Colorado Buffaloes Recap- Undefeated Edition
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Buffaloes are undefeated!
Paul Richardson showed again why he is one of the best college football players on the planet, the defense scored two touchdowns, and coach Mike MacIntyre and the Buffs staged a fourth quarter comeback for the second straight week. It’s the first time since 2008 Colorado has started the season 2-0.
Sure, we all would have liked to coast to a win against an FCS team. But this isn’t 2002 folks.
Yes. Central Arkansas is an FCS team. But Colorado was 1-2 all time against FCS teams coming into this game.
Central Arkansas was the #5 ranked team in the FCS, they had a halftime lead at Ole Miss last year, and the 2012 Southland Conference Player of the Year in QB Wynrick Smothers.
So it’s not like we just beat USC (way to go Wazzu), but I’m pretty pleased with the win.
Bring on the Bulldogs!
The Good
– Paul Richardson
Paul Richardson for Heisman!
Too early? Maybe so, but Richardson has been a STUD the first two weeks of the season. Richardson’s 209 receiving yards on 11 catches and two touchdowns was the difference yet again this week.
Through two weeks, Richardson leads the NCAA with 417 receiving yards, 123 more than anyone else.
– The Opportunistic Defense
We might be singing a different tune this week if not for Jared Bell’s 71-yard pick six in the fourth quarter on Saturday. A tipped Wynrick Smothers pass found it’s way right into the hands of Bell, but the junior was in the right place at the right time and had the speed and awareness to take it to the house and change the game.
In addition to Bell’s big play, Greg Henderson had a pick six of his own in the first quarter, his second touchdown in as many games, and true freshman Chidobe Awuzie’s forced fumble and recovery right after the Bell touchdown put the momentum in Colorado’s favor for good.
– The Will to WIn
That’s two games now in the young season that the Buffs have built an early lead, given it up, and fought back to win. If you ask me, that’s ability to fight through adversity is the mark of a good coach and a team that believes in each other and themselves.
For the first time in a long time, I think the Colorado Buffaloes have one.
The Bad
– Turnovers
Connor Wood threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.
Besides that Wood was pretty good, and he was great in week one so I’m not going to be too hard on him here, but he needs to clean that up, and he knows it.
– Kickoff Coverage
For the second straight week, CU was terrible in kickoff coverage. After giving two return touchdowns against Colorado State, the Buffs gave up an 88-yard kick return this week.
If that’s not bad enough, after the big return early in the third quarter, the Buffs proceeded to pooch kick it the rest of the game. I CAN’T STAND this strategy, we might as well kick it out of bounds since we’re basically giving them the 40 anyway.
Colorado has one of the few coaches in the county designated only to special teams, Toby Neinas. He had better figure out a way for CU to start making tackles out there if he wants to keep that role.
– Run Game
34 carries for 84 yards isn’t going to cut it.
Tony Jones’ 12 carries for 58 was productive, especially in the fourth quarter. After looking indecisive against Colorado State, the junior ran hard in the second half against the Bears, and it’s encouraging to see him hit the hole instead of dancing in the backfield.
Sophomore Christian Powell was very ineffective, carrying just six times for 22 yards, which has me concerned. I thought Powell would break out into a star this season, after a solid freshman campaign. The big man’s lack of carries has me concerned that the ‘thigh bruise’ he suffered against the Rams is something more.
Donta Abron had more of a role this week, carrying eight times, but only gained nine yards. I wonder if true freshman Michael Adkins makes his debut against Fresno State?
By hiring Neinas to coach special teams, what CU doesn’t have is a designated running backs coach (Klayton Adams handles RB’s and TE’s). After two weeks, it shows.
Next Up – Fresno State (Saturday, Folsom Field, TBA)
Colorado went to Fresno State last year and lost. Really. Really. Badly.
Trailing 55-7 at Fresno at halftime was one of the low points of my life as a sports fan.
Hopefully we see something different on Saturday at Folsom.