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Colorado Daily – Baylor Week
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September 21st – Game Day!
… CU in a few minutes …
Coach Prime: “We got to be who we are”
From the Daily Camera … “Every game means a lot to us,” Sanders said this week.
There might be a touch of importance added to this one as the Buffs begin conference play, but more important to CU is carrying momentum gained from last week’s 28-9 win in Fort Collins and continue to improve as a team.
Offensively, the Buffs gained some traction in the run game behind an offensive line that had its best game of the year. CU rushed for a season-high 109 yards against the Rams, while quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked just once.
“The O-line, they had great practice (last week), and we took advantage of that too, so we was waiting to have good runs this game,” running back Micah Welch said.
Welch had 65 yards against CSU and was a good complement to dynamic quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns.
The Buffs will look to keep it going against a Baylor defense that has been salty this year, allowing just 9.7 points and 230.3 yards per game.
“We got to be who we are,” head coach Deion Sanders said. “We’ve got to run the ball effectively … our receivers are a tough cover. When we’re protecting our quarterback, our receivers are tremendously tough cover. So I don’t wish that on anybody. I feel like we could do some phenomenal things, as (the Baylor Bears) feel like they could shut us down in some areas of concern, but our guys are pretty good. We just gotta give our quarterback a little time and we’re OK.”
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Neill Woelk: Keys to the Baylor game
From CUBuffs.com … So how do the Buffs produce a successful debut in their return to the Big 12?
Our weekly Fast Five:
1. Continue the defensive takeaway trend. After going 10 quarters without forcing a turnover, Colorado’s defense produced four takeaways in the second half last week — two interceptions and two fumbles. That included three in a row to start the second half, as the Buffs methodically hammered the Rams onto the ropes.
The Bears certainly aren’t immune to turnovers. They have coughed up four fumbles already this year, including three in the first half last week against AFA, and have also thrown two interceptions.
The Buffs need to force a couple of those momentum-shifting plays in the first half Saturday. If they can do that, it will give CU’s high-powered offense a chance or two at a quick score and provide a sold-out Folsom Field crowd with plenty of juice.
2. Continue the run game improvement. Colorado’s rushing attack wasn’t overwhelming last week — 109 yards on 19 carries — but that 5.7 yards per carry average was efficient and enough of a threat to keep the CSU defense honest.
The Buffs need that same kind of approach against the Bears, who are giving up an average of 155 yards per game on the ground. If Colorado can use the run game to help move the sticks early, Baylor will have to respect the run game.
… Continue reading story here …
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September 20th
… CU in a few minutes …
WR LaJohntay Wester: “I came here for us to win, not for my personal goals”
From the Daily Camera … LaJohntay Wester knew that coming to Colorado would be different from what he was used to at Florida Atlantic. Still, he felt some frustration when the Buffaloes were in Lincoln, Neb., on Sept. 7 and the ball wasn’t coming his way often.
“I was kind of getting down on myself because it wasn’t happening on my timing,” said Wester, a speedy, 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior receiver for the Buffs.
That changed a bit when Wester caught his first touchdown pass as a Buff midway through the fourth quarter of a 28-10 loss to Nebraska.
“I just had to keep praying about it,” he said of his slow start. “It’s God speed. God showed His faith in the Nebraska game, and I just kept building off of it going into Colorado State.”
Wester may not be the top dog like he was at FAU, but he busted loose with five catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s 28-9 win at Colorado State and hopes to keep it going when the Buffs (2-1) host Baylor (2-1) on Saturday at Folsom Field (6 p.m., Fox).
“For my first time playing a rivalry game like this, it was definitely great to be able to not only get in (the end zone) one time, but twice and just to contribute to help us win the game too,” said Wester, who transferred to CU in the offseason. “It was a great experience.”
Travis Hunter (30 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns) is the clear No. 1 option for CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders. But, Wester (14 catches, 158 yards, 3 TD), Horn (14 catches, 246 yards, 1 TD) and Sheppard (12 catches, 143 yards) are making plays, too.
“But I knew coming here what they was wanting from me, what my role was, and I’m gonna play my role to the best so we can be able to win. Because at end day, I came here for us to win, not for my personal goals.”
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September 19th
... CU in a few minutes …
Carter Stoutmire enjoying switch from cornerback to safety: “It’s a big adjustment, but it’s been fun”
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado sophomore Carter Stoutmire is a testament to the improved depth of Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes.
Stoutmire, a sophomore, played in nine games for the Buffs last season at cornerback, including one start against Arizona State.
But this year, he made the switch to safety and he’s stepped in with back-to-back solid performances, including a start against Colorado State after starter Shilo Sanders went down with an injury early in the Nebraska game.
He will likely again be in the starting lineup Saturday when the Buffs play host to Baylor in a 6 p.m. Homecoming game at Folsom Field (Fox).
“Carter’s big, physical and could play corner, could play safety,” Coach Prime said after the Nebraska game. “He’s the future, a kid that we went and got out of high school and he’s been doing a wonderful job.”
The 5-11, 205-pound Stoutmire is the son of former NFL player Omar Stoutmire, who played with Sanders with the Dallas Cowboys. He was part of Sanders’ first high school recruiting class at CU and his versatility has made him a valuable piece of Colorado’s secondary.
“I like being versatile,” Stoutmire said. “Corner is fun, but safety, it’s different. You see the whole picture. You see the whole thing. … You’re not used to being in a box as much and seeing all that action. So it’s really, it’s a big adjustment, but it’s been fun.”
… Continue reading story here …
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September 18th
… CU in a few minutes …
CU Depth Chart for the Baylor game
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CU rushing attack: “We knew at some point that it would hit”
From the Daily Camera … Led by star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Buffs will always be a pass-oriented offense, but Micah Welch and sophomore Isaiah Augustave (six carries for 31 yards) brought a new dynamic to the field. They did so in place of Dallan Hayden, who missed the CSU game with a high ankle sprain.
Augustave got the start, but it was Welch getting the first carries vs. CSU.
“I think it’s the case of when preparation meets opportunity, and he prepared himself for that moment,” Harrell said. “When his moment came, he was able to perform.
“We felt like it was time for him to go out and showcase. … We knew leading up to the game that he was ready for the moment. He has a different mindset. I say that all the time. He’s a different type of kid.”
Hayden is still nursing his injury and it’s uncertain if he’ll play Saturday against Baylor. But the Buffs now have confidence in Augustave, Welch and junior Charlie Offerdahl.
“We have a great group of guys, we feel like by committee, that can get it done,” Harrell said. “We’re always trying to find out a way to get better. And I think the staff did a good job for us incorporating more run periods (in practice), so that builds a little bit toughness within practice.”
Welch’s strong debut was a boost a confidence not only for him but for the offensive line and the coaches who know he can perform on game day. At one point during the game, Welch ran to the sidelines and received a hug from Coach Prime.
“He said he knew I can do it,” Welch, who also caught two passes for nine yards, said with a smile. “He knew I was a great back and said keep doing it. That’s what he said. It felt great coming from Coach Prime.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Video: RB Coach Gary “Coach Flea” Harrell / WR LaJohntay Wester / DB Carter Stoutmire
From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com …
WR LaJohntay Wester …
DB Carter Stoutmire …
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September 17th
… CU in a few minutes …
Buff defense hoping to build on solid performance v. CSU: “No one’s satisfied with their performance”
From the Daily Camera … A year ago, CU finished in the bottom 10 nationally in points allowed (34.8 per game) and bottom four in yards allowed (453.3 per game). So far this year, the Buffs are near the middle of the country in points allowed (21.0) and yards allowed (374.3).
In the last six quarters, they’ve barely been touched, giving up a total of nine points.
“We knew what we had to do,” receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter said after the CSU game. “The front did their job. They got to the backfield, disrupted the quarterback, and we came out with the W.”
Defensively, CU gave up just 21 points and 334 yards in a 28-10 loss to Nebraska on Sept. 7 (the Huskers defense scored the other seven points). Against CSU, the Buffs allowed just nine points and 340 yards. One big play, a 62-yarder in the fourth quarter, accounted for nearly half of CSU’s 131 rushing yards.
The Buffs want to be even better, though.
“No one’s satisfied with their performance,” Coach Prime said. “I think we finally got a darn sack, we finally got a turnover, we finally got a couple of picks, which was satisfying. But these guys play the game. They work their butts off in practice. They worked their butts off studying film. I think the average film time is probably three and a half, four hours per guy.
“Shoot, Coach Rob is doing a wonderful job, man, he really is.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Coach Prime Weekly Press Conference – plus LB LaVonta Bentley and RB Micah Welch
… Coach Prime press conference starts about the 27:30 mark of the video … No new injury reports, and “we may get some guys back this week” who didn’t play against CSU … Since NFL teams use huddles, no reason why Travis Hunter couldn’t play the whole game in the NFL … Preparing for both Baylor quarterbacks … No difference in preparation just because it’s a Big 12 game … RB Dallan Hayden: “We don’t where he is right now, or what he wants to do. I want to see more out of him in practice. If he’s able to play, he’s going to play … DL Chidozie Nwankwo: “same thing” … DT Taurean Carter: “He’s out” …
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September 16th
… CU in a few minutes …
Travis Hunter named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
From the Daily Camera … Travis Hunter had one of the best performances by a receiver in Colorado history on Saturday night.
And, he was so good on the other side of the ball that on Monday he was named the Big 12 Conference defensive player of the week after his performance in the Buffaloes’ 28-9 victory against Colorado State.
Hunter, a junior cornerback/receiver, had five tackles, one pass breakup and an interception on defense, helping the Buffs (2-1) dominate the rival Rams.
On offense, Hunter caught 13 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. It’s only the fifth time in CU history that a player posted at least 12 catches, 100 yards and two touchdowns – and Hunter is the only player to do it twice (also last year vs. Stanford).
Hunter is the first CU player to earn a Big 12 weekly honor since Rodney Stewart on Nov. 20, 2010. The Buffs spent the past 13 years in the Pac-12.
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Travis Hunter enhances Heisman Trophy consideration with CSU performance
From the Daily Camera … It’s way too early in the college football season for a legitimate discussion about contenders for the Heisman Trophy – the most prestigious honor in college football – but if Hunter continues his current pace, he’s going to be squarely in the mix. And, the stage will only get bigger as the Buffs (2-1) begin Big 12 Conference play when Baylor (2-1) comes to Boulder on Saturday (6 p.m., Fox).
Against the Rams, Hunter matched his career high with 13 catches, while posting 100 yards and two touchdowns. He also recorded five tackles and an interception on defense. He played 123 of the 138 snaps from scrimmage.
“I feel good,” he said. “I’m about to go get an ice bath when I get back to the school. So I’ll be good.”
So far this season, he has played 388 snaps, including special teams. He played 1,102 snaps in nine games last year (122.4 per game).
Prior to Hunter’s arrival at CU in 2023, the school record for most snaps played in a game was 114, by four different players during a 2015 game at UCLA (remarkably all 114 snaps came on offense). Hunter has now broken that record eight times.
He is also now the first player in CU history with four consecutive 100-yard receiving games.
Hunter’s performance against the Rams may have been his best as a Buff, but Sanders said the dynamic playmaker can be even better.
“Of course, yeah, of course,” Sanders aid. “There’s no question he can be even better. There’s no ceiling. That’s the thing, you all try to put ceiling on things, and we don’t really have no ceilings with anything in general.”
Head coach Deion Sanders agreed that Hunter hasn’t reached his peak.
“No,” he said. “Travis is phenomenal every … week in and week out.”
This particular week was meaningful to Hunter because he was unable to play the entirety of the Rocky Mountain Showdown in 2023. A late hit by CSU safety Henry Blackburn in last year’s game gave Hunter a lacerated liver, limited him to 64 scrimmage snaps that night and caused him to miss the next three games.
Playing the entire game on Saturday and having a big impact on the Buffs’ dominating victory, was a bit of redemption – even if he was humble about it.
“It meant a lot,” he said, “but like I said, the (offensive) line, they helped us out a lot. I mean, they came out ready to work, ready to play. All I had to do is do my job.”
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Neill Woelk’s Takeaways from CSU game
From CUBuffs.com …
Our weekly takeaways from the Rocky Mountain Showdown win:
1. Colorado’s offensive line showed big improvement. The CU coaching staff certainly didn’t stand pat after giving up six sacks the week prior. The Buffs gave Phillip Houston the start at right tackle and moved versatile Tyler Brown from tackle to guard.
The result was a much cleaner pocket for quarterback Shedeur Sanders as well as a much-improved run game. The Buffs gave up just one sack — a meaningless slide for a loss by Sanders in the fourth quarter when the game was already well in hand.
Meanwhile, the O-line created decent lanes for a run game that produced 109 yards, including a nine-carry, 65-yard effort from freshman RB Micah Welch.
Overall, it might have been the best effort by an O-line in the Coach Prime era. Granted, CSU’s pass rush is by no means the best the Buffs will see the rest of the year, and the Rams’ game plan practically begged the Buffs to run the ball.
Still, if the group can continue to make strides, it bodes well for the offense.
2. Shoutout to CU defensive coordinator Robert Livingston. For a coach who has never called a defensive game prior to this season, Livingston is showing a terrific knack for making adjustments and putting his best players in position to be difference-makers.
The Buffs were a step ahead of CSU’s offense virtually all night. Rams QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was ineffective, the CSU run game was not a factor and the Buffs offered an answer for everything Colorado State tried to throw their way.
The Buffs have now given up just nine points in the last six quarters of play. They produced four second-half takeaways — including three in a row to start the second half — and they also put good pressure on the Rams’ passing game all night, including two second-half sacks.
Again, the Buffs will see far more potent offenses in the future. But Livingston is proving he has quickly adjusted to the college game and he is using the available talent in the best possible manner.
… Continue reading story here …
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13 Replies to “Colorado Daily”
3-1. Epic game. Deion ain’t goin anywhere. Get used to it.
Go Buffs
The Bears are giving up an average of 155 YPG rushing, if the Buffs do that and Shedeur’s gets his average passing YPG, the Buffs take this game out right… The Bears are only averaging 380 YPG in total offense, Shedeur could come pretty close to that on a good night.
400 yards of offense should be the low bar and 450 yards and more could be attainable, if so, the Buffs win by a TD. The Bears should be better than CSU and score more on offense, but I don’t think their passing defense’s numbers are due to them being great, but a combination of good play & 8 quarters against inferior passing games helps their stats.
The Bears giving up an average of 155 YPG rushing may be a chance to get CU’s rushing numbers up. The changes they made on the line seemed to account for a lot of improvement in the lines play last week, we’ll see how the Buffs do against a team giving up 155 YPG rushing.
just watched the cobbs go down at home to illinois. Bilema found a great OC. Great designed plays. Were you watching mr shurmur?
“We knew at some point that it would hit” … yes, it hit when you inserted Micah and Isaiah (I know the O line played better, but these guys found holes and bounced outside). What are these coaches seeing in practice? Charlie is a great story but he doesn’t have the size. Dallan doesn’t seem like he has the vision to pick the hole. The argument that it was pass protection is just dumb – what stops a pass rush is a running back who can gain 6 yards a carry. 2nd and 4 stops a pass rush over 3rd and 10. I hope they ride with Micah!
He seems like a bowling ball. He’s a thick dude. Let’s see him roll.
Go Buffs
Against the rams, we had an average yards per completion of 8.6. Per completion, not attempt. With the receiving corps we have, and a potential number one pick and heisman winner at QB, put an 8th grader calling the passing routes and you’d have a higher per catch average.
It’s not all the OLine either. These receivers can easily be 10 yard down the field by the time the ball can get to them on a three step drop. They give 2 the time for that every time.
I am not a fan of Murmur Shurmur .
PS autoerror changed heisman into he is man. Kinda ironic, no?
Are you saying you DON”T like 15 bubble screens a game?
Incoming from left field:
The results of the poll regarding the mountain west front range teams doing poorly inspired a survey I’m curious about and invite you to participate in.
Warning: it is political, but no political view identification should occur. In fact, please only answer yes/no and no political view discussion please. (Stu, if you even publish this, moderate strictly please)
Those that voted for the bad timing of it vote largely democratic, and those that voted for the Homer view largely lean Republican.
Does this represent you accurately? Since it’s yes/no, no one can determine anyone’s political leaning, only whether my hypothesis is correct or not 🙂
PS longtime reader, Not a troll, just curious.
I read somewhere that his covered receiver was only targeted 6 times. It’s hugely dissruptive if the offense can’t pass to that side of the field and when they do they pay for it. His stats will never be mind boggling on defense simply because he won’t get the chances others will. That’s the kinda player you want. A Champ Bailey who just creates a black void in the backfield offenses just ignore.
dylan edwards named big 12 special teams player of the week…………….like a couple of other chased off by the RB coach/assistant head coach.
Friend of The friend
Sheesh
As you said, I do think that some are or feel like they’re chased offed, but others stayed; the OB’s (Original Buffs) who stayed even after being told they were being replaced by LV luggage. So, I think the Buffs lost some good players, I always thought the kicker that left for Utah was better than the one that Prime brought with him.
After seeing other guys move on, it’s easy to understand why the kicker left, but if Woods & Offerdahl are to be examples, he could have stayed and competed and won the spot. I think Prime builds relationships with some of the players and he trust them and thinks they are going to be his guy.
I’m betting, as a young talent, Mata appeared to be an up and coming PK. Maybe his rate of improvement at the time was really good, but as he got better he reached his plateau and it got harder for him to improve; like a golfer who just can’t lower his handy cap any more.
It’s easy to simplify things, but when you look at Prime’s faith and how he handles business and relationships, and consider all of the personalities he deals with, each story has it’s own life. And, each player makes their choices as well, i.e. the DB who left and didn’t pan out at his new school. Add NIL and some favorites and it can go in all sorts of different directions.
No free agency rules, no contracts and too many holes in it all, I’m surprised there’s any stability in college football.
Yup but how many running backs left and are doing well at other schools startintg?
Too many!!
Charlie is a nice story, but not the level of rb that can make a difference.
And the kicker………..he has always kicked it too low since he has been here……
Just how it is
go buffs………………BEAT THOSE BAYLOR PUKES
Baylor is a scummy university that display low morals and values for a supposedly Baptist university. They must be beaten like a rented mule.