We sat down with Jack Barsch of The Ralphie Report to learn more about the Buffaloes of Colorado.
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1. At 4-5 in a tough conference and a near win over a ranked team (in a game the Buffs really dominated), how do you feel about the general progress of the CU football program in 2015? Is Coach MacIntyre the right coach for this program?
I think CU fans at least realize that progress is being made, which is the lowest of the low bars to clear. However, Buff fans have realized over the past decade that it's possible to not clear that bar. Some factions are not pleased by the speed of the progress, citing Houston and Florida as examples of rebuilds done quickly. Personally, I think Coach Mac's doing about as good of a job that could be expected. This year is a minor disappointment, as the team still can't finish well, but Colorado was not a quick fix. There were deep structural issues and MacIntyre has done a great job building the foundation up. As for whether not he is the right coach, he definitely is to get this team to a bowl game, no doubt in my mind. Coach Mac can get this team to 6-8 wins a year. A few staff changes and he could arguably be there this year, but I digress. MacIntyre knows to construct from the ground up, of that much I'm certain. The true question is how high can he go.
2. With a fairly young team on both sides of the ball, Colorado should continue to improve going forward. What are your goals for this team in 2016 and beyond?
Oh boy, I get excited just thinking about 2016. Favorable home schedule, old, deep team, an actual bye week, what's not to love? The goal for 2016 HAS to be a bowl game. It has to. If MacIntyre can't take this kids to a 13thgame in the fourth year of his program, then it has been the wrong program. The team can most definitely win 6 out of 12. CSU and Idaho State are must-wins in the non-conference schedule (we'll give them a pass on Michigan at Ann Arbor), and they can find 4 W's between ASU, OSU, Utah, WSU, and at Zona. There should be about 16 senior starters, more talent in Boulder than we've seen in some time, and another year under Jim Leavitt's tutelage for the defense. All signs point to a breakout year, they've got to make it happen.
3. With a couple of running backs with good numbers and a quarterback having a solid campaign, what is holding this team back offensively? Who are some key players we should keep our eye on?
Well, if it's not the quarterback (debatable) or the running backs or receivers, then it's either the offensive line or the play-calling, and honestly it's been a little bit of both. Once Jeromey Irwin went down, it really handcuffed Brian Lindgren. A lot of the slower-developing calls went out the window, as did some of the runs. The injuries up front have sent Sefo on the run and the running backs anything but, causing some of the stalls that we see. As far as the play-calling, it's been pretty unimaginative most of the time, and imaginative in all the wrong ones. The fly sweep at the goal-line against UCLA is a perfect example. Three yards away from paydirt, and the call is to run horizontally until you get tackled. This causes the pick-6 in the next play and quite possibly loses CU the game. It's a domino effect. Hopefully, Lindgren doesn't mess around here. The Buffs can run the ball, so run it, and play-action works wonders.
As for players to watch, you know about Sefo Liufau and Nelson Spruce, the QB-WR duo that sets records. Shay Fields is an excellent deep threat who has the craftiness to get open on possession routes. In the backfield, Patrick Carr finally broke out when given the opportunity, and his speed should be a problem for the Cardinal. He will break a run this year, it just depends on when.
4. Give us the scoop defensively - this team has allowed some big plays but also shown some signs of being a solid unit. How do you expect them to fare against Stanford? Who are the key players on this side of the ball to watch?
Well, you pretty much nailed it. The defense is improving and turning into a solid unit, but there are times with the lack of athleticism really hurts the D and they get gashed by the long plays. Unfortunately, they seem to struggle with dynamic athletes in the backfield and big offensive fronts, which Stanford excels at. It could get really ugly. The defensive line will have to play out of their minds for CU to have a good chance at this game. The secondary is more than solid, and I'm not worried at all about how they will fare, the front seven is the trouble spot.
It is a true joy to watch Chidobe Awuzie play at the nickel position. The best overall player the Buffs have this year, Chido has the athleticism, smarts, and nastiness to destroy offenses from the nickel spot. A one man wrecking crew, Jim Leavitt moves him around to truly maximize his impact. Expect him to come after Hogan hard and lock down the slot.
5. In spite of being geographically farther north than both Cal and Stanford, you are in the Pac-12 South. How do you like being in the Pac-12 South, and do you think being a geographical outlier has had a negative impact on the program?
Uh, well, it kinda sucks not being great in this division. It is such a brutal incubator for a fragile team, and if Coach Mac can't keep this team together, it could get disastrous. Long-term, the Pac-12 and the South division is a great fit. CU isn't that far from Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah geographically, and competitively all teams should be relevant for a while. The Buffs just have to get there too.
6. What are your predictions for Saturday's contest?
I think that Stanford will roll into Boulder and get an easy win on Saturday. I know, us fans all want the team to come in fired up after the 30 for 30 about the glory years and remind us why we love this school so much. But the Cardinal will have other plans, and they're bigger, stronger, faster, and more disciplined. Stanford will win by multiple touchdowns, and I will be way off my season prediction of an upset.
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Big thanks to Jack for taking the time to answer our questions. If you want more info on CU's sports, check out The Ralphie Report!
