Colorado's defense has taken a disappointing step back in Robert Livingston's second season as Coach Prime's defensive coordinator, but perhaps they turned the corner last week in the win over Iowa State.
While they still allowed 441 yards, the Buffs were terrific on third down, holding Iowa State to just 2-of-12. They also forced a key takeaway.
The defense hasn't been good enough this year, however, which is something both Deion Sanders and Livingston would readily admit. Colorado currently ranks 90th in the country in yards per play defense.
But a big reason for future optimism is thanks to a couple of true freshmen who have already stood out in their first seasons in Boulder.
Defensive ends London Merritt and Alexander McPherson have been revelations for Livingston's defense. With so many veteran guys up front, there weren't high expectations on either of them to see a lot of playing time right away. They've forced themselves onto the field and left Livingston no choice but to give them snaps.
“You forget they’re 18," Livingston said about Merritt and McPherson. "They have such a different skill set. “They’re just going to continue to thrive … you can build around those guys.”
London Merritt and Alexander McPherson are the future of the Colorado defense
Having two terrorizing defensive ends to bookend your defensive front is a heck of a point to build from. This season hasn't gone how Colorado players, coaches, or fans wanted, but the future remains bright in Boulder thanks to players like Merritt and McPherson.
Coach Prime continues to inject talent into the program. It's a process that was never going to happen overnight. Last season's overachievement set up this year's team with unrealistic expectations. The Buffaloes had a lot of roster turnover from last season, and they should be judged more this season based on competitiveness than anything else.
This was always going to be a rebuilding year. But Colorado isn't far off. The Buffs lost to Georgia Tech and BYU by a combined 10 points. The Houston loss was demoralizing, but they were in the game in the fourth quarter against TCU, too. Last week's upset win over Iowa State was always on the docket - they finally put it all together down the stretch.
After the bye this week, Colorado is likely going to be a team that nobody wants to play down the stretch. They've made steady improvements, and guys like Merritt and McPherson will continue to develop and get better. They are a major source of optimism in Boulder, not just for the rest of this season, but next season and beyond.