The Colorado Buffaloes offensive unit is fast, scoring last Friday night in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at a pace that led to half of their fans missing the first 14 points. Buffs fans were still tailgating while the team was out putting up touchdowns.
This quick pace, unfamiliar for Colorado, is due to the work of fourth-year starting quarterback Sefo Liufau and co-offensive coordinators Brian Lindgren and Darrin Chiaverini in the off-season to play up tempo. In fact, CU didn’t even huddle until there were only about five minutes left in the game on Friday.
The Buffs have the ability to run such a quickly paced offense because they have an experienced starter at the helm in Liufau. It’s also because of the experience and ability of their wide receivers. To be able to run an up-tempo offense, the team needs to have receivers that are shifty in the open field for the screen game, are great blockers and have deep threat ability to keep the opposing defense honest. If the game against the Rams is any indication, the CU receivers will have no problem checking off all three of those things for the rest of the season.
Whether it was the amazing #SCTop10 one-handed catch by Bryce Bobo, Shay Fields blowing by the CSU Rams secondary, or the great blocks on just about every run and screen pass, it seemed like the CU receiving corps couldn’t stop making play after play in the Rocky Mountain Showdown. It looks like this year is going to be more of a “wide receiver by committee,” rather than the one-man show that the Buffs have had in the past with Paul Richardson and Nelson Spruce.
CU fans have heard the name Bryce Bobo for awhile now, but it really seems like this year is going to be the year he breaks out as a true playmaker. He’s in his fourth year with the Colorado program and it looks like he’s as comfortable as ever in this offense. He put all of his skills on display against CSU including in the screen game, blocking and the unforgettable one-handed snag he had in the 2nd quarter.
He finished the showdown with five receptions for 99 yards. Bobo and Liufau seemed to be on the same wavelength on all of their connections and it’s easy to understand why, having practiced together for the last three years. A lot from this game tells one that Bobo is up to the challenge and is primed to have a big year.
Shay Fields is a guy that has started since the first game he suited up for the Colorado Buffaloes, and now being in his third year with the program, he also looks like a guy that’s primed for a big season. Fields is a true deep threat that Liufau loves utilizing anytime he sees an opening in the opposing secondary. He had three of the four longest plays of the season last year for the Buffs. He proved his big-play ability with a 60-yard catch against CSU this past Friday and finished with three catches for 79 yards. He’s also a guy that the coaches have loved using in the screen game in the past because of his breakaway speed and ability in the open field.
Two receivers that don’t get talked about as much but are still crucial to the offense are slot receivers Jay MacIntyre and Devin Ross. Ross played quite a bit in the slot last year and has consistently shown signs of having the capabilities to break plays open. MacIntyre, other than his last name, is a relatively unknown commodity for the Buffs but has shown a lot of signs of ability when he has been given the opportunity. These two players are pivotal in the offense due to all of the screen plays and the plays where they’re the lead blocker on the edge. Against Colorado State both did their job both in catching and blocking.
If the Rocky Mountain Showdown is a true indicator of what the offense is going to be, the Buff contingent get to see an electric, high-tempo offense led by the deep and experienced wide receiver corps. For CU fans, this offense will be thrilling and will be a complete 180 from what they’ve seen in years past. The tailgates will have to be cut short if you don’t want to miss this offense go to work. It’s quick but boy, is it electric.
