There have been some positives for the Colorado defense this year.
Among the highlights, the Buffaloes have been dramatically better in creating turnovers and sacks this year than the 2022 version of the Buffs.
Overall, however, itap certainly been a roller coaster ride for the defense and one issue that has plagued the Buffs (4-7, 1-7 Pac-12) almost all season is the inability to get off the field enough on third downs.
CU, which visits Utah (7-4, 4-4) on Saturday in Salt Lake City (1 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), ranks 11th in the conference (and 120th nationally) in third-down defense. Opponents are converting third downs at a 46.1% rate.
There were many issues on Friday in a 56-14 loss at Washington State, but third downs were a problem again, as the Cougars went 6-for-11 (54.5%).
Two of WSU’s first three offensive touchdowns were scored on third downs. An 11-yard run on third-and-1 set up another WSU touchdown and a 10-yard run on third-and-7 set up the last offensive touchdown.
Friday’s game was the sixth time this season that an opponent has converted third downs at 50% or better.
The most painful game in that regard may have been the 46-43 double overtime loss to Stanford, when CU coughed up a 29-0 halftime lead. The Cardinal finished 10-of-18, including 5-of-7 in the second half. The only two second half third downs the Cardinal failed to convert were when they chose to go down and set up for field goals that tied the game at the end of the regulation and won the game in overtime.
Chev honored
For CU receiver and assistant coach Darrin Chiaverini, now the head coach at Chaffey (Calif.) College, was named the coach of the year in the American Metro League on Monday.
Chiaverini led Chaffey, a junior college in Rancho Cucamonga, to a 10-0 regular season. Chaffey is one of just three undefeated teams in the 36-team Southern California Football Association.
“Excited to be named conference coach of the year!” Chiaverini said in a text to BuffZone. “Itap truly an honor to be recognized by your peers. Grateful to our staff and players. Great teams are a culmination of recruiting, retention and development!”
Prior to Chiaverini’s arrival, Chaffey went 2-18 over the previous two seasons.
Chiaverini, who played receiver at CU from 1996-99, was an assistant at CU from 2016-18, including co-offensive coordinator from 2016-18 and offensive coordinator from 2020-21. He worked as an analyst at UCLA in 2022.
Chaffey will host Pasadena City College in the American Division Championship on Saturday.
Notable
Offensively, the Buffs were 4-of-16 on third downs against Washington State, dropping to 10th in the Pac-12 with a conversion rate of 39.4% for the season. … The Buffs’ season scoring average has dipped to 29.0, which ranks 8th in the Pac-12. In the previous 21 seasons (2002-22), CU averaged at least 30 points just once, with 31.1 in 2016. CU would need at least 41 points at Utah on Saturday to reach 30 points per game. Utah allows 20.0 points per game.
