Boulder – If happiness for a defensive back is facing a passing offense, then Colorado’s secondary is overjoyed this week.
The Buffs are about to face one of the most pass-happy teams in college football, New Mexico State, at 8 p.m. Saturday in Boulder.
“I hope you’re ready to stay till 1 a.m.,” CU secondary coach Craig Bray said, “because it’s going to last that long.”
Think Texas Tech. Footballs flying everywhere. Controlled chaos on each play. Offensive line splits that CU coach Gary Barnett says sometimes reach an eye-popping 7 feet.
The architect of the Aggies’ attack is first-year head coach Hal Mumme. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach learned the finer points of implementing his passing scheme as an assistant under Mumme at Kentucky, Iowa Wesleyan and Valdosta (Ga.) State. Mumme patterned his offensive approach from pass-dominated schemes at BYU and honed it as an assistant at UTEP in the mid-1980s.
In the Aggies’ season-opening 34-17 loss to UTEP on Saturday, they threw 62 times and were sacked eight times. Junior quarterback Royal Gill completed 36-of-57 passes for 332 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Eleven players caught at least one pass.
“It’s always dangerous when you’re going to see it thrown that many times,” Barnett said. “I worry more about those than I do the other (offenses). Especially in an offense that’s been productive. Anytime you have to cover a bunch of guys going all over the place, you get concerned.”
The negative for New Mexico State is that it was unable to run the ball, totaling minus 17 yards rushing against UTEP, which led 31-0 at the half.
CU’s defensive backs are looking forward to facing an all-out passing attack. The loss of linebacker Brian Iwuh to knee surgery this week is a blow, but if there is a good game for a linebacker to miss, it might be this one. Colorado will likely start out in a nickel (five DBs) and rotate heavily throughout.
“I’m really looking forward to the game,” cornerback Lorenzo Sims said. “The more passes you throw, the more opportunity there is to make plays.”
Added cornerback Gerett Burl: “They are going to throw. Any defensive back is ready for that.”
Saturday will likely be the first appearance of freshman cornerback Gardner McKay, who did not play last week against CSU after missing practice time while eligibility issues were being worked out.
Footnote
Barnett said safety Dominique Brooks has been suspended indefinitely “for conduct unbecoming a CU football player.” Brooks, a junior, has not played this season or practiced in the past two weeks because of a high ankle sprain. … Walk-on receiver Tim Lemon learned he will have to pay his way this season. Lemon, a freshman, is a former minor-league baseball player in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. The Cardinals were going to pay for his school, but the NCAA nixed that plan. … Linebacker Thaddaeus Washington (concussion) did not practice Tuesday.
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
