Buffs Defense Gears For UW Run Game

BOULDER — Halfway through the season, the Colorado Buffaloes' defense continues to be one of the stingiest in the Pac-12.

Even after last week's 31-20 loss, the Buffs are still third in the conference and 30th in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 20.5 points a game — more than a touchdown per game less than last year's 28.2 average. (CU's average would still be below 20 this year had it not been for an interception return for a score by USC and another against New Hampshire.)

As head coach Mike MacIntyre noted last week, "You're going to give up yards in today's world. … You don't worry about yards, you worry about points."

But the Buffs are also in the upper half of the conference in the yards allowed categories: fifth in in total yards (351.5 per game), fourth in rushing defense (136.8) and fifth in passing defense (215.7). That rushing number was helped significantly by last week's effort against USC, when CU held the Trojans to just 51 yards on the ground.

Colorado will need another stellar effort from its rush defense Saturday, when the 5-1 Buffs travel to Seattle for a 1:30 p.m. (MT) meeting with Washington at Husky Stadium (Fox). The Huskies are averaging 174 yards per game on the ground, and are coming off a 194-yard effort in last week's 30-27 overtime loss to Oregon. Washington's Myles Gaskin is one of the conference's best backs with 623 yards and five touchdowns on 139 carries, while backup Salvon Ahmed adds a change of pace, with 319 yards and four touchdowns on 51 carries.

They run behind an offensive line that boasts five starters weighing at least 300 pounds.

"Their offensive line is big and powerful," MacIntyre said. "The thing that they do different than a lot of people is their tight ends are excellent blockers. They've got big, athletic tight ends that are excellent blockers that bothered us a little bit last year in the run game."

In both of their last meetings, the Huskies have pounded the Buffs on the ground. UW ran for 265 yards in a 41-10 win over Colorado in the 2016 Pac-12 championship game, then rushed for 254 last year in a 37-10 win in Boulder. Gaskin had 202 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries in last year's game, including a 57-yard scamper.

Those are numbers CU's much-improved front seven would like to change.

"Their offense is very physical," said Buffs linebacker Nate Landman. "They are a big offense. They are going to be one of the biggest O-lines we've seen. They do a great job of playing well together. Definitely a physical front."

But Landman and his cohorts have been equally physical this year. While the Buffs' defensive line lost a key player last week with a season-ending knee injury to senior Jase Franke, Colorado still has a solid rotation up front of starters Javier Edwards, Mustafa Johnson and Israel Antwine, along with Lyle Tuiloma, Terrance Lang and Chris Mulumba.

Meanwhile, Landman and Gamboa have anchored the group at the second level at inside linebacker while Carson Wells and Drew Lewis have been steady on the outside, along with Buff back Davion Taylor.

"Our front seven this year compared to last year as a whole is a whole new front seven," Landman said. "We got some new guys (and) Javy dropped weight and he is playing great. We have playmakers in there. They have the freedom to go out there and make plays. Me and Rick in the box will make them right. Allowing them to have that freedom has changed our defense. The majority of tackles are pretty well shared between the front seven of us."

Indeed, while Landman leads the team in tackles with 59, the work has been spread much more evenly this year. Johnson is second in tackles with 44, and he is second in the Pac-12 with 5.5 sacks as well. Gamboa also has 44 tackles, while Edwards already has 21 (he had just 33 all of last season).

Now, with Franke sidelined, it will likely mean more snaps for redshirt freshman Lang, who has been mainly a pass rush specialist up to this point.

"I feel good about the rotation, I feel good about the way those guys have been playing," MacIntyre said. "This football team that we play (on Saturday) presents a different aspect in the run game, so hopefully we'll be able to do well against it. That's the best we've ever played against USC in the running game and I think they have a very good running game."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu