College Football News Preview 2020: Colorado Buffaloes Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Colorado Buffaloes Offense
It’s the Pac-12. It might not be the Big 12 when it comes to wild and crazy offenses winging it around the yard, but it’s not too far off. Colorado has to get used to keeping up in shootouts, because big things happen when the offense hits on the big plays.
The running game should be strong out of the gate with a deep group of runners working behind a decent-looking line, but Colorado is a better program when the receiving corps is doing big things.
The Buff passing game was hit or miss last season after coming out on fire – throwing two touchdown passes or more in each of the first five games – and only cranking up seven in the final seven games. But it was more about opening everything up by hitting the home run.
Colorado was able to generate nine yards per pass or more three times, and won all three games. The 2018 team hit the nine-yard-per-pass mark three times, and it won all three games.
Over the last four years, the program is 12-0 when completing nine yards or more per pass.
Biggest Key To The Colorado Buffaloes Defense
The pass defense has to reverse things fast after one bad season.
In 2012, Colorado suffered through a miserable 1-11 season, allowing teams to complete 68% of their passes with 39 touchdown passes. For all of the program’s issues after that season, the secondary was a strength – no Colorado D finished a season allowing more than 60% completed passes.
Until 2019.
Opposing passing games were able to bomb away over the years, and last year was no exception, but the killer under Mel Tucker was how the secondary got hit for completion after completion and third down conversion after third down conversion.
The 2018 Buffs allowed teams to convert 57% of their passes. Opponents connected on 66% of their throws last year.
On the plus side, there was a reason. The corner situation was banged up and bruised – not having Chris Miller in one piece was a problem.
Now, the corners are deep, and the safeties are okay. Now the Buffs have to break up more passes.
Key Colorado Buffaloes Player To A Successful Season
QB Brendon Lewis, Fr.
Tyler Lytle is the odds-on favorite to get the starting job. He’s got the size, a little bit of time on the field, and he has the tools and the smarts to take over the job and make it his.
But new-recruit Brendon Lewis might just be better.
The 6-3, 210-pounder was a strong get. He can move, he’s got the athleticism and size to become an instant gamechanger, and he blew off Nebraska, Missouri, Mississippi State, and a slew of Big 12 schools to come to Boulder.
No matter who the starting quarterback is, he has to be a factor. Steven Montez should’ve been a difference-maker last year, and he wasn’t enough of one. That has to change with the new start under the new coaching staff.
Key Game To The Colorado Buffaloes Season
at Colorado State, Sept. 5
The idea that a team can only win one game as long as that win is over the rival is a fun little joke fans like to throw out there, but sometimes it really does matter.
Of course Colorado can be fine if it loses to Colorado State to start the season, but for all the ups and downs over the last few seasons, beating the Rams for a sixth time in a row would be a big deal for new head coach Karl Dorrell, only because it would be a big deal if he loses it.
Getting up to six wins is going to be hard for this Buff team. Dropping one right out of the gate – especially to this school – would put the pressure on just one week in.
– Colorado Buffaloes Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Colorado Fun Stats
– Fumbles: Opponents 13 (lost 6) – Colorado 11 (lost 3)
– Colorado was outscored overall in all 4 quarters and OT
– Average Yards Per Pass Attempts: Opponents 8.52 – Colorado 6.95