Buffs Gear For Utah Run Game
November 27, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Over the last two games, the Colorado Buffaloes' defense has produced outstanding efforts against the run.
In wins over Stanford and Washington, the Buffs allowed an average of just 79.5 yards per game on the ground, including holding the Huskies to just 32 rushing yards on 32 carries. Prior to those two games, CU had been allowing an average of more than 150 yards per game rushing.
Mel Tucker's Buffs (5-6 overall, 3-5 Pac-12) will need that run defense to produce again Saturday when they meet sixth-ranked Utah (10-1, 7-1) in a 5:30 p.m. game at Rice-Eccle Stadium (ABC). The Utes have had the most productive run game in the Pac-12 this season, averaging 215.3 yards per game on the ground, and they are the only team in the league to average 5 yards per carry for the year.
"We want to be a run stop defense, that comes first," said CU linebacker Davion Taylor. "We practice it all the time and in the last two weeks we've been putting more of an emphasis on it and trying to keep our opponent under 100 yards. We've succeeded these last two games and we know that Utah loves to run the ball, so we're more hyped to take on the challenge of keeping them under 100 yards and stop their run game."
That is a lofty goal. Not only have the Utes averaged more than 200 yards per game, they have been held under 150 only once, when they managed just 115 on the ground in a 33-28 win at Washington three weeks ago.
It has been a calling card of Kyle Whittingham's Utah teams — along with a physical defense — and that hasn't changed this season.
"Tough, physical, hard-nosed football is how I believe the game was meant to be played," Tucker said. "That's the essence and purity of the game, the physicality of it all. I have a tremendous amount of respect when I turn on the film and I see a physical line of scrimmage, running the ball, stopping the run. I think you can measure the toughness of a team by how your receivers block and how your corners tackle. When you turn on the film with Utah, that's what you see. So I have a high level of respect for them and for the brand of football they play."
The cornerstone of Utah's run game has been senior back Zack Moss, who leads the Pac-12 with 1,158 yards and 14 touchdowns — a robust 6.4-yard-per-carry average — this year in 10 games. But the Utes also have a dangerous runner at quarterback in Tyler Huntley, who has 228 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
"He's probably one of the best quarterbacks in this league and Zack Moss is arguably the best running back in this league," Taylor said. "We're hyped about it but we just have to make sure that we watch film and read keys and make sure we know when they're going to run the ball. They're both talented guys and we can't let them get loose because even one mistake is enough for these two guys to get a touchdown."
Taylor, who recently accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl All-Star game, is coming off one of his best efforts of the year when he had 11 tackles, a quarterback sack and a quarterback hurry in the win over Washington. He is third on the team in tackles this season with 61, and he leads the Buffs in tackles for loss (TFLs) with seven.
While he also has seven pass breakups, it's no secret the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder is a force in the run game. His sprinter's speed (he finished fourth in the Pac-12 100-meter dash two years ago) makes it difficult for backs to get around the corner on him, and he has made more than one tackle this year by running opponents down from behind.
"I love the run game," he said. "I love being physical with the big guys and setting the edge. Making big plays on the running back and getting TFLs, I love the run game way more."
JONES IMPROVING: Inside linebacker Akil Jones continues to make strides. He made his starting debut this year at Oregon, and now has five starts under his belt.
"Akil has worked very hard and coach (Ross) Els has done a great job with him," Tucker said. "He's a guy who has really good potential and upside. He's got great athleticism and he's strong, he's got great balance and body control. His instincts are starting to show up and he's starting to play fast. He has a better grasp on what to do, why he's doing it and why it's important to be done that way. When players know what to do they play fast and when you play fast you have a chance to be physical, and I think that's what you're seeing with him."
Jones is coming off a nine-tackle effort against Washington, one off his career high of 10 against Air Force. He has 50 tackles this year, including four for loss, along with three quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.
"Akil's grown a lot," said fellow inside linebacker Nate Landman. "Akil's not only now someone that I can count on to do his job, but he's turned into an X-factor guy, someone who can make a play when the play needs to be made, whether it's a TFL or affecting the quarterback. I love playing next to Akil. He's a great leader and people look up to him."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
