Where the Buffs are making changes ahead of UCLA

Colorado is entering their third straight game of being at least 21-point underdogs this weekend when UCLA rolls into Folsom.

UCLA barely escaped against South Alabama at home last week which suggests that this team is capable of playing down to their competition.

The Buffs have yet to find any type of offensive momentum this season and it looks like we will find out who the starting quarterback is this week when the offense takes the field on Saturday.

J.T. Shrout has started the last two games, but he and Brendon Lewis traded off drives last week at Minnesota. Owen McCown played the final drive of the game under center and led the Buffs inside the five-yard line when time expired.

However, when Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell spoke about his quarterback room on Wednesday, he said,” Those are the three primary guys that are getting [first-team] reps. We’re still evaluating,” insinuating that we could see a rotation at quarterback again this week.

DNVR also spoke to team captain Casey Roddick on Wednesday and asked if he feels that the rotation at quarterback is hindering the offense’s momentum.

“I get asked that question a lot but at the end of the day, you still have to protect,” Roddick said. “There’s still someone back there throwing the ball even though some people have different playing styles.”

Roddick was also able to share some insight into what the Buffs can do to generate some life offensively.

“I think the running game is starting to show our true identity,” Roddick said. “So from here on out, that’s going to be the main focus.”

Dorrell announced that the Buffs will be without senior running back Alex Fontenot again this week as he is still suffering from a chest injury that occurred against Air Force.

“He’s got this chest injury that is very challenging for him,” Dorrell said. “Breathing was an issue a week ago. He’s walking normally now but he hasn’t started running yet.”

With Fontenot out, it appears that Deion Smith and Charlie Offerdahl will be leading the charge for the Buffs in the backfield but fans may also see a fresh face in the running back rotation this week.

“[Anthony] Hankerson’s completely cleared so we have him in our depth this week,” Dorrell said.

Hankerson received heaping praise from Colorado running back’s coach Darian Hagan in the weeks leading up to the season as the long-time Buff compared him to his former teammate, Eric Bienemy.

Defensively, the Buffs have to tighten up a run defense that has allowed an average of 348 yards per game so far this season. A mark that is by far the worst amongst FBS teams.

“We put in a couple of new plays in terms of the defensive front,” Dorrell said.

The run defense must improve quickly as the Buffs defense will have their hands full trying to contain UCLA’s dual-threat quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Dorrell talked about UCLA’s veteran quarterback and what challenges he can present for the Buffs.

“[Thompson-Robinson] is obviously very crafty,” Dorrell said. “He knows when to take off and get yards, he gets the ball out quickly in the passing game and they keep him on the move some too.”

Last week, UCLA was taken down to the wire by South Alabama. UCLA had to kick a field goal as time expired to beat the Jaguars by one point at home.

Despite those struggles, the Bruins are a team that is used to coming from behind and winning football games as Dorrell talked about.

“They’re a veteran team, they’re not a panic team,” Dorrell said. “They’ve been down early in games and they come back. In last year’s game, we were leading 20-10 at halftime and they came back in the second half and won.”

The Buffs have only managed to score 20 points total in their three games so far this season which has led to an increasing amount of pressure on Dorrell and the entire football team to perform this weekend.

Regardless of whatever is being said outside the program, Dorrell is confident that his team is united and buying into turning this season around.

“There’s plenty of things to play for right now,” Dorrell said. “They’re staying together they believe in each other and they believe in our systems and what we’re doing. We’ve just got to go out there and get some things done on Saturday.”

Herm Edwards was the first PAC-12 coach to be fired after the Sun Devils lost to Eastern Michigan at home last weekend.

While Dorrell’s contract buyout suggests that his job is safe through the end of the season, he can not afford a third straight 30+ point loss this weekend.