Buffs Depth Helps Keep Defense Fresh

drew lewis and mustafa johnson vs. new hampshire 2018

September 26, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk

By: Neill Woelk, Contributing Editor

BOULDER — Thus far this season, the 3-0 Colorado Buffaloes are keeping their defense fresh with a steady rotation, particularly along the front seven.

In three games this year, 16 different defenders have played at least 30 percent of the Buffs' defensive snaps. Up front — among the linebackers and defensive line — the Buffs are spreading the playing time among roughly a dozen players.

That depth has yielded been an improved pass rush that has been able to exert pressure throughout the game. Along with 10 quarterback sacks, the Buffs have also recorded 24 quarterback "pressures" — plays on which they have forced an early or errant throw.

That quarterback pressure will be a key Friday night when 0-3 UCLA pays a 7 p.m. visit to Folsom Field (FS1). The Bruins have already given up 12 quarterback sacks this year.

Most of CU's sacks thus far have come from their defensive linemen, led by Mustafa Johnson's 3.5. No other Colorado player has more than one sack.

But seven Buffs have at least two pressures, with the majority coming from CU's outside linebackers, where Colorado can bring pressure off the edge with some speed. Outside linebackers Drew Lewis and Davion Taylor each have three, as does Johnson. Other players with at least two include linebackers Jacob Callier and Carson Wells and linemen Terrance Lang and Jase Franke.

"We're able to get a lot of speed on the field," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "We have guys rotating in. … Our pass rush hasn't always gotten to the passer, but we've harassed him."

That pressure, in turn, has helped force turnovers. At least two of CU's three interceptions have been aided by pressure on the quarterback, who hurried his throw into coverage. At the same time, CU's ability to rotate players into the game has kept pressure up throughout the game. At Nebraska, Colorado did not have a sack in the first half, but had two in the third quarter to help halt a pair of Huskers drives.

CU's rotation has also allowed coaches to use pass-rush specialists in obvious passing downs. Thus, a player such as Lang has just 73 total snaps, but has recorded two quarterback pressures, two third-down stops and pass-breakup. It's a similar story for outside 'backer Jacob Callier, who has played 55 snaps — roughly a fourth of CU's total defensive plays — but who still has two pressures, two third-down stops and a sack.

Callier, Taylor, Lewis, Wells and Nu'umoto Falo are part of a group of outside linebackers that have the speed to put pressure on the quarterback. That reduces the number of times CU needs to gamble by bringing in extra pass rushers in obvious passing situations — which reduces the number of times CU must leave its secondary vulnerable by utilizing a blitz.

"We're more fresh, we're more athletic and as the season goes along, I believe that will help us in situations where we need to get pressure without a blitz," MacIntyre said. "Rotating those guys in keeps them fresher and enables them to play at a higher tempo and higher speed later in games."

The Buffs also have enough depth to rotate players in at other positions. Three CU cornerbacks — Delrick Abrams Jr. (166), Dante Wigley (155) and Trey Udoffia (80) — have gotten significant time, with Chris Miller to get more playing after coming back from an injury. Only two CU players — safeties Evan Worthington and Nick Fisher — have played more than 200 of CU's 229 total defensive snaps.

Being able to rotate corners helps the Buffs keep up with pass-happy teams that rotate wide receivers on a regular basis.

"Receivers, when they're playing fast, (opponents) run receivers on and off and they're fresh guys," MacIntyre said. "If we can substitute some corners in that are fresher that can handle it, then we're up with that speed. That's important and these guys understand that."

250 FOR HAGAN: CU running backs coach Darian Hagan will celebrate his 250th game as part of the Colorado program Friday. That includes 103 games as an assistant coach, 62 as a football staff member, 35 as the Alumni C-Club director and 49 as a player. Hagan's wife, Donna, last week gave birth their first child, a 6-pound, 11-ounce boy named Demari Lamon.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu