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A few thoughts from Oregon

The Oregon facilities, while shiny and new, aren’t all that great, IMO. Perhaps I’m biased towards an actual architectural theme, which is absent there. It’s all very modern and contemporary looking, with lots of glass and stainless steel. I can understand why a kid might like it, but it didn’t strike me as any better than what we have at CU. Worse, in many respects. Obviously I didn’t get a chance to look at the lockerrooms and training facilities outside of their IPF. The IPF looked like any other IPF.
I did like how the IPF was utilized as a giant pregame party venue. We did that for a while and then stopped. We should bring that back.
Yeah! Their facilities SUCK!!
 
It does strike me as inconsistent that MikMac left the roster in better shape than he found it and our hot rod new coach has a D that is 123/129 in total D and 103rd scoring. I get that there are injuries but that is utterly pathetic and giving the D staff a pass is baloney. I have a hard time believing there isn't a way to get the D talent we have, injuries and all, to a point where they surrender less than a quarter mile a game in yardage, and hold somebody, anybody to less than 30 a game. More so when your HC is a defensive guru.

Losing to AFA, a middling Mtn. weenie team is the real crusher. I do not think losing to AZ is the end of the world, they are a pretty good team, but still that game was there for the taking if the D could muster a stop somewhere along the line in the 2d half.

Still, I hope for the best. I like HCMT's approach, but after a dozen years in the cellar, save one, I am impatient.

CU is doing a completely new install of the defense. It is much different. The LB's look terrible in coverage, and CU's secondary is both beat up and very young. With Mustafa out, the front 3-4 is very young. I have seen Taylor make strides each game. Akil Jones is coming on. Certainly, there are things to be worked out. We have to let ML get 3 recruiting classes in, and 1 year of this new defense under the team's belt. It will be better.
 
I finally brought myself to re-watch the game last night. I agree with the offense looking stale. I'm wondering if the tape is out of the offense that the opposing defense is scheming better for the Buffs O. Herbert had much more time to throw than Montez, but Montez was not sacked a whole bunch either. ORE jumped that WR or RB screen pass play every time and it went to 0 or negative yards. The difference was big plays--ORE had many, CU had 2 for 24 yards each.

I'll only talk about the 1st half, since the game was pretty much over by halftime. Except for an ORE turnover fest, CU's defense was unfortunately not going to stop ORE. Perhaps, hold them to approx. 14 points. Despite 3 interceptions, it was 21 points.

So for the 1st half--Neither team had any appreciable rushing yards in the 1st Q. Penalties and negative yard plays doomed the offense. CU had one sustained drive in the 1st Q for 3 points. However, in the 2nd Q CU's running game picked up. CU had their best drive of the game, ending with an interception in the end zone. ORE was perfect in the 1:29 drive, scoring in a minute. The 15 yard penalty did not help. 24-3 at half. All of that being said, on the road against currently the best PAC12 team (definitely the best PAC12 defense) throughout the 1st half, CU was doing fine in the field position battle. CU punted 3 times, ORE punted once and a turn over on downs. ORE had 1 extra possession since they took the ball. The 3rd down conversions, we nearly identical for both teams--not good. One thing I found weird was that CU had 10 1st downs, which I would take in any half on the road. Also, CU won time of possession barely, and used their up-tempo run game some. Just a disaster in the last 2 minutes of the 1st half.

I agree that CU has to evolve and change things offensively. I think they schemed running correctly, as ORE's team speed was too much to run outside the tackles. The passing, I don't know. How much of it is the play? How much of it is what Montez reads before the play? How much is execution? There does seem to be a bunch of check down. I thought the TE was going to be a weapon in this offense, but that has really regressed. Sure there was the bobbled 50%/50% ball. It is not like the TE's are running precise routes with timing or seam plays. That could be the pressure. CU's pocket was not nearly as clean as OREs. I thought Harris was going to be great (catch for 8, catch for 10, catch and run for 15), but his opportunities are limited. I am still not clear on exactly what Brady Russell does? It does not look like he runs true routes, but does look for open space and squat the route yelling I'm open. That is an interception waiting to happen, ergo the 3rd quarter.

For the rest of the interceptions, Montez had a bad read and the other was down the field. I give him props for throwing an interception 20+ yards down the field, even if trying for force one in there. If CU is going to be successful they need to stretch the field one way or another.

In closing, there were a ton of penalties in the game 24 total. I watched a bunch of PAC12 games, and most all of them seem to be penalty fests. I am not all that clear if the PAC12 is just calling things tighter, or CU is really regressing in that area.
Some good stuff here.

You accurately refer to the Ducks being able to out athlete us. You comments on the TE are a good example. Remember that Brady Russell is a guy who was a walk on. Coming out of high school he was not seen as a good enough athlete to draw P5 scholarship offers. He works hard but is still very limited.

The result of this is that we would like to use the TE but against Oregon their LBs were good enough athletically to handle him one on one, he posed no threat. And yes Harris was a P5 TE recruit but as a blocking TE, not a receiving threat.

Montez could play much better and be much more consistent but when Viska isn't healthy we don't have people who can force quality defenses to adjust and leave openings to exploit.
 
Some good stuff here.

You accurately refer to the Ducks being able to out athlete us. You comments on the TE are a good example. Remember that Brady Russell is a guy who was a walk on. Coming out of high school he was not seen as a good enough athlete to draw P5 scholarship offers. He works hard but is still very limited.

The result of this is that we would like to use the TE but against Oregon their LBs were good enough athletically to handle him one on one, he posed no threat. And yes Harris was a P5 TE recruit but as a blocking TE, not a receiving threat.

Montez could play much better and be much more consistent but when Viska isn't healthy we don't have people who can force quality defenses to adjust and leave openings to exploit.

I agree with that 100%. For Montez, Viska's injury is what it is. When Viska is healthy and in each play, it is much easier to SM to read the field, as Viska could dictate much of what the defense would do. I don't remember if it was Air Force or ASU, but when Montez finally stepped up throwing darts, he made some very good completions to Harris in the middle of the field. There was a sequence of back to back plays. You are probably right for ORE, unless Viska was 100% and on the field, the safety or ILB could jump that route or handle him 1 on 1. It seemed like their OLB or CB's had no trouble with CU's screen game. Also, when CU was down 21, they are dropping guys into coverage and playing zone. Although our runners can go for an occasional 20 yards through the middle, nobody has taken it to da' house.

I know that Russell was a walk-on and fan favorite, but I agree he is very limited. That is why I am surprised that he is playing 70+ snaps each game. I see Bish as a more dynamic H-Back (he started v. Ore), although he dropped a key pass v. UoA. The other guy that puzzles me is Darrion Jones, 6'6" 255 and a pass catching machine in JUCO. I guess he never broke through as a P5 player. I saw he was injured v. AFA and has not played since. Perhaps they RS him? With CU's success on the inside running game, I am just a little surprised they don't target the TE or slot receiver a bit more, as option 1, then throw deep or work through progessions. I have to leave that to the much more experienced coaches in the box, they either see it is there or they don't.

ORE's lb's were great in coverage, tipping passes etc... I watched the ASU/Wazzu playback, and ASU's linebackers fall into coverage quite a bit. They are more successful at it. On the other hand, UoA handed it to CU on that screen play, over and over, and over again. I think CU's LB's can learn this skill. Also, I think Landman is playing much better. He has trouble in coverage, but side to side, he is making plays with speed and great tackling. He is buying into the change, and making the best of it. It will be interesting to see if he will come out for the NFL draft. Not sure if he has NFL size or speed at MLB. Certainly, would be tough to make him into an OLB. He may find an extra year at CU as beneficial, such that he can improve his coverage skills. Who knows? I'd like to have him back.
 
I repeat myself, but a QB who is no threat to run severely limits this offense in key situations.

Duff Man-- what is it with your Patrick Swayze and Keanu picture? Isn't Point Break like 20 years old? Swayze was in Dirty Dancing and dead. I don't even think Keanu does films anymore. Maybe put up a picture of Shaft or something?

A Sr. QB that recklessly runs and gets injured without a proven back-up really severely limits this offense. Of maybe not, Lytle or Stenstrom could catch lightning in a bottle and somehow win the PAC12 South! They run and pass with reckless abandon, CU averages 45 points over their last 6 games... Really, at 3-3 and ORE out of the way, we are asking for Montez to: (1) win 3 games at home--Cheese it bowl; (2) win 2 home and UCLA--Cheese it bowl; (3) win 1 at home and UCLA and Utah to close out the season--Cheese it bowl.

Even if CU does not go bowling, it will be disappointing, unless they beat USC for the 1st time. Then CU beat Nubs in back-to-back seasons, beat ASU at Tempe for the 1st time ever and the USC monkey is gone. Although you chide Montez, I believe he will re-write most of CU's passing records and expunge Cody Hawkins from the record books. Despite an iffy W-L record, Montez has been a man of breaking CU's glass ceilings: beating ORE, CU's best win in 10 years; beating NU twice (name a CU QB that has done that); and the at ASU game. Montez put CU in a bowl game last year (alas the defense failed to come out of the locker-room for the 2nd half of ORE State and all the fans left at halftime) What really sucks is CU has been Khalil Tate'd three years in a row.
 
I know you’re joking, but I never said that. Please don’t put those words in my mouth.
I actually agree with you. Their facilities lack architectural style. They look modern industrial. They are glitzy but with no character. They look like, oh, Nike Corporate Headquarters. In that sense, I do believe they SUCK!!
 
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Duff Man-- what is it with your Patrick Swayze and Keanu picture? Isn't Point Break like 20 years old? Swayze was in Dirty Dancing and dead. I don't even think Keanu does films anymore. Maybe put up a picture of Shaft or something?

A Sr. QB that recklessly runs and gets injured without a proven back-up really severely limits this offense. Of maybe not, Lytle or Stenstrom could catch lightning in a bottle and somehow win the PAC12 South! They run and pass with reckless abandon, CU averages 45 points over their last 6 games... Really, at 3-3 and ORE out of the way, we are asking for Montez to: (1) win 3 games at home--Cheese it bowl; (2) win 2 home and UCLA--Cheese it bowl; (3) win 1 at home and UCLA and Utah to close out the season--Cheese it bowl.

Even if CU does not go bowling, it will be disappointing, unless they beat USC for the 1st time. Then CU beat Nubs in back-to-back seasons, beat ASU at Tempe for the 1st time ever and the USC monkey is gone. Although you chide Montez, I believe he will re-write most of CU's passing records and expunge Cody Hawkins from the record books. Despite an iffy W-L record, Montez has been a man of breaking CU's glass ceilings: beating ORE, CU's best win in 10 years; beating NU twice (name a CU QB that has done that); and the at ASU game. Montez put CU in a bowl game last year (alas the defense failed to come out of the locker-room for the 2nd half of ORE State and all the fans left at halftime) What really sucks is CU has been Khalil Tate'd three years in a row.

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

I hope that first paragraph is a poor attempt at trying to be funny and not serious.

As for the other stuff, I guess we can just sum up your feeling on Montez with this: he gets to own all of the good and none of the bad. Like he is at once the greatest thing going for CU and just somehow a detached, innocent bystander if anything goes wrong.

No one expects him to run recklessly, but some runs here and there would really open the offense. Instead, we get to hear how athletic Montez is and that he can make every throw (and that you just have to accept he is somewhat erratic with accuracy), even though he has chosen to be a pocket passer. Must be nice.

Montez will rewrite the record book because he has had some nice games, but mostly because he has started a ****load of games in his career. That tends to help with career numbers. Apparently that 5-7 glass ceiling is one even the great Montez cannot crack. Also, interesting you bring up Tate, one of those senior QBs running around recklessly.
 
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

I hope that first paragraph is a poor attempt at trying to be funny and not serious.

As for the other stuff, I guess we can just sum up your feeling on Montez with this: he gets to own all of the good and none of the bad. Like he is at once the greatest thing going for CU and just somehow a detached, innocent bystander if anything goes wrong.

No one expects him to run recklessly, but some runs here and there would really open the offense. Instead, we get to hear how athletic Montez is and that he can make every throw (and that you just have to accept he is somewhat erratic with accuracy), even though he has chosen to be a pocket passer. Must be nice.

Montez will rewrite the record book because he has had some nice games, but mostly because he has started a ****load of games in his career. That tends to help with career numbers. Apparently that 5-7 glass ceiling is one even the great Montez cannot crack. Also, interesting you bring up Tate, one of those senior QBs running around recklessly.
I tend to be a bit more supportive of Montez than many around here but in this point you are correct. He doesn't have to be the next coming of Tim Tebow running the ball or a Buffs version of Adrian Martinez to significantly alter the game.

First off when we pass the type of pass is almost always tipped by the drop. Short drop and he is going to the bubble screen or a quick hitch, deep drop and the ball is going downfield. Defenses respond and it makes it harder for us to gain yardage. In either case defenses rarely worry about him pulling the ball down and running.

We also know that the book on Montez is that if you can pressure him he quits reading the defense and locks in either throwing a bad ball or throwing it away if the man he is locked in on isn't open. As a result team go full out on rushing the passer.

He isn't a natural runner of the ball but he does have some straight line speed. Called or not if he would just drop the ball down and run upfield he could easily have 3-4 carries a game into wide open space gaining 10+ yards or more.

If he were to do that if would be significant enough that DCs would be forced to either protect at the LOS by holding a defensive lineman back or to keep a LB up and in the middle to defend against those big chunks. Either way it means either less pass rush or less men in cover making it easier to complete passes for quality gains.
 
and He just might house it. Remember the game where he took off and was kinda surprised himself he made it to the endzone? Was not a graceful run but he made it.... was it the csu game?
 
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

I hope that first paragraph is a poor attempt at trying to be funny and not serious.

As for the other stuff, I guess we can just sum up your feeling on Montez with this: he gets to own all of the good and none of the bad. Like he is at once the greatest thing going for CU and just somehow a detached, innocent bystander if anything goes wrong.

No one expects him to run recklessly, but some runs here and there would really open the offense. Instead, we get to hear how athletic Montez is and that he can make every throw (and that you just have to accept he is somewhat erratic with accuracy), even though he has chosen to be a pocket passer. Must be nice.

Montez will rewrite the record book because he has had some nice games, but mostly because he has started a ****load of games in his career. That tends to help with career numbers. Apparently that 5-7 glass ceiling is one even the great Montez cannot crack. Also, interesting you bring up Tate, one of those senior QBs running around recklessly.
Montez myth grows by the week
 
Fans are going to have to be patient as the situation is not going to change overnight. CU recruited at the bottom of the PAC12 for most of the MacIntyre years. And it was especially bad in the trenches. So you have a team that does not have enough talent to consistently compete with the top of the PAC12. I just hope we are recruiting above the guys that we have now. We have young guys seeing a lot of playing time so I hope the mistakes we are seeing now will be behind them.

I don't believe the scheme made one bit of difference against Oregon. We just saw what happens when you are going against better athletes across the board who are well coached. Landman is a good player but it makes his job harder when the Dline cannot occupy blockers. A good NT would make him much better. Montez is the same as he has always been - he has a good arm but he does not have a good feel for the QB position, IMO. He makes too many poor decisions in the course of a game.

I feel Tucker knows this is a grind and that it is a longer term project. I do want to see them get into California more for recruiting.
 
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

I hope that first paragraph is a poor attempt at trying to be funny and not serious.

As for the other stuff, I guess we can just sum up your feeling on Montez with this: he gets to own all of the good and none of the bad. Like he is at once the greatest thing going for CU and just somehow a detached, innocent bystander if anything goes wrong.

No one expects him to run recklessly, but some runs here and there would really open the offense. Instead, we get to hear how athletic Montez is and that he can make every throw (and that you just have to accept he is somewhat erratic with accuracy), even though he has chosen to be a pocket passer. Must be nice.

Montez will rewrite the record book because he has had some nice games, but mostly because he has started a ****load of games in his career. That tends to help with career numbers. Apparently that 5-7 glass ceiling is one even the great Montez cannot crack. Also, interesting you bring up Tate, one of those senior QBs running around recklessly.


I tried to put up a picture of Shaft for my profile and do not know how to do it. The picture stuff was funny.

Montez gets the good and the bad. If there was a solid back up option, the coaches would use it and they would have Montez run more and take the extra contact. He would be getting an earful on the sidelines, which he is not. The three years of different coordinators has made him into a pocket passer. This appeared sensible given that CU is so deep at WR and we thought that TE. Also, I think the staff betted on Viska's health. Montez being in the pocket was the plan early on. When Viska is in the game and a true option, it does make the game much easier for Montez. It would for any QB.

I am not giving up on the Buffs. I think 3 wins are still out there to be had, heck there are 3 home games + UCLA. I do not feel good about Wazzu, and if the Buffs get down early, I think it is time to try the backups and reset Montez. Frequently, when athletes of all levels sit and watch, they do reevaluate and sometimes see things differently. I do think the Buffs have the best chance of making a Bowl with Montez healthy and playing. The young and thin Defense with a new system just makes it tough. However, I do believe they are learning in the new system and trying to execute it better. Hopefully, that continues.

On Tate, I've watched 3 of UoA's games and Tate does not run around recklessly anymore. He is a freak on the run so he racks up more yards and 1st downs running, but he is mostly shying away from contact and taking what the defense gives. In the UoA game when Montez made that weird scramble to the outside only gaining 2, I watched the play over and over and there were 2 defenders to beat if he cut it up. True, he did shy away from the contact. I do not believe he would have got that 1st down, unless perhaps he was Khalil Tate. No doubt, Tate is a better athlete than Montez. On that play, he might of got 1-2 more yards, unless the defenders whiffed.

Montez has started a ****load of games but that is because he deserved it. He soundly beat out all the back-ups and has mostly stayed healthy, playing more good games than outright bad ones. He does seem to be good for a stinker on the road.
 
One of my observations is that Oregon's jerseys were atrocious as they usually are. But one thing I've always liked about their jerseys and style is that they always put the number of national championships they have right on their helmet for all to see
 
Fans are going to have to be patient as the situation is not going to change overnight. CU recruited at the bottom of the PAC12 for most of the MacIntyre years. And it was especially bad in the trenches. So you have a team that does not have enough talent to consistently compete with the top of the PAC12. I just hope we are recruiting above the guys that we have now. We have young guys seeing a lot of playing time so I hope the mistakes we are seeing now will be behind them.

I don't believe the scheme made one bit of difference against Oregon. We just saw what happens when you are going against better athletes across the board who are well coached. Landman is a good player but it makes his job harder when the Dline cannot occupy blockers. A good NT would make him much better. Montez is the same as he has always been - he has a good arm but he does not have a good feel for the QB position, IMO. He makes too many poor decisions in the course of a game.

I feel Tucker knows this is a grind and that it is a longer term project. I do want to see them get into California more for recruiting.

On thing weird about recruiting California now is that they are not producing nearly the number of elite front 6-7 players on either side of the ball. Cali is losing between 2000-4000 kids a year leaving HS football. Cali has a ton of gifted athletes for skill positions, but the overall competition level is dropping. Except for the few schools who play national schedules, it is tough for them to get good week-in and week-out competition for the front 6-7. The Cali legislature severely restricted contact at practices to something like 45 minutes, twice a week. It will be interesting to see how Cali recruiting changes in the coming years, and how this changes the entire PAC12.

I agree with you on Oregon. CU was destroyed up front on both sides of the ball. Although, CU had respectable rushing yards on the road, Montez was harried on about every play, even when they rushed 3-4 guys. CU has no recruit anywhere close to that Thibadeu (sp?) kid on OU's Dline.
 
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