Colorado University Athletics
Friday's Fast Five: Keys For Buffs At Nebraska
September 07, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
LINCOLN, Neb. — For the last six days, Colorado's football coaches have been playing what amounts to an educated guessing game.
Not only do the Buffs not have any film on Nebraska, Saturday's 1:30 p.m. matchup at Memorial Stadium (ABC) will be the first game of the Scott Frost era at NU. As Nebraska offensive coordinator (and former Colorado assistant) Troy Walters put it this week, "They don't know what we're going to do."
That may be a bit of a stretch. The Buffs do know what Frost and his staff did for the last two years at Central Florida, and while the personnel will be different, the basic scheme should be the same. The Huskers will try to establish the run and bump up the tempo on offense and will play a stout, basic 3-4 defense with some big bruisers up front.
Still, there's no doubt the Huskers will throw in some wrinkles for the Buffs — but remember, the opposite is also likely to be true. While Colorado showed plenty last week in the season-opening 45-13 win over Colorado State, the Buffs will no doubt have some new formations and plays — and maybe even some defensive adjustments — to throw at the Huskers.
What we do know for certain is that this week's game has gotten plenty of attention from both fan bases. It's the first meeting between the two old rivals in eight years, and it has opened up the memory floodgates.
But when it comes time for kickoff Saturday, nothing from the past will have any effect on the outcome.
What do the Buffs need to do to come away with a win? Our weekly Fast Five:
1. Start fast and quiet the crowd. Yes, this is a given for just about any road game — but it will be doubly important on Saturday.
Husker Nation will be in a foaming red lather for this one. They've waited nine months for Frost to make his debut, and when that opportunity was cancelled last week by inclement weather, it only upped the ante when the Buffs became the first game on the schedule.
It means Colorado's offense needs to move the chains on its first possession and establish some field position. A week ago, CU's opening script of plays was outstanding, with quarterback Steven Montez directing a pair of long scoring drives on CU's first three possessions. They need a similar start on offense this week.
Defensively, it means coming up with some quick stops and not allowing the NU offense to build too much early momentum. How do they do that? Glad you asked …
2. Get pressure on Nebraska QB Adrian Martinez early and often. The Huskers have full confidence in their quarterback — so much so that they made him the first true freshman to start an NU opener in program history (resulting in the immediate transfer of the backup).
But Martinez is bound to have some butterflies. Because he missed his senior year of high school with an injury, he hasn't played in a real game since his junior season. Colorado needs to extend those nerves for as long as possible.
That means getting to him and making contact at every opportunity possible — a perfect job for CU inside linebacker Nate Landman and defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson, both of whom made life tough on CSU's K.J. Carta-Samuels. NU is expected to run lots of read option with Martinez, who is a solid dual-threat weapon, and that should present the perfect opportunity for CU's linebackers to get in the mix. The Huskers will throw, but they've made no secret of wanting to establish their run game first and get Martinez as comfortable as possible.
Colorado needs to minimize that comfort level as much as possible. The way to do that?
3. Stop the run game. Walters said earlier this week that the Huskers don't want to put Martinez in a position where he has to throw the ball 40 or 50 times.
The Buffs would likely enjoy such a scenario — but to get there, they have to seal the edges and turn the option inside, then get some stout play on the defensive line and from the inside linebackers. That means Colorado needs solid play again from the likes of Johnson, Chris Mulumba, Javier Edwards, Israel Antwine, Terrance Lang and Jase Franke up front, as well as another stellar performance from inside 'backers Landman and Rick Gamboa.
If the Buffs can corral the Huskers on the ground and force some third-and-long situations, they will be in a good position to get to Martinez and rattle him.
4. Utilize all of their offensive weapons. A week ago, the Buffs spread the wealth in a big way, with a 300-yard passer, a 200-yard receiver, a 100-yard rusher and another 100-yard receiver.
In theory, at least, it is an offense that can do damage from all over the field. CU will no doubt once again try to get its playmakers in space and let them go to work. A week ago, that meant getting the ball to Laviska Shenault Jr., K.D. Nixon, Travon McMillian and Juwann Winfree.
But unlike CSU, which continued to play deep zone for much of the night despite getting burned repeatedly by CU's short game, the Huskers will likely play more press coverage and force Montez to throw the ball downfield more often.
That shouldn't bother the Buffs. If they can establish some early momentum with the short passing game and a run game, Montez and Co. are perfectly capable of delivering the home run ball when it opens up.
5. Be ready to face adversity. A week ago, the only hint of adversity came when CSU forced a turnover and converted a field goal just before the half to pull within 28-10. But the Buffs quickly put the game away with two more scores in the third quarter to seal the deal and they were never really in harm's way.
Things will almost certainly be a little tougher on Saturday. Colorado must be able to shake off mistakes when they happen and take advantage of game-changing moments when they present themselves.
More than anything, that's what CU was missing a year ago. Colorado lost a handful of games in 2017 that came down to a play or two, plays that could have turned the entire season around.
Right now, we still don't know much about these Buffs. The opener showed they have playmakers on both sides of the ball, and the potential to be a good team.
But Saturday should provide another barometer in perhaps the most difficult environment they will face this season. There will be times when the Buffs have their backs to the wall and times when they will have the opportunity to produce a game-changing play.
How they answer the bell in both instances — particularly down the stretch — will give us a much better idea of just who the 2018 Buffs might be.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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