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An In-Depth Look at Colorado’s Performance in Loss to Rival Nebraska
Recap:
Saturday night in a tough road game Colorado lost against rival Nebraska falling 28-10. The Buffaloes got off to a terrible start, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders throwing a costly pick-six early. The offense couldn’t find a rhythm and the always sold out Cornhusker crowd showed out.
Nebraska’s defense dominated the narrative of the game, holding Colorado scoreless in the first half and stifling any hope the Buffs’ had to establish a run game. Nebraska’s power running attack found success early, and frequent penalties and defensive breakdowns haunted Colorado. Nebraska built a 28-0 lead by halftime.
Colorado managed to get a field goal and a late touchdown pass that went to LaJohntay Wester in the second half but could never truly threaten the Huskers. Nebraska controlled the game on both sides of the ball, sealing a victory with methodical drives and a strong defensive showing. The Buffs drop to 1-1 on the season.
What Went Right:
It’s always a good practice to start with what went right for the Buffs, though this week, there wasn’t much. In the postgame press conference, Deion Sanders highlighted Colorado’s strong second-half performances this season, noting that they’ve only allowed six points in the second half through their first two games. While Colorado has outscored opponents 24-6 in the second half, they’ve been outscored 17-48 in the first half.
This raises the question: Is Colorado making meaningful adjustments, or are their opponents easing up and trying to run out the clock? The answer seems to be both. Against North Dakota State, Colorado adapted defensively to what NDSU was showing them, but against Nebraska, it appeared the Huskers were simply playing not to lose.
Standout performances came from Travis Hunter, who had 110 yards on 10 receptions and broke up a key pass on defense. Jimmy Horn also had an impressive 60-yard kickoff return while Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig recorded 11 tackles. Deion emphasized in the postgame press conference that in order to have a voice in the locker room team leaders need to produce on the field to earn the respect of their teammates. Hunter and Silmon-Craig have been the leaders of this team so it should come as no surprise that these guys produced on the field.
What Went Wrong:
Last year, Colorado’s offensive struggles were largely blamed on the offensive line, and after this Nebraska game, the narrative is similar. Questions are swirling about whether this reconstructed line will hold up better than last year’s, giving Colorado fans a sense of déjà vu. But was the problem against Nebraska truly the offensive line? And is there any hope for improved blocking as the season progresses?
The reality is that Colorado struggled in the trenches on both sides of the ball. They faced a Nebraska team that, like many in the Big Ten, prides itself on winning games in the trenches. Colorado’s newly-formed offensive and defensive lines still have a lot of work to do to get on the same page. In the first quarter, it was obvious that the offense had little interest in establishing a run game, which only made the jobs of both the offensive line and Shedeur Sanders more difficult. Additionally, the run play calls lacked creativity and misdirection, putting even more pressure on the offense. Play-calling and design will need to evolve as the season continues.
Colorado encountered three separate fourth-and-one scenarios in the game, and each time the play call was a shotgun run up the middle, commonly known as an “inside zone.” Shotgun-only offenses like CU’s have been criticized for overusing this run play due to its convenience out of most shotgun formations.
Linked is an 18-minute film breakdown by one of my favorite content creators, Brett Kollman, who explains in detail how inside zone concepts have also become a crutch for the new Eagles offensive play-caller after losing Shane Steichen to Indianapolis. The Eagles also run a shotgun-only approach to offense and due to this lack of diversity offensively, Kollman goes as far as to say that the Eagles offense in 2023 resembled a high-school offense.
An entire 18-minute video could be made about Colorado’s mistakes in this game as well, but the bigger question is: are these problems fixable? The answer is both yes and no. The Buffs likely won’t make the leap Deion Sanders envisioned to contend for a College Football Playoff spot, but the potential for a bowl game remains if these mistakes are addressed.
The biggest areas for improvement should include playing assignment-sound football, responding better to specific in-game situations, finding more diversity in play-calling, and avoiding costly penalties in key moments. These adjustments must come down from the coaching staff to the players, and accountability will be critical in the following weeks if Colorado hopes to make strides by the time conference play begins.
Outlook:
Looking ahead to next week, Colorado will take on Colorado State in Fort Collins, and fans should expect the Buffs to bounce back with a win. Colorado will—and should—be heavily favored, as this CSU team is likely their easiest matchup of the season.
The Buffs haven’t lost to the Rams in a decade and this year Colorado holds an advantage at nearly every position. Colorado State suffers from many of the same issues we’ve seen in the Buffs—poor play in the trenches, difficulty establishing a run game, questionable game management, and uninspired playcalling.
The Buffs have plenty to prove this Saturday, especially after experiencing the sting of losing a rivalry game on the road. A statement win over their in-state rival will help them regain the confidence of both fans and the media. After facing Colorado State, the Buffs will have a bye week before taking on Baylor on September 21st.
by Jacob.Thompson
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