Mel Tucker: "Obviously (CSU's) yardage and some of the plays we gave up I'm not happy about, but we'll get those mistakes corrected. I wanted to make sure we came in here and got the win, because now we know exactly where we are. We have a really good idea of where we are as a football team and where we need to go. If we're going to play great defense, we're going to have to play better."
Thoughts-- There's nothing wrong or invalid about HCMT saying this. He's right — now he knows where his team is at and namely, where his secondary is at (not the best spot right now if we're being honest). That said, I think overall defensively, the Buffs looked better in the second half, which is important. 10 second half points allowed to CSU ain't too bad. Blown assignments throughout the night, Mekhi Blackmon getting picked on a lot, the 374 pass yards the Rams amassed, yes, all concerning in their own right, but at the end of the day, Colorado's D improved in the final half of the game while Mikial Onu proved to (and hopefully continues to) be a vital asset back there.
I also think that this was the most impressive game plan / attack that Mike Bobo has conjured up against Colorado in his five tries thus far to beat the Buffs. The Rams ran some impressive plays/schemes and in the season opener, caught CU off guard, especially with their use of TEs and FBs in the flats. Marked improvement needs to happen this week in practice — the Buffs can't have such a lackadaisical start vs. Nebraska and hope to win. But at the end of the day, at least the defensive trajectory from start to finish vs CSU was upward.
K.D. Nixon on the offense also looking more fluid in the second half: "It's not about how you start, it's how you finish. [CSU] tried to give us their best game in the first half. {Tucker] told us there's going to be some bumps and bruises, ups and downs so you just have to be able to prepare and that's what we did. We came back in the second half...[coaches told us the Rams] are going to wear down soon, just like Floyd Mayweather knew Conor McGregor was going to wear down. Coach Tucker knew exactly what they were going to do."
Thoughts-- Colorado's 7.8 YPC average in the fourth quarter was the highest such on the ground average of the game. While we can sit here and admit the truth that CSU had more total yardage and far more yards through the air, I do think that in line with how the Buffs' D stepped up as the game went on, the offense looked more consistent and effective too, wearing down the Rams' defense.
You didn't see the over/underthrows from Montez, the o-line looked better and Fontenot picked up right where he left off before halftime.
Montez elaborated: "It's a brand new offense for us and we kind of had to get those lumps and bumps out of the way early but I think after half we came out and things were a lot smoother and we got a rhythm going."
I don't know if I'm willing to write off Montez's slow start as being related to getting the new offense down. He made a half dozen bad throws and was twice bailed out via PI calls on Viska (the latter of which down the left field line was five yards underthrown).
Have to say, I expected more from him early on, but credit where credit is due, he certainly improved steadily throughout the game. His TD toss to Brown was excellent as was that rollout TD to Viska both in the second quarter. I'd say he redeemed himself for an off first quarter.
Laviska Shenault on the potential of the offense: "There's no ceiling. We have talent everywhere and we have guys that want to win and we have guys that want to go out there and do what they have to. That's what we need to win games so I'm glad that everybody can do their part and play their role."
Thoughts-- Doesn't seem to be anything of a well-kept secret that for the Buffs to have the best chance of winning, this offense can't afford to be punting even semi-regularly or in any capacity stalling out / failing to capitalize on opportunities. While I could see an improvement eventually taking place among the secondary, and god willing, the d-line and LB corps do a better job to offset weaknesses CU might continue to have in stopping the pass game, the offense can't take plays or drives off.
Thoughts-- There's nothing wrong or invalid about HCMT saying this. He's right — now he knows where his team is at and namely, where his secondary is at (not the best spot right now if we're being honest). That said, I think overall defensively, the Buffs looked better in the second half, which is important. 10 second half points allowed to CSU ain't too bad. Blown assignments throughout the night, Mekhi Blackmon getting picked on a lot, the 374 pass yards the Rams amassed, yes, all concerning in their own right, but at the end of the day, Colorado's D improved in the final half of the game while Mikial Onu proved to (and hopefully continues to) be a vital asset back there.
I also think that this was the most impressive game plan / attack that Mike Bobo has conjured up against Colorado in his five tries thus far to beat the Buffs. The Rams ran some impressive plays/schemes and in the season opener, caught CU off guard, especially with their use of TEs and FBs in the flats. Marked improvement needs to happen this week in practice — the Buffs can't have such a lackadaisical start vs. Nebraska and hope to win. But at the end of the day, at least the defensive trajectory from start to finish vs CSU was upward.
K.D. Nixon on the offense also looking more fluid in the second half: "It's not about how you start, it's how you finish. [CSU] tried to give us their best game in the first half. {Tucker] told us there's going to be some bumps and bruises, ups and downs so you just have to be able to prepare and that's what we did. We came back in the second half...[coaches told us the Rams] are going to wear down soon, just like Floyd Mayweather knew Conor McGregor was going to wear down. Coach Tucker knew exactly what they were going to do."
Thoughts-- Colorado's 7.8 YPC average in the fourth quarter was the highest such on the ground average of the game. While we can sit here and admit the truth that CSU had more total yardage and far more yards through the air, I do think that in line with how the Buffs' D stepped up as the game went on, the offense looked more consistent and effective too, wearing down the Rams' defense.
You didn't see the over/underthrows from Montez, the o-line looked better and Fontenot picked up right where he left off before halftime.
Montez elaborated: "It's a brand new offense for us and we kind of had to get those lumps and bumps out of the way early but I think after half we came out and things were a lot smoother and we got a rhythm going."
I don't know if I'm willing to write off Montez's slow start as being related to getting the new offense down. He made a half dozen bad throws and was twice bailed out via PI calls on Viska (the latter of which down the left field line was five yards underthrown).
Have to say, I expected more from him early on, but credit where credit is due, he certainly improved steadily throughout the game. His TD toss to Brown was excellent as was that rollout TD to Viska both in the second quarter. I'd say he redeemed himself for an off first quarter.
Laviska Shenault on the potential of the offense: "There's no ceiling. We have talent everywhere and we have guys that want to win and we have guys that want to go out there and do what they have to. That's what we need to win games so I'm glad that everybody can do their part and play their role."
Thoughts-- Doesn't seem to be anything of a well-kept secret that for the Buffs to have the best chance of winning, this offense can't afford to be punting even semi-regularly or in any capacity stalling out / failing to capitalize on opportunities. While I could see an improvement eventually taking place among the secondary, and god willing, the d-line and LB corps do a better job to offset weaknesses CU might continue to have in stopping the pass game, the offense can't take plays or drives off.
