Even after Colorado struggled in the first half against Texas State, averaged just 2.2 yards per rushing attempt and converted only 4-of-15 third down conversions in the 37-3 victory, Buffs quarterback Steven Montez was quick to explain - pointing the finger at himself - there is nothing wrong with the CU offense that can’t be fixed.
The Buffs demonstrated in the third quarter that they are capable of moving the ball and finding the end zone. Now they just need to do it from the beginning of the game and string four good quarters together.
“I don’t think there is any concern,” Montez said after Saturday’s victory pushed the Buffs to 2-0 on the young season, and 12-4 since the start of last season. “It takes a couple of weeks to start clicking. We’re just starting to get that chemistry with the offense.”
The Buffs offense has an opportunity to fire on all cylinders for 60 minutes Saturday with FCS school Northern Colorado coming to Boulder for a noon kickoff (Pac-12 Network).
In a span of 13 meaningful possessions bridging the final 46 minutes of the Rocky Mountain Showdown and the first half of the Texas State game, the Buffs offense scored seven points. The second-longest drive during that span after last Saturday’s 9-play, 96-yard TD march in the second quarter was 47 yards.
Mike MacIntyre’s message to Montez at halftime - stay in the darn pocket - was heard loud and clear.
“A lot of the problems with the offense not getting going in the first half was definitely my fault,” Montez said. “I was getting out of the pocket way too soon. We cleaned that up in the second half and started to stay in the pocket.”
Montez, who has made five career starts for the Buffs, blamed his lingering high school instincts for his occasional impatience in the pocket.
“In high school, I had to run around a lot and try to make plays and create things on my own,” Montez said. “Sometimes I revert back to that whenever I’m in a game. Now that I’m conscious of it, I just need to keep working and working and hopefully make it a habit of staying in the pocket and getting outside only when I have to.”
A conversation with freshman backup quarterback Tyler Lytle, a true pocket passer and not much of a scrambler, helped Montez as well.
“Tyler just said, ‘Pretend you’re me for a second and stay in the pocket because I can’t run and deliver the ball,” Montez chuckled. “Sure enough, I took his advice, stayed in the pocket and that’s when good things started happening.”
While the passing game always gets a lot of attention from fans and the media, the Buffs rushing attack amassed just 91 yards on 41 attempts (2.22 yards per carry) against Texas State as the Bobcats’ defensive front seven proved stout at times.
“Sometimes, it’s like that,” Buffs running back Phillip Lindsay said after the game. “They came to play. They didn’t want to get embarrassed. Everybody just has to be patient. As a group, the offense is going to start rolling. But the offense is one of the hardest things to get going because you have so many reads and so many things go into it. In that locker room, we’re okay with it and we know what we can do. That’s all that matters.”
Of course, if the CU defense continues to play as well as they have through the first two games (6 points allowed, no TDs), the Buffs offense won’t have to score a lot of points for CU to win a bunch of games.
“That defense is nasty,” Montez said. “Isaiah Oliver is one of the best corners in the nation. I look for our defense to do big things as the year goes on. They are very, very good. They were definitely underrated before the season started.”
