MacIntyre talks Montez, receivers and secondary at Pac-12 Media Days
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By steering Colorado to a memorable win at Oregon in 2016, quarterback Steven Montez’s introduction to CU fans was as memorable as any starting debut for a Buffaloes player in many years.
Now the sophomore from El Paso, Tex. is entrenched as the Buffs’ full-time starter at the most important position in football.
For that reason, all eyes will be on Montez, who possesses the size (6-5, 225 pounds) and cannon arm to excel at the FBS level, when Colorado opens preseason camp Saturday with a workout from 8:50 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Appearing in 11 games in 2016, Montez completed 83-of-140 passes (59.3 percent) for 1,078 yards and nine touchdowns, amassing 1,309 yards in total offense when you add in his 231 rushing yards.
He threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 135 yards in the season-changing win at Oregon, becoming the first player in Colorado history to throw for over 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game. Indeed, it was quite the starting debut.
Now Montez must learn how to do that each and every week throughout the long 12-game regular season.
Mike Macintyre has spent a significant portion of his summer preparing Montez for the responsibility of being a starting quarterback in the Pac-12, and making sure he is ready to go when practice begins.
“We’ve had a lot of talks this summer at different times,” MacIntyre told the Pac-12 Network on Wednesday during his appearance at the conference's annual Media Days in Los Angeles. “Mainly, I’ve been talking with him about understanding the grind he has to handle, understanding the scrutiny he will be under and how he has to be mentally tough through all of it.”
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With plenty of talented offensive skill position players already in place for Colorado, MacIntyre has been careful to ensure Montez simply focuses on the demands of his job and doesn’t have to shoulder the entire load.
“We’re very talented on offense,” MacIntyre said. “He just has to do his role. We have enough players around him. Sefo (Liufau) wishes he has the offense Steven has around him. That gives him a lot of comfort.”
Led by seniors Shay Fields, Devin Ross and Bryce Bobo – all of whom saw significant action in 2016 - the Colorado receiving corps ranks among the most experienced in the Pac-12, giving Montez plentiful throwing targets this season.
“I feel good about our group of receivers as a whole,” MacIntyre said. “They complement each other very well.”
Just behind the ascension of Montez to starting quarterback as the summer’s No. 1 story is the ongoing efforts to reload Colorado’s secondary after three Buffalo defensive backs were drafted in April.
MacIntyre believes Colorado’s secondary could be better than most analysts are saying in the preseason. He contends junior Isaiah Oliver, a great all-around athlete as seen by his fourth place finish as a sophomore in the decathlon at the Pac-12 meet in the spring, ranks among the best defensive backs nobody in the Pac-12 is talking about.
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The 6-foot-1, 190 pound Oliver played close to 500 snaps last season, but didn’t get nearly the recognition of his fellow defensive backs that are now pursuing NFL careers.
“I think Isaiah Oliver is one of the best DBs in the country at corner,” MacIntyre said. “He is a phenomenal athlete. He is long and he has played a lot of football. He was really a starter for us (in 2016). He played in our nickel package and he rotated in at different times.”
Afolabi Laguda and Ryan Moeller (First-team All_Pac-12 on special teams in 2016) should also see their secondary roles expand this season. Moeller started nine games last season in his hybrid nickel/OLB spot.
“I feel those three guys (Oliver, Laguda and Moeller) will do a good job,” MacIntyre said. “We have to find a couple of other pieces. I feel good about our secondary and where they will be.”
NOTES:
-- After winning the Pac-12 South a season ago, Colorado was picked to finish fourth in the division in the annual media poll held in conjunction with Pac-12 Media Days. USC (309 points) is the favorite to win the division and appear in the conference championship game followed by Utah (220), UCLA (209) and the Buffs (182). Arizona State (109) and Arizona (61) trailed behind. Washington was picked to win the Pac-12 North. The Trojans got 28 of 52 votes to win the conference title with Washington receiving 22 votes.
-- The Pac-12 Football Championship Game will remain at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. for at least the next three years through the 2019 season (translation: Until the new Raiders stadium opens in Las Vegas and/or the new stadium in LA opens). The new deal includes an option for 2020. The 2017 Pac-12 Championship game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 1 and will be nationally televised by ESPN.
COLORADO 2017 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
Sept. 1 vs. Colorado State, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Sept. 9 TEXAS STATE, Noon (Pac-2 Network)
Sept. 16 NORTHERN COLORADO, Noon (Pac-12 Network)
Sept. 23 WASHINGTON*
Sept. 30 at UCLA*
Oct. 7 ARIZONA*
Oct. 14 at Oregon State*
Oct. 21 at Washington State*
Oct. 28 CALIFORNIA (Homecoming)*
Nov. 4 at Arizona State*
Nov. 11 USC*
Nov. 18 Bye
Nov. 25 at Utah*
(All Times Mountain)
* Pac-12 Conference Game