Colorado University Athletics
CU's 'Folsom Fast' Offense Operating At High Efficiency
September 20, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — "Folsom Fast" is more than just a trendy catchphrase.
The Colorado Buffaloes' offense is indeed operating at a high tempo — and doing so with great efficiency and effectiveness.
In three games thus far, the 3-0 Buffs are averaging 41 points and 494 yards per game, and they are doing it in relatively balanced fashion: 289.3 yards per game in the air and 204.3 yards per game on the ground, with eight touchdowns passing and seven rushing.
But perhaps most impressive is the efficiency with which the Buffs are operating: 10 of CU's 19 offensive scoring drives this year (including field goals) have taken less than two minutes off the clock.
It is the kind of attack that can take a physical toll on a defense and put pressure on an opposing offense.
The key has been Colorado's first-down plays. On 100 first-down snaps this year, CU has averaged 6.6 yards per play — more than 2 yards per snap than last year's 4.5 average. Even when you take away last week's 75-yard Travon McMillian run on first down last week against New Hampshire, the Buffs are still averaging nearly 6 yards per first-down snap.
"That's huge — getting it done on first down," CU co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said after Wednesday's practice. "If you can get more than 5 yards on first down and put yourself in a second-and-short situation, it allows me as a play-caller to be more aggressive. We've been able to execute at a high level on first down and get ourselves into a lot of second-and-shorts or third-and-shorts. When you do that, it puts a defense on its heels right away because you're moving the chains."
The Buffs have indeed been successful moving the chains — especially early in games. In wins over Colorado State and Nebraska, the Buffs scored on their first two possessions, both times jumping out to 14-0 leads, and they scored on their first possession last week against New Hampshire.
That, in turn, puts pressure on opposing offenses to go into "comeback" mode, which allows CU defense to go on the attack. In all three of their games, the CU defense has produced at least one defensive takeaway in the first half — an interception against CSU, two fumbles against Nebraska and one of each vs. New Hampshire.
CU's offense then converted four of those takeaways into touchdowns, while the defense immediately turned the fifth into a score with a fumble return for a touchdown.
"We've been explosive on offense this year because we have a lot of playmakers who can do things in space," Chiaverini said. "When you have guys like (receivers) Laviska Shenault, K.D. Nixon, Tony Brown — those guys make things happen. Plus, I like the way our quarterback is playing, I like the way the offensive line is being aggressive and I like the way our running backs are playing. When everything's clicking, it's hard to stop."
Indeed, the Buffs are spreading the wealth offensively, with nine different players having scored at least one touchdown, while Shenault is leading the nation in receiving yards per game.
As for quarterback Steven Montez, the CU junior is indeed off to a hot start. Montez is eighth in the nation and first in the Pac-12 in completion percentage, having connected on 69 of his 94 attempts (73.4 percent) for eight touchdowns and two interceptions.
"He has a better understanding of our offense," Chiaverini said. "We simplified the progressions a little, but he's matured as a quarterback. Coach (Kurt) Roper does a good with him in that regard. Steven has a better understanding of what the offense requires of him and he's executing it at a high level."
The Buffs have had their fair share of "explosion" plays. They are currently tied for second in the Pac-12 with 11 plays of 30 yards or longer. That includes an 89-yard Shenault scoring reception, two longs runs from McMillian (75 and 49 yards), a 46-yard Nixon touchdown reception and Shenault's 40-yard touchdown against Nebraska. Brown, meanwhile, had a 53-yard catch last week against New Hampshire while running back Beau Bisharat added a 47-yard jaunt.
McMillian is second in the Pac-12 in rushing with 290 yards on just 33 carries, and he leads the league in yards per carry at 8.8. Bisharat has 144 yards on just 20 carries, a healthy 7.2 per carry.
"Our running backs are really playing well," Chiaverini said. "Travon just keeps getting better and better and is a threat to score from anywhere. Beau is one of those guys who's a complete back. He can catch, he knows protections and he's a physical guy."
But along with the big gains, the Buffs have also marched up and down the field with shorter, precision plays. Eleven of Colorado's scoring drives have used at least six plays, with four using nine and three more using at least 11.
Now, the Buffs are preparing to take their attack into Pac-12 play. Colorado opens the conference schedule with a Sept. 28 game under the Folsom Field lights against UCLA (7 p.m., FS1).
"You have to keep adding wrinkles," Chiaverini said. "You have to dress it up a little bit every week and not give them the same look all the time. We've been doing that and had some success. Now we're going into Pac-12 play now, and this is where the games get even bigger and tougher. We're going to have to have some wrinkles every week to keep defenses honest."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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