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Colorado Daily – California
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October 28th – GameDay!
… CU in a few minutes …
Drew Litton’s take on CU’s Homecoming
From the Daily Camera …
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Buffs to play with a “sense of urgency” against Cal
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay believes CU’s seniors will play with a “sense of urgency” down the home stretch of the season.
That four-game stretch begins Saturday, when the Buffs play host to Cal in a noon homecoming game at Folsom Field. Both teams enter the game with 4-4 overall records and 1-4 Pac-12 marks. The winner will be one step closer to bowl eligibility; the loser will see the postseason become even more difficult to reach.
The Buffs would like this year’s team to become the first CU group to play in back-to-back bowls since the 2004-05 teams.
“We still have a lot left to accomplish,” said Lindsay, whose production at running back has been one of the Buffs’ few constants on offense. “For a lot of us, it is the last four or five games left in our college careers, so the sense of urgency is we’ll never play another down in black and gold after these five games. We want to go out with a bang. We want to leave everything out there.”
CU fans will be watching closely when Colorado’s offense trots onto the field. In the wake of a disappointing performance by the offense in last week’s 28-0 loss at Washington State, head coach Mike MacIntyre opened up the quarterback competition this week. Incumbent starter Steven Montez, benched at halftime last week, and redshirt freshman backup Sam Noyer spent the week splitting repetitions in practice, with MacIntyre saying he wouldn’t make his decision until Saturday morning.
… Continue reading story here …
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October 27th
… CU in a few minutes …
Plati-tudes No. 105
From CUBuffs.com … Plati-‘Tudes No. 105 … Two P-‘Tudes in two weeks? What’s the world coming to … Thanks to all you who sent well-wishes as I deal with a circulatory/infection issue with my left leg. It’s healing nicely—the folks down at Anschutz’ Wound Clinic rock!
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A look back at 1994 … With the upcoming retirement of Rashaan Salaam’s No. 19 jersey, I thought I’d take everyone for a ride and recall how the 1994 season unfolded. I’ve already recounted the Heisman weekend when I was privileged to escort Rashaan to New York for the ceremony (last December after he passed).
There’s always been a debate among CU fans as to which team was the best in our history. In the post-World War II Era, the first wave almost always includes 1971, 1989, 1990, 1994 and 2001. I personally believe it’s a toss-up between ’89 and ’94, followed closely by the other three; but the ’89 and ’94 teams had just a single blemish, and arguably had either gone undefeated, they could very well be in the conversation to be among college football’s all-time greatest teams.
… Continue reading story here …
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Neill Woelk’s Five Keys to Cal game
From CUBuffs.com … Two teams that have experienced their fair share (and maybe more) of Pac-12 frustrations this year will attempt to get their seasons back on the right track Saturday at Folsom Field.
Colorado and Cal both enter Saturday’s noon homecoming game with identical 4-4 overall and 1-4 Pac-12 marks. Two of the Buffs’ conference losses have come by a total of seven points; two of Cal’s losses have come by a total of 11 points, including last week’s overtime 45-44 decision at the hands of Arizona.
Of course, only one team will emerge from Saturday’s game with its second conference win — and if the two teams’ last meeting is any indication, it will go down to the wire.
The last time the two teams played, Cal escaped with a 59-56 double-overtime victory at home in 2014 when quarterbacks for both teams threw for seven touchdowns.
What the Buffs must do today to collect their second win over the Bears since joining the Pac-12:
… Continue reading story here …
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October 26th
… CU in a few minutes …
Dante Wigley making the most of his opportunity in the defensive backfield
From the Daily Camera … As Dante Wigley began kicking the tires on prospective schools last year for a place to continue his football career, all the appropriate boxes with Colorado started getting checked off.
CU’s return to prominence with a 10-win season and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl certainly was notable. And for any player harboring big dreams, the fact the Buffaloes were about to send three defensive backs to NFL rosters certainly was a head-turner.
Then Wigley visited and his mom simply loved the place. Done deal.
As the Buffaloes attempt to regroup Saturday in a homecoming date against Cal (noon, Pac-12 Network), they do so with Wigley playing a larger, more assertive role at cornerback on a defense still trying to establish an identity.
“In the recruiting process I looked at all the DBs, and how (CU’s) DBs were going to go to the NFL,” Wigley said. “I went to the Utah game (last year) and they were literally lights-out. I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to be in that secondary next year.’ That definitely was a contribution, and the fact that (Mike MacIntyre) is a guru of DBs.
“I’ve never come this far from home, and when I came here on my official with my mom she loved it. She’s a real big influence on my life. I thought about it a lot and had other options, but I decided to come out here.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Governor/Mayor declare “Saturday Ralphie 50th Anniversary Day”
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones have each signed proclamations that declare Saturday as “Ralphie’s 50th Anniversary Day” in honor of the famed University of Colorado Boulder mascot.
Since 1967, Ralphie has led the football team onto the field before games in one of the greatest traditions in all of college athletics. After well over 300 games and many more community appearances, CU Boulder will commemorate the mascot’s 50th anniversary at this Saturday’s home football game (12 p.m. kickoff versus the California Bears).
“Ralphie is iconic for so many Coloradans across the country,” Hickenlooper said. “Her strength and majestic nature matches that of our great state. Congratulations to the University of Colorado Boulder and everyone associated with the Ralphie program on this momentous occasion.”
The city of Boulder, and its residents, have also had strong ties with the Ralphie program, including the decades-old partnership of the popular Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast at Folsom Field.
“Ralphie is a source of great pride for both the university and the Boulder community,” Jones said. “She has delighted our community for the past 50 years and that’s why the City Council declared this Saturday to be Ralphie’s 50th Anniversary Day.”
Ralphie V, who is in her 10th season as the current mascot, will serve as Friday’s Homecoming Parade grand marshal and be on the lawn of the Boulder County Courthouse Annex starting at 6:45 p.m. At Saturday’s game, there will be former Ralphie Handlers present and video tributes to Ralphie throughout the game. Also, legendary and retired PA announcer Alan Cass will be on hand to say “Here Comes Ralphie …” one more time. Tickets are still available for Saturday’s game at www.cubuffs.com/tickets.
Being a Ralphie Handler takes up to 30 hours a week during football season and up to 15 hours a week the rest of the year. The 15 Ralphie Handlers have to be strong and fast to run with Ralphie V, who weighs 1,200 pounds and can sprint up to 25 mph.
Since its inception, the Ralphie mascot program has been funded by generous donors. Over the summer, as part of the 50th anniversary, CU Athletics announced a crowdfunding campaign to raise $50,000 by the end of the 2017 football season. To date, the campaign has raised more than $43,000. For more information, see https://www.cubuffs.com/ralphie50. For more on the Ralphie program and history, see http://www.cubuffs.com/ralphie.
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Ticket sales over 45,000 for Homecoming
From the Daily Camera … As of Wednesday, the Buffs had sold about 45,700 tickets for Saturday’s game. This will be the 10th consecutive home game with at least 43,000 tickets sold. The Buffs reached that number just twice in the 19 home games before that.
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Pac-12 Network preview: California at Colorado
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History of Ralphie III
From CUBuffs.com … On June 3, 1985, Chuck Brackenbury was out mending fences on the Joe Miller Ranch outside of Laramie, Wyoming, when he noticed a buffalo giving birth early in the morning. He checked back later that night and discovered the mom had died during labor, but the calf was still alive just standing there all alone. He brought the calf back to his ranch where she was bottle-fed and raised with horses and a goat. She was originally given the name of Buffy. Brackenbury eventually sold her to Bob Renaud, a buffalo rancher in Hudson, Colorado. In September 1987, Johnnie and Shaaron Parker bought the 2-year old buffalo from Renaud and donated her to the University. Parker also trained and housed her. Ralphie III was a lot bigger and faster than her two predecessors, and was given the name Tequila because of her fiery personality.
Ralphie III was brought into action earlier than anticipated, making her debut run on November 7, 1987 at a home game against Missouri. She did attend the two home games after Ralphie II passed away, but did not run, instead standing on the sidelines. Ralphie III was being trained for the 1988 season, as Ralphie II was to retire following the 1987 season. When Ralphie II passed away earlier than anticipated, and after only five weeks of training, Ralphie III finished the 1987 season. The Buffs welcomed her with a 27-10 victory over Missouri. On August 26, 1990, Ralphie III traveled to Anaheim, California when Colorado took on Tennessee in the Pigskin Classic. Though she was in attendance, she did not run onto the field since stadium officials did not allowing it. The game ended in a tie, 31-31.
On October 22, 1988 when Colorado played Oklahoma, Ralphie III and a second buffalo named Vicky, led the football team onto the field to start the game. Vicky used Ralphie II’s old harness for the run, but did not run at the start of the second half. Vicky was born in May 1988 in Wyoming. Though she was originally dubbed Ralphie IV, Vicky did not have the temperament to be the next Ralphie and was subsequently sold to buffalo rancher a short time later. CU lost to Oklahoma 14-17.
… Continue reading story here …
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October 25th
… CU in a few minutes …
Buffs defensive line believes the are getting it together
From the Daily Camera … While the numbers haven’t been great this season, it’s certainly been a learning experience for the line.
George Frazier and Leo Jackson III are the only seniors among the main rotation up front. Juniors Javier Edwards, Jase Franke and Chris Mulumba have gained valuable experience, along with sophomore Lyle Tuiloma.
“It is getting better, honestly,” said Tuiloma, who splits time with Edwards at nose tackle. “I think we had one of our best practices this week. Everybody was all in.”
Tuiloma has been grateful for “more playing time than I ever thought I would get,” but said he’s nowhere near satisfied with his growth.
“There’s always room for improvement, no matter how good you get,” he said. “I expect more out of myself.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Mike MacIntyre post-practice comments to media (Wed.)
From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com:
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October 24th
… CU in a few minutes …
Mike MacIntyre press conference quotes
From CUBuffs.com …
Opening Statement
“It’s a big homecoming game. Cal’s bringing a good football team in here. (Former Cal head coach) Sonny [Dykes] had done a good job recruiting there and we knew it, because we were recruiting against them. They’ve got some better players than they’ve had. Coach [Justin] Wilcox has done a great job with them getting them better and better. (Quarterback) Ross Bowers is a young man that we were recruiting. Both his parents, one coached at Washington and one coached I believe at James Madison. He’s a football coach’s kid through and through. He’s playing well. Defensively, their talent has upgraded. They’re playing well defensively. Justin’s done a good job with them.”
On Whether Opening Up The Quarterback Competition Sends A Message To The Rest Of The Team
“They know that at every position they’ve got to compete, they’ve got to play and you’ve got to perform. I think Bill Belichick always says, ‘You’ve got to do your job and do your job well.’ That’s what we have to do. We’re always going to try to find a way for us to be successful. Everybody’s got to compete and has got to keep playing. The way that game was going I thought that was the only thing we could do that could spark us in the second half at that time. Both of them have practiced well this week. I’ll see what decision I make before we run out behind Ralphie.”
On Quarterback Steven Montez Refocusing
“I’ve seen him working hard. I’m not inside his brain or heart. I’ve seen him work hard and push at it. Sefo [Liufau] had some of the same types of things happen to him as he was going through the growing process. Hopefully, we’ll see some better results.”
On Rashaan Salaam’s Jersey Retirement Ceremony
“It means a great deal to the program. Getting to know Rashaan a little bit the last couple years when he was here was good. I just remember his smile. He always had a great smile on his face. He was always really pleasant to talk to. All the guys that played with him and all the people that were around and all the fans that watched him play at that time, I know it’ll mean a tremendous amount to them and I know it’ll mean a tremendous amount to his family. You never can forget it and you never can put it behind you, but I think this will be a moment – besides of course the funeral – this is a great, great time for their whole family and all of them. When they put his jersey up there, I think that’ll be – if I was his parent – a really special moment and a heartwarming-type thing, even though it’s a terrible situation that’s happened.”
On The 59-56 Loss In 3OT The Last Time Colorado Played Cal
“That was a crazy game. I remember we lost. I do remember Nelson Spruce put on a show. That was phenomenal, phenomenal game. We came up one play short. That was a heck of a football game and an exciting one to watch. I do remember the Nelson Spruce and Sefo [Liufau] show. They had a quarterback too. I think he (Jared Goff) is still playing. I thought he was pretty good that day also.”
On Finding A Balance When Arguing With Officials
“I just go with what I feel in the moment.”
On What He’s Seen From The Senior Class
“I’m seeing hard work, good leadership and positive attitude. We call these the ‘Gold Games,’ our last four games. We have an opportunity to do something that hasn’t happened been done here since 2004. That’s what we hope to do. Nobody’s gone to back-to-back bowl games since 2004, 2005. That’s been a long, long time. That’s something that these guys can do. We’re excited about these last four, especially this one coming up for Cal. Hopefully we can do what we want to do there and make that a special deal that hasn’t been done here in a long, long time.”
On The Play Of Cornerbacks Trey Udoffia And Dante Wigley
“They’ve gotten better and better. It’s tough playing corner. It’s really, really hard, especially in today’s world where they throw it so well and they’ve got all the different formations and all the different things they’ve got to do, know and understand. The way the guys can throw a back-shoulder fade one inch from the sidelines and the guy can jump up and catch it. I thought both Dante and Trey have gotten better and better. Trey went in the game the other night and played well enough for us to have a chance to win. I thought Dante did too. It was good to see that.”
On The Defense’s Pass-Rush This Season
“We just keep working at it. We had two sacks the other night and had about six or seven hurries I believe. You’d like to have a couple more for sure. You’d like to have 10 to 12 hurries. We’ve been working at it. We lost a pass-rusher last year, Jimmie Gilbert, who as a freshman had a few (sacks), as a sophomore had a few, as a junior had a few, and then as a senior he had 13. You’ve got to keep working with them and keep going. We’ve got a couple freshmen that are rushing the passer pretty good. They’re getting closer and making plays. As they get better at it and keep understanding it a little bit, they’ll be better. [Defensive end] Leo Jackson’s done a good job in there. He’s a senior. He had a sack the other night. They’re quarterback and offensive line on the other teams have done a good job at times too.”
On What He’s Seen From Offensive Lineman Tim Lynott, Jr. At Center
“He got thrown in there and it was wet. He had snapped well in the other games he played in. I think getting thrown in there as wet as it was and different things going on, he had a couple bad snaps. One of them really hurt us. The opening drive (of the second half) we’re driving the football and then we’re on I think the 28-yard line and we ended up snapping it over his head and lose about 20 yards, which really stuffed that drive. Timmy’s an excellent player. He’s an excellent guard and can be an excellent center. He’s a freshman All-American last year. I don’t think, I know he can be a good center and hopefully he snaps the ball well this week. It’s supposed to be dry conditions. Hopefully that’ll make it a little bit easier on him.”
On The Play Of Outside Linebacker Michael Mathewes
“He’s been doing a good job in pass-rush in our practices and in our one-on-one pass-rushes. He’s an excellent technician at it. He caused a few hurries and did a few things. He plays extremely hard. He’s a young man that’s been around here for a while. You’ll probably see him a little bit more when the opportunities arise. We played him inside and we played him outside. He found a home a little bit at outside linebacker, but mainly in our nickel package where he can pass-rush. He’s just a great young man who works extremely hard and loves being here. He’s kept developing his skills. He’s very strong and powerful.”
… Continue reading story here, with press conference quotes from Phillip Lindsay and George Frazier …
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CU seniors promise a strong finish
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s seniors vow they aren’t finished yet.
With a 4-4 record and four games to go, the Buffs’ elder statesmen are making it clear they have every intention of writing a successful ending to a season that has thus far been a roller coaster of a ride.
“We still have a lot left to accomplish,” senior running back Phillip Lindsay said at Tuesday’s weekly CU press conference. “For a lot of us, it is the last four or five games left in our college careers, so the sense of urgency is we’ll never play another down in black and gold after these five games. We want to go out with a bang. We want to leave everything out there.”
The Buffs’ next opportunity to do that comes Saturday when CU hosts 4-4 Cal (1-4 Pac-12) in a noon homecoming game at Folsom Field (Pac-12 Networks). The winner will move one step closer to bowl eligibility; the loser will find attaining that postseason goal that much more difficult.
This is definitely not where the Buffs — in particular the seniors — expected to be two-thirds of the way through the season. After last year’s breakthrough year, the general feeling was that they would continue to build on the foundation and momentum established in 2016.
But an up-and-down season that has been marked by inconsistency has put those seniors in an interesting position. Most were key players in 2016 and are familiar with what it took to produce that success — now, they don’t want their legacy to be the class that slipped back a step.
“We’re not very consistent and we’re not doing what we thought we would be doing this season,” senior wide receiver Bryce Bobo said. “We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and make something happen. We know what our record is. In our mind, we’re going to win the next four games.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Rashaan Salaam’s number to be retired Saturday
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado will officially retire Rashaan Salaam’s No. 19 at Saturday’s game.
Salaam, who passed away last December, is CU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, collecting the award in 1994 after a spectacular season that saw him rush for 2,055 yards and score 24 touchdowns.
His number will be just the fourth ever retired by Colorado, joining Byron “Whizzer” White’s No. 24, Joe Romig’s No. 67 and Bobby Anderson’s No. 11. Members of White’s family will be in attendance at Saturday’s ceremony, as will Anderson and Romig.
A number of Salaam’s former teammates will also be present.
“It means a great deal to the program,” MacIntyre said. “Getting to know Rashaan a little bit the last couple years when he was here was good. I just remember his smile. He always had a great smile on his face. … All the guys that played with him and all the people that were around and all the fans that watched him play at that time, I know it’ll mean a tremendous amount to them and I know it’ll mean a tremendous amount to his family.”
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Buffs going traditional for Homecoming
Black-and-gold uniforms for the Cal game …
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… Here is a list of Homecoming events taking place on campus this week …
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October 23rd
… CU in a few minutes …
Brian Lindgren: Both quarterbacks being prepared for Cal game
From CUBuffs.com … Steven Montez, the starter in all eight games thus far this season, was benched at halftime of Saturday’s 28-0 loss to Washington State. The sophomore endured the worst start of his career at WSU, completing just four of 13 attempts for 21 yards and no interceptions. Noyer, a redshirt freshman, saw the first significant playing time of his CU career and finished 7-for-18 for 53 yards with no interceptions.
Now, they will both have a chance to earn the job this week. The two snared snaps with the No. 1 and No. 2 offenses Monday morning, working in 7-on-7 and team drills in a variety of situations.
“I think right now you have to prepare both those guys to go out there and win a football game for you,” Buffs quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said. “Really work with them and try to put them in a position practice-wise as far as giving them looks and giving them information that they can use on Saturday to help us move the ball.”
Lindgren played quarterback at Idaho and said he talked to Montez about the situation he faces.
“I’ve been through the same situation as a quarterback,” Lindgren said. “I think you can look at it two ways — you can feel sorry for yourself and kind of go in the tank or you can respond and come out and compete and try to use it as a way to make yourself better. I know Steven’s personality and he did a good job with it today and I expect the same the rest of the week.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Mike MacIntyre post-practice comments to media (Mon.)
From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com:
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Game time set for CU at Arizona State next weekend
From CUBuffs.com … The Colorado at Arizona State football game in Tempe on Saturday, Nov. 4 will kick off at 7:07 p.m. MDT (6:07 PDT/local to Tempe) and will be televised nationally by the Pac-12 Networks.
Note: Daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5.
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Neill Woelk: Ten Takeaways from loss to Washington State
From CUBuffs.com … Now roughly at the halfway point of Pac-12 play, the league standings are beginning to sort themselves out. Six teams have winning records, five have losing records and one sits at .500.
The Colorado Buffaloes find themselves among those five teams closer to the bottom of their respective divisions than the top. After a 28-0 loss at Washington State, the 4-4 Buffs are just 1-4 in league play — the same as Oregon and Cal, with Utah (1-3) and Oregon State (0-4) in the same neighborhood.
It is certainly not the neighborhood CU coaches, players and fans thought the Buffs would be occupying with four conference games left to play. A team that was expected to score plenty of points on a regular basis while allowing its defense time to gel has instead been an enigma: consistently inconsistent. Malfunctions and miscues on both sides of the ball have cost the Buffs dearly in two conference games, and have allowed two others to be more lopsided than they perhaps should have been.
The end result is a 1-4 conference mark and a rising level of frustration that became apparent over the weekend. It started with with head coach Mike MacIntyre‘s decision to bench an ineffective starting quarterback Steven Montez at halftime, and continued with a second-half MacIntyre sidelines tirade that ESPN broadcast to the nation.
So what did we learn from the Buffs’ latest trip to the Palouse and the rest of the Pac-12 weekend? Our weekly 10 Takeaways:
… Continue reading story here …
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Buff players: No issues off of the field – “Everyone is buying in”
From the Daily Camera … Colorado didn’t show a lot of fight in its 28-0 loss to Washington State on Saturday night.
The Buffaloes (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12), however, insist there’s still plenty of motivation as they prepare for the last four games of the season, beginning with Saturday’s home date with California (4-4, 1-4).
“This team is full of fighters,” quarterback Steven Montez said. “I think there’s fighters all over the place.
“We just get back into the film room, get back on the practice field, have another week at it, and we’ll get ready for Cal.”
Safety Evan Worthington said he’s not worried about the Buffs moving past a bad performance.
“It doesn’t feel good at all, but we just have to go back in on Monday, work on everything and get right back to it,” he said. “It’s frustrating, but we’re just going to keep moving on every week and just take every game by game.”
… Continue reading story here …
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October 22nd
… CU in a few minutes …
Buffs down two offensive linemen for most of the Washington State game
From the Daily Camera … Colorado left tackle Jeromy Irwin was ejected from Saturday’s game at Washington State in the second quarter for a targeting penalty.
In addition to losing Irwin in the first half, the Buffs lost center Jonathan Huckins and cornerback Isaiah Oliver to injuries in the game.
Oliver appeared to suffer a leg injury on Washington State’s first touchdown, early in the second quarter and never returned. After the game, CU said Oliver would be evaluated on Sunday in Boulder.
Huckins suffered a concussion. Combined with Irwin’s ejection, that forced the Buffs to shuffle their line.
Josh Kaiser and Isaac Miller both played at left tackle, and Miller and Aaron Haigler both played at right tackle. After Huckins went down, Tim Lynott Jr. moved from right guard to center, and Brett Tonz played at right guard.
… Continue reading story here …
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USC drops to No. 21 in latest polls
The 28-0 victory over Colorado impressed the Associated press voters so much that … they stayed at No. 15 in the poll. Washington held at No. 12 – without playing anybody – and became the highest-ranked team in the Pac-12. USC, formerly the No. 11 team in the nation, fell ten spots after falling to No. 13 Notre Dame, 49-14.
Stanford, the fourth Pac-12 team in the poll, moved up two spots to No. 20, moved up two spots while sitting at home getting ready for Oregon State (Thursday night, 7:00 p.m., MT).
While not mentioned in the AP poll, both Arizona schools were among the “others receiving votes” in the USA Today coaches’ poll.
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Associated Press poll:
| 1. Alabama |
| 2. Penn State |
| 3. Georgia |
| 4. TCU |
| 5. Wisconsin |
| 6. Ohio State |
| 7. Clemson |
| 8. Miami (Fla.) |
| 9. Notre Dame |
| 10. Oklahoma |
| 11. Oklahoma State |
| 12. Washington |
| 13. Virginia Tech |
| 14. NC State |
| 15. Washington State |
| 16. Michigan State |
| 17. South Florida |
| 18. UCF |
| 19. Auburn |
| 20. Stanford … +2 |
| 21. Southern California … -10 |
| 22. West Virginia |
| 23. LSU |
| 24. Memphis |
| 25. Iowa State |
Others Receiving Votes: Texas A&M (5-2) 74; Michigan (5-2) 60; Mississippi State (5-2) 43; San Diego State (6-2) 7; Georgia Tech (4-2) 5; South Carolina (5-2) 2; Toledo (6-1) 1; Marshall (6-1) 1
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USA Today Coaches’ poll:
| 1. Alabama |
| 2. Penn State |
| 3. Georgia |
| 4. TCU |
| 5. Wisconsin |
| 6. Ohio State |
| 7. Clemson |
| 8. Miami (Fla.) |
| 9. Oklahoma |
| 10. Notre Dame |
| 11. Washington |
| 12. Oklahoma State |
| 13. Virginia Tech |
| 14. South Florida |
| 15. NC State |
| 16. Washington State |
| 17. UCF |
| 18. Michigan State |
| 19. Auburn |
| 20. Stanford |
| 21. Southern California |
| 22. West Virginia |
| 23. LSU |
| 24. Texas A&M |
| 25. Michigan |
Others Receiving Votes: Memphis (6-1) 119; Iowa State (5-2) 32; Mississippi State (5-2) 19; South Carolina (5-2) 9; Georgia Tech (4-2) 8; Arizona (5-2) 6; Kentucky (5-2) 4; Colorado State (6-2) 4; Navy (5-2) 3; Boise State (5-2) 3; Marshall (6-1) 3; Arizona State (4-3) 2; Syracuse (4-4) 1; Florida (3-3) 1; Appalachian State (5-2) 1; Troy (5-2) 1
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Cal “resilient” in double-overtime loss to Arizona
From CalBears.com … Another resilient effort brought the Cal football team back from 14 points down to force two overtimes but one final two-point try to win the game came up just short as the Bears fell 45-44 to Arizona in a thriller at California Memorial Stadium.
Patrick Laird returned after missing one game due to injury and made an impact both on the ground and in the air, rushing a career-high 28 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns. The redshirt junior from San Luis Obispo, Calif. also caught five passes for 42 yards. Ross Bowers completed 29 of 49 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions and also scored a rushing touchdown.
Arizona took the game’s final lead in the second overtime as a 22-yard pass from Khalil Tate to Bryce Wolma put the Wildcats ahead 45-38. On the ensuing drive, Cal got its final chance with a 4th and goal play from the 1 and Vic Enwere simply wouldn’t be denied, carrying three defenders with him over the goal line to bring the Bears within one.
That gave Cal the chance to either tie or win the game and the Bears elected to go for the victory. Bowers’ pass to the back of the end zone ended up on the ground though as the breakup denied Cal’s two-point try and the Wildcats escaped with the win.
“I do believe in them. I told them, if it was a different style of game, it might have been a different decision,” Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said. “Based on the overtime, I love our team, how they compete. We didn’t play well enough, especially on defense, to win the game today. We had our opportunities and battled back. We were down at half, went and battled and found some stops. Our offense did a nice job all night, really staying in rhythm. The turnovers were huge, but I thought they (the offense) did a nice job. At the end of it there, that was our best chance to win. You can dispute it, but I would do it again.”
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50 Replies to “Colorado Daily – Cal”
So Buffs win by 10+
That is my prediction.
Buffs.
Note: Only Lindy/Mac can screw that up
I’m confused. Are Vk and VK Berlin different people?
Nope.
They’re the same (along with VK Beat Cal, etc.) …
Dang nab it Stuart. Ya just can’t keep a secret.
Buffs
Hey VK, are you actually from Berlin?
yup right yup
samo samo the ol samo.
so 4 and 4 eh? 1 and 4 conference eh?
Kinda thought this was gonna be a reloading year rather than a rebuilding year. Really I did. I really believe that.
Best I can tell we got “flim-flammed” Like big time. Maybe not intentionally, but it is flim-flam at work.
I was hoping the team would be much better than what they have already shown. I was hoping they would be like 6 and 2 to this point maybe 5 and 3.
But Nooooo. Now the pressure mounts. Can they get 2, cause a bowl game had to be the minimum goal for a successful season eh? Even at 6 and 6.
Well for sure Cal is a must win. This whole qb controversy is gonna be messy.
Start who? And whoever starts will be looking over his shoulder as the “Mac-hook” will be ready to yank em. Will be interesting how this game goes. Regardless, the win is required.
I am not confident. All they hype (MickyMac comments,coaches comment, players comments)like the Black-out-boys and the money-gang blah blah, got to em all. They all believed it and just assumed (coaches and players) just assumed they go show up.
Just not a happy camper here. Too much krappola……..suspensions…….kicked off players…..players just leaving, and of course the krappy coaching and execution.
I gotta say……….”the emperor has not clothes” and that is a really sad deal especially since he was wearing them all last year.
Buffs
Note: The Buffs are rebuilding not reloading dang nab it.
Note 2: And those MickeyMac over used references to “Coach ??? used to say” are old news. Hate em. And ya know what he is not a good interview or speaker. Kinda starting to dislike the guy actually. (Inside note….I would like him more if he fired Lindy and that old doger TE coach…….and maybe a couple more) but based on his performance I don’t expect it. Mac is always right ya know?
You’re right about one overlooked theme this year: important players (Umu) getting kicked off the team and important players (Frazier, Irwin) getting suspended for unspecified rules violations. To say nothing about Julmisse’s absurdly stupid antics (though the secondary, at least, hasn’t needed him).
The whole money-gang stuff was silly last year, but at least they proved it by all getting drafted. The new money gang? Lol. The blackout boyz? Even more lol.
Last year, they started to believe their own hype a bit too early, and didn’t show up against USC until after halftime. They realized it cost them, and the rest of the year (bowl game notwithstanding) they came out hungry every game. That USC game was a needed loss to keep their egos in check.
This year….is this year just that USC game? Except it’s lasting the entire season?
Yo Stuart,
Maybe a little advice for Chiaverini and Montez (or Noyer) — Go with plan B, C or D. We (and they) know that Lindgren’s play-calling is sporadic at best and downright looney-tunes at worst.
With the offensive line problems this year, the QB generally doesn’t have time to cycle through his receivers before getting hammered or pushed out of the pocket. That being the case, cycle backwards or randomly. Start with the last option, or the second, whatever. But quit going with the first one. And maybe turn some of those runs up the middle into play action passes.
There are lots of ways to rebel against Lindgren and Mac, and they don’t have to result in losing. Just take those bad play calls with a grain of salt and add a little seasoning on the side.
Of course, if the offense starts churning out TD’s and yards, Mac will take the credit. But the guys on the field will know the truth.
Either change what’s happening, or resign themselves to the big fall to mediocrity.
Since MacIntyre is so fond of quotes from NFL coaches to NFL players, maybe it’s time to remind him that the guys on his team are NOT professionals. They are college kids who are trying to learn from the professional coaches in charge.
Here’s some quotes from General George Patton for MickeyMac–
“Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.”
and “Never tell people HOW to do things. Tell them WHAT to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
Remember, the GOAL is to win the battle 12 times a year. “If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan but NEVER the GOAL.”
Plan A obviously isn’t working. Move on.
Mark
Boulderdevil
Mark
Boulderdevil
Mutiny? Bad idea.
Yo 83buff,
Every passing play has 3, 4, or even five options. Why always go to option A? That’s not mutiny. It’s being smart, especially with the lack of protection from the line.
Changing the call at the line of scrimmage is what good quarterbacks do when they need to. The QB sees what the defense is lined up to do on each down and has the best view toward finding a weakness. The play call from 30 seconds before is not always the right choice, especially this year.
Or, just keep on doing what’s not working. What’s that definition of insanity? Keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result, right?
Mark
Boulderdevil
I like the idea of changing the play call when the QB sees things differently closer to the snap of the ball. Lindgren appears to force the issue too often and is not adaptable. The offensive coaches should not only look at an offensive game plan that takes advantage of Cal’s weaknesses but Montez’ strengths. If the starting QB on Sat is Montez, then the initial play selection, IMO, needs to be passes that play to his strengths so that he can rebuild his confidence.
Mark, my man. “Changing the play at the line of scrimmage is what good quarterbacks do”. That’s the problem so far w/ Montez. He isn’t very good at reading the defense, whether pre- or post-snap. And, he relies on his cannon more than being on time, and accurate. Now, some of that sure could fall on his QB coach. Some of it could fall on the player, not studying enough film, and not working on his timing.
Will Noyer be any different? Maybe we’ll see. That’s where Sefo was pretty good. Dude had the insight to check a lot of plays, and make the right reads.
Having said all that, I still think Montez can be a really good QB at CU. It’s funny, but as many have pointed out, he’s having a similar year to Wunderkind Darnold. I’d just argue the talent around Darnold got him an extra few wins that slipped through our Buffs’ hands this year.
And, Noyer’s had a QB coach on his own time, for years. That might make a big difference, both in his physical ability, but also his football IQ.
It’ll be interesting to watch on Saturday. Who steps up?
Go Buffs.
Eric,
It ALL falls on the QB coach/play calling offensive coordinator. Isn’t the guy making all those many hundreds of thousands of dollars supposed to the one TEACHING the QB’s how to read defenses?
And, to shed some light on Sefo… the guy had ONE win against Power Five teams in his first three SEASONS as a starter. Montez led the team to victory in his first two starts against Power 5 teams.
Also, Lindgren CALLS the plays. Badly, I might add. Click on my name and go to my site and see all of the articles where Lindgren is tagged. There are about 40 of them since he came to Boulder with Mac.
The problems with the play calling are nothing new with Montez. They go back to the beginning. Why do you think neither backup QB ripped it up when they got in the game? Because the issue was the PLAN, not the execution.
There are ways to compensate for every possible problem a team might have (weak offensive line, immobile QB, bad weather, opposing defenses, etc.) It’s the JOB of the guy calling the plays to adjust to what hand the team is dealt and call plays accordingly.
Sefo, Montez, and Noyer are NOT Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Cam Newton or Tom Brady. Lindgren needs to call plays to best use the talents of the QB’s that Colorado has, and take into consideration the talent of the team around them. If the line can’t protect the QB for more than 2-3 seconds, he needs to call plays that get the ball in the air in that time span.
If Lindgren can’t adjust, and history shows he cannot, then he should be replaced. If the Buffs have to depend on a “perfect storm” once a decade to have a bowl caliber team, most fans will find another way to spend their time and money.
In the early days of Mickey Mac, the Buffs didn’t have the horses to compete in the Pac-12. The other teams in the conference knew they could play the Buffs straight up and beat them. Now that things are equal physically between the Buffs and their Pac-12 foes, it comes down to coaching ingenuity and adaptation to circumstances.
The other league coaches have learned the tendencies of Lindgren and adjusted accordingly. Lindgren has not adjusted and it shows. Year one (2013) Lindy called outside passes over and over in high winds to horrible results. Year five (2017), Lindy did the exact same thing. Same result.
Also, I believe all public praise goes to the players, and all public criticism goes to the coaches. Since their practices are closed, the coaches have plenty of time to coach up their guys in private.
When the coaches criticize their own players publicly, they are just trying to deflect the blame that is rightly theirs. Players don’t like it either. The coaches are supposed to be father figures (in HS and college), not the ones blaming their own kids.
Now, if you would rather not hold the guys making all that money accountable, and instead want to blame 18-22 year old kids, what can I say? I want coaches who are like great military leaders. I want them to be able to win against the odds.
This is not Alabama. This is not Ohio State. Colorado doesn’t have the 4* and 5* kids out of high school. If we want to win, we gotta be smarter and better prepared. And that’s the job of the coaches.
I don’t care if the coaches don’t like criticism. It comes with the money. Imagine how the kids feel when it’s lumped on them. They still have homework and midterms. It’s hard enough being a college student without coaches and fans dumping on them too. It makes them not care.
Mark
Boulderdevil
lindy’s cousin has now made the judgement call on Montez.
No facts. No Data. No details. NO nothing.
Just “He isn’t very good at reading the defense, whether pre- or post-snap.”
Well there ya go. The Whisper has spoken. Actually he just repeats stuff he saw somewhere.
Gives a little blame to Lindy (qb coach) More to the QB.
Doesn’t mention the failues of the OC. And no discussion of the Oline which is a disaster.
Eric is like Mickey. It is never him and it is always the players.
Buffs.
Mickey owes the ol DC have of his paycheck.
the WSU weather debacle aside, Steve’s stats arent that bad…but…it doesnt fit into the win/loss picture. When the other team only has to watch one quarter of Lindgren game plans to know whats coming……..wellll
I am already in the “we will get em next year ” mode. I am happy Montez is coming back (hopefully he isnt that angry. Wwe still have flash at the WR position. Howell says the guys waiting in the O line line are good. All we need is to show Lingerng the door and the rest of the great big world out there and ….voila
I will be interested to see if the coaching staff steps up tomorrow. What will Lindgren do when adversity strikes? Will he try to overcome that with repetitive, predictable, conservative, (insert additional adjectives here) play calling and playing not to lose? OR with the season on the line, will we see creative, flexible, and aggressive play calling and playing to win?
Where will Macintyre be? Running after, and screaming at, officials? At his assistants? OR will he have his head in the game, going over to support his players when things go well and when they don’t? And coaching them with meaningful adjustments throughout the game if/when he needs to jump into the fray?
Coaching is about leadership. The young men on the team are learning about leadership. Who are they supposed to look at for role models? I think we know the answer. Those individuals need to show those behaviors tomorrow.
Play to win and own your actions and behavior.
Now we’re cookin’ Mark. I got you some extra clicks poking around your site today. You definitely spend some time on writing your thoughts. I love your passion. Just not sure I agree with your analysis.
A lot of what I saw here: http://buffwatch.blogspot.com/search?q=lindgren as it relates to the play calling is stuff like this from your post from Oct. 8, 2015 titled Colorado Football: The Real Story behind the Play Calling of Brian Lindgren: You wrote
“When the Buffs were able to successfully get a pass off, the numbers are very telling. In this stat, the numbers show where the ball was thrown to and caught, and not at how many yards were gained after the catch.
6 times — Buffs threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage. (Completed 5)
13 times — Buffs threw between 0-5 yards. (Completed 10)
12 times — Buffs threw between 5-10 yards (completed 7, with 1 TD and 1 interception)
3 times — Buffs threw between 10-20 yards (completed 2)
3 times — Buffs threw more than 20 yards (completed 1)
In 53 called passing plays, the Buffs only managed to “spread the field” by calling a pass 10 yards or more beyond the line of scrimmage six times. That’s a paltry 11.3% of called passing plays that Oregon had to worry about a man down field.
If you were a defensive coordinator in the Pac-12, those kind of stats make your life a whole lot easier. You would know that 89% of the time the ball on passing plays would be tossed in front of where your safeties would likely start the play or the QB would be sacked, hit while throwing, or be forced to run.”
Now, I could be wrong. I keep admitting I’m no football savant. But, it strikes me that you’re presenting the result of the play as the reason it was a bad play call. But, the why that led to the result of the play is hugely important.
What I’d like to see is an analysis of what the offensive play call actually was, based on the formation. And, what the first, second, third and possibly fourth option/read was, if it was a passing play. And, in the case of this story, it was Sefo, so did he check the play at the line, or not? He did quite a bit. Montez isn’t there yet. Combine with that who executed their offensive assignment well, or who didn’t. Then, add to that what the defense was doing, specifically, that may have impacted the result of the play. Did the defense make a play? And also the next play in that series, and the next series as a whole.
That would be “analyzing game film”. I don’t see you nor VK doing that. Maybe I’m missing something? VK would say “you’ll never get it”. Well, please try to explain.
In my mind it’s easy to say “this play went here, didn’t work so… must be bad play calling.” It’s similarly easy to say “this play didn’t work, must be bad execution.”
I believe it’s much more nuanced than either of those “simple” analyses.
And, you posit that “If you were a defensive coordinator in the Pac-12, those kind of stats make your life a whole lot easier. You would know that 89% of the time the ball on passing plays would be tossed in front of where your safeties would likely start the play or the QB would be sacked, hit while throwing, or be forced to run.”
Isn’t it possible that the short to mid-level passing game is being done specifically because the defense is sitting further back in a 2-deep cover? That’s certainly what CU’s offense is seeing more this year. Hence less deep throws.
And, when the throws are deep, they’re off target more often than not.
As to VK saying “no data, no nothing, just blaming the players” when the offense is largely, if not completely based on timing – at least in the passing game – it’s pretty obvious to see that the QB is holding the ball too long, and “seeing” his receivers make their breaks, rather than throwing to a spot, before they do. Even I, a self avowed non-football-savant – can see that.
And, to think that Mac, Lindgren, Chev, Hagan, or anyone on the offensive staff doesn’t sit down individually, as a group of coaches, and with their position players, and break down each play, successful or not, and diagnose specifically why it worked or why it didn’t, and discuss what each player saw and did, is just crazy, to me. That’s what they do. Every day.
As to your point about the QB coach teaching a player to read defenses? Absolutely. That’s part of their job. But, if the player still isn’t getting it (see Connor Wood) for whatever reason, that may not be entirely on the coach. It could be.
In my opinion, it’s Montez on the learning curve. He’s seeing more than he was at the beginning of the season. He’s sitting in the pocket longer and working through his reads. He just had a terrible, terrible game at Wazzu. It happens. Especially to young players.
Additionally, by your premise, CU and Sefo broke every offensive record in spite of Lindgren (and Chev, presumably, or entirely because of the one year he had with them). I don’t buy that. If Lindgren’s had record breaking offenses at each of his stops, and brought increased wins along w/ that, he seems to be doing something right.
Now, are the 2017 Buffs doing what everyone thought they were capable of doing offensively? Absolutely not.
There are myriad reasons for that. And, if it’s all on the coaches, then certainly Chev should be a target of your ire, as well. His group is about the lead in under-performing this year (along w/ the O-line).
And, most importantly, I think Mac and his staff have a better read on all of this than any of us. Yeah, dude’s a defensive minded coach. That’s his roots. But, he’s had some pretty successful and dynamic offenses, too. And, he got our Buffs out of their lost decade of football.
I still see at least six wins this year. Clearly, it’s also possible they could not win one more game.
If they win out, that doesn’t make me (nor Lindgren) a genius. Nor does it make you Lindgren haters right if they lose the rest of their games.
For my part, I’m really curious to see how they come out tomorrow.
I think that will tell us a lot about this team, and their coaches, in how they bounce back – or don’t – from last week’s debacle.
But, as we’ve seen, in the Pac 12, pretty much every team can beat any other, on any given day. It’s college football, baby.
Either way, at least you spend a lot of time formulating your opinions and providing data to support them. My not seeing things the same way is my opinion. And, I try to provide data points that support them, contrary to VK’s claim. If either of us were coaching football, or had played at a high level, I’d put more stock in those opinions. Otherwise, they’re us being armchair QB’s/coaches, with hindsight as the guiding light. Part of the fun of being fans, I guess.
Go Buffs.
Rats. One more thought. The thing about teams’ “tendencies” is they do them because they’re playing to their players strengths.
So, breaking “tendencies” is also, to some degree, going away from what they feel are their strengths.
Now, in some cases, surprise is good. But, taking that to hyperbole, should they run on passing downs and pass on running downs? No. Go with what works more often than not, that your players can execute well, more often than not.
Go Buffs.
it was a good idea when Shanahan and Elway conspired to bust out of Reeve’s ultra conservative passing game….difference being, of course that Shanahan was the OC.
If they are going to make changes with assistant coaches, this off season would be the time to do it. MacIntyre will have 4 years left on his contract. That’s assuming he doesn’t get the usual one year extension, which seems very unlikely. Also, as long as Benson is up there, it is hard to imagine that they would get rid of MacIntyre with any more than one year left on his contract. So MacIntyre has at least three years left after this year. That’s enough stability to find good assistants.
The top consideration for any new assistant coach needs to be his ability as a recruiter. There are no problems (coming out flat, bad weather, inability to make reads, inability to make throws, collapsing pocket, dropped balls, getting pushed around, bad play calling, not putting in extra time, dumb penalties, crown of the field, bad scheme, guys getting suspended, etc.) that couldn’t be made a whole lot better by bringing in more talent. There are certain position groups where the recruiting has been amazingly deficient. That is on the coaches and really needs to improve.
Even when our record was terrible 2 years ago our offense looked pretty dynamic, while losing a lot of close games. Last year our offense looked pretty dynamic even against some tough defenses like Michigan and USC. This offense depends of quick reads and decisions and tempo. I don’t believe the O-coordinators forgot how to call plays. Montez has shown no ability to make quick reads and let it fly. He’s been timid. His long streak of interception-free ball is reflective of this – he needs to let it fly, and throw his receivers open. And when the running game is going it opens the whole offense up – and we haven’t seen any running game in the Buff losses – if any coordinator should be looked at it is the O-line coach – they’re the single biggest disappointment on this team based on the hype they were getting coming in.
Now here is a quote I like from Chev:
“At the end of the day, it’s all 11 guys; it’s not just one kid,” Chiaverini said. “Everybody always wants to point the finger at the quarterback, but it’s the offensive line, it’s the receivers, it’s the running backs, it’s the tight ends. We’re all in this together, coaches included.”
That is mature, accountable, “man up” talk.
Maybe between Chev and Lindsay, we can see some passion on Saturday?
I like some of Chev’s style, as well. But, we have to remember, his group of wide receivers is one of the biggest disappointments of the season. Coaching? Players? Lindgren and Mac hampering them?
The truth, as most of us know is, it’s not all on the players, and it’s not all on the coaches. It’s on all of them. Together.
Looking forward to seeing how they come out, together, against Cal.
As to the whole “QB incognito” deal? The team knows who’s starting Saturday. We don’t. Big surprise there, huh?
As for my thoughts? I won’t be surprised if Noyer gets the nod. He’s had a private QB coach. He’s allegedly got a strong and accurate arm, and rumor had it from some tea leaf reading from some cryptic comment by someone somewhere, that dude studies a lot of film. If he can read defenses better than Montez, he may supplant him. We’ll see.
Go Buffs.
Wow you go after chev? Cute. You are way clueless
The O is the problem. The problem is Mac. Always has been always will be.
MickeyMac is short for Mike Mediocre MacIntyre He has been and will be mediocre. Without Leavitt he would have been fired last year.
Just how it is.
Don’t look now, but my Buffs have the fifth best record they have had in the last 17 years. Turning the dumpster fire that was CU football around is a process.
As to my comments about Chev? Not picking on him at all. Merely applying your logic about coaching to him, too.
But, he and lindgren must have flipped that coaching switch this week, huh?
Either that, or the players made plays.
Go Buffs.
Well mickeymac doesn’t think his sideline
antics are a concern/problem/issue
He answered the question about this Acording
to the questioner “In a terse manner”
No wonder he can’t see the forest through the
Buffs
Lindgren is going to prep 2 QBs so Lindgren will be ready for anything….right?
probably a big chore too…..prepping them for that same ol thing
“I think right now you have to prepare both those guys to go out there and win a football game for you,” Buffs quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said. “Really work with them and try to put them in a position practice-wise as far as giving them looks and giving them information that they can use on Saturday to help us move the ball.”
Wow. He couldn’t prepare 1 so now he is gonna prepare 2?
hahahahahahaha LMAO LOL and all that other lingo the ol fodger uses.
I am sorry but that is funny.
Prepare two quarterbacks? And prepare the game plan?
hehahehahehaheha
Now I am really howling.
Hey Buffs are about due. Odds say they get one. But Cal is a mean team
Cal pac 12 stats
Total offense…………..12
Passing offense…………..4
Rushing offense…………..11 (Uh Oh)
Scoring offense……………7
Total defense…………….6
Passing defense……………11
Rushing defense…………….9
Scoring defense…………….7
Another bottom feeder game.. Both teams 1-4
If only the offense was as good as MikeyMac predicted.
Buffs.
Note: Always look to upgrade, especially with “Peter” in the house. Go Big RG
Leavitt muzzeled
Chev muzzeled
Players put down in public
MickeyMac is Peter Fact
That Monday post-practice interview had me cringing. A few notes:
On the QB competition: he’s “preparing both of them to play”, and he’ll “decide on Saturday”. He said that he wanted a “spark” and that “sometimes the easiest thing to change” is the QB. He’s thought about benching Montez at various points this year but didn’t do it, but that it’s ok because he did the same thing with Sefo throughout his four year career.
Yet, when asked about what Noyer has done well in practice, he basically said nothing meaningful (runs well, has a big arm). Specifically, he *didn’t* say that Noyer was better at reading the defense, making quick decisions, or going through his progressions.
So basically: Mac benched Montez because he had no confidence in him, and hasn’t had confidence in him for the entire year? But when pressed about what Noyer’s done in practice, he didn’t really have much to say.
Awesome.
First, I will say something positive about Macintyre because I feel like I need to provide some balance and that is: I am glad he came to CU and turned the program around with some critical (Leavitt) assistance. Last year, a long time friend and former roommate at CU asked me what I thought about Mac. I shared that I am glad he came and then would have wanted him to take his turnaround skills somewhere else, probably in the South, and promote Leavitt who has proven he can run a Top 25 program. I do not listen to his videos anymore because he always speaks in generalities with no substance. There are times, at the top of any organization, where you have to address the specifics and state what needs to be done, who is going to do it, and why. I am not surprised that he didn’t have much to say. He has a lot of words but not a lot of content.
The camera has stayed on Steve occasionally as he wanders away from Mac after one of Mac’s game time tirades. I dont see a look of contrition on Steve’s face…just one of resentment and I dont blame him.
I thought exactly that a few games ago. Kinda like a “whatever, dude” look…
Yo Stuart,
Mike MacIntyre has become the Buffs’ CEO (Chief Embarrassment Officer). Is it any wonder this team has no discipline? That starts at the top.
It’s pretty well known through the grapevine that MacIntyre really doesn’t want to be in Boulder. I think that tizzy fit on the sidelines was due to the realization that there will be NO job offers coming his way now. That means we and Colorado are stuck with his big old contract. If he cared at all, he would have canned Lindgren before now. Instead, of course, he creates a QB controversy to hide his and Lindy’s incompetence.
Lindgren needs to go. He is horrible. Never quite gets that the climate controlled conditions in the booth is not the same as the weather on the field. He’s bad enough when the weather is good but when it’s bad he’s shockingly bad. He is incapable of adjusting. Whatever he came up with early in the week he sticks with no matter what. The same goes for what the opposing defense is doing. If they stack the box, he still calls runs up the middle.
Time to let Chiaverini call the plays and bring in a real QB coach. Otherwise, watch what happens when Darrin bolts. He wants and deserves to be a coordinator who has a say in play calling. And he’s the guy getting the recruits.
If Mac and BL can ONLY win when they have a 4 year starter at QB, that means CU will be a losing team three out of four years. If that’s Colorado’s plan, let us fans know so we can make some decisions about better ways to spend our time.
Mark
Boulderdevil
Your comment about creating a QB controversy is spot on, IMO. I have enjoyed Neill Woelk through the years. In his 10 takeaways story, I feel that his comparison between Sam Darnold and Montez is fair. So, Montez has a terrible game. Benching him for the second half is fine. In my opinion, opening up the QB competition, after one bad half in terrible conditions, is an abdication of Macintyre’s coaching responsibilities and an obvious deflection of the issues that he and Lindgren should be addressing. Macintyre should be coaching him up, supporting him, instead of throwing him under the bus. And he should be stating that they need to set the QB up for success through better play calling and that is on him and Lindgren and they will be working on that this week. Mac’s various behaviors are not very mature (even Woelk referenced the tirade in his story) or becoming for someone who won coach of the year awards last year.
I dont always agree with Neil but overall every other Buff beat writer lumped together on their best days dont approach Neil
Stuart aside of course 😉
Appreciated, but no qualifier necessary.
Neill is certainly the gold standard … and it doesn’t hurt that he is a super nice guy.
Yo ep,
You’re right about Neill. He and I worked together at the Daily Camera more than 20 years ago. He’s a great guy and has wonderful insight, even now when he works at CU and is supposed to be a promoter more than a journalist. You can take the newspaperman off the sportsdesk, but you can’t take decades of tendencies away.
Mark
Boulderdevil
From Buffzone:
“Although his team was flat against Washington State…”
The above sentence contains the word that most describes and frustrates me about this year’s team: flat.
I simply do not understand how a team can come out and be flat. There are 365 days in a year. Only 12-14 of them are game days. If you cannot get up for game days, there is a problem. On the bigger stage of life, coming out flat is a recipe for disaster. The coaches own some of the preparation for the games, including getting them fired up. The players own some of it. I like what Lindsay said about “man up”. That applies to everyone, including the coaches.
Montez says there are “fighters” on this team. Lindsay is clearly one. He will go far in life. Where are the others? I hope to see more of these so called fighters on Saturday.
If the collective group of players and coaches can clear the past, like a CB who gets burned on a pass, and focus on this game, produce a win, then we have 3 games left. Win one and bowl eligible. Decent for a transition year.
Personally, if the Buffs beat Cal and then pull off an upset against USC who CU has never beat, and lose the other two, I will be satisfied even with all of the frustration this year. Tall order on USC but not as tall as previously thought. Win the home games, whatever it takes, show the fight, show the pride. Probable? Perhaps not. But a lot is in the mindset. As Henry Ford once said: “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
Go Buffs!!!
I’m not even sure how much we should blame Lindgren for the WSU game. Montez was flat out missing easy throws left and right. Poor mechanics? Not setting his feet? Not having ever thrown a ball in wet conditions because he’s from El Paso? Receivers were dropping balls (‘Big Drop Shay’ doesn’t have the same ring to it), and the offensive line exploded as soon as the game started.
Lindsey finished with 98 yards? At least 120 of that 98 was “yards after contact”. The line couldn’t block, the QB(s) couldn’t throw, the receivers couldn’t catch.
So what was Lindgren supposed to call? More zone-reads might have helped, but the complete lack of that play in the last two games makes me think Montez was actually somewhat injured in the UCLA game.
Another thing that made me think Montez is more injured than we know: why did they put in Marksberry (who?) in the final minutes of garbage time? Just let Noyer stay out there and struggle! One possible reason you put in the third string guy is if you’re worried one of the first two is going to miss games down the stretch.
Yo Chirality,
There we no easy throws being missed by Montez. In driving rain with gusty winds up to 40 mph, the only easy throws are straight ahead in the 5-12 yard range. Did Lindgren call any of those for Montez? No. Lindgren called sideline passes or down the field over and over. See below for passing calls when Montez was on the field.
1 – 40 yards outside (INCOMPLETE)
2 – 13 yards out of bounds (INCOMPLETE)
3 – 38 yards to the outside (INCOMPLETE)
4 – 15 yards outside hash (INCOMPLETE)
5 – 10 yards outside numbers (INCOMPLETE)
6 – 8 yard pass out of bounds on 4th and 10. (INCOMPLETE)
7 – 10 yard pass to the numbers (INCOMPLETE)
8 – 9 yard pass complete outside numbers
9 – Pass behind LOS after scramble (INCOMPLETE)
10 – Offensive pass interference
11 – Outside bubble screen complete for -1 (loss)
12 – 2 yard pass out of bounds (INCOMPLETE)
13 – 5 yard completed pass to sideline
14 – 7 yard completed pass to sideline to end half
Remember the field is 53 1/3 yards wide. Even the shorter outside passes are traveling 25 or more yards in the air in most cases. Many are much further. Lindgren gets ALL the blame. Needs to get out of the booth and see what the weather feels like on the field. He’s done this numerous times.
Blame the coaches. It comes with the money. And they deserve it.
Mark
Boulderdevil
This is a great point and I’m glad you brought it up (and thanks for the details). I was at the game and the conditions were absolutely horrible. Much worse than as it appeared on TV. If you look at Faulk’s stats – you’ll see similar numbers (especially in the first half). He threw a few balls outside (floaters that their receivers may have a chance to catch) that ended up in towards the middle of the field that could have been picked. He struggled throwing to the sidelines. Their success came from having protection and waiting for the middle to open up, where Faulk had an easier throw. Short passes with plenty of YAC. Some of the throws that Montez was asked to make (due to coverage, route) had to been thrown with velocity. In those conditions, there was no way our receivers were making those catches. It rained the whole freaking game – with heavy gusts – the ball just didn’t look right coming out of any QBs hands or off the kickers foot. The coaches knew the conditions were going to be horrible – I just wish they came up with a game plan to pound the ball, using Beau and Frazier more. Just stick with it and they would have eventually worn WSU down and opened some holes.
On another note – our receivers give up on routes way too early. There were times when both Montez and Noyer we running for their lives and the receivers just stop and watch. There was one play in particular where Noyer pointed to the receiver to go deep and he just stood there (think it was either Ross or Fields). Had they just broke deep, would have been an easy touchdown. I put that on the coaches, as it has been happening way too much this year. If I can see it sitting in the end zone, surely it is being discussed and reviewed in the film room – I just don’t understand.
That was just a frustrating game from many aspects. I got the feeling early that we didn’t want to be there and couldn’t wait to get on the bus to head to the airport. I just hope the team puts it behind them and focuses on putting a complete game together at home.
Go Buffs!
Yo JayCinAZ,
Thanks for pointing out what it looked like from the stands. The cameras don’t usually give the big picture as to what’s going on away from the ball. But I know what you mean when you have the whole field to see.
There’s also something off. Not sure Mac has the hearts of his players anymore. He doesn’t want to be here (according to the rumors) and they seem tired of being blamed for poor play calling. And all you gotta do is lessen your effort by 5% and it makes a big difference. And on busted plays, it becomes real obvious when the receivers stop and watch instead of continuing to play.
Mac seems to be missing the big picture. And creating a QB battle now is just a smokescreen. All three looked awful. Seems to me it’s the play-calling.
Mark
Boulderdevil
Fair enough, and thanks for providing the data for that. The plays I particularly remember Montez just completely missing were indeed outside corner routes, which are pretty long throws. So you’re right on that.
That said, we don’t know what the first reads on those plays were. It could have been “first read slant” but since I couldn’t really tell what the safeties were always doing on the telecast, the interior of the field could have just been completely covered. Wouldn’t a cover-1 look with the safety in the middle and linebackers playing close zones (which helps defend the interior runs by Lindsey as well) basically force an opponent QB to throw to the outside receivers?
It’s one thing to say “these are the plays that work in these wind/rain conditions”, but another to say “these are the plays that work in these wind/rain conditions *and* the defense was giving us those plays”.
If you can’t force the defense to defend either horizontally or vertically, you’re gonna have a bad time. CU had a bad time. So I guess you’re right that Lindgren deserves a lot of blame: if your quarterback can’t make the vertical or horizontal throws to take pressure off the interior runs, you have to find another constraint play. End-arounds, speed options, read options, jet sweeps, outside tosses, etc. I don’t remember many of those plays either.
Hey Mark, this isn’t sarcastic, but I’ve asked VK for the deeper detail and don’t ever get it. I definitely cannot name offensive and defensive play calls. Can you tell us the offensive set, the progressions for that set and the defensive alignment, as well as the “pass to outside, incomplete; run up the middle, three yard gain” basic stuff?
I think part of the problem is not only is Montez missing some throws, but he’s not seeing the weakness/gap in the defense, and throwing to that window, on time (or checking to a run play, for example). That seems to be the bigger issue, to me.
So, just because he threw to the outside, for example, doesn’t mean that’s where it was supposed to go for the play call, given what the defense was doing. I realize that on TV it’s pretty hard to see that b/c you don’t get the whole field view, but what you point out is a lot like the ESPN gamecast. It’s not the complete picture, either.
I could be wrong, but I trust Chev and your boy Lindgren (and Mac too) to know more about that crap than any of us. That’s why they’re professional coaches, and we make our money at other vocations. But, that might also explain what some have felt as friction (ie: Shay’s like, dude, you’re not running the offense right, come on) etc. Maybe.
Curious to hear your more detailed thoughts on the actual play calling, that you feel is so inadequate, as well as execution of what’s called, and what the defenses are doing, and how the offense should then adjust. Not just the results of the plays. Thanks.
Go Buffs.
Just ignore him Mark he is a cheerleader and a loan shark who doesn’t really understand. All you have to do is look at his posts. He always asks for more detail when he doesn’t agree with you.
He is a Lindgren fan cause he is a Mac fan and well good for him
Buffs
If Lingering has an ounce of the loyalty Mac has shown him he would follow Andersen’s example.
That would require him to actually be aware of what’s going on around him. Judging by his play calling in a driving rain with high winds, there’s not much chance of that.
Mark
Boulderdevil
Lindgren and Eric are in the same boat.
Buffs
The first step towards solving a problem is admitting there is one…..or so they say. I sure dont see that with the coaches or the players. The players, of course, cant use any negative analysis or they might anger the coaches and thats all the Bufffzone seems to report is all this coach and what coach wants to hear speak.
Somewhere Ringo is laughing