Insider Report: Buffs to face 'explosive offensive football team'
The Colorado Buffaloes had their first gameday week practice on Monday, with the Rocky Mountain Showdown against the Colorado State Rams lingering on Friday.
Being that this is the first game week practice of the season, CU head coach Mike MacIntyre talked about how it had slightly different feel than the rest of fall camp.
“Getting in your game week is kind of like getting near Christmas,” MacIntyre said. “Christmas starts [on] Thanksgiving, you’re happy for a day, then you start getting near it, and can I open a present early? That’s how they’re feeling, and it’s like Christmas coming out.”
One of the things giving Colorado State an advantage is the fact that they, unlike Colorado, had a week zero game last Saturday, and thus have more initial in-game experience for this season. Add in the fact that the result of that game was a 57-28 thumping of the Oregon State Beavers, and the Rams have an added boost of confidence, and some momentum heading into the showdown.
Although CSU looked good against the Beavers last week and have a lot of potential as a team, the Rocky Mountain Showdown had widely been considered an easy win for the Buffs by many - especially following last year’s 44-7 Buffs thumping of the Rams. But Vegas has the Buffs as just a 5.5 point favorite, and Coach Mac views them as a tough opponent, and wasn’t surprised by their performance on Saturday.
“I knew they [CSU] were going to have a good football team,” MacIntyre said. “I knew they were an explosive offensive football team, and I knew they were going to prove on defense, because they basically have everyone back. They’ve got good linebackers, a good secondary, and they’ve got good experience, are good players, and do a good job on defense.”
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Following a season in which the Buffs wide receiving core broke many school records, including having four players with 30 or more receptions, there are high expectations heading into the season for this experienced, talented, unit.
One the players who will be the most integral to this group’s success as a whole this season will be senior Shay Fields, who lead the Buffs with 883 receiving yards last year. With another year of gelling under their belt, strong armed quarterback Steven Montez under center, and the departure of some of the most talented defensive backs in college football from last year leaving the Pac-12 for the NFL, Fields really feels the sky’s the limit for this unit.
“With the talent we have, I feel like we can be the best in the nation," Fields said. “Just our whole work ethic, and everything that we bring to the table, I feel that we’re the best in the nation.”
Speaking of talented defensive backs from the Pac-12 from last season, Fields and company were consistently pitted up against the best secondary talent in college football last year, which made their performance that much more impressive. In the Pac-12 championship game, three 2017 NFL Draft second picks in cornerbacks Sidney Jones and Kevin King, and safety Budda Baker were lined up across from them. In the game against UCLA, they had third round, cornerback Fabian Moreau, and undrafted free agent safety Randall Goforth on the other end. Also, Fields went up against three teammates in practice every day that were drafted in the NFL.
Speaking on the tough level of competition the Buffs faced last year, Fields attributes the unit’s ability to get better and elevate their play on their tough opponents from a season ago.
“Going against some of the top competition is just one of those things that you look for every game," Fields said. “It’s helped us a lot, especially me seeing that the guys you’re going against are going to the NFL, you get top notch competition and that’s just what you want.”
Notes
-Coach MacIntyre said the decision to match Isaiah Oliver up with the opposition’s number one wide receiver will be made on a week-to-week basis. He said it depends on how they utilize their top wideout (whether they play him mostly outside, in the slot, etc).
-HCMM is holding off on his decision to redshirt certain receivers until halfway through the season so he can see how injuries play themselves out.
-One of the things Coach Mac praised Oliver for was his athleticism, and ability to be versatile in the way the coaching staff utilized him during the game.
-A decision on who will open the season as the Buffs kicker, is still yet to be made. Coach Mac hopes it announce it officially on Wednesday.
-HCMM praised Tim Lynott’s ability to win battles in the trenches, comparing him to a wrestler. He feels he has the potential to do even better this season.