Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter get most of the the headlines for this Colorado team, and rightfully so. The biggest difference from last year’s Buffs team and this one, however, is the defense.

First-year defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has orchestrated a stunning turnaround on that side of the ball, transforming one of the worst defenses in college football to a legitimately good unit, thanks to a lot of portal pickups and a refreshing, adaptable scheme.

Talk to any member of this revamped unit, and they’ll gush about Livingston’s tactics and his ability to bond with his players, creating a connected unit that doesn’t look like it can be broken.

“I love these guys,” Livingston said. “I spend more time with them than I do my family. We talk about being a family and a tribe mentality, and it's a testament to the guys. They’ve bought in, they play hard, they play fast. Is it perfect? No, it’s not always perfect, but they give it their all. As long as we get that, I think we’ll like the results.”

Colorado got proof of concept on the defensive side on Saturday, when it stifled the top-ranked rushing attack in college football in a 48-21 blowout of UCF in Orlando.

The Buffs weren’t able to completely hold the Knights down. UCF actually outgained Colorado 461 yards to 418, but Livingston’s group was clutch when it mattered. UCF scored just twice in five trips into the red zone, as CU came up with two key turnovers when backed up to its own end zone.

“I think the rallying cry defensively is always gonna be yards don’t equal points,” Livingston said. “As long as you play great situational defense – that’s third down, that’s the red zone, that's two-minute – it’s 2024, these guys get paid too so they’re gonna make some plays. So just tighten the screws when you have to. Again, it’s a testament to coach [Kevin] Mathis, he’s our red zone master, he’s our red zone guru each week, so he does a great job.”

UCF managed just seven points in the second half, bringing the total to 26 points allowed in five second halves by Livingston and this defense. Clearly, something has been clicking after halftime for a group that has been very hard to score on late in games.

Part of that, of course, has been game scripts, and Livingston admits that some of it can be attributed to adjustments in calls and schemes during games that help effectively neutralize offenses as the games unfold. However, the first-time play-caller gives all the credit to the rest of the staff and the players for CU’s second-half success.

“I think it’s a testament to our staff,” Livingston said. “At halftime, those guys come in, everybody’s got an area that they work on. George Helow gets in front of them and talks about the run fits, Kevin Mathis does a great job talking about the pass concepts, and I just stay out of the way. It’s a testament to the staff, the men we have here, the players.”

Livingston’s adaptability and scheme malleability don’t just span from the first quarter to the fourth. It spans from one week to the next, from one year to the next, and from one team to another.

After the win over UCF, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig said that when Livingston got to CU, he didn’t want to immediately put in his scheme, but rather wanted to know what the Colorado players’ strengths were and build it from there. Livingston adapted and is now focused on tailoring his plan each week to stop what the opponent does well and give his stars the chance to be stars.

“As coaches, too often we make it about us and not the kids,” Livingston said. “It’s players, not plays. As I talked about, if we can rush that way, if we can control the line of scrimmage with four or five guys, that makes the coverage aspect pretty easy. If we’re not getting home one week, we’ve gotta bring pressure. I think each week, you wanna look at who you’re playing and say let’s make them play left-handed. That’s kind of a Bill Belichick thing, who’s the best that’s ever done it… Each week it’ll look a little bit different, but with the main thing being the main thing: let’s put our best players in position to be successful and let the chips fall where they may.”

Colorado’s offense is as explosive as ever and has found some more balance this year with a new stable of backs and an improved offensive line. However, it’s Livingston and the defense that have allowed the Buffs to work through some growing pains on the way to a 4-1 start, and it’s that unit that has given the Buffs what feels like a real chance to make some noise in the Big 12.