Colorado University Athletics
Friday's Fast Five: Keys For Buffs Vs. Arizona
October 04, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Much of the conversation surrounding Saturday's Colorado-Arizona game at Folsom Field has focused on which quarterback — Khalil Tate or Grant Gunnell — will take the field for the Wildcats.
Tate is the UA veteran who has had two huge games in wins over Colorado the last two years; Gunnell is the freshman who stepped in for Tate last week against UCLA when the senior was sidelined by a hamstring injury and led the Wildcats to a win.
But the 3-1 Buffs (1-0 Pac-12) are concerned about more than just Arizona's quarterback. The Wildcats (3-1, 1-0) have a potent offense — they lead the conference in yards per game and rushing yards per game — and their defense seems to have righted itself after a rough start. Arizona has won three games in a row, including games in which UA held Texas Tech to 14 points and UCLA to 17.
Meanwhile, there's plenty at stake Saturday, as the winner will take over sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 South. What do the Buffs need to do to grab that spot?
1. Don't let the Wildcats get out to a quick start, especially via explosive plays. This will be a critical piece for the Buffs, in particular the second quarter.
For a variety of reasons, the second quarter hasn't been kind to CU's defense this year. The Buffs have allowed opponents to score 59 points in that period — which also happens to be Arizona's most-productive quarter, as the Wildcats have scored 70 points in the second period.
Part of UA's success has come via a propensity for big scoring plays, with 10 covering at least 20 yards. That's an area in which the Buffs have struggled early in games. But if they can make the Wildcats work for every yard, Colorado has a good chance of wearing them down and being in control in the fourth quarter — and that is when the Buffs have excelled this year.
2. Stop Arizona's run game early. The Wildcats would love to establish their rushing attack early, force the Buffs to play their tempo and keep CU's offense off the field.
Colorado can't afford to let Arizona dictate the pace. The Buffs need to keep the Arizona run game in check and force some third-and-long situations. If they can do that, they should be able to accomplish the next defensive goal, which is …Â
3. Get pressure on the quarterback, no matter who it is. The Buffs are familiar with Tate's arm. While he made big news two years ago with more than 300 yards and four touchdowns rushing against CU, he has also thrown for more than 500 yards and six scores against the Buffs.
But Gunnell also has a strong and accurate arm, and he also has a knack for the big play. The freshman has two 75-yard touchdown throws this year, is completing nearly 70 percent of his attempts, and has four touchdowns against no interceptions.
Still, if the Buffs can put the Wildcats into some obvious passing situations, they should be able to get to the quarterback, keep him in the pocket and force him to hurry his throws. If Colorado can make the Wildcats one dimensional, it will be a big step in containing the UA offense and give CU's offense some early opportunities.
4. Establish a run game early. More and more, this is proving to be a key for Colorado's offense. When the Buffs run the ball with consistency, it forces defenses to limit their extra pressure in the pass rush — and that gives quarterback Steven Montez time in the pocket.
When Montez has time, he has proven to be effective and efficient. It allows him to utilize all of Colorado's offensive weapons, and when that happens, the Buffs have shown they are hard to stop.
5. Win the turnover battle. While CU's defense has had trouble with consistency early in games, the Buffs haven't had any problem in taking the ball away from their opponents. Colorado is tied for sixth in the nation in total takeaways (11) and tied for second in turnover margin, averaging a plus-1.75 in that department.
But the Wildcats have also been good in the takeaway department, as they also have 11 this year, including nine interceptions.
The Buffs need to continue their opportunistic play on defense, but it won't be easy. The Wildcats have thrown just four interceptions this year and have lost only one fumble.
Meanwhile, the Buffs need to continue to take care of the ball. CU has lost just two fumbles and thrown only two interceptions. If Colorado can continue to show good ball security and come up with a couple momentum-turning takeaways, it will go a long way in helping CU be in control down the stretch.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
