The Colorado Buffaloes nearly shocked the world, taking the then-No. 11 Utah Utes down to the wire in Week 7. A win in that game would’ve been the biggest win in the Coach Prime era, and the Buffaloes fell a Hail Mary short.
Amid the 27-24 loss, several position groups put together impressive performances, while others held back the team. Here’s a grade on each position group in this week’s Colorado report card.
Quarterback: D+
Isaac Wilson’s interceptions were killers once again, with the second of the two ultimately costing Colorado the game. However, his late-game and post-halftime heroics nearly made up for them. He led an impressive final drive and came out of halftime extremely hot. Solid improvisational work, but still some immensely damaging turnovers.
Running back: B+
If it weren’t for JaQuail Smith’s performance, this would be a completely different discussion. However, he was a game-changer, racking up 141 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. His enormous 68-yard receiving touchdown lit the spark of the Buffaloes’ comeback out of halftime, and he reestablished a run game that had gone cold over the last three games.
Wide receiver/tight end: C+
Without Smith’s touchdown, the Buffs’ receiving total was 188, including their last-minute drive that saw them march nearly the length of the field doing almost nothing but passing. Joseph Williams and Quanell Farrakhan Jr. were not nearly as impactful as they have been, and Wilson’s first interception was due to tight end Charlie Williams failing to secure a ball that hit him in the chest. Great late-game performance, but disappointing overall.
Offensive line: A+
Colorado’s offensive line was as perfect as could be in this game. The Buffs allowed no sacks to a defense that has gotten after the quarterback efficiently this season, even with a number of plays breaking down due to stout pass coverage. They allowed Wilson to create in the pocket, which was what led to his impressive improvisation.
Defensive line: A
Colorado’s defensive line was creating disruption in the backfield all game long. Although it could’ve done a better job slowing down running back Wayshawn Parker, it had quarterback Devon Dampier out of his comfort zone. The D-line recorded a sack and 4.5 tackles for loss, with defensive tackle Dylan Manuel even recording an interception. This unit added another impressive performance to its mantle in Week 7.
Linebackers: A+
There are really no notes for improvement from these linebackers. They stepped up despite missing Tyler Martinez, racking up 24 tackles, two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Gideon ESPN Lampron and Liona Lefau continued their candidacies for NFL Draft picks with another disruptive performance. They filled gaps well and were sound in pass coverage. And as an added bonus, Gage Goldberg has been a pleasant surprise in relief of Martinez. Can’t ask for much more.
Secondary: B-
The secondary was very hit or miss in this game. There were moments where it played incredibly sound coverage, leaving Dampier with nowhere to throw the ball even after he extended plays with his legs. However, there were still mindless penalties and a late falloff from the unit. Utah’s passing game really picked up in the fourth quarter due to some of CU’s secondary’s lapses, which ultimately led to the game-winning score.
Special teams: A-
For once this season, the special teams were actually special for the Buffaloes. While their punt return game still hasn’t gotten going, Quentin Gibson returned a kick to some mild success. But the kickers were on top of their games in this contest. Damon Greaves was lethal as always, and Elliot Arnold was automatic in all of his field goal and extra point attempts. Certainly a performance for the special teams to build on moving forward.
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