Colorado University Buffaloes Running Game IllusionPlus Week 3 CSU & Week 4 Baylor AnalysisUnity Consciousness #3155

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Prologue To The Enablers of Being Satisfied And Proud of Less Than We Are Capable Of

If Colorado wants to rise to the top the fastest on the most sustainable and attainable arc, then the standard must be the highest and there is no time for patting oneself on the back unless small incremental improvements in one area are good while languishing and backsliding in other areas. This approach will take 5 to 7 years to reach the top, if at all. CU has the know-how and talent in all necessary areas to beat all Big 12 Teams and SEC Teams, if those are supposedly the epitome. However, CU can only do so by playing up to and pushing beyond their capabilities and mastering high performance in the fundamentals. Let's not be satisfied with learning how to be safe while measuring, cutting and nailing a board today, while forgetting sensibleness (getting penalties) tomorrow and mis-cutting the board the day after tomorrow. That's no way to build because mistakes will continue to show the further you go without correcting them where they exist.

In the game of Mother May I, the children are able to ask Mother's permission to take any number of steps and also decide if they want to take baby steps or giant steps. Those who win ask for the greatest number of steps and ask for giant steps, even if Mother doesn't always grant the request exactly.

versus Colorado State

Colorado vs Colorado State Full Game | NCAAF Week 3 | College Football 2024

1. Per game logs, CU ran the ball as follows:
a) vs NDSU, 23 runs to 34 passes for a 40% run percentage
b) vs Nebraska, 22 runs to 40 passes for a 35% run percentage
c) vs CSU, 19 runs to 49 passes for a 28% run percentage [See UC#3158 for an adjustment to this number]
d) Thus it is an illusion that CU ran the ball more against CSU. The illusion was created by the average run yards going from 2.6 to 0.7 to 5.7. CU must get the run attempts up to at least 33% to 40%. Thus Colorado ran the least in Week 3, but ran the best in Week 3.
e) Although yards per carry were higher in Week 3, CU still depends mostly on the pass to achieve first downs, because, according to Deion, its hard to run, even though the OC wants to, when you have an accurate QB who can get you 5-7 yards on a quick slant.
f) Problematic is CU has scored 9 pass Tds and 0 run Tds. The offense did not score in the first quarter and struggled against a marginal CSU defense.
g) Problematic is CU penalties went from 3 for 30 yards to 9 for 105 yards to 12 for 115 yards.
h) Problematic is CU's defense has granted gifted 11 first downs due to penalties
i) Problematic is CU turned the ball over once per game and twice versus Nebraska, while only having takeaways versus CSU which totaled four. Thus it is not only how many takeaways and turnovers there are, but when they occur and what the other team does with them.
j) Problematic are decisions made to pad Shedeur's and Travis' passing stats.

2. CU cannot rely on field goal attempts. Mata's kicks are way too low. Time to change kickers or go for it on fourth down if on the opponent's side of the field or pooch punt. Any field goal attempt with the ball beyond the 20 is a crap shoot if Mata is kicking.

3. Brief Defensive Analysis versus CSU
a) Defense played better but CSU was over-matched in strength, quickness, talent and execution. The CSU quarterback was average at best.
b) CU must continue to guard against QB runs, receivers who cross the formation or flare after a fake hand-off or fake block.
c) 14:30 1Q, play stopped for little to no gain, CB had no one to guard and should have taken an outside rush to prevent RB from bouncing outside, luckily the RB ran inside the DE
d) 13:50 1Q, 3rd and 6, empty backfield, 3 wide left, 2 wide right, LB's should know the only possible run is a QB run or an WR that reverses field, LB43 makes a good play on WR crossing route with CB trailing, would like to have seen LB43 up in front of the crosser to cut off passing lane while guarding against QB run
e) 2:18 1Q, aside from DE not maintaining contain, LB41 and CB24 abandon their assignments and are lucky QB did not keep eyes downfield, stop and pop, because two players were open
f) 8:16 3Q, LB12 should have picked up RB's and WR's swinging, flaring, looping out of backfield
g) 11:44 4Q gave up big run on 4th and less than 1 due to two LB's and one CB making their first steps forward rather than laterally, thus getting caught up in traffic of the D-Line getting pushed back, the scheme was right and the box was packed, there was no way CSU was going to pass and their previous tendencies in the game supported that,especially not to the weak side, the defense should have shifted immediately towards the strong side as soon as ball snapped

4. CU is fortunate to be 2-1 but should be 3-0 because their opponents have been marginal, and with simply better execution could have won the first two games comfortably.

Versus Baylor Pregame Analysis

Week 3 versus Air Force.
Air Force made Baylor look better than they are.
Baylor uses more than one QB and one is a better running QB. CU must assign someone to him and to the short tailback who is quick. DE contain is essential plus a LB to plug the gap between tackle and DE if tailback cuts back, two CU defensemen must forget about trying to rush passer when a RB is on their side.

Week 2 versus Utah
1. Baylor susceptible to misdirection and counter one direction and QB spin and roll opposite direction and pass.
2. Baylor susceptible to fast RB's and WR's
3. Baylor defense seemed to slow down and might be out of shape, thus a strategy could be a fast-paced offense to see what happens, the play at 14:12 2Q was basic with no deception, yet defense was outran and out-blocked
4. #34 is a weapon, do not kick the ball to him and assign someone to him whenever he is on the field
5. After 8 punts, Baylor's punter averages 58 yards compared to 41 yards for CU. It might be worth it to see if Baylor's punter can be pressured into a bad punt.
6. CU should be able to dominate and push the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, thus CU must run the ball even more than against CSU, and do so throughout the entire game.
7. #8 CB is susceptible to pass interference
8. QB's did not make any spectacular throws or pinpoint throws, not accurate on long balls, thus they are susceptible to be intercepted
9. QB's not consistently good at throwing on the run or outside the pocket on a scramble, so don't go for any pass fakes, pursue his body and let him throw because it will be a bad pass
10. Based on Week 2 and the little available for Week 3, Baylor offense is basic and non-creative and not deceptive, thus follow the blockers and backs and account for the weak side comeback, cutback, throwback. CU doesn't need 11 guys on the tackle, just 7 or 810, which leaves 4 to 3 to first cover contingencies.

In other words, Colorado should dominate Baylor from start to finish. Baylor should only score on long field goals. The only way Baylor should see the red zone is with binoculars.

Problematic is CU's tendency to downplay mistakes and subpar performance just because they win. To paraphrase and expand what “Unc” Shannon Sharp said, you can't continue to ignore the check engine light just because the car continues to get you from A to B, because sooner or later you will get stranded at the worst possible time in the worst possible place or worse, get in an accident that harms self and others.

I am not yet convinced, based on game performances, that Colorado coaches can get out of their players way.
To again paraphrase and expand Unc, when you are on a team, you can't wait on or expect someone else to make a play. You have to have the constant mindset that you are going to do it. You have to go and be great, by preparing body, emotion, mind and spirit to higher and higher levels of greatness.