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Buffs reflect on UCLA, ready to move forward

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The Colorado Buffaloes had practice Monday morning after arriving home from their game against UCLA at 5 AM on Sunday. Being that the team lost by a close margin and had several plays/calls not go there way, this lost seemed to leave a bitter taste in the Buffs mouths more than the usual one.

One of the crucial moments in Saturday’s game against the Bruins was when UCLA wide receiver Jordan Lasley delivered a devastating helmet-to-helmet hit on safety Afolabi Laguda.

Although Lasley was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, he was allowed to stay in the game. Despite the penalty, the Buffs didn’t feel justice was served for the hit which left Laguda in an injured state that head coach Mike MacIntyre compared to being in a car crash.

RELATED: MacIntyre post-practice Monday | CU looking to bounce back

“[Laguda] took a very vicious, illegal, malicious hit,” MacIntyre said. “I think those guys in those situations should be thrown out of the game. That’s as much as targeting is, and put him out of the game, and that should be looked at. To me, that’s a lot more vicious than the targeting calls kids are getting thrown out of the game for.

“When you’re standing late after the play, and you maliciously try to take a guy out, and you hurt him, that guy should be thrown out of the game. That’s what they should be doing, and we need to look at that as a rule.”

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Despite the offensive lines struggles against UCLA, MacIntyre didn’t seem concerned about the lines progress as a unit, saying they did their job. He also gave credit to the Bruins defensive front for performing at a high level on Saturday.

“[The Bruins] are extremely talented on defense,” MacIntyre said. “They have some excellent, excellent, pass rushers, and we didn’t really have any missed assignments, they just beat us a few times. They are a talented bunch and we needed to hold them a little bit more a few times.”

After two straight losses against conference opponents, the Buffs are now forced to fight through adversity. Despite the team’s struggles to make critical plays at important junctures of the game, captain Phillip Lindsay feels confident the team’s chemistry and their ability to bounce back.

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“You just have to continue to move and roll forward,” Lindsay said. “You’ve got to stay positive, and one or two games doesn’t define your year. Last year we lost two games, and now we just have a different obstacle we have to overcome now. We got to get back to it, get back to square one like I always say. The locker rooms positive, and we’re ready to move on.”

Lindsay also stressed the importance of accepting responsibility for a loss as a team, and not trying to distort/shift the blame. He feels there is always room for improvement in terms of executing as a unit.

“You don’t ever want to ever point fingers,” Lindsay said. “All of us have to be on the same page, that’s what it comes down to. From the coaches to the players, we all have to be on the same page and that’s just what it is. It’s just a couple of plays here and there that we’re missing as a unit. That will take care of itself.”

One of the things Lindsay feels he can do to improve his play is being more vocal both in and out of the huddle. He feels this could be something that ultimately allows the offensive unit to elevate their play as a whole.

“For me, it’s just being more patient,” Lindsay said. “Using my voice, making sure the lineman know I’m behind them. When they know you’re behind them, they get up into another gear, and get up to that backer faster because they know you’re behind them.”

Notes

-MacIntyre said the team is unsure if Trey Udoffia will play on Saturday or not, after suffering a lower leg injury in the game against UCLA.

-Even though Laguda came back in the game after that brutal hit, he didn’t participate in practice today. MacIntyre said he is still very shaken up and is unsure if he’ll play against Arizona.

-Although he doesn’t plan on personally talking to the NCAA about it, MacIntyre hopes that they make some sort of ruling regarding the severity of Lasley’s hit. He did admit it was a fine line to cross since the hit wasn’t technically targeting.

-MacIntyre was happy with the improvement from quarterback Steven Montez. He’s excited by how well Montez did running the ball, and feels he can use him in a similar capacity going forward.

-Lindsay also talked about his confidence in Montez. He feels that his improvement from week-to-week has really started in show in games.

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