Colorado Is Exactly What We Thought it Was
Laviska Shenault's quiet year is pretty much the only thing you could call a "surprise" for the Colorado football team in 2019.
We knew the defense was going to be bad, and it is. We knew the passing game was going to be good, and it is. We knew the running game was going to be so-so, and it is. We knew Steven Montez had plenty of ability but would get shaky under pressure, and that's exactly what's happened. We knew qualifying for a bowl game was going to be the major task of the season, and it looks like that's the way it's going to work out.
After beating a couple of ranked teams the first month of the season, things have settled in a little for the Buffaloes. For one thing, Nebraska probably shouldn't have been ranked in the first place. But more to the point, this is exactly the Colorado team everyone expected.
CU is right there in the middle of the pack or lower when it comes to most of the major statistical categories. Eighth in total yards. Fifth in passing. Sixth in rushing. Seventh in points.
And 11th in defense.
Colorado is allowing 480 yards per game, which is almost 60 more yards than it is gaining on offense. In most cases, 60 yards is a scoring drive, and when you consider that two of Colorado's losses are by less than a touchdown, you can see how big of a difference those 60 yards are making to Colorado's season.
If the defense was ranked, say, 7th (421 yards per game allowed) we might be talking about a CU team that is 5-1 and slipping in the polls after a reality-check loss to Oregon.
So some realities are starting to set in. The defense isn't going to get better overnight. And any improvements it makes over the next six weeks will be minor. This is the team CU has this year.
And it's no surprise.
