Tuesday Buffs Bits: CU Has Chance To Hit Receiving-Rushing 1,000 Double Vs. Bears

BOULDER — Lost among the hubbub of a coaching change and overshadowed by a six-game losing streak has been an offensive milestone well within reach this week for the Colorado Buffaloes.

For the first time in their history, the Buffs could finish with a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher in the same season.

To get there, wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. needs just 54 yards receiving and running back Travon McMillian needs only 49 yards rushing. If they both hit their season per-game averages, they will easily hit the standard in Saturday's 5 p.m. regular season finale at Cal (Pac-12 Networks).

Shenault — who would no doubt have already surpassed 1,000 yards had he not missed three games with an injury — is averaging 118.3 receiving yards per game while McMillian is averaging 86.5 on the ground.

"It would be great to get there," Shenault said after Tuesday morning's practice. "Growing up, you see all these receivers put up 1,000-yard seasons, and they would do it back-to-back-to-back. Now I'm living that, and it would definitely feel good if I could get that first 1,000-yard season."

McMillian, a senior graduate transfer, already has one 1,000-yard season under his belt, having hit the mark as redshirt freshman at Virginia Tech, when he ran for 1,043 yards.

"I definitely want to pass that," McMillian said. "That will be big time for me, a huge personal accolade for me. I'm just really grateful that I'm that close to it."

The Buffs have had their fair share of 1,000-yard rushing seasons (16) and 1,000-yard receiving seasons (nine). One receiver, Charles E. Johnson, hit the mark twice (1992 and 1993) and two running backs have hit the standard twice (Phillip Lindsay in 2016 and '17 and Eric Bieniemy in 1988 and 1990).

The Buffs have also had a year with two receivers hitting the mark (Johnson and Michael Westbrook in 1992), and a year with two rushers hitting the mark (J.J. Flannigan and Darian Hagan in 1989). They have also come close to a rushing-receiving 1,000 double before, including 1993, when Johnson had 1,082 yards receiving and Lamont Warren rushed for 900.

But they haven't hit the 1,000-1,000 mark before.

Saturday, the 5-6 Buffs (2-6 Pac-12) will have that chance, but they will have to do it against one of the conference's stingiest defenses. The Bears (6-3, 3-4) are third in the conference in scoring defense (21.1 points per game), fourth in rush defense (134.8 yards per game), first in pass defense (183.8 ypg) and first in interceptions (14).

They have also been outstanding over the last four weeks in compiling a 3-1 record that includes a 12-10 win over Washington and a 15-14 win over USC. In that stretch, they have given up just 12.5 points per game, including holding Washington State to a season-low 19 points; while also not allowing an opponent to rush for more than 100 yards.

The Bears will also be well-rested. Last week's scheduled game against Stanford was postponed until Dec. 1 because of poor air quality in the Bay Area as a result of wildfires in the region.

"I think (head coach) Justin (Wilcox) and (defensive coordinator) Tim (DeRuyter) do a really good job of putting in a system," CU interim head coach Kurt Roper said. "When you watch them play defense, there's 11 guys tied together knowing exactly what the other guy is supposed to be doing. They do it through a lot of repetition so they know where they're supposed to fit on any call, on any pressure, on any coverage. Then, you can't look past their talent. They've got some guys up front that can anchor and make it hard on a guard to get push. They've got two inside linebackers that are absolute playmakers, both of them are physical guys that can run, pressure the quarterback or be in coverage down the field. They're talented and they have a group that's played a lot of football."

CU's balanced attack, said co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini, is a sign of the talent on that side of the ball.

"We had some really good games early and we've struggled the last couple of weeks," Chiaverini said. "We saw some really good defenses. But we have a really good, young offensive football team. You look at guys like Laviska Shenault, who is a sophomore. K.D. Nixon is a sophomore. Will Sherman is a redshirt freshman, Colby Pursell is a redshirt freshman, Frank Fillip is a true freshman. Alex Fontenot is a redshirt freshman. This is a young offense with a lot of talent that is going to grow."

AFFECTING FAMILIES: Roper was asked Tuesday how senior wide receiver Jay MacIntyre, the son of Mike MacIntyre, has been handling the week in the wake of his father's dismissal.

Roper offered this anecdote:

"He grew up in this profession and understands this profession and he's handled it well. When he goes on the practice field, he practices. My daughter is 10 years old, she's in fifth grade and has been in five different elementary schools. The reason I say that is, Jay has been a part of that in his life. My wife told my daughter exactly what was going on the other day and I get a text and she says, 'Hey dad, I love you and I'm thinking about you.' I said, 'How are you doing?' She goes, 'I handled it well.' That's just what happens when you grow up in this profession."

Jay MacIntyre's teammates said he has handled the situation well.

"I respect the hell out of Jay," quarterback Steven Montez said. "He's one of the tougher guys mentally that I've met. He just keeps working, even though all this stuff has happened with his dad. He still goes out there and practices his butt off and works extremely hard. I just have the ultimate respect for J-Mac. If his dad were at practice today seeing how hard he worked, he'd be beyond proud of him."

ROUTINE THE SAME: Aside from some events geared to lighten the mood — the Buffs had an impromptu punt catching contest between linemen on Tuesday, along with a post-practice visit from an ice cream truck — CU's coaches have done their best to keep the routine the same. Their message all week has been to keep the focus on Saturday's game and tune out the "noise."

"I think our guys are working hard," Roper said. "I think they're taking the right approach to preparing to play a good football team."

Roper also dismissed any suggestion that he is trying to put his "stamp" on the program in one week.

"We're talking one week, one game," Roper said. "I've had blinders on through the season. I've looked at it really on a small scale, my position and what my position affects. Really that's what I see my job this week as, is to figure out the best way that each guy can get their position ready to go play this week. Let's get them fresh, let's get them understanding what we need to do to win, and I need to get the quarterback ready to play. So while I set the schedule and come and visit with (media) and those type of things, we're all are the head coach of our own position and we need to those guys ready to play."

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu