2014 Stats
3200 yards (29th in the nation)
65.3% complete (tie 18th in the nation)
6.43 YPA (95th in the nation)
28 TDs (tie 17th in the nation)
15 INTs (tie 10th most in the nation)
18 Sacks (tie 84th least in the nation)
131.8 Rating (65th in the nation)
http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/550278/sefo-liufau
http://espn.go.com/college-football...assing/sort/collegeQuarterbackRating/count/41
First point I want to make is that, as I said back in January, I didn't appreciate how good of a QB that Sefo is until I watched the bowl games. He was better as a soph than most of the bowl quarterbacks I watched. My perception hadn't been that, almost certainly because of what I was used to seeing. The Pac-12 was absolutely loaded at QB in 2014 and CSU's Grayson was also a high NFL pick. Sefo was mediocre compared to what I saw every week, but that made him one of the better QBs in the nation.
In 2015, the Pac-12 QBs aren't what they were last season and CSU also takes a major step back. Relative to competition, even if Sefo makes no progress from 2014 he is one of the good ones.
But where do we need to see improvement?
The numbers are pretty clear. In fact, they pretty much scream out and my mother could do this analysis.
He needs to maintain the things he has done very well while increasing the big plays and mid-range completions to get that YPA up.
While doing so, Sefo needs to cut down on the INTs. With those INTs, we also had 6 fumbles by him on only 70 carries (which includes the 18 sacks in the college stats). http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/sefo-liufau-player-game-log 21 turnovers in 11 games started is double what we want to see in 2015.
Also from those stats on foxsports, they have him at 19 sacks for -114 yards (incorrectly counting a negative rush as a sack). So, outside of those 19 plays, he ran the ball 51 times for 140 yards. Figuring there are sneaks and kneel downs in that number, he was somewhat effective when he ran the ball on read option or scramble. I think we all remember some plays that kept the defense honest and stole some free yards. Sefo's not a runner. It's never going to be a featured weapon in his game. But I think the signs were there that he can be effective at times and give the Buffs 3 or 4 carries a game that help to move the chains. He's got to be good at picking his spots and taking advantage of the defense when it's there.
Next, a lot of this does come down to the team around him. We didn't see much in terms of a short route being busted by our RBs or WRs to turn it into a big gain. That's got to change in 2015. And that's also influenced by having a running game that opposing LBs and Safeties are forced to key on, which opens up the field if that first tackle can be broken. Better blocking on screens has to happen, too.
Last, so much comes down to Sefo's ability to read the defense and make the right throw. In his best games he didn't lock onto Spruce. And those ended up being Spruce's best games, too, because he was able to work for bigger plays instead of catching a dozen 8-yard comebacks with a couple DBs draped on him. Finding the right guy is what is going to open up those intermediate pass plays and get the YPA way up without sacrificing completion percentage. Also, not forcing the ball will cut down those INTs. This is probably the biggest thing: maturing into a veteran QB and making those plays. With that progression, Sefo will be one of the Top 30 QBs in the nation this season. I expect him to be just that.
3200 yards (29th in the nation)
65.3% complete (tie 18th in the nation)
6.43 YPA (95th in the nation)
28 TDs (tie 17th in the nation)
15 INTs (tie 10th most in the nation)
18 Sacks (tie 84th least in the nation)
131.8 Rating (65th in the nation)
http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/550278/sefo-liufau
http://espn.go.com/college-football...assing/sort/collegeQuarterbackRating/count/41
First point I want to make is that, as I said back in January, I didn't appreciate how good of a QB that Sefo is until I watched the bowl games. He was better as a soph than most of the bowl quarterbacks I watched. My perception hadn't been that, almost certainly because of what I was used to seeing. The Pac-12 was absolutely loaded at QB in 2014 and CSU's Grayson was also a high NFL pick. Sefo was mediocre compared to what I saw every week, but that made him one of the better QBs in the nation.
In 2015, the Pac-12 QBs aren't what they were last season and CSU also takes a major step back. Relative to competition, even if Sefo makes no progress from 2014 he is one of the good ones.
But where do we need to see improvement?
The numbers are pretty clear. In fact, they pretty much scream out and my mother could do this analysis.
He needs to maintain the things he has done very well while increasing the big plays and mid-range completions to get that YPA up.
While doing so, Sefo needs to cut down on the INTs. With those INTs, we also had 6 fumbles by him on only 70 carries (which includes the 18 sacks in the college stats). http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/sefo-liufau-player-game-log 21 turnovers in 11 games started is double what we want to see in 2015.
Also from those stats on foxsports, they have him at 19 sacks for -114 yards (incorrectly counting a negative rush as a sack). So, outside of those 19 plays, he ran the ball 51 times for 140 yards. Figuring there are sneaks and kneel downs in that number, he was somewhat effective when he ran the ball on read option or scramble. I think we all remember some plays that kept the defense honest and stole some free yards. Sefo's not a runner. It's never going to be a featured weapon in his game. But I think the signs were there that he can be effective at times and give the Buffs 3 or 4 carries a game that help to move the chains. He's got to be good at picking his spots and taking advantage of the defense when it's there.
Next, a lot of this does come down to the team around him. We didn't see much in terms of a short route being busted by our RBs or WRs to turn it into a big gain. That's got to change in 2015. And that's also influenced by having a running game that opposing LBs and Safeties are forced to key on, which opens up the field if that first tackle can be broken. Better blocking on screens has to happen, too.
Last, so much comes down to Sefo's ability to read the defense and make the right throw. In his best games he didn't lock onto Spruce. And those ended up being Spruce's best games, too, because he was able to work for bigger plays instead of catching a dozen 8-yard comebacks with a couple DBs draped on him. Finding the right guy is what is going to open up those intermediate pass plays and get the YPA way up without sacrificing completion percentage. Also, not forcing the ball will cut down those INTs. This is probably the biggest thing: maturing into a veteran QB and making those plays. With that progression, Sefo will be one of the Top 30 QBs in the nation this season. I expect him to be just that.
