2013 Pre-Season Preview: Colorado Buffaloes

2012 Record: 1-11 (1-8 in Pac-12)

Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre (first year at Colorado, 16-21 at SJSU with 10-2 record in 2012)

Last Bowl Game: 2007 Independence Bowl lost to Alabama 30-24

Stadium: Folsom Field in Boulder, CO (capacity = 53,613)

Home Field Advantage: ranked 65th out of 69 BCS teams

Schedule Glimpse:

2013 Schedule Link

Out of Conference: 9/1 vs Colorado State (in Denver), 9/7 vs Central Arkansas, 9/14 vs Fresno St

Toughest Home Game: 10/5 vs Oregon, 11/23 vs USC

Toughest Road Game: 9/28 at Oregon St, 11/2 at UCLA

Statistical Snapshot:

2012 Statistics Link

Stat to Fear: -1.58 turnover margin (last in Pac-12), converted on just 29.94% of third downs (last in Pac-12), allowed 81 plays of 20 or more yards (last in Pac-12), allowed 50 sacks (10th in Pac-12)

Stats to Cheer: scored on 80% of red zone trips (5th in Pac-12)

Advanced Stats (Football Outsiders 2012 FEI Ranking): 122nd out of 124 teams

Personnel:

Phil Steele's Returning Starters: Offense: 7, Defense: 9, Special Teams: 2

Key Defensive Returnees: DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe (7 sacks), LB Derrick Webb (66 tackles),

Key Offensive Returnees: RB Christian Powell (691 yds rush, 4.37 ypc, 7 TD), RB Tony Jones (320 yds rush, 5.08 ypc, 26 rec), WR Nelson Spruce (44 rec), WR Tyler McCullock (34 rec)

Top 2013 Recruits: QB Sefo Liufau, RB Phillip Lindsay, S Tedric Thompson, WR Devin Ross, WR Bryce Bobo

Verdict:

In December of 2010, the Buffaloes tabbed former player Jon Embree as their new head coach. He had no head coaching experience but they hoped for the best. They went just 4-21 in two years under Embree including losses to Hawaii, Colorado State, Sacramento State and a blow out loss to Fresno State. The Buffs did not see the team heading in the right direction so they parted was with Embree and brought in San Jose State's Mike MacIntyre. MacIntyre is a long time assistant coach who finally got an opportunity with the Spartans in 2010. MacIntyre took over a Spartans squad that had gone just 2-10 in 2009. MacIntyre went 6-19 in his first two years but showed improvement as they jumped from one win in 2010 to five in 2011. In 2012, the Spartans broke through with ten wins and a trip to the Military Bowl. The Buffs hope that MacIntyre can help them rebuild using the model he used for the Spartans.

MacIntyre brought OC Brian Lindgren with him from SJSU. From the looks of it the Buffs will run a multiple offense with a sprinkle of the pistol. It looks like former Texas Longhorn QB Connor Wood will be the man who runs the Buffs offense this year. Wood threw just 42 passes last year and four of them were intercepted but he will be more comfortable this year. Can he be the leader they need him to be? The other skill positions aren't in too bad of shape for Colorado. There might not be a superstar in the group of returning RBs but there are four that averaged 4.4 ypc or more. Only TE Nick Kasa is gone from the receiving corps and there is a lot of hope that the position group will be bolstered by the return of Paul Richardson (39 rec in 9 games in 2011). The OL returns four players that have started seven or more games. They will miss David Bakhtiari (second team All-Pac-12) but there is also some young talent that can be molded.

DC Kent Baer also follows MacIntyre from SJSU so there will be good continuity with this coaching staff even if it isn't from experience in the Pac-12. Baer will have his work cut out for him as the Buffs gave up 46 ppg last year. The Buffs lose only one player off of the DL so they have a chance to get a lot better at that position. Chidera Uzo-Diribe and Kirk Poston return at DE and they combined last year for 11 sacks. The DTs really need to step up this year as the run defense was a sore spot last year giving up a whopping 5.92 ypc. If you are giving up that many ypc on the ground then the odds are that the LB corps is struggling and the Buffs need better play out of them. They replace Jon Major but everybody else returns. The secondary was void of play-makers (just two interceptions by the defensive backs) last season. Everybody returns but they will need to be coached up. Baer returns a lot of players from last years squad but he's really going to need to get them to buy into his way of doing things and make sure they are in the right places at the right time.

Make no mistake about it, this is a rebuilding job for MacIntyre and don't expect a one year turnaround. At least Stanford is not on the schedule, right? The Buffs went 1-11 last year. It's reasonable to expect them to be better this year but don't expect them to be much better.

Prediction: 3-9

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