How did Colorado shut down OU's offense?
I didn't watch the game so I don't know for sure, but I've pieced together some stuff that should shed a bit of light on it.
The smartest thing Colorado did was use a Cover 2 to limit Malcolm Kelly. He didn't have a catch.
"Colorado did a good job of covering him up," OU quarterback Sam Bradford said. "Anytime we have a chance to throw to him one-on-one, we take it, but we didn't get that chance (Saturday)."
Kelly said it was the first time a defense played them that way the whole year. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said they spent the majority of their practice time preparing for a different look, but they didn't do anything to force CU into it. Where have I heard that before?

'Preparation, preparation, preparation.'
So how was Colorado able to play 2 deep? By stopping OU's running game with just their front seven. They were physical up front.
"We haven’t seen nobody as physical as Colorado," said tackle Branndon Braxton. "No excuses, but it caught us off guard, seeing a team that just came out and hit us back in the mouth like we’d been hitting other people."
Running back Allen Patrick said they hadn't seen a defense like CU's this year.
"Not up front. They’re strong up front," he said. "Their linebackers run to the ball. And they were taking down our plays."
To summarize:
1. Play cover 2 to limit Malcolm Kelly and the deep pass
Now preventing the big play doesn't mean playing Brandon Foster eight yards off Kelly. That is a recipe for disaster. It means having your corner take away the short stuff and your safety take away the deep routes. It means forcing Bradford to make difficult throws and getting him out of his rhythm.
2. Stop the running game with your front seven
Texas has a strong front four, but our linebackers run to the ball about as well as Stephen Hawking ran from his second wife.
3. Play at 5,430 feet above sea level
Did I forget to mention that? We probably have some guys that play high, but not that high.

12 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Cover two is better than Cover Zero (which is what we played on Jordy Nelson).
by utstudboy on Oct 3, 2007 12:59 PM CDT reply actions
We should just forfeit this game. Why drive all the way to Dallas when we can still win the B-12 with a loss? Saves everyone a lot of time and avoids a potential loss of self esteem for “our boys”
by OU Game is Irrelevant on Oct 3, 2007 1:18 PM CDT reply actions
what will happen is Akina will play 2 (very) deep, leave our slowpoke goombas in at LB, and OU will go with a 2nd TE like KSU and play ball control, ramming it down our throats all day like Griffin ca. 2002….then when we make some ill-advised adjustment (like jamming LBs at the line) they’ll cut us apart with short curls and slants with the TE and slot WR….
by Super on Oct 3, 2007 1:24 PM CDT reply actions
“Everybody’s got a plan until they get hit in the fucking mouth.”
by BRAGGonUT on Oct 3, 2007 1:36 PM CDT reply actions
Hey, BRAGG – are you gonna follow up with a plus/minus on the LBs from the past two games?
by BrickHorn on Oct 3, 2007 2:02 PM CDT reply actions
the thought of this game makes me feel like I did when I was a kid waiting for dad to get home, and I had done something very bad.
by MIA on Oct 3, 2007 2:24 PM CDT reply actions
“the thought of this game makes me feel like I did when I was a kid waiting for dad to get home, and I had done something very bad.”
-MIA
That’s a hell of a way to put it, but I feel exactly the same way. Impending dread. . .
by Holy Cow on Oct 3, 2007 3:55 PM CDT reply actions
You can put this down in a a three inch headline.
The longhorns will win.
by utstudboy on Oct 3, 2007 4:01 PM CDT reply actions
No. It opened in Vegas at 6.5. Although OU will still cover.
by BigSatan on Oct 4, 2007 3:59 PM CDT reply actions
do what i do – bet on the bad guys (sin tax) and pray you lose your bet
i honestly think they are either gonna beat our asses real bad or we will win small.
not sure why but i don’t ou winning close
by hersh on Oct 4, 2007 9:33 PM CDT reply actions
Aaahh
uncertainty and trepidation in the big 12
gotta love it
who gets fired first? Carr,Callahan or Brown?
by northern exposure on Oct 6, 2007 12:05 AM CDT reply actions

by 





















