Colorado University Athletics
Tuesday Buffs Bits: Montez Running; Shenault Healthy
October 29, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado's game plan last week against Southern California involved a little "Back to the Future" twist with a handful of designed running plays for Buffaloes quarterback Steven Montez.
It proved to be a nice addition. Montez officially finished with seven carries for 45 yards and a touchdown, a 17-yard scoring run in the third quarter that gave Colorado a 31-21 lead. When USC's one sack is eliminated from that total — college rules count sacks against rushing yards — his production on the ground was six carries for 57 yards, a very healthy 9.5-yard per carry average.
"To be honest, I love it," Montez said Tuesday at CU's weekly press conference. "I love running the football and I loved it when I first showed up here. I kind of got into the mentality that I was trying to turn into a pocket-passing quarterback, and I think I'm just a lot more comfortable when I can go and finish a few runs. It kind of just gets me into the flow of the game."
Indeed, when Montez introduced himself to CU fans as a redshirt freshman in 2016, he did so as a dual-threat quarterback. In his first start for the Buffs, he threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns and ran 21 times for 135 yards and another score in a 41-38 win at Oregon.
But three years and 34 starts later, those rushing totals are still career highs. Since then, he's been encouraged to work more on his game as a pocket passer and rely less on his feet. That led to CU coaches convincing him to go into a quarterback "slide" and not absorb so many hits — a strategy that produced mixed results over the last couple of seasons.
Heading into Friday's game, however, he decided to avoid the slide unless absolutely necessary and instead pick up every yard possible.
"When you slide, they take you five yards back from where you originally started your slide, so we don't pick up the yards that we felt like we needed to pick up," Montez said. "I just told my roommate (quarterback Josh Goldin), 'I'm going to finish every run that I get. I'm going to put my head down and I'm going to go get those yards and go get that yardage for us'."
That's exactly what he did, and it produced some nice gains. After scrambling from the pocket for 15 yards on his first carry, he picked up 13 more on a planned run on the same drive, helping Colorado to its first touchdown and a 10-7 lead.
He also had a 4-yard run on a sneak to convert a third down on a scoring drive in the second quarter, then added the 17-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
And, when he went out momentarily with an injury, backup Blake Stenstrom picked up where Montez left off, running for 27 yards on a planned keeper on his first play in the game.
"He was getting busy," Montez said. "I thought he was going to go to the house."
There's no way of knowing if the Buffs will continue to call Montez's number on planned runs — but if they do, he again plans on utilizing the slide only when necessary.
"My way of thinking now is when in doubt you need to finish the run," Montez said. "When you let up and somebody hits you from the front or from behind, that's when people get hurt. So I figure just play it safe and finish the run and get that extra yardage … You have to kind of look at yourself in the mirror and at some point, you have to go get those yards for your team because those yards are precious."
TUCKER PLEASED WITH PRACTICE: CU head coach Mel Tucker said the Buffs have had two good days of practice in preparation for Saturday's 7 p.m. (MT) matchup with UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
"We had a real physical practice today with the pads on," Tucker said. "Guys really got after it and attitudes have been really good. The attention to detail, focus, and preparation is very similar to what it was last week. We have asked our guys to step it up and have reminded them what it takes to be a good football team. We reviewed that this morning and showed them some videos that pointed to that. I am very pleased so far in our preparation and our guys moving forward with this game plan."
EXPLOSIVES STILL A PROBLEM: Still of a concern for Tucker and his defensive staff are explosive plays by the opponent.
CU has already given up 49 plays of 20 yards or longer in eight games this year, with nine of those coming on the ground. Last year, CU gave up just 46 plays of 20 yards or more all season.
"We still have to do a better job tackling," Tucker said. "When we don't tackle well, we see explosive runs. We are in the right spot and are in a position to make those plays. I believe the name of the game is hitting and being physical. We are moving in the right direction."
RUN GAME MATCHUP: Saturday's game against the Bruins will pit two teams that have been running the ball well this season, particularly in Pac-12 play.
UCLA is averaging 220.6 yards per game on the ground over its last five games (all conference affairs), with four straight games of over 200. The Buffs, meanwhile, are averaging 168 yards per game on the ground in five Pac-12 games.
"The past several weeks we have been able to run the ball," Tucker said. "Our run game has improved every week. Offensive line does a great job and our backs work really hard. They're very well coached and show a level of toughness."
But stopping the UCLA run game will be a big challenge for Colorado's defense. CU held USC to 112 yards on the ground last week, but will see a very talented back this week in UCLA's Josh Kelley. The Bruins senior leads the Pac-12 in rushing at 105 yards per game, and last weekend ran for 164 yards and four touchdowns in UCLA's 42-32 win over Arizona State.
"Their backs are very talented and they run hard," Tucker said. "Their O-line is getting better. They are maturing and growing and they have had some continuity. They have really found their stride and have figured out what they can do well."
HEALTHY VISKA: CU wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., who has been battling injury for much of the season, is finally getting back to what he said is "close" to 100 percent.
It showed against USC, as he finished with season highs in catches and yards, nabbing nine for 172. That included a 71-yard touchdown catch, his longest play of the season. Shenault ran a short slant route and caught the pass from Montez on the run — and nobody in front of him.
"If you see green grass, you automatically have to think no one's going to catch you," he said. "I didn't even bother to look. I was going to trust my speed and go."
It was Shenault's second-longest reception in his career and longest since an 89-yard scoring catch against Colorado State in the 2018 season opener.
"It felt good to do what I normally do," he said. "It was the perfect play call. It definitely felt good because I haven't done anything like that in forever."
While Shenault has missed just one game because of injury, he hasn't been at what he believes is full speed since early in the season. But after several weeks when his practice time on Mondays and Tuesdays has been limited, he's been full go this week.
NO FRUSTRATION: Asked if he's frustrated over CU's recent penalty woes — the Buffs are averaging eight yellow flags per game — Tucker said he tries to avoid frustration.
"It is not productive or helpful," he said. "You just have to continue to find ways to get the message across and get those details executed … That is a lot of drill work and film study. You show them how they did it wrong and how to do it right. That is what we have to do, continue to find ways to get our guys better. There is a difference between being disappointed and being discouraged. When I don't see the execution at the level with which we need to have, I am disappointed but I am not discouraged."
SAMI IMPROVING: Colorado redshirt freshman nose tackle Jalen Sami had one of his best games of the season against USC. Hampered by an injury the last few weeks, he was back at full speed against the Trojans and finished with three tackles, including one for loss, in 30 snaps and received a respectable 68.1 grade from Pro Football Focus. It was his second-best PFF grade of the year in games with at least 20 snaps.
"Sami is first of all a great young man," Tucker said. "He works really hard. He is low maintenance, meaning he is always where he is supposed to be and doing what he is supposed to do. He is a big guy. He is hard to move and has some really good initial quickness, balance, and body control."
With three more seasons of eligibility, Sami could be an anchor for the Buffs for the next several years.
"He makes our defense better when he is in there and healthy," Tucker said. "He can control the middle and command the double team, which is important at his spot. He is a really good, young player that is going to get better. We are a better defense and football team when he is in there and is healthy and going good."
BROADCAST CREW: Saturday's Pac-12 television crew will have Ted Robinson on play-by-play, Yogi Roth on color commentary and Lewis Johnson from the sidelines.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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