Colorado's running backs aim to give the Buffs an offensive identity

Colorado’s bye week was anything but quiet after the decision to fire Karl Dorrell and Chris Wilson was announced hours after the Buffs were beaten by Arizona 43-20.

As interim head coach Mike Sanford begins his first game week leading the Buffs, changes that have been made over the bye week are becoming routine as Sanford leaves his imprint on CU.

The Buffs’ run defense has been this team’s mark of shame throughout the first five games so Tuesday’s practice was all about physicality. Sanford brought in former Buff, Matt McChesney to speak to the team about winning in the trenches.

“He did a fantastic job of speaking from his heart about what this place means to him and what O line, D line play and playing linebacker is all about,” Sanford said. “The conviction was there.”

Wednesday’s theme will be “winning football” where the team will be simulating high-pressure and do-or-die live game situations.

“We’re going to emphasize some third-down periods, red zone periods, two-minute and end-of-game scenarios and make those competitive,” Sanford said.

Sanford’s thematic approach to practice descends from experiences he lived through as a player for Chris Peterson at Boise State. An emphasis on creating and limiting turnovers has also been preached this week as Colorado has a -4 turnover margin on the season.

When it comes to the offense, the Buffs interim head coach thinks that Colorado is on the brink of establishing an identity after running backs Deion Smith (senior) and Anthony Hankerson (freshman) had impressive outings last time out.

“I think it was a really a five-week journey offensively [but] we’re really starting to find our identity,” Sanford said before talking about Deion Smith’s role on and off the field this season.

“Deion was a huge part of that, a lot of credit to Deion not just for how he performed but how he led,” Sanford said. “That’s the same Deion Smith I saw all offseason.”

In Dorrell’s final games as head coach, it seemed as if Smith was being phased out of rotation in favor of the younger backs on Colorado’s roster. Sanford made sure to set the record straight on Tuesday.

“Nobody moved in front of Deion,” Sanford said. “[He’s] the leader of that group.”

The media was able to speak to Smith for the first time in weeks after Tuesday’s practice. The fifth-year senior talked about how he’s tried to handle the turbulent nature of this season.

“I’ve been just trying to be like water, just take the shape of whatever container that I’m in,” Smith said. “However it might look week to week, I’m grateful for the opportunity because I know what it feels like to not be on the field.”

Smith’s 41-yard catch and run late in the second quarter against Arizona was one of Colorado’s most electrifying offensive plays of the season. The fifth-year Buff spoke about what he felt like he showed on that play.

“I like to be in space, I like to catch the ball in space where I have these defenders one-on-one and I could use my ability and showcase my skills,” Smith said. “That’s fun for me.”

Anthony Hankerson also spoke after practice on Tuesday about the ups and down he’s experienced personally and alongside his fellow freshmen; Hankerson suffered a pre-season injury that kept him sidelined until September 24th against UCLA.

“I never left the other player’s side,” Hankerson said. “I was still in the meetings, trying to keep my head focused on gameday every week even if I wasn’t playing.”

Once he got on the field, Hankerson immediately proved to coaches and fans that he is another freshman worth keeping an eye on throughout this trying season.

“We all feed off each other, a lot of us come from winning programs,” Hankerson said. “So we took what we all have from each other and put it all together to try and spread that wisdom around.”

While he had a standout performance against Arizona, the loss hit the true freshman in the heart.

“As a football player it’s just hard,” Hankerson said. “I had to dry some tears that night, being that we couldn’t get the win that we wanted, that we play for.”

The transition from competing for state championships at St. Thomas Aquinas to a football team searching for its identity, let alone its first win, at Colorado has been an adjustment period for Hankerson.

However, the fact of the matter is that Hankerson has the opportunity to be one of the promising young freshmen that give Buffs’ fans hope this year and into the future.

Sanford has continued to talk about complementary football just as Dorrell did. It’s how Colorado has won in the past and it’s what will give the Buffs their best shot at winning this year according to CU’s interim head coach.

“We want to run the football,” Sanford said. “When you win in the trenches at the University of Colorado, good things happen.”

The Buffs will be getting Jayle Stacks back from injury this week but Alex Fontenot is still healing from a chest injury he suffered against Air Force.

Colorado’s defense will have to deal with a potent Cal rushing attack led by a true freshman of their own in Jaydn Ott.

Ott was leading the PAC-12 in rushing before Cal’s bye last week and rushed for 274 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Arizona on September 24th.

It’s going to be another tough test for the Buffs who are struggling to keep up in a PAC-12 that is much improved from last year.

Despite their struggles so far this season, Saturday’s game is expected to be a near sellout as Colorado celebrates Family Weekend.