a great feeling and we're going to keep on making him proud and doing what we're here to do which is win football games."
MacIntyre said had the Buffs maintained their 16-point lead and not won on a game-saving interception in the final minute he might not have become so emotional.
"When it was 33-17 I was hoping it was going to be 40-17 and it wouldn't have been quite as emotional to be honest with you," he said. "I would have been able to handle it. The way it ended and the way (his players) kept fighting, they just never gave up. We haven't done that against an excellent football team, especially on the road – to get over that hump for those young men when they've been working so hard."
INJURY UPDATES: Receiver/punt returner Jay MacIntyre suffered a hyperextended elbow at Oregon but practiced Monday in a blue (non-contact) jersey. Mike MacIntyre said a prognosis would be made later in the week . . . . Receiver Jalil Awini, who has been out with a back ailment, has a "good chance" of playing this year, according to Mike MacIntyre. He said Awini is letting his back "calm down a little bit" and was hopeful the player can return for the final five or six games. Awini transferred to CU from Air Force as a quarterback and has played that position and outside linebacker for the Buffs before switching this season to receiver.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
When the Buffaloes' traveling party returned to the Champions Center early Sunday morning after the team's 41-38 win at Oregon, coach Mike MacIntyre estimated about 200 fans – many of them students – greeted the players.
"It was exciting for our kids," MacIntyre said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "They (players) went around and gave them all high-fives and talked to them. That was really neat."
Senior defensive back Chidobe Awuzie called the reception "ridiculous" – and he meant it in the best possible way.
"I've never seen anything like that before," he said. "It was like 12:30 at night and everyone came to show their support. Everybody on the team gave the fans handshakes and 'daps.' It really felt good that the fans are really sticking behind us and that they believe that 'The Rise' is real, so we really appreciate that support from everybody."
Awuzie wants the support to go a step further. He called CU "a big-time college football program, that's why we came here. We wanted to reinstall that to everyone in the community. From Boulder to Colorado in general. We want everyone to come out to our games, we want people to fly out for our games.
"It doesn't matter if you've been a fan for 10 years, 20 years, or if you just became a fan today we welcome all the support. And it's really good for the players to know that we have that support and no matter what they're going to stick by us. If any fan saw the game and wants to come out we'll really love that."
The Buffs play Oregon State on Saturday at Folsom Field (12:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network) in their Pac-12 home opener. MacIntyre said his players relish being at home: "We love the grass, we love the scenery, we love our own locker room, we love running out behind Ralphie. The crowd's so tight on you, even if it might not be a packed house, it's loud."
But the Buffs, who played before 39,505 at Folsom two weeks ago against Idaho State, are hoping for a larger crowd this week. "We'd love to see a packed house," MacIntyre said. "The more we keep being successful, the more that'll happen. I believe that definitely will keep happening.
"We want to make those fans proud, there's no doubt about it. Our players were really excited when we turned the corner and saw all those students standing there in the Sunday morning at 1 a.m. I told them there were going to be some people here."
Junior tailback Phillip Lindsay said some fans were worried that the team's signature win in Eugene might prompt an emotional downturn this weekend against the Beavers, who are two-touchdown underdogs.
Not to worry, said Lindsay: "Everyone is excited. Some people are telling us to not let it get to our head but we're an older team. We've been through a lot and we've been through hard times and hopefully we're getting ready to have a lot of great times. The atmosphere is great. We just need to continue to come together as a student body and as a whole unit at the University of Colorado. That helps."
TWO GOOD QBS BETTER THAN ONE: In the absence of senior starter Sefo Liufau (ankle), redshirt freshman Steven Montez acquitted himself nicely.
How nice? He completed 23-of-32 passes for 333 yards and ran 21 times for 135 yards. Two of his passes went for touchdowns, one of his runs went for a score. He was intercepted twice but didn't let that rattle him.
His 300/100-yard performance was the first ever for a CU QB, and he reaped several conference and national honors for it.
So does Liufau, if able, remain the Buffs' starter on Saturday?
That's very likely, but making that decision is premature and wasn't on MacIntyre's priority list Tuesday. Of Liufau, he said, "Sefo still isn't completely well right now. He did a little bit more today in practice. We'll see how the week goes along and how it plays out with his leg.
As for the status of the QB position beyond the Beavers, MacIntyre said, "It's all going to depend how our team is at the time. Everybody understands that in sports. We need both of them, because somebody's going to get dinged up, it's the way the game goes. We need both of those guys ready to play and ready to go."
Liufau said on Tuesday that he "definitely feels like I'm getting closer. I did a lot more in practice today, which is great mentally for myself. I'm just working my way back."
He added that he would "like to start every Saturday. That's the feeling of a competitor. Even if it's me or Montez, we have a game plan down and we'll be ready to go this weekend."
Asked if he could play at 90 percent, Liufau answered, "That's probably a question for the trainers. If it was me, I'd try and play. I just want to keep seeing how it feels every day and go from there, and ultimately have the trainers hold me back or not."
Lindsay said Montez's spring work with the No. 1 offense while Liufau was recuperating from a Lisfranc (foot) injury reinforced Montez's ability to the Buffs.
"We've known all along that Steven Montez and Sefo Liufau are great quarterbacks," Lindsay said. "You have to . . . understand that Steven took all of the snaps during spring ball. Sefo has been here for a long time. It pretty much comes down to everybody around them."
He said Montez's performance at Oregon was expected "because that's the caliber player that he is. I'm proud of him and excited to see what he can do in the future."
PREVIEWING THE BEAVS: From his San Jose State tenure, MacIntyre has a history with Oregon State coach Gary Anderson, who previously coached at Utah State. MacIntyre called Anderson "a heck of a football coach" and expressed the highest respect for him.
Anderson's team is 1-2 (0-0 Pac-12) and is coming off a 38-24 loss to Boise State. The Beavers and Buffs have had one common opponent – Idaho State – and both won big. CU's win was 56-7, OSU's win was 37-7.
The Beavers lead the series with the Buffs 5-3, but CU won last season's meeting 17-13, snapping a 14-game Pac-12 losing streak.
Oregon State is last in the conference in total offense (340.7 yards a game) and sixth in total defense (385.0 yards allowed a game). Quarterback Darrel Garretson has averaged 151.0 passing yards a game (three TDs, one pick).
Ryan Nall is a big (6-2, 234) running back that MacIntyre said the Buffs remember for his hard running. He rushed 20 times for 122 yards and a touchdown last season against CU.
"We need to tackle Ryan better than we did," MacIntyre said. "He's a big load. You have to tackle him different; if you hit him up high, he's so big, you've got to hit him a little bit lower and wrap him up. You cannot just try to knock him down, he's not going to go down easy. He runs really well (and) he's faster than you think."
Another OSU player CU must keep an eye on is versatile Victor Bolden Jr. He's the only current player in the NCAA with two plays of 90-plus yards – a 92-yard sweep and a 99-yard kickoff return. He leads the FBS in kickoff return average (40.2 per).
MAC'S EMOTIONAL FLOOD UNDERSTOOD: MacIntyre's understandable post-Oregon show of emotion was caught on the Pac-12 telecast. It was also well-received by his players.
"It helps a lot," Lindsay said. "Coach Mac has been a father figure to a lot of us. He gave a lot of us opportunities. The senior class here, we're really close with each other with the coaches and with each other period.
"With Coach Mac, he's spent tireless days to try to get through to us and get us to understand that we're a special team and group of kids. To sit there and see him be able to share his emotions, it's a great feeling and we're going to keep on making him proud and doing what we're here to do which is win football games."
MacIntyre said had the Buffs maintained their 16-point lead and not won on a game-saving interception in the final minute he might not have become so emotional.
"When it was 33-17 I was hoping it was going to be 40-17 and it wouldn't have been quite as emotional to be honest with you," he said. "I would have been able to handle it. The way it ended and the way (his players) kept fighting, they just never gave up. We haven't done that against an excellent football team, especially on the road – to get over that hump for those young men when they've been working so hard."
INJURY UPDATES: Receiver/punt returner Jay MacIntyre suffered a hyperextended elbow at Oregon but practiced Monday in a blue (non-contact) jersey. Mike MacIntyre said a prognosis would be made later in the week . . . . Receiver Jalil Awini, who has been out with a back ailment, has a "good chance" of playing this year, according to Mike MacIntyre. He said Awini is letting his back "calm down a little bit" and was hopeful the player can return for the final five or six games. Awini transferred to CU from Air Force as a quarterback and has played that position and outside linebacker for the Buffs before switching this season to receiver.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
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