Boulder – Jordon Dizon’s moment of truth, his chance to display just how far he has progressed in 1 1/2 seasons, is Saturday against Texas A&M. So says linebackers coach Brian Cabral.
“This game is going to be the real test for him,” Cabral said. “They presented some things last year that he didn’t handle very well. He was really exposed against this offense, so I think for Jordon this game is going to be a real test for how far he’s really come.”
To this point it has been an odd season for the sophomore linebacker. His numbers through four games don’t live up to the stats he put up at the same point last season, after which he was named the Big 12’s defensive newcomer of the year.
He dazzled with 34 tackles, 23 of them unassisted in CU’s first four games, leading the team in tackles in two of those games. This year, he has just 16 tackles in four games.
But don’t fret for Dizon or the CU defense. He’s playing better than ever.
“Last year, I was a chicken without a head, just running around. I made a lot of mistakes,” Dizon said. “I used to go into meetings and get yelled at every play even though I made a tackle. This year, I don’t have the same credentials as last year, but I’m doing the right things for the defense. I’m making the right drops, sitting in the right zone, playing the right gap. It’s helping out this defense. And I have a lot more confidence.”
Dizon’s statement is better understood when you take into account coach Gary Barnett’s comments about freshman linebacker Marcus Burton. Burton starred in CU’s win over Oklahoma State last week, getting a sack and returning an interception 99 yards for a touchdown.
Nevertheless, Burton’s numerous mistakes prevented him from grading out well enough to be honored in CU’s Victory Club, a weekly award given to players who make the biggest difference in the game.
“He made some great plays because he just ran to the football,” Barnett said. “If there’s a lesson there, if you just run to the football, good things are going to happen to you. Then once you learn what to do, you might be really, really good.”
Last season, Dizon ran around and made plays. Now he’s understanding how to play the game.
“That’s the thing,” fellow linebacker Akarika Dawn said. “Before you get tackles or other stats, you have to understand the system. If you’re losing stats but gaining knowledge, you’re not losing too much. On paper it looks like you are, but essentially you’re playing a better game.”
That said, Cabral notes Dizon started slowly this season. A shoulder injury that continues to nag caused him to miss practice time in the preseason, and Cabral says he’s just starting to catch up.
“You get better by getting reps; you get better by getting the experience from camp,” Cabral said. “He’s about caught up now. But I think his first three games, especially, were a little bit slow.”
Cabral has also found a rotation he likes between Dizon and Dawn, putting Dizon on the field less than he was last season. Plus, Dizon notes, teams are running plays away from him more this season, whereas they kept testing him as a freshman.
“For them to run away is a great thing, because our defense is structured stronger on the other side,” Dizon said. “It’s better for us, actually.”
Texas A&M at Colorado
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0): Quarterback Reggie McNeal is as good as advertised. He has thrown for more than 300 yards in two of the Aggies’ four games and ranks 10th in the nation with an average of 319.3 yards total offense. He has thrown for eight touchdowns and run for one. Running back Courtney Lewis is as dangerous a tailback as the Buffs will see this season. The junior has run for 339 yards and five touchdowns and has four catches for 45 yards.
Colorado (3-1, 1-0): Wide receivers Evan Judge and Dusty Sprague are facing a Texas A&M defense that has struggled to stop the pass. Sprague has been CU’s go-to guy on third down and leads the team with 18 receptions for 167 yards, but has yet to score a touchdown. Judge has struggled to get open and has nine catches for 149 yards. Judge, however, is coming off his most productive performance of the season with three catches for 63 yards in Colorado’s 34-0 win over Oklahoma State.
KEY STAT
23 – Colorado has forced opponents to punt after three plays 23 times out of 56 possessions (41 percent). It is almost half as many as the Buffs forced in 2004 (47).
KEY FOR TEXAS A&M
Consistency. The Aggies have been good against inferior teams but average against competitive ones, struggling to beat Baylor at home in overtime last week. If A&M can play to the level of its considerable talent for 60 minutes, there is a good chance it can walk away with a win.
KEY FOR COLORADO
Stopping McNeal. If the Buffs are to have any chance of staying in the game, they must duplicate what – gulp! – Baylor did against the Aggies last week. The Bears stymied McNeal by keeping him in the pocket, which slowed A&M’s offense, and CU must do the same for its best chance at victory.
Staff writer Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
