As a longtime follower of Colorado football, Saturday’s game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers has me feeling like Robin Williams from the movie “Jumanji.” Seeing issues from years past — particularly last season — has me asking, “What year is it?”
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Colorado’s offense was bogged down by protection issues and a lack of a run game, which caused the defense to be constantly on the field. Add in problems getting Nebraska off the field on third downs and some terrible bounces, and you have the recipe CU fans have seen too often over the past two seasons.
Here are five takeaways from the Buffs’ deflating 28-10 loss at Nebraska:
One step forward, two steps back for the offensive line
Given the talent Colorado brought in and the encouraging signs we saw in Week 1, I believed the Buffs’ offensive line had turned a corner regarding their pass protection. Those beliefs were dashed on Saturday as quarterback Shedeur Sanders was under assault from the first possession of the game. Whether it was scheme-related or a talent gap, that protection is unacceptable and will likely result in Sanders getting hurt again.
The offensive play calling was frustrating and confusing
Because I went with a movie reference earlier, I’ll pull a Ron Burgundy and say, “I don’t believe you,” when I hear CU coaches say they want to run the ball. The Buffs had only four designed runs in the first half and threw the ball on their first six offensive plays before Charlie Offerdahl was stopped on a fourth-and-short. We all know how talented Shedeur Sanders is, but he will continue to take a pounding until he gets help from the run game.
The defense struggled again on third down
CU’s defense was its best unit against Nebraska, but coordinator Robert Livingston’s squad couldn’t get the Cornhuskers off the field in the first half due to breakdowns and self-inflicted wounds. On Nebraka’s first offensive possession, freshman QB Dylan Raiola broke contain and scrambled for 12 yards on third-and-10 to keep the drive alive. CU also gave up four first downs in the first half due to penalties.
Despite the slow starts, CU’s defense has shown it can adjust
A minor bright note: Livingston’s defense has shown the ability to make adjustments at halftime. Through the season’s first two weeks, the Buffs have given up 48 points in the first half to only six in the second half. While I would like to see a complete performance, it’s encouraging that the defense can adjust on the fly.
The Buffaloes couldn’t handle the moment
For whatever reason, coaches and players didn’t handle the sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd from the start. Especially early, we saw numerous dropped passes, blown assignments and even a rare Shedeur Sanders mistake on Nebraska’s pick-six. Hats off to the Nebraska faithful because they impacted the game.
Further reading
READ: LaJohntay Wester scores first touchdown in Colorado uniform
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: What we learned from Colorado’s rough showing at Nebraska
