If you talk to Aaron Maddox or Mikial Onu, they might all but say that competing against the ground-heavy offense of Air Force is among the battles they most look forward to in 2019.
The Buffaloes' safeties have placed emphasis on being assets in the open-field tackling department for the team this season and thus far, they've both done much to honor that commitment.
Versus the triple option attack of the Falcons, they'll get a new test, one both of them are eager to face head-on.
Starting with Maddox, physicality is a matter of pride within his game. After all, he didn't add roughly 30 pounds to his frame (Maddox weights roughly 205 pounds now after being under 170 during spring drills of 2018) in the span of less than a year and a half for nothing.
The hard work he's put in off the football field to bulk up has thus helped him develop his game to better reflect being an able tackler.
“I take a lot of pride in being (physical)," Maddox said. "Even as a young kid, I was physical but small, so that hurt me a little bit but I’ve always had a physical mindset. I’ve always loved to hit and just disassemble the entire offense. Being able to come downhill and be an eraser helps our defense a lot.”
Onu rung the same bell. He stresses physicality and communication are the keys to having the most effective secondary, a mentality he developed while at Southern Methodist.
“At SMU, I was put in a lot of positions to where I was forced to be a big-hit, physical kind of guy," he said. "I wanted to show and prove to myself that I could do it all. I think I’m a physical player. That’s the biggest thing for me, the defense and the team, being physical."
To Maddox's point, he and Onu being able to move downfield and be "erasers" will be important for Colorado's defense as it attempts to combat Air Force's triple option.
During the Falcons' season opener vs. Colgate (Air Force's bye week was this past weekend), they ran 66 plays on offense, 65 of which were rush calls.
Fullback Taven Birdow (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) led Air Force with 80 yards on nine rushes, good for an 8.9 YPC average while running back Kadin Remsberg (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) had 62 yards, also on nine carries.
And those two are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of guys who will be seeing multiple handoffs. Air Force had six players that rushed the ball at least five times, with 6-foot-3, 190 pound sophomore fullback Timothy Jackson leading the team with 10.
Defensive coordinator Tyson Summers prepared a defensive scheme against Air Force while under Mike Bobo at CSU in 2015 and then again vs. Georgia Tech during his Georgia days with Mel Tucker.
Colorado's Alex Tchangam and Davion Taylor also have played against a triple option offense whilst in junior college. Thus, there is a good handful of players and personnel for the Buffs who have an understanding of what to expect this Saturday.
That said, for Summers, he's not considering his experiences vs. Georgia Tech as any sort of cheat sheet for Air Force.
"A lot of people group the (option) family all together, but (Air Force) is a lot different than Georgia Tech to be honest with you," he said. "What they believe in, how they do certain plays, the formations they use — they'll be in the shotgun a lot, two-back sets, the I, so they're very multiple."
Thus, the first matchup between the two teams since 1974 will be a good early-season test for Tucker's Buffaloes as they look to round out their non-conference schedule without a dash in the loss column.
