UCLA’s window at the Pac-12 South title opened up after USC’s defeat of Utah, but the Bruins have little room for error. Jim Mora’s squad is in a three-way tie for second in the division, and should be heavy favorites in two or three of its final five regular-season games. First up in that order is Colorado, which only has five conference wins since joining the Pac-12. Brian Howell of the Boulder Daily Camera answered five questions about the Buffaloes, who are looking for more signs of progress in their third season under Mike MacIntyre.
1. Colorado lost 14 straight Pac-12 games before winning at Oregon State this past Saturday. How much of a mental toll did that take on the team?
Quite a bit, but more so than the 14 losses, it’s the amount of close losses that weighed on this team. This past Saturday was the seventh time in their last 13 Pac-12 games that the Buffs have either led or tied at the half, and it was the first time they pulled off a win. Five of their Pac-12 losses since the start of 2014 have come by a touchdown or less. So, it’s really been the fact that they’re close – but not quite there – that has bothered them the most.
2. The Buffaloes’ defense has gone from awful to middling in a year, at least statistically. How much credit does new defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt deserve for the turnaround? How does he utilize the team’s personnel differently than his predecessor Kent Baer did?
Leavitt deserves a lot of credit. From the start, the players have loved his fiery personality and they love playing in this defense, which is set up to allow the guys more freedom to play, rather than having to think so much. One of the biggest, and most important, changes Leavitt has made personnel-wise is utilizing all the skills of Chidobe Awuzie, who is their best player on defense. He’s a nickel back who is their best cover corner, but he also leads the team with four sacks and four other tackles for loss because they love to blitz him at times.
3. Quarterback Sefo Liufau has run for five touchdowns as a junior after going two seasons without a rushing score. What’s behind the change?
Part of it is the necessity to have Liufau run. The Buffs have some talent in the backfield, but they don’t have great short-yardage backs. Liufau, at 240 pounds, is really their best short-yardage runner. The other part of it is the fact that Liufau has developed into a better runner, and he and the coaches have figured out a way to use his size and skills to better help them move the chains. He’s done a nice job picking up yards on scrambles, as well as on zone-read plays.
4. Colorado has suffered a number of injuries on both sides of the ball. Which players could it most use back this weekend?
More than anybody, the Buffs could use receiver Shay Fields in the lineup. He’s an L.A. kid and really motivated to play this week after missing a game with an ankle injury. Whether he plays or not has not been determined. When healthy, he is their best receiver and their top deep threat. He adds another dimension to this team. Offensive linemen Jonathan Huckins and Sam Kronshage were hurt late in last week’s win, and their status is up in the air; they really could use their experience on the field. They would also love to have safety Ryan Moeller and running back Michael Adkins II on the field, but Moeller has already been ruled out with a concussion, and I doubt we’ll see Adkins, who has missed five games with a hamstring injury.
5. The Buffs look more competitive than they did when Mike MacIntyre first took over, but he still only has two conference wins to his name. With a contract that runs through 2018, what does the third-year coach need to do to ensure himself a longer future in Boulder?
Simply find a way to finish the close games and start winning. Breaking the Pac-12 losing streak was huge for him. I don’t know if that gave him complete job security going into 2016, but I do think he’ll be back next year, because they are seemingly close to turning the corner – and it would take about $6 million to get rid of him. For him to stay for the long haul, though, he’s got to find a way to get to a bowl game very soon. They’re a long shot to get there this year, but the Buffs probably have to get to a bowl by 2016 for MacIntyre to keep his job longer than that.