BOULDER — The decision by Colorado State coach Mike Bobo to delay the announcement of his starting quarterback ahead of Friday’s Rocky Mountain Showdown doesn’t seem to be affecting the Rams’ rival.
“I think they’ll play Nick Stevens,” Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said Tuesday.
Whether it’s the incumbent Stevens, as the Buffaloes expect, or graduate transfer Faton Bauta, the Rams’ quarterback will face a stiff early test against a CU secondary that has a chance to be one of the Pac-12’s best units.
Led by do-it-all senior Chidobe Awuzie, who starts at cornerback but lines up all over the field, the Buffs boast experience and versatility in their defensive backfield. Ahkello Witherspoon is a senior at cornerback across from Awuzie, where he’s in a position battle with sophomore Isaiah Oliver. Senior Tedric Thompson has blossomed at strong safety, and junior Ryan Moeller returns to the free safety spot after missing the last six games of the 2015 season due to injuries suffered in a moped accident. And junior Afolabi Laguda has shown he can thrive at safety or in the nickel position.
Those players were all heavily involved in CU’s jump as a pass defense last season. The Buffs’ surrendered only 218.2 yards per game passing, the second-best mark in the conference. That number, under first-year defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt, was a big improvement from the 256.2 yards per game the Buffs yielded in 2014.
“All those kids that had played two years were going into their third year,” MacIntyre said of the secondary last season. “They’ve played a lot of good football teams. … I do think those guys are very athletic and they have a lot of experience. When they were young, there were some plays on the field that were busted. Now, they can fix it on a drive.”
MacIntyre compared his secondary two years ago to a group of young point guards who struggled to correct mistakes on the fly, a crippling trait when trying to match up with the fast-paced offenses that are a dime a dozen these days in college football. Heading into the season opener, the Buffs now believe they have a group that can not only adjust but also put pressure on offenses with increased understanding of passing attacks.
“The fact that they do their job so well really allows us (as pass rushers) to kind of progress into the game,” said senior outside linebacker/defensive end Jimmie Gilbert. “When you start a game, it’s not really an all-green light because you’re feeling the water. Thanks to their help, it allows us to get to the point faster. It allows us to read the offense a lot better and make plays.”
MacIntyre said credit for the improvement his defense displayed against the pass last season also belongs to pass rushers like Gilbert, who did a better job of putting pressure on quarterbacks, even if CU’s 27 sacks were only 10th most in the conference.
Still, there’s no doubt the secondary will play a key role in whatever success the Buffs can hope to find as they prepare to kick off their fourth season under MacIntyre. Their teammates are counting on the experienced and talented group.
“I am excited to see what they can do this year,” CU quarterback Sefo Liafau said of the secondary. “We got a lot of guys back there that can make plays for us.”
