Friday's Fast Five: Digging In To Buffs Keys Vs. Cougars
November 09, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Up until a couple of weeks ago, the Colorado Buffaloes' pass defense had been playing well. Headed into the eighth game of the season, CU had not allowed an opponent to break the 300-yard mark in the air and had given up just nine touchdown passes in seven games.
But that all changed in a hurry. In the last two games combined, CU's pass defense has given up nearly 695 yards (345 to Oregon State and 350 to Arizona) and eight touchdowns.
Now, the Buffs must deal with No. 10 Washington's State's "Air Raid" attack in Saturday's 1:30 p.m. matchup at Folsom Field. Mike Leach's Cougars lead the Pac-12 in scoring (38.3 points per game), total offense (469.2 yards per game) and passing yards (397.4 per game).
It is no doubt a tall order, but one the 5-4 Buffs (2-4 Pac-12) must deal with head on if they're going to end a four-game losing streak and clinch bowl eligibility at the same time.
The Buffs do have some history on their side. As a head coach, Leach is 0-3 at Folsom Field, losing to three different coaches in the process — Gary Barnett and Dan Hawkins when Leach was at Texas Tech, and to current coach CU head coach Mike MacIntyre in 2016.
How can the Buffs help history repeat itself? Our weekly Fast Five Keys to the Game:
1. Mimic Cal's defensive effort last week. One week after beating Washington 12-10, the Bears were on the verge of knocking off WSU on the Cougars' home turf before quarterback Gardner Minshew threw a 10-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds left in the game for a 19-13 win.
Still, the Bears held WSU to a season-low in points by playing a bend-but-don't-break defense. Minshew threw for 334 yards — he's surpassed the 300-yard mark every game this season — but when the Cougars got near the end zone, the Bears dropped as many players as possible into coverage and left Minshew with few options when the field became shorter.
The Bears also kept the Cougars at bay for much of the game by doing a couple of other things, such as …
2. Come up with key takeaways. Cal took an early lead against WSU by picking off Minshew in Cougars territory and converting the takeaway into a touchdown.
Minshew isn't prone to interceptions; he's thrown just seven all season (and 27 touchdowns). The Cougars have also lost just three fumbles.
But the Buffs lead the Pac-12 in takeaway/turnover ratio this year with 15 takeaways (eight interceptions and seven fumble recoveries) and just eight offensive turnovers (six interceptions, two fumbles).
The problem lately has been converting those takeaways into points. In the last four games, CU has produced eight defensive takeaways but the Buffs have converted those opportunities into just two touchdowns and two field goals. Colorado needs to create those opportunities against the Cougars, then cash them in when the chance arises.
3. Control the clock. There is one sure-fire way to prevent the Cougars from scoring — and that's by keeping their offense off the field.
To do that, the Buffs will have to put together long, sustained drives and keep the clock moving. They've been successful in that area at different times this year, in particular their win over Arizona State, when they crafted a seven-minute drive to end the game.
It means they will have to rediscover their run game — something that has not been consistent over the last few weeks — and give quarterback Steven Montez time to throw.
The Cougars have been solid against the run this year, giving up just 131 yards per game on the ground. They have also recorded a league-high 27 sacks. Â But if the Buffs can at least mix in some successful runs with their short passing game and keep the clock moving, they can keep the WSU offense off the field. That will have them in the game when it matters.
4. Don't let Minshew extend plays. The grad transfer is a mobile quarterback who has the ability to move out of the pocket, buy time and give his receivers a chance to get open. It's exactly what Arizona's Khalil Tate did last week in the Wildcats' 42-34 win over Colorado.
This week, the Buffs have to get pressure on Minshew, keep him in the pocket and make him throw early. It won't be easy; WSU's big and talented offensive line has allowed just seven sacks all year. But if the Buffs — who have 25 sacks — can at least get pressure and make him throw early, their defensive backs will have a much better chance of staying in coverage.
5. Play with swagger. Yes, easier said than done, especially for a team that has lost four in a row.
But the Buffs somehow need to regain that early season edge that helped them win five straight. It was an attitude that helped them come up with big plays — offensively and defensively — when they needed them most.
Somehow, they have lost that edge in the last few weeks in games they know they could have won.
Saturday would be a perfect time to rediscover that temperament.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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