Buffs Notes: Sanford Hopes For Another Full House At Folsom
October 25, 2022 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado coach Mike Sanford made it clear to Buffaloes fans Tuesday that they are needed for Saturday's game against Arizona State.
The Buffs will kick off their Homecoming game against the Sun Devils at 5:30 p.m., with KOA Radio to carry the broadcast and ESPNU with the television coverage.
"We're excited to get back to Folsom Field," Sanford said at his Tuesday press conference. "This is an opportunity just to tell Buff Nation, fan base, alums that are coming for Homecoming, that we really appreciated the support, the energy, the enthusiasm that was created two weeks ago and we're going to do everything in our power to recreate what I got to experience firsthand, that Folsom magic."
Sanford made his debut as CU's interim head coach two games ago against Cal, when more than 50,000 fans packed Folsom Field to see the Buffs produce a 20-13 overtime victory against Cal.
Sanford and his team would no doubt love to see that atmosphere again Saturday against the Sun Devils.
"That (Folsom magic) is a real thing," Sanford said. "I felt it. It was unlike any other fan base that I've personally been a part of, particularly in a time of adversity … Saturday night is going to be a fantastic football game. We're excited about it. We're prepping to put out the best product that we possibly can and we're going to bring unbelievable energy and bring the execution to match that energy to\ create another great memory. That's the intent for this Saturday."
With a 1-6 overall record (1-3 Pac-12), the Buffs haven't been able to create many memorable moments this year. But the Sun Devils — also operating under an interim head coach, Shaun Aguano — have had their own share of difficult circumstances. ASU is just 2-5 overall and also 1-3 in Pac-12 play.
The winner of Saturday's game will at least take a step up out of the Pac-12 basement, where half the conference — six teams — currently reside with just one league victory.
"These are opportunities that we know some of our fifth- and sixth-year seniors aren't going to have many more of going forward," Sanford said. "This is one of those Saturdays where we need all of you, Buff Nation. Everybody's got to show up and fill Folsom Field."
BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS: As Sanford continues the task of heading the program on an interim basis, he knows Colorado Athletic Director Rick George is actively involved in a coaching search. The Buffs have had plenty of interest in the position and George is carefully navigating the process of determining what boxes Colorado's next head coach should check.
Sanford isn't treating the seven-game stretch as an "audition" by any means. He has fully invested himself in doing his best to make this home stretch for the Buffs as successful as possible so the players can enjoy some memorable moments in what has clearly been a difficult year.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't have a good idea of what it will take to build a successful program in Boulder — and he didn't have to look very far last weekend when the Buffs took a 42-9 loss at Oregon State.
"Oregon State was a great model," Sanford said of Jonathan Smith's program. "If you look at Oregon State, you look at the 3-9 season, a couple of sub-.500 years. A lot of those players that were playing against us on Saturday were guys that had gone through those tough years. But they had continuity. They developed a strength coach, the position coaches to where you see them grow up and become a veteran team that looks like a Power Five, upper-echelon of a conference type of team. That development is the way you do it."
Sanford is well-aware of the rapidly changing environment of college sports. The relaxation of transfer rules and the advent of Name, Image and Likeness legislation have had a tremendous impact.
Those changes, Sanford said, make it even more imperative that Colorado produce a healthy atmosphere for its student-athletes from the moment they step on campus — and develop those young players into quality veterans.
"We have to continue to develop those first-, second- and third-year players," Sanford said. "We know the critical importance of those players. They're getting real reps."
The key, though, is developing young players and turning them into veterans — and making sure that cycle is continually repeated so the cupboard is never bare at any position group.
"We've developed that offensively," Sanford said. "There's growing pains with that, similar to that which Oregon State had … But they stayed with those players and those players stayed with that program. Therefore, you see the fruits of their labor. And I think that's the blueprint."
But in a day and age when players can leave for another program at virtually a moment's notice, Sanford added that it is critical for CU Athletics, fans and boosters to fully embrace the program.
"We have to invest in those relationships with those players, because a lot of these players didn't come to Boulder from the state of Colorado," Sanford said. "You have to think about what's keeping them here … It's got to be that we as a football program, we as an athletic department, we as a fan base, are wrapping our arms around those players. And I think the NIL space is going to be a part of that going forward. Just to make sure that these guys are the players of the future."
One other critical piece of the equation is filling holes in the roster via the transfer portal. The Buffs added two quality starters this year with transfers in offensive lineman Tommy Brown and linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo and Sanford said using the portal in the future will be crucial.
"Fill in all those gaps by being aggressive in the portal, which is something that we're going to absolutely do and we're already in the process of doing," Sanford said. "(Chandler-Semedo) has been such a great addition, and I think that shows the benefit of what we can do if we go out and get the right players in the portal. To me, that's the model going forward."
McCOWN UPDATE: Freshman quarterback Owen McCown, who left the game against Cal in the third quarter and did not play against Oregon State, practiced Tuesday on a limited basis and Sanford hinted that it's unlikely that he will be ready to play Saturday.
If not, junior J.T. Shrout will again be the starter.
"It's a throwing-based injury," Sanford said, "but it's in kind of the midsection, so it's not a shoulder, an elbow. Nothing along those lines … So to be honest, today, he is not there yet."
CURING THE DROPSIES: The Buffs have had a rash of dropped passes all season, including a few in each of the last two games that could have been big momentum boosts.
Sanford said the Buffs are working to fix those issues — but added the issue of drops starts with the coaches.
"We as coaches are never going to point a finger at a player for dropping a pass," Sanford said. "I look at it as it's my responsibility. You know, coach (Clay) Patterson's responsibility, coach (Phil) McGeoghan's responsibility, coach (Darian) Hagan's responsibility to build up confidence throughout the course of the week, and then empower those players to play free and loose."
But, as Sanford noted, the game is still a "bottom-line" industry and the Buffs can't afford to continue to have drives end early and game-changing moments slip through their fingers.
"It's our responsibility as coaches to build up their confidence to make them know that we believe in them," Sanford said. "Secondly, it's also personnel."
That could mean more time for players such as walkon freshman Jack Hestera, who had one catch for 21 yards and one rush for 6 yards against OSU. For the season, Hestera has five catches for 42 yards, and he has proven to have sure hands. Others who could continue to be targeted more are transfer R.J. Sneed and true freshman Jordyn Tyson, who bounced back from a dropped ball last week to finish with three catches for 92 yards.
SMITH, FONTENOT IMPROVING: Sanford said running backs Deion Smith and Alex Fontenot are both making progress in returning from injuries, and have a chance to play this weekend.
Smith didn't play at OSU after suffering an injury against Cal. He wasn't practicing at full contact Tuesday, but Sanford was still encouraged.
"He looked awesome," Sanford said. "It's almost like he looked faster, more decisive. He was hungry to be out there and all the credit in the world to him."
Fontenot hasn't played since Week 2 against Air Force. He is now finishing up his "running progression" and Sanford said the senior back could be cleared to practice Wednesday.
Players Mentioned
