Tuesday Buffs Bits: No One Looking Past Bears

BOULDER — It is a "highlight" film Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre shows his Buffaloes every time Colorado faces an FCS opponent: CU's 30-28 loss to Sacramento State in 2012.

"They've already watched that film, we've already shown it to them," MacIntyre said Tuesday. "Montana State beat us a few years before that. I believe Northern Colorado beat Sacramento State last year. Our kids know what's at stake and what can happen. You've always got to come to play."

The topic came up at Tuesday's press conference, when MacIntyre faced the inevitable "How do you keep your players from looking past (fill in the blank)?" This week, that team and game is Saturday's matchup with Northern Colorado at Folsom Field (noon, Pac-12 Networks).

MacIntyre and everyone else remotely associated with the Buffs know CU's Pac-12 opener against Washington comes one week after the UNC game. They also know Colorado is a heavy favorite against the FCS Bears, meaning it wouldn't be a stretch to think players and coaches might be taking a sneak peek ahead on the schedule.

But MacIntyre and the Buffs also know — especially given CU's relatively recent history — that overlooking anyone on the schedule is not a wise idea.

"Everybody asks that, so that's always on their minds," MacIntyre said. "You can't get away from that. I'll find out this weekend, but I sure hope not. If we do (look ahead), then we don't have a team that I think we have."

Buffs players are certainly acting as if the Bears are the only thing on their minds.

"We're worried about Northern Colorado," quarterback Steven Montez said firmly. "That's the next game on the schedule. That's who we're focusing on right now, that's who we're scheming for right now. To be honest I'm not even thinking about the Washington game. I'm thinking about how well we'd better do this Saturday. Hopefully we'll get the offense rolling early."

This much is guaranteed: the last part of Montez's statement, the part about getting "the offense rolling early" is 100 percent sincere. After two games of the Buffs not yet hitting on all cylinders offensively for an extended period of time, it will be one of their major goals in Saturday's nonconference finale.

"It's definitely critical to put the offense together, get an entire game that looks really, really good anytime during the season, to be honest," Montez said. "I think this is the week we should be able to get that going. We're starting to look really good in practice, we're starting to get our reads down and get things going, get the receivers going, get the linemen going, get the running backs going. I think everything's looking really good right now for this weekend."

MacIntyre said he saw some big improvement in Montez's game in the third quarter of last week's 37-3 win over Texas State.

"He sat there in the pocket good, and there was one play in the third quarter there where he was able to scramble out and make a play," MacIntyre said. "It's just him doing it over and over. I thought that he grew up a lot in that second half. He's been doing a good job with that in practice this week, also. Some guys can't run well enough to get out of the pocket. He can make plays when the pocket breaks down but we've got to get him to stay in there. That's him just getting comfortable with it, and he will."

O-LINE JUGGLING: The Buffs have already seen some shuffling in and out on the offensive line this year. With senior Jeromy Irwin sidelined the first two games, it meant bringing junior Josh Kaiser into the starting lineup the first two games at left tackle — then seeing Kaiser replaced by sophomore Isaac Miller early in last week's game.

With Irwin set to return to the lineup this week, MacIntyre said the mixing and matching may not be finished when asked if the Buffs had settled on their top five linemen.

"We'll mix them around," MacIntyre said. "It gives us more options on our offensive line and able to have more depth to keeps us fresh at different times. We'll have moving pieces. We played Jeromy (Irwin) all spring at guard, so he can play guard. We've got multiple things we can do there. That gives you flexibility. We played Tim Lynott at center in the fourth quarter (vs. Texas State) and that was good. You always want to try to get your best five out there in different ways. Offensive line and secondary don't rotate much, but if they've played a lot of snaps, then you can do that. I think it creates a lot of competition."

SHORTENED HALFTIME: A reminder that this week's Buffs-Bears game will be part of a Pac-12 experiment that will include a 15-minute halftime instead of the regular 20-minute break. It is part of a conference initiative to investigate possible ways of shortening games.

"When I was in the NFL I think we had 12-minute quarters and it went so fast," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "Then when I came back to college, it seemed like we were there forever. I think basically all the coaches in the Pac-12 would not be against a 15-minute halftime. I think it's something that would be good, as long as we don't do things to cut down on what's actually happening in the game."

VISITOR FROM DOWN UNDER: George Stefanou, father of CU kicker James Stefanou, had the chance to travel from his home in Melbourne, Australia, and watch his son kick in his first two college games.

George was at practice Tuesday, but will be leaving for business overseas this week and won't be in attendance at the UNC game. He called the opportunity to watch his son kick at Sports Authority Field, a place he has watched Broncos games on television, "surreal."

"I'm really very proud of him," George Stefanou said. "We are just very glad he's here and getting this opportunity."

James Stefanou is 4-for-5 on field goal attempts this year and a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points.

IMPROVEMENT ON DEFENSE: Asked where the Buffs need to improve on defense — not an easy target, considering CU has given up just six points in its first two games — Buffs safety Ryan Moeller didn't hesitate.

"Maybe things I could identify for myself is tackling," Moeller said. "I've missed some tackles and when you get in Pac-12 play, against the Washingtons and USCs, those are going to be touchdowns when you miss those tackles. There's a big emphasis on fine-tuning the details while we can right now and definitely putting the package together so we can be ready to hit the ground running with Pac-12 play next week."

PAC-12 NETWORKS CREW: Saturday's Pac-12 Network television crew will consist of JB Long on play-by-play, former CU star Chad Brown with color commentary and Cindy Brunson on the sidelines. Brown, by the way, will be inducted this fall into the Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame.

CAREER LISTS: Several Buffs have the chance to move up on CU's all-time lists in the near future. Phillip Lindsay needs just 28 yards to move into ninth on the all-time rushing list, where he would surpass Herchell Troutman (2,487). Lindsay also needs just 64 yards to move into second on the all-time all-purpose yards list, where he would move past Eric Bieniemy (4,351). … Receiver Shay Fields needs just two catches to move past Paul Richardson (156) into fourth on the all-time receptions list and 13 to move into third, past Michael Westbrook (167).

HIKE FOR HER: Trisha MacIntyre, the wife of CU's head coach, will help host the second "Hike For Her" event in Boulder on Sunday at the NCAR Table Mesa Trail. The event, to raise awareness for ovarian cancer, is free and begins at 9 a.m., with check-in at 8:30 a.m. Parking is available at the NCAR parking lot, 1850 Table Mesa Drive. For more information, or to donate to the cause, visit www.colo-ovariancancer.org. People are also invited to join the Facebook Event Page and share their story at http://buffs.me/hikeforhercu.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu