Whereas Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter obtain a lot of the reward for Colorado getting off to a 6-2 begin this season, the most important purpose for the college’s turnaround seemingly has extra to do with the efficiency of its protection.
In keeping with ESPN’s Max Olson, first-year Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has helped the staff significantly improve its stop rate (share of drives that finish in punts, turnovers or a turnover on downs) and step up their second-half efficiency this season.
In 2023, Colorado allowed its opponents to common 34.8 factors per matchup, which ranked 124th within the nation. This season, the Buffaloes rank forty sixth within the nation in factors allowed per sport after their first eights contests.
Colorado’s cross protection was particularly egregious final yr, and it has been a lot better this season. After permitting opponents to cross for a median of 277 yards per sport in 2023, the Buffaloes are giving up solely 209 passing yards per matchup this season.
This should not come as a lot of a shock, although, since Livingston was beforehand the defensive backs coach for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals for eight years earlier than joining Colorado’s staff last February.
The Buffaloes’ defensive backfield rising as a power of the staff was on show throughout the faculty’s most up-to-date win over Cincinnati final Saturday.
Within the victory, Colorado security Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig led the staff in tackles with eight, Hunter racked up a team-high 4 cross breakups, and the Buffaloes held the Bearcats to only 180 passing yards.
With Colorado’s protection performing a lot better than it did a yr in the past, there’s far much less strain on the staff’s offense to place up as many factors as doable.
The Buffaloes offense continues to be enjoying effectively this season (31.4 factors per sport), however the unit failing to attain on a drive is now not as detrimental because it was in 2023.
With Colorado extra balanced on either side of the ball, it has a 6-2 file for the primary time since 2016. The Buffaloes’ newest win was additionally adequate for them to earn a spot in the AP Top 25 poll for the primary time this season, and now they’re going to head into their subsequent contest ranked No. 23 within the nation.
Nonetheless, Livingston’s fast success with Colorado may end in him leaving subsequent yr for a head-coaching job at one other faculty. However for now, he is with the Buffaloes, and they’ll see how far they will get with him serving to cleared the path.
