Most of you have probably seen this already but thought that I would throw it out there. Tough to think back about how close the Buffs were to breaking through and even tougher to see the ugly offensive numbers. Hopefully Webb does decide to come to Boulder because our offense could use him. The progress on defense is truly amazing though and am looking forward to seeing what they can do this season with more time to learn.
2015 Pac-12 grades: Colorado Buffaloes
Jan 5, 2016
Kevin Gemmell
ESPN Staff Writer
The 2015 season is officially at a close for the Pac-12. We continue our season review by handing out some team-by-team grades.
Colorado Buffaloes
Sefo Liufau tossed 28 touchdowns compared to just nine in 2015. Only two teams in the Pac-12 averaged fewer than 30 points per game -- Oregon State and Colorado. Worth noting, too, that injuries across the offensive line forced the coaching staff to use nine different groupings. Grade: D+
Defense: This is where the Buffs made some major gains. After giving up nearly 40 points per game in 2014, they dropped their scoring defense down to 27.5. They also had 11 more turnovers than last year, giving them a plus-1 ratio, compared to a minus-10 ratio in 2014. In the red zone, they went from last in the league to sixth and they improved their third-down defense. For this group to shave that much off of their points allowed is impressive and an empirical sign of improvement on that side of the ball. Grade: B
Special teams: Remember that the Buffs had the same guys (Darragh O’Neill and Will Oliver) for four years, so they were breaking in new specialists this season. They were last in the league in field goal percentage (18 of 29) and didn’t have any kick or punt returns for touchdowns. Kickoff coverage was middle-of-the-road and punting was ninth in the league. Grade: C-
Overall: A lot of games are going to haunt this team during the offseason: Hawaii, Arizona, UCLA, USC and Utah were all decided by one possession. One or two plays break right and the Buffs are bowling. Colorado already has shown tremendous statistical improvement under Mike MacIntyre. The culture is in fact changing. But if you aren’t a number cruncher, you’ll just look at the win/loss totals. And ultimately, that’s what a coach and a team are measured by. The wins need to start coming. Grade: C-
Three offseason questions: Colorado Buffaloes
Kevin Gemmell
ESPN Staff Writer
As the Buffs prepare for Year 4 of the Mike MacIntyre era, here are three questions worth asking as Colorado heads into the offseason.
Addison Gillam? While freshmen linebackers Scooby Wright and Myles Jack were getting their love in 2013, it was Gillam, also a freshman, who was leading the Pac-12 with 8.9 tackles per game. Wright wasn’t bad at 6.4 per. Neither was Jack at 5.8. He was also making headlines as a running back. But Gillam was a monster. Injuries and illness have slowed what started out as a promising career. He played in 10 games in 2014, but that was sporadic. He missed almost all of 2015 following knee surgery. Can he re-emerge with his freshman form and become the leader of the defense once again?
Backup rising? The Buffs will be without starting quarterback Sefo Liufauuntil after the spring as he continues to rehabilitate a Lisfranc fracture suffered in a loss to USC. Cade Apsay stepped in and was 52-of-81 for 511 yards over the final three games, with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Spring will offer ample opportunity for Apsay to compete with Jordan Gehrke and Steven Montez for the backup role. While it’s likely neither will overtake Liufau, who has earned the right to be the starter when he returns, the backup is always crucial. And if Liufau isn’t 100 percent or his rehabilitation takes longer, a clear-cut No. 2 will be vital.
New-look offense? Former Colorado standout wide receiver Darrin Chiaverini left Texas Tech to join the Buffs as co-offensive coordinator and wide-receivers coach. He replaces Troy Walters, who went to become Scott Frost’s offensive coordinator at UCF. What changes, if any, will there be on offense? Will we see more air attack from a team that was 53-47 in run-pass ratio? Will we continue to see the running-back-by-committee approach? Five different backs had at least 40 carries last year -- six when you include Liufau. Or will one back emerge to build the offense around? All worth keeping an eye on.
2015 Pac-12 grades: Colorado Buffaloes
Jan 5, 2016
Kevin Gemmell
ESPN Staff Writer
The 2015 season is officially at a close for the Pac-12. We continue our season review by handing out some team-by-team grades.
Colorado Buffaloes
Sefo Liufau tossed 28 touchdowns compared to just nine in 2015. Only two teams in the Pac-12 averaged fewer than 30 points per game -- Oregon State and Colorado. Worth noting, too, that injuries across the offensive line forced the coaching staff to use nine different groupings. Grade: D+
Defense: This is where the Buffs made some major gains. After giving up nearly 40 points per game in 2014, they dropped their scoring defense down to 27.5. They also had 11 more turnovers than last year, giving them a plus-1 ratio, compared to a minus-10 ratio in 2014. In the red zone, they went from last in the league to sixth and they improved their third-down defense. For this group to shave that much off of their points allowed is impressive and an empirical sign of improvement on that side of the ball. Grade: B
Special teams: Remember that the Buffs had the same guys (Darragh O’Neill and Will Oliver) for four years, so they were breaking in new specialists this season. They were last in the league in field goal percentage (18 of 29) and didn’t have any kick or punt returns for touchdowns. Kickoff coverage was middle-of-the-road and punting was ninth in the league. Grade: C-
Overall: A lot of games are going to haunt this team during the offseason: Hawaii, Arizona, UCLA, USC and Utah were all decided by one possession. One or two plays break right and the Buffs are bowling. Colorado already has shown tremendous statistical improvement under Mike MacIntyre. The culture is in fact changing. But if you aren’t a number cruncher, you’ll just look at the win/loss totals. And ultimately, that’s what a coach and a team are measured by. The wins need to start coming. Grade: C-
Three offseason questions: Colorado Buffaloes
Kevin Gemmell
ESPN Staff Writer
As the Buffs prepare for Year 4 of the Mike MacIntyre era, here are three questions worth asking as Colorado heads into the offseason.
Addison Gillam? While freshmen linebackers Scooby Wright and Myles Jack were getting their love in 2013, it was Gillam, also a freshman, who was leading the Pac-12 with 8.9 tackles per game. Wright wasn’t bad at 6.4 per. Neither was Jack at 5.8. He was also making headlines as a running back. But Gillam was a monster. Injuries and illness have slowed what started out as a promising career. He played in 10 games in 2014, but that was sporadic. He missed almost all of 2015 following knee surgery. Can he re-emerge with his freshman form and become the leader of the defense once again?
Backup rising? The Buffs will be without starting quarterback Sefo Liufauuntil after the spring as he continues to rehabilitate a Lisfranc fracture suffered in a loss to USC. Cade Apsay stepped in and was 52-of-81 for 511 yards over the final three games, with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Spring will offer ample opportunity for Apsay to compete with Jordan Gehrke and Steven Montez for the backup role. While it’s likely neither will overtake Liufau, who has earned the right to be the starter when he returns, the backup is always crucial. And if Liufau isn’t 100 percent or his rehabilitation takes longer, a clear-cut No. 2 will be vital.
New-look offense? Former Colorado standout wide receiver Darrin Chiaverini left Texas Tech to join the Buffs as co-offensive coordinator and wide-receivers coach. He replaces Troy Walters, who went to become Scott Frost’s offensive coordinator at UCF. What changes, if any, will there be on offense? Will we see more air attack from a team that was 53-47 in run-pass ratio? Will we continue to see the running-back-by-committee approach? Five different backs had at least 40 carries last year -- six when you include Liufau. Or will one back emerge to build the offense around? All worth keeping an eye on.
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