Friday's Fast Five: Digging Into Keys For Buffs Vs. ASU
October 05, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — It's no secret that last season's loss at Arizona State has been a sore point for the Colorado Buffaloes for the last year.
On the list of games that got away in 2017, a 41-30 loss to the Sun Devils might be at the top. The Buffs had a 10-point lead on three different occasions, just missed a chance to go up by 17 in the first half, and still led by 10 going into the fourth quarter.
That, though, wasn't enough, as the Sun Devils rallied for the win.
Now, the 4-0 and No. 21 Buffs (1-0 Pac-12) have a return engagement with ASU (3-2, 1-1) at Folsom Field.
What do the Buffs need to do in order to pick up their second conference win? Our weekly Fast Five:
1. Â Establish a run game and produce long, time-consuming drives. The Buffs have proven they can strike quickly, with 15 of their 25 scoring drives this year taking less than three minutes. There's nothing wrong with being able to score in a hurry, especially when necessary.
But against UCLA, Colorado also displayed the ability to hammer out long, methodical scoring drives that not only took time off the clock, but punished the Bruins' defense in the process. The Buffs used their altitude advantage, and by the fourth quarter, UCLA's defense was running on empty.
The Sun Devils have not been particularly strong defending the run. Their goal is to get teams into obvious passing downs, which feeds perfectly into their 3-3, attacking defense that has 41 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback sacks.
The Buffs must be able to run the ball consistently and effectively against the Sun Devils. If they can put together some long, sustained drives, it will wear out their defense, open up the passing game — and give the Buffs a decided edge in what could be a make-or-break fourth quarter.
2. Contain the Sun Devils' running game. ASU boasts a balanced attack, averaging 181 yards per game on the ground and 245 in the air. But they would prefer to control the tempo with their running attack. ASU is 1-2 in games in which the Sun Devils have been held under 170 yards on the ground.
That means controlling running back Eno Benjamin, who last week rushed for an ASU-record 312 yards in a win over Oregon State. The Buffs haven't seen a running back of Benjamin's caliber this year. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound sophomore is a powerful, elusive runner who has shown a great knack for making defenders miss.
The Buffs need to be precise with their tackling and not allow Benjamin extra yards after contact.
3. Keep ASU quarterback Manny Wilkins in the pocket. Wilkins is a battle-tested, savvy veteran who can make plays with his arm and his legs — witness his 202 yards passing and 95 yards rushing last year against Colorado.
Wilkins is a capable passer who doesn't make mistakes, and he has delivered some big pass plays this year. But the Buffs will have a much better chance of limiting his effectiveness if they can seal the edges and not let him get outside and run.
To accomplish that, Colorado needs to push the pocket and get some pressure off the edge on pass plays, as well as force him inside on planned runs. They have the players capable of doing that in outside linebackers Drew Lewis and Davion Taylor, along with defensive end Mustafa Johnson.
Two of the biggest plays against CU's defense this year have been scrambles by the quarterback — a touchdown run by Nebraska's Adrian Martinez and a long run by UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson that set up a Bruins touchdown.
The Buffs need to limit Wilkins' opportunities to do the same.
4. Don't give up negative plays on offense. ASU's defense loves to get after an offense early and force second-and-long and third-and-long situations.
The good news is the Buffs have been outstanding on first downs this year, averaging 6.53 yards per snap. To keep that up, they need to give quarterback Steven Montez enough time to throw and make sure their backs have a crease on running plays.
If the Buffs can continue that trend of positive yardage on first down, it will give them a chance to open up the playbook and keep the Sun Devils on their heels.
5. Win the turnover battle. This will be no easy task. The Sun Devils' offense has turned it over just two times all season — one fumble and one interception — while their defense has plucked three interceptions and forced four fumbles.
The Buffs have also produced seven defensive takeaways — four fumble recoveries and three interceptions — and turned it over just four times, with three interceptions (only two by Montez) and one lost fumble.
But according to head coach Mike MacIntyre, the Buffs have also let 10 potential interceptions slip to the ground. This could very well be a game that goes down to the fourth quarter and turns on one momentum-shifting play. If the Buffs defense can produce that play, it could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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Players Mentioned
