BOULDER — During Colorado’s 27-24 overtime victory against Colorado State last weekend, safety Tedric Thompson came off the field after a CSU field goal and offered a suggestion to his coaches.
“He said, ‘Call that again because I can block it,’ ” said Buffaloes head coach Mike MacIntyre. “We went right block again and he said, ‘I can get through there.’ “
Sure enough, Thompson’s block of a CSU field-goal attempt in overtime proved pivotal in the victory over the Rams.
That block is one of several examples of plays CU has made this year that it might not have made a year ago.
The Buffs (2-1) host Nicholls State (0-2) on Saturday, and to this point, their ability to make adjustments on the fly has been a key component to their success.
In recent years, it has been rare to see the Buffs get better throughout a game. In 2014 the Buffs had a halftime lead six times but were outplayed in the second half and lost five of those games. Only once in six tries did they rally from a halftime deficit to win.
Two weeks ago, CU was tied 14-14 with UMass about 18 minutes into the game and had trouble stopping the Minutemen’s offense. In the last 42 minutes, the Buffs outscored the Minutemen 34-0.
Last week, the Buffs fell in a 14-0 hole as CSU scored touchdowns on two of its first three possessions. In the final three quarters, CU outscored the Rams 27-10.
“With a year of experience, we recognize things a lot more and a lot quicker than we did last year,” linebacker Kenneth Olugbode said.
The Buffs have always been able to recognize their mistakes, but in the past that recognition often came way too late.
“When we’d go in the next day to watch film, we’d kind of beat ourselves in the head,” Thompson said.
Even if the Buffs did see mistakes in the game last year, Thompson said, “We wouldn’t be vocal about it. If we would have been vocal about it last year we would have turned a lot of those games around. We talked, but we didn’t talk as much as we needed to.”
With more experience and better maturity this year, the Buffs aren’t afraid to speak up when they recognize a mistake.
“A lot of times, guys will come on the sidelines and we’ll get together and we’re able to tell each other what we see,” Thompson said.
Defensively, new coordinator Jim Leavitt has made a difference in that regard. Cornerback Kenneth Crawley said Leavitt is great at bringing the defense together on the sideline and making corrections to mistakes made on the previous series.
“It’s big and it’s key,” Crawley said. “It’s different.”
The defense isn’t alone in making in-game adjustments.
Through three games the Buffs have just 14 first-quarter points, while getting shut out in two of their three first quarters. They have piled up 81 points after the first quarter (an average of 9.0 points per quarter).
“I feel like that just goes with how we’re growing and how we’ve developed as a team,” senior tailback Christian Powell said. “Coaches have learned what to call, players have learned what it takes to keep these leads. It’s a process, but everybody is developing and adjusting to it.”
Three key questions for CU vs. Nicholls State in Boulder:
How does the thinned backfield perform?
Michael Adkins II and Patrick Carr are not expected to play because of injuries, and Phillip Lindsay also was hurt last week in the CSU game. Look for Christian Powell to get a lot of carries, but who will augment him? What will the rotation look like?
Can the Buffaloes get out of this one without suffering more injuries?
Ideally the Buffs will put Nicholls State away early and play backups much of the game so the walking wounded — including junior quarterback Sefo Liufau, who separated a shoulder last week — can heal. Getting out of this one without more significant injuries would be a big help with the Pac-12 schedule beginning next week.
Can the Buffaloes avoid a letdown and looking ahead?
The Buffs open their Pac-12 schedule next week when Oregon comes to Folsom Field, the first of nine consecutive weeks against conference opponents with no bye on the schedule. The Buffs had a big come-from-behind win last week over CSU (27-24 in overtime). It would be a big help if the Buffs could be focused mentally, subdue Nicholls State early and firmly, and let the backups play. It’s hard to see any scenario for the visitors to pull an upset, but there’s a reason coach Mike MacIntyre showed the Buffs a lowlight reel of CU’s loss to Sacramento State four years ago.
John Meyer, The Denver Post
Saturday’s area games
11:30 a.m.: Nicholls State at Colorado, TV: Pac-12
1 p.m.: New Mexico at Wyoming, TV: ROOT
1:30 p.m.: Weber State at Northern Colorado, TV: CET (Comcast)
5 p.m.: Colorado State at Texas-San Antonio, TV: CBSSN
