BOULDER, CO – The Colorado Buffs start their season Friday night in familiar territory when they will take on Colorado State in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Mile High Stadium.
The Buffs have won the matchup each of the last four years and with QB Steven Montez coming back for his 5th and final season, they should be able to top the Rams once again. New Head Coach, Mel Tucker, will also be sure to make a defining statement for Buffs fans and Pac-12 opponents in breaking their 7-game losing streak.
The remaining preseason schedule is favorable for the Buffs as they come home to Folsom Field for games against Nebraska and Air Force. 24th ranked Nebraska will be eager for this matchup after coming off of a difficult season and they will look to put non-stop pressure on the Colorado defense. Regardless of how well the defense performs, the offense needs to put up points. The Buffs have the potential to be electric with multiple deep ball options and a young secondary.
Laviska Shenault Jr. is the primary force at wide receiver and will be coming back from injuries in his toe and a torn labrum that kept him sidelined for the final three games of 2018. The All-American preseason Second Team receiver should feel positive about the new direction of this offense which will be led by first year offensive coordinator, Jay Johnson. Johnson is one of Tucker’s earliest personnel hires for CU.
One of the key’s to CU success will be not just in Shenault’s ability on the field, but also his sheer talent will attract much attention from opposing defenses, which will create several opportunities for the rest of the receiver core. The next major force is KD Nixon who is coming off a year where he proved that he is capable of being a top receiver for this team. Nixon plays with grit and looks to never make a mistake. His speed and ability to break free on the deep ball makes him an exciting player to watch all year.
Receiver Tony Brown enjoyed his Junior campaign last year and will only look to increase the significance of his role going into his Senior season. Daniel Arias and Maurice Bell have in-game experience, adding to the receiving depth. Keep an eye out for Jaylon Jackson because if he can avoid injury this season, he can prove to be a key factor for this offense.
For the Buffs to ensure success this season, they still need to have a complete offensive scheme and players who can fulfill their roles. Their biggest challenge this season will be to find out, and quickly, who is going to be their starting running back. Currently sophomore Alex Fontenot tops the depth chart but perhaps it’s due to having the most experience. True freshman Jaren Mangham will look to make an impact and secure a spot in the Buffs offense.
Of course, if everything goes right and Colorado can reach their full potential, they have the talent and fire to put themselves back on the map in the Pac-12 and eventually secure a bowl game. The last couple of seasons has fans weary, however, and a number of factors such as injuries and the inability to reach the endzone can turn this into another identity-searching season.
The Buffs ultimately have a difficult Pac-12 schedule but there are a handful of matchups where they can reach 6 total wins and bowl eligibility. The most winnable games on the road for CU are against Arizona State in week 1 and UCLA in early November. Other than that, it’s hard to envision them topping any of Utah, Washington, Stanford, Washington State, and Oregon. The Buffs most winnable home games will be against Arizona and USC.
Ultimately, the Buffs have a solid base for improvement and if they execute and play with aggression, you will see a better team than last season. However, with the schedule and unanswered questions in the offense, the Buffs can easily go through another stale 5-7 season.
Written by Paul Fritz
