Fast Five: Keys For Buffs At Oregon
October 29, 2021 | Football, Neill Woelk
EUGENE, Ore. — An already tall order for the Colorado Buffaloes grew even more this week when head coach Karl Dorrell told the media that star linebacker Nate Landman likely won't be available for Saturday's game at Oregon (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox).
That means the Buffs (2-5 overall, 1-3 Pac-12) must face the No. 7 Ducks (6-1, 3-1) without arguably their best player.
"We have some guys that are going to have to step up and fill the shoes that he usually has in our defense," Dorrell said earlier this week on an Oregon radio show. "We have some very good capable young linebackers that can do the job and they have to be able to do it this Saturday."
Those replacements — whether it be Jonathan Van Diest, Robert Barnes or Marvin Ham II — will have their hands full with an Oregon offense that is averaging more than 425 yards per game, and doing it with balance. Quarterback Anthony Brown has thrown for 1,490 yards and seven touchdowns while running back Travis Dye has rushed for 562 yards and eight scores.
But while talented, Brown and Dye aren't the Ducks' headline player. That title belongs to defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux, a potential No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick who is coming off a monster game last week against UCLA. In a 34-31 Ducks win, Thibodeaux racked up nine tackles (eight solo) and 4.5 tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks.
So what must Dorrell's Buffs do Saturday to give themselves a chance at Autzen Stadium, where the Ducks have won 16 in a row?
Our weekly Fast Five:
1. Start fast. Colorado can't afford to let the Ducks jump out to a big lead early. If Oregon establishes its tempo early, the game could get away in a hurry.
The good news is the Ducks haven't been a particularly fast-starting team. They have actually been outscored in the first quarter this season, 45-44, including last week, when they fell behind UCLA, 14-0.
So how do they accomplish that?
2. Establish a quick passing game early. Oregon's pass defense has given up more than 266 yards per game this season, 109th in the nation. They haven't been particularly susceptible to the long ball, but they have given up yards in chunks.
The Buffs must find a way to get the ball to their playmakers in space. That means short passes to their wideouts, as well as utilizing the receiving abilities of their running backs and tight ends.
One more thing?
3. Contain Thibodeaux. OK, the only thing that has stopped Thibodeaux this season is an injury. When he's healthy, he's a beast.
But the Buffs have to find a way to keep him out of the backfield long enough to give their quarterback a decent chance of getting rid of the ball.
That won't be easy, especially for an offensive line that gave up six sacks last week against Cal, then had their O-line coach dismissed a day later.
But if the Buffs can't at least slow Thibodeaux down, it could be a very long day.
4. Force Ducks QB Brown into some mistakes. CU's offense has taken plenty of criticism this year and the defense has played relatively well at times. But one defensive area that has been sorely lacking is takeaways — the Buffs have created just five turnovers in seven games.
While Brown is an electric performer capable of big plays, he also has a tendency to over-extend. He threw two interceptions last week against UCLA, and he's had some other mental miscues this season as well.
Colorado's defense has to step up in a big way in this one — even if Landman is indeed sidelined. That means not only getting to Brown on occasion, but also keeping Dye in check.
5. Play with abandon. The Buffs are big underdogs, they are coming off a disappointing effort last week at Cal and they saw one of their coaches fired this week. No doubt, expectations from the outside are not big.
But this is an opportunity to prove to themselves — not anyone else — that they can play at a high level against a good team.Â
Nobody said it would be easy, but It is an opportunity they should relish.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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