This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Colorado's Sefo Liufau was the only quarterback chosen to represent his team during the Pac-12 Media Days in July. He almost lost his status as the Buffaloes' No. 1 QB, period.
Who knows what would have happened if Colorado had succeeded in signing Texas Tech graduate transfer Davis Webb, as was expected. As it turned out, Webb went to California and passed for 441 yards and four touchdowns in the Bears' 51-31 defeat of Hawaii last weekend in Australia.
And Liufau is positioned for a big season of his own, coach Mike MacIntyre believes. The timing of Liufau's Lisfranc foot injury in mid-November gave him a two-month recovery edge over BYU's Taysom Hill, for example. Yet MacIntyre has had enough experience with the injury to label Liufau's comeback "a small miracle."
"I'm looking forward to watching him play," MacIntyre said this week. "What he's been able to accomplish is exceptional."
Colorado will open the season Friday against Colorado State in Denver. The big question is whether the Buffs can move out of last place in the Pac-12 South, after winning only two conference games in MacIntyre's three seasons. They've come close to beating the likes of Utah, USC and UCLA, but haven't delivered the kind of program-turning upset he may need to remain employed in Boulder.
"Players make plays, players win games, and our kids understand that completely now," MacIntyre said in July. "They have taken that to heart, and they're motivating each other and pushing each other, so when they get in those situations they won't panic, they'll just play through them."
Colorado lost Nelson Spruce, the Pac-12's career leader in receptions, but Liufau will have Shay Fields and other key targets. The defense improved significantly last season under new coordinator Jim Leavitt, ranking seventh in both points and yards allowed in Pac-12 play.
The Buffs expect to keep growing, with one of the most junior/senior-oriented teams in school history. The trick is moving from being competitive to actually winning games in the Pac-12. "We have improved, but everybody else was so far ahead of us, and they're still driving 80 miles an hour," MacIntyre said. "We've been trying to drive 120 miles an hour to catch them."
Twitter: @tribkurt —
Colorado
Coach • Mike MacIntyre (fourth season, 10-27)
2015 record • 4-9 (1-8 Pac-12)
2016 media poll • Sixth in South
Schedule
Friday • vs. Colorado State*
Sept. 10 • Idaho State
Sept. 17 • at Michigan
Sept. 24 • at Oregon
Oct. 1 • Oregon State
Oct. 8 • at USC
Oct. 15 • Arizona State
Oct. 22 • at Stanford
Nov. 3 • UCLA
Nov. 12 • at Arizona
Nov. 19 • Washington State
Nov. 26 • Utah
* — at Denver