Colorado Daily – Houston Week

—

Colorado Daily – Houston Week

—

September 8th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Kickoff time finally set for CU v. Wyoming – another national television game for Buffs

–

—

Buffs still have plenty to work on as Big 12 play begins

From the Daily Camera … Going into this week, much of the outside focus will be on the quarterback position, as Staub pushed himself into contention for the starting role. Senior Kaidon Salter has started both games and has been solid, but head coach Deion Sanders was noncommittal on who would start against Houston.

While Buff Nation focuses on the quarterback battle, however, the Buffs know the to-do list is much longer than that with the all-important conference opener on tap.

“We’re getting ready for week three against Houston here on a Friday night, and we’ve got a lot of stuff to clean up,” offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. “I think that would be fair to say, and it’s really not cliche. That’s just kind of where we’re at.”

Offensively, CU has been decent at times, but hardly consistent.

The Buffs are averaging a solid 138.5 yards per game on the ground, a dramatic improvement from the past two years when they were last in the country (65.2 in 2024, 68.9 in 2023).

Overall, however, CU is posting just 351.5 yards (92nd nationally) and 25.5 points per game (83rd).

“I feel like we left some yards out there today, both run and pass,” Shurmur said Saturday. “Got a little sloppy at times, but again, 31 points.”

CU is still trying to figure things out defensively, too.

Although the Buffs allowed just seven points on Saturday, Delaware posted 396 yards in total offense. CU ranks 116th nationally in allowing 429.5 yards per game.

Against Delaware, the defense finished well, coming up with a fumble recovery, an interception, a blocked punt, two fourth-down stops and a missed field goal. However, they gave up 14 plays of 10 yards or more and racked up 13 missed tackles.

The Buffs got away with some mistakes against Delaware, but know that likely won’t be the case as they move forward.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

September 7th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Ryan Staub the unexpected hero: “I stuck my head down and just decided to keep working”

… Related … “Third-string QB Ryan Staub seizes chance, lifts Colorado to win” … from ESPN

… Related … “Deion Sanders details Colorado QB dilemma after Ryan Staub shines: What’s next for Kaidon Salter, Julian Lewis” … from CBS Sports …

From the Daily Camera … Every offseason in recent years, the NCAA transfer portal is loaded with guys like Ryan Staub: quarterbacks looking for an opportunity they weren’t otherwise getting.

Staub never joined them in the portal, however.

“To be honest, I don’t know (why),” Colorado’s sophomore quarterback said. “I kind of fell in love with the process. I really enjoyed being here. I enjoyed being in this building, under our coach. … I stuck my head down and just decided to keep working, and I got rewarded for that.”

The reward was Saturday, as he came off the bench and starred in Colorado’s 31-7 rout of Delaware at Folsom Field.

The third quarterback to enter the game for the Buffs, he went 7-for-10 for 157 yards and two touchdowns, while leading them to the end zone three times.

“The talk of the town right now is Stauby and I love him,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “I appreciate him.

“He balled out so much, the whole student section was chanting his name. I said, ‘You got to be kidding me. Staub, they’re chanting your darn name back there.’ So that’s a blessing for me.”

Until Friday, Staub didn’t even think he’d be playing, let alone starring.

After playing behind star Shedeur Sanders as the Buffs’ No. 2 quarterback the past two years, Staub entered this season third on the depth chart — behind newcomers Kaidon Salter and JuJu Lewis.

A lot of quarterbacks would have transferred in that situation, but while outsiders viewed this as a two-man race to replace Shedeur – between Salter and Lewis – CU’s staff always believed in Staub.

“Staub and I had become very close, and I appreciate him because of the way he plays the position,” said offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who is in his third season coaching Staub.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—

CU defense – Better to be lucky than good?: “We’ve got to tighten up some things”

From the Daily Camera … Allowing just seven points is a stat that any defensive coordinator will take on a game day.

Yet even in a relatively easy, 31-7 rout of Delaware on Saturday at Folsom Field, the Colorado defense showed some holes.

Delaware posted 396 yards, including 14 plays of 10 yards or more. The Buffs were solid against the run, but tackling was an issue as the Blue Hens hit numerous explosive plays.

“We’ve got to tighten up some things,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “We made some plays. We just got to be a little tighter defensively and understand our assignments and alignment and tackle at all times.”

Even some veterans, such as cornerbacks Preston Hodge and DJ McKinney, had some struggles on Saturday.

Two games into the season, CU has given up 31 plays of 10 yards or more. That cost the Buffs in a 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech on Aug. 29. On Saturday, the defense was at least able to rally after the big plays.

CU forced four punts – blocking one – and two turnovers, while also coming up two fourth-down stops.

“We just don’t flinch,” linebacker Jeremiah Brown said of the defense regrouping after big plays by Delaware. “I mean, they’re a good team, too. They’re on scholarship, just like we are out there, so they’re gonna make their plays too. So it’s just trusting ourselves, and when whoever gives up the play, just crowding around and letting them know we all right. We’re gonna stand for you and we’re gonna be good.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

This post, about the Houston game, from the 2025 Season, is filed under Article.
You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment.