Three takeaways from Colorado’s loss to Georgia Tech initially appeared on The Sporting News
The Colorado Buffaloes dropped their season opener in opposition to Georgia Tech 27-20 on Friday night time. The three massive takeaways for tonight are twofold with teaching and protection having main points.
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No run stoppers with a profession recreation for King
The Buffs protection gave up a whopping 320 speeding yards to Georgia Tech, which is 6.8 yards per carry. Coach Prime was furious at this reality, saying “You are not going to win games like that.” This is a protection that’s going to surrender a bunch on the bottom, it appeared like each run up the center bought at the least to the second degree. Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King had a career-high 151 yards, together with a 47-yard game-winning rating.
Play calling was questionable.
On offense, the most important query won’t be any participant, however the teaching. Namely the play calling and recreation administration. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as soon as once more placed on a clinic on how to run a conservative offense. The buffs failed to be inventive time and time once more, refusing to use motions a ton, one thing the Georgia Tech offense used a bunch in opposition to the Buffs protection, which labored. Something CU linebacker Reginald Hughes even admitted confused the buffs protection at instances. The Buffs offense, nevertheless, used it sparingly.
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This was famous in my offensive preview that utilizing Drelon Miller in a Deebo Samuel kind function might actually convey some selection to the offense. That by no means occurred.
There had been, nevertheless, loads of inside zone runs that went nowhere. The final drive is an incredible indictment of what I’m making an attempt to get at. Under 2 minutes left and also you want to drive down the sphere and rating, and the offense opens up with a swing move that goes nowhere. What are we doing? The Buffs on the final drive additionally had two timeouts, nevertheless weren’t used. Coach Prime defended that call by saying “We didn’t need to take them”. Noting the incompletions on the drive and out of bounds runs by Salter. However, this was one thing Shedeur Sanders and the offensive final yr struggled with as nicely.
Salter and the Buffs additionally failed to make the most of his elite velocity and operating capability. Rarely had been there choices. I’d have cherished to have seen Drelon in movement, swinging round and behind Salter, main to a velocity choice between Salter and Miller. That by no means occurred. The Buffs additionally discovered themselves inside 10 yards of the aim line on a drive, and failed to run Salter to the surface, one thing he scored on on a regular basis throughout his time at Liberty.
The Buffs offense wasn’t with out some positives. Micah Welch had a stable recreation, having 11 carries for 64 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Unlike final season, the Buffs operating recreation appears to be massively improved from final yr, and would be the power going ahead.
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The early turnovers weren’t sufficient
We can not speak about this recreation with out mentioning how the Buffs failed to capitalize on Georgia Tech’s turnovers. Tech gave the ball to the Buffs 3 times on their first three drives. Two unhealthy fumbles, and a gifted interception from Haynes King to DJ McKinney. Honorable point out to punter Damon Greaves. It’s not a great signal to point out punting as a spotlight, however dude was on the market slanging that foot. He’s a real coffin nook punter and he had a great recreation.
Ultimately, it is a recreation that Colorado might have and will have gained. Coach Prime stated it a number of instances in his publish recreation press convention. Georgia Tech gave CU ample alternatives to win the sport, and the buffs simply couldn’t assist themselves from snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
The Buffaloes have a really winnable recreation at dwelling subsequent week in opposition to Delaware, and have so much to clear up on either side of the ball.
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