2015 CFB Preview – Colorado


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It’s Year 3 for Mike MacIntyre, a pivotal one for the coach and a program that’s strung together nine consecutive losing seasons.

By Rich Cirminiello | @RichCirminiello

MacIntyre is a builder, and a patient one at that. And he and his staff have methodically tinkered with every aspect of the Buffaloes the last two years, with progress typically showing up in places other than the standings. But Colorado actually won fewer games in 2014 than in 2013, and will carry an eight-game losing streak into 2015. While patience is still being shown, and no one expects a miracle turnaround, it’s crucial for MacIntyre and the Buffs to turn a couple of last season’s moral victories into actual ones this fall.

Winning in Boulder is rife with challenges. But it’s not impossible. Gary Barnett went to five bowl games in seven years. Rick Neuheisel twice won 10 games in a season. And Bill McCartney’s last six teams finished ranked. Moving further from the losing culture that has gripped the program of late will hinge on the right shoulder of junior QB Sefo Liufau and the soft hands of WR Nelson Spruce. However, one really prolific pitch-and-catch combo won’t get the Buffs out of their current funk. Much more help is needed, particularly on defense.

The Colorado offense is borderline bowl-caliber. The D, on the other hand, is fit for the Big Sky Conference. The Buffaloes didn’t hold a single Pac-12 opponent below 36 points last year, a central reason why they didn’t defeat a single Pac-12 opponent either. Jim Leavitt, best known as the architect of the South Florida Bulls, has been brought aboard to reshape his new pupils on a basic fundamental level. While Leavitt is going to have a positive impact on an experienced group of players, anything more than incremental progress in 2015 is doubtful.

The Buffaloes showed signs of breaking through a year ago, nearly upsetting more talented Pac-12 opponents. They even dragged UCLA, which wound up in the top 10, into double-overtime. It’s now up to the program to learn how to win the toss-ups, the hardest component to any rebuilding plan. MacIntyre has had three recruiting classes and two full seasons to breathe life back into Colorado. It’s time for this team to deliver a signature moment or two, while striding closer to bowl-eligibility.

What to look for on offense: Ramping up the running game. The Buffs set a bunch of school records in 2014—and scored their most points since 2002. But if they want to stave off predictability, while keeping the beleaguered D off the field, an improved running game must be a priority. Colorado ranked ninth in the Pac-12 in rushing. However, even with two new starting linemen, the success of the passing attack should help to spring a deep collection of runners that includes Christian Powell, Michael Adkins and Phillip Lindsay.

What to look for on defense: Love it or Leavitt. As the offense improves, the defense remains a glaring liability, yielding at least 30 points a game in each of the last five seasons. MacIntyre has hired former South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt to try and elevate a group that hasn’t been close to Pac-12-caliber since joining the league in 2011. Leavitt, whose boundless energy should not be underestimated, will need to be a schematic genius to overcome the gap in proven talent, money plays and depth in 2015.

The team will be much better if … it creates more opportunities for the offense. The Colorado D is not going to get better overnight, even with Leavitt at the helm. It’ll still struggle to create pressure and prevent big plays on the ground and through the air. But the Buffs can gradually tilt the scales in their favor by generating more turnovers that put the ball back in the hands of QB Sefo Liufau. Colorado had just 11 takeaways in 2014, including three interceptions, which tied for next to last in the country.

The Schedule:

– The Buffs’ non-conference schedule is tailored for a fast start to 2015. Colorado faces Hawaii, Massachusetts, Colorado State and Nicholls State, none of who are outside of the Buffs’ weight class.
– Colorado better take advantage of the September slate of games, because the Pac-12 schedule kicks off in October with three straight games versus Oregon, Arizona State and Arizona.
– Early October is the first of two wicked stretches that Mike MacIntyre’s team must endure. Halloween kicks off a grueling three-game swing with UCLA, Stanford and USC.
– If the Buffs are going to clinch that long-awaited first bowl berth since 2007, it’ll likely have to happen outside Folsom Field. Colorado won’t host after Nov. 13, closing the regular season in Pullman and Salt Lake City.
– Not only does Colorado play 13 games this season, but it’ll do so uninterrupted on 13 consecutive weekends. In other words, the opening day trip to Honolulu could be viewed as a de facto bowl game without the bowl swag.
– WATCH OUT FOR … Massachusetts. Don’t forget that the Buffaloes narrowly escaped the Minutemen last September, 41-38. And UMass coach Mark Whipple has his team playing with more confidence and offensive pop.

What you need to know about the offense: While the modified Pistol offense continues to improve under coordinator Brian Lindgren, the Buffs know they still need to get much better, especially if the D remains a liability. Yeah, Colorado averaged 28.5 points per game, its most in 12 years, but it also ranked dead last in the Pac-12 in yards per play. And up-and-coming QB Sefo Liufau needs to nuance more connections downfield with fewer turnovers and poor decisions in the passing game. Liufau, along with all-league WR Nelson Spruce, will be the centerpieces of an attack that hopes to achieve slightly more balance in 2015. Backfield depth doesn’t figure to be a worry, since Michael Adkins is returning from knee surgery and Boise State transfer Aaron Baltazar will be added to the roster in the summer. However, the graduations of Daniel Munyer and Kaiwi Crabb means Colorado will be employing two new starting guards this fall, a potential roadblock to running between the tackles.

What you need to know about the defense: Jim Leavitt must really want to be back in the college game, because he’s inherited one of the toughest gigs among Power Five coordinators. Colorado has a longstanding tradition as a sieve on D, with last season following true to form. Leavitt will attempt to coach up a unit that ranked 119th nationally in points per game and 120th in yards per play. The one silver lining is that the two-deep will be littered with upperclassmen and returning starters. At a minimum, Leavitt will be mentoring plenty of kids who’ve played a lot of reps at this level. Now, the former South Florida head coach and his staff of assistants must figure a way to maximize the potential of the holdovers. In a league with as much skill position talent as the Pac-12, the Buffaloes are going to hit an immovable wall until they prove they can make timely stops in the latter stages of tight games.

Best Offensive Player: Senior WR Nelson Spruce. Spruce has served as the perfect complement to QB Sefo Liufau during his developmental years; the receiver runs good routes and has good hands, so he’s been the quarterback’s best friend. Spruce should be good for 100 catches for a second straight year. And if not, it means that the extra attention from defensive backs is opening things up for emerging sophomore teammates Bryce Bobo and Shay Fields.

Best Defensive Player: Junior Addison Gillam. Fingers are crossed that Gillam will resume being the pesky run defender he was as a rookie in 2013. Last year was a disappointment spurred by injuries, illness and a significant drop in weight. However, even after sitting out the spring game, Gillam is expected to be at full strength for the start of 2015. He’s a high-energy, long-range run-stopper who debuted out of Foothill (Calif.) High School two years ago with 107 tackles, 9.5 stops for loss and three sacks.

Key player to a successful season: Junior DE Samson Kafovalu. Colorado—and new coordinator Jim Leavitt—is pining for more stoppers on D. Kafovalu is one of the Buffs capable of providing a spark this season. He’s back and centered again after returning to Los Angeles and sitting out the 2014 campaign for personal reasons. At 6-4 and 270 pounds, Kafovalu brings good size and a great motor to a line that has a chance to be improved with the returns of Josh Tupou inside and Derek McCartney and Jimmie Gilbert on the edge.

The season will be a success if … the Buffaloes contend for that first bowl berth in a decade. After winning just twice in 2014, but putting scares into Cal, Oregon State, UCLA and Utah, it’s time for Colorado to begin cashing in on all of the effort put in by the staff the past two years. Reaching the .500 mark will require a lot of heavy lifting in Boulder, but at least the opening month features four opponents that the Buffs are capable of outscoring.

Key game: Sept. 19 vs. Colorado State. The Buffaloes must start fast in 2015, and the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown is easily their toughest challenge of September. After getting outclassed by the Rams a year ago, 31-17, Colorado needs to use this season’s matchup at Invesco Field as a launching point into a brutal October slate of games. The Buffs could catch a break since CSU will be working with a first-time starting quarterback and rookie head coach Mike Bobo.

2014 Fun Stats:
– Average gain on first down: Colorado 5.4 – Opponents 6.8
– Passes intercepted: Colorado 3 – Opponents 15
– Passer efficiency rating: Colorado 128.5 – Opponents 149.9

Players You Need To Know

1. WR Nelson Spruce, Sr.
Spruce’s decision to remain in school for his senior year is the best thing to happen to Colorado so far this offseason. The 6-1, 195-pound Biletnikoff Award semifinalist and team MVP shattered all kinds of Buffalo records in 2014, catching a league-high 106 passes for 1,198 yards and 12 touchdowns. Spruce is the kind of polished receiver who makes his quarterback better by running tight routes, securing anything within his catch-radius and knowing where the markers are at all times. Even though defenders know he’s the target, he’ll still be up around 100 receptions again this year.

2. QB Sefo Liufau, Jr.
Liufau set a bunch of school passing records in 2014. Now, the Buffs need their 6-4, 230-pound All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection to continue cranking out the numbers, while cutting down on his turnovers and ill-advised decisions. He has considerable potential, the right mix of physical tools and two seasons as a starter to call upon as experience. As the point man of an offense that averaged more points than any Colorado team since 2002, Liufau completed 325-of-498 passes for 3,200 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 picks.

3. LB Addison Gillam, Jr.
Sophomore slump. Disappointing encore. However it’s couched, Gillam endured a rough second season, beset by missed tackles and nagging injuries. Still, he’s poised to recapture his spot as Colorado’s most reliable defender. A year after emerging out of leftfield for the Buffaloes, the 6-3, 225-pound Gillam slipped to 79 tackles, 9.5 stops for loss and 3.5 sacks. Decent numbers, but the staff has already seen firsthand that No. 44 is capable of much more.

4. DT Josh Tupou, Sr.
Tupou has a final season to show why he’s one of the hardest players to block in Boulder. He’s Colorado’s workhorse on the interior, occupying more than one blocker and creating running lane traffic. At 6-3 and 325 pounds, the honorable mention All-Pac-12 pick is arguably the toughest and the strongest player on the roster, making it difficult to move him off his base. Tupou’s numbers, 42 stops and three sacks, can’t possibly do justice to his importance to the program’s D-line.

5. OT Stephane Nembot, Sr.
Nembot was one of Colorado’s most pleasant surprises of 2014. And if he can further build off of last season, scouts will make sure he’s the next Buffalo lineman drafted into the NFL. The 6-7, 295-pound Cameroonian not only has the right length for the position, but he’s also shockingly athletic for a blocker his size. If Nembot can fine-tune his technique and become a little meaner this fall, All-Pac-12 recognition could be the reward.

6. LB Kenneth Olugbode, Jr.
Olugbode returns to weakside, where he’ll play a prominent role in one of the Pac-12’s more underrated linebacker corps. After playing just a handful of snaps in 2013, he kicked the training wheels off to lead the team with 83 tackles. At only 6-0 and 210 pounds, he’s clearly undersized for the position, a particular problem versus downhill running teams. But he compensates with the speed and the range to cover the field from sideline to sideline.

7. S Chidobe Awuzie, Jr.
The future is bright for Awuzie, one of the program’s most versatile defensive players. He’s started games at safety, corner and nickel during his two-year career, testament to his flexibility and football IQ. Prior to lacerating his kidney on Nov. 4, the 6-0, 190-pound Awuzie was leading the Buffaloes with 64 tackles, 11 third-down stops and 10 touchdown saves. Wherever he lines up this fall, he possesses the all-around talent to contend for the All-Pac-12 honor roll.

8. S Tedric Thompson, Jr.
Thompson’s career in Boulder is moving in the right direction, as evidenced by last season’s results. Despite missing the final four games to injury, he finished fourth on the team with 59 tackles, while owning the Buffs’ only three interceptions of the season. Thompson is tough and physical from strong safety, with the 6-0, 200-pound frame that can handle additional muscle. He’s eager to get back to work this season.

9. CB Kenneth Crawley, Sr.
Crawley is back as the Buffs’ most experienced defender, a veteran of 31 career starts who has steadily improved each year. The Washington D.C. native has an NFL build, 6-1 and 180 pounds, to go along with his three seasons of reps. But after finishing 2014 with 47 tackles, 13 pass breakups and not a single pick, Crawley needs to become a more impactful pass defender, especially with the graduation of all-star CB Greg Henderson.

10. DE Derek McCartney, Soph.
Critics felt McCartney was given a break because his grandfather, Bill, was a Buffalo coaching legend. Last year, the grandson set out to prove that he belonged on the field. McCartney posted 34 stops and a team-high 4.5 sacks, relying on fundamentals and a hot motor to consistently challenge opposing linemen. He’s only 6-3 and 240 pounds, but his determination and drive ensures he’ll be a nuisance again in 2015.

Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre
3rd year: 6-18
6th year: 22-39
Schedule
Sept. 3 at Hawaii
Sept. 12 Massachusetts
Sept. 19 Colorado State (in Denver)
Sept. 26 Nicholls State
Oct. 3 Oregon
Oct. 10 at Arizona State
Oct. 17 Arizona
Oct. 24 at Oregon State
Oct. 31 at UCLA
Nov. 7 Stanford
Nov. 13 USC
Nov. 21 at Washington State
Nov. 28 at Utah
Ten Best Colorado Players
1. WR Nelson Spruce, Sr.
2. QB Sefo Liufau, Jr.
3. LB Addison Gillam, Jr.
4. DT Josh Tupou, Sr.
5. OT Stephane Nembot, Sr.
6. LB Kenneth Olugbode, Jr.
7. S Chidobe Awuzie, Jr.
8. S Tedric Thompson, Jr.
9. CB Kenneth Crawley, Sr.
10. DE Derek McCartney, Soph.