Buffs Notes: CU Ready For Battle In Trenches, 500th Game, Senior Day
November 14, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre doesn't hesitate when asked what stands out about the No. 21 Utah Utes, who pay a visit Saturday to Folsom Field for an 11:30 a.m. contest (Pac-12 Networks).
"They're extremely big up front on both sides of the ball," MacIntyre said. "That's where you see a huge difference in them, defensively and offensively, is their lines are so powerful."
Indeed, the Utes (7-3 overall, 5-3 Pac-12) occupy plenty of real estate in the trenches. Defensively, they boast a pair of 300-pound defensive tackles; on the offensive side, four of their five starters are at least 313 pounds (the starting center checks in at a svelte 295).
It is a group that has served the Utes well on both sides of the ball and will no doubt provide a challenge for the Buffs (5-5, 2-5).
Defensively, Utah is No. 1 in the Pac-12 and 10th in the nation in run defense, yielding just 101.7 yards per game on the ground. Offensively, the Utes are second in the conference in rushing, averaging a hefty 205 yards per game.
They are, to no one's surprise, a typical Kyle Whittingham Utah team.
"Their running backs run hard and physical, they play a lot of man coverage in the back end, they have really good corners and safeties that can cover tight coverage," MacIntyre said. "They make you earn everything."
Two weeks ago, the Utes suffered what many thought would be a crippling blow when starting quarterback Tyler Huntley suffered a season-ending injury in a 38-20 loss to Arizona State. Four days later, they lost starting running back Zack Moss for the rest of the year to a freak, non-football injury.
But the Utes regrouped in a hurry. Redshirt freshman quarterback Jason Shelley threw for 262 yards and ran for two touchdowns in last week's 32-25 win over Oregon. Backup running back Armand Shyne, meanwhile, ran for 174 yards in the win in his first start since 2016.
"The tailback, Shyne, he had been playing quite a bit as the year went along," MacIntyre said. "He's a really good player. He's a big back, very physical. Very similar to Moss. ... I think they're both playing well. They're running the exact same system they were ran when Huntley was in there. They didn't change it at all."
Indeed, while the names may have changed, the plan hasn't.
"It's almost as if they swapped different guys up who have the same characteristics," CU linebacker Drew Lewis said. "We're going to have to account for that. Tackle low and drive to the ball."
Offensively, the Buffs want to regain the tempo and rhythm that helped them produce a 5-0 start — something that will be a key in ending their current five-game losing streak.
"Last week we kind of struggled to get some things going," quarterback Steven Montez said. "We struggled a little bit on third down. We just couldn't seem to keep a drive going down the field. This week is a brand new week for us. We are seeing a brand new defense. … At the end of the day, that doesn't really matter either. We are worried about our team and what we are doing on offense. I think we will have a good game plan going in this Saturday as well."
One wrinkle for Saturday's game could be the weather. While there have only been a handful of games in CU history in which snow has fallen during the game, Saturday's contest could be added to the list. The forecast calls for a high of 32 degrees and a chance of snow showers throughout the day.
"It's going to be a great day for football," MacIntyre declared. "I'm excited because it's going to be snowing and cold. I've never coached in a snow game before. Most of our players have never played in a snow game. I hope it's snowing sideways. That would be fun."
SPECIAL DAY: Saturday's game will be a special moment in CU history, as it marks the 500th Colorado game at venerable Folsom Field, as well as Senior Day, when 19 Buffs will make their last game day appearance as part of the team.
MacIntyre said it's not hard to figure out why Folsom has often been selected as one of college football's best venues.
"The beauty of it, the mountains behind it — nobody has that," he said. "That's a key component. The field is the tightest field I've ever been around, sidelines to the stadium. It brings the fans right on top of you. It gets really loud in there. And of course Ralphie running out.  That hasn't been here the whole 500 games, I know that, (but) I think that adds a huge mystique to it. A lot of schools through the years have played at their original place and then built another stadium somewhere else. This one stayed right here. I think that makes it special also."
(For an interactive slide show of Folsom Field history, click here)
As for Senior Day, this year's group includes four- and five-year players who came in as freshman recruits as well as some who arrived via the transfer route.
"There's all different journeys for guys for college," MacIntyre said. "Everybody has a different story. … It's always unique as you mesh a team together and different guys get to know each other. It makes it pretty special."
The 19 seniors who will be honored Saturday:
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DT Mo Bandi
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WR Kabion Ento
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RB Kyle Evans
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DB Nick Fisher
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DL Jase Franke
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LB Rick Gamboa
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OL Josh Kaiser
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RB Donovan Lee
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LB Drew Lewis
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DB Kyle Trego
ELDER STATESMAN: When MacIntyre said it seems like Utah linebacker Chase Hansen has "been there 30 years," he was obviously exaggerating.
But the 25-year-old Hansen will no doubt be one of the oldest players on the field Saturday. A member of Utah's 2012 recruiting class (when MacIntyre was still at San Jose State and Jon Embree was Colorado's head coach), Hansen had one redshirt season before departing for a two-year Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission. NCAA rules allow for a church mission not to count against a player's eligibility "clock."
Hansen returned for the 2015 season and played as a safety, but has since made the move to linebacker.
"They're a much older team than most of the teams we play," MacIntyre said. "They're the oldest team we play every year. That gives them an advantage on the rest of the teams in the league. (Whittingham) does a great job of that. Then he's mixed in some really good skilled talent."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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