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Scouting Report: UCLA vs. Colorado

(Ben Brill/Graphics editor)

By Jack Perez

Nov. 6, 2020 9:12 p.m.

Correction: The original version of this graphic incorrectly stated Stephen Blaylock is a running back. In fact, he is a defensive back.

This post was updated Nov. 8 at 9:06 a.m.

UCLA football opens its season against Colorado in both teams’ return to the gridiron during the COVID-19 pandemic. Will the Bruins repeat their 2019 win over the Buffaloes, or can the home team put an early win in its record? Here is this week’s scouting report by Sports editor Jack Perez – who received a promotion but still drew the scouting report assignment for the year.

Colorado’s offense

Base formation: Spread

Run-pass percentage (2019) : 51.5 % run, 48.5% pass

Strength: WR K.D. Nixon

Weakness: Lack of experience

X-factor: QB Sam Noyer

The Colorado offense comes into the season missing a lot of key players from last year, which is not a good thing for a team that did not score over 20 points in its last four contests.

Noyer played just 24 snaps in 2019 – all on defense. The senior converted from quarterback to safety and then back to quarterback and still earned the starting job. His performance in his first collegiate start will be the key to Colorado’s offensive performance.

In 2017 and 2018 combined, Noyer completed 21 of 41 passes for 179 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. His lack of experience is a weak point the Bruins will look to exploit, especially after they sacked former quarterback Steven Montez four times in 2019.

 

Noyer also lost two of the top wide receivers from last season when Tony Brown and Laviska Shenault Jr. left the program for the NFL. The duo combined for 112 catches, 1,471 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns in 2019.

Luckily, the team does return Nixon to lead the group in this campaign. The senior has 87 receptions over the last two seasons – the most for any player still on Colorado’s roster – giving Noyer a clear No. 1 option on the field.

If the Buffaloes struggle through the air with a new offensive leader, they could switch to a ground-heavy attack. Last season, Colorado finished with the 70th-best rushing yards per game, so new coach Karl Dorrell would need to get his team to improve on that front to make up for any potential drop-off in the passing game.

Transforming Colorado to a run-heavy squad will be easier said than done, as last year’s leading rusher tailback Alex Fontenot is out indefinitely with an injury.

Running back Jaren Mangham will shoulder the load – just like he did against the Bruins in 2019. In that game, Mangham racked up 77 yards on 17 attempts in a 31-14 UCLA win.

Noyer and company will have to turn the short training camp into something special to put points on the board Saturday if they expect to start the season with a win.

Colorado’s defense

Base defense: 3-4

Strength: Rush defense

Weakness: Pass defense, points allowed

X-factor: LB Nate Landman

A defensive shift happened in Boulder late last season.

Colorado had given up at least 30 points in the first nine games of the season. In the last two games of that stretch, the Buffaloes gave up 35 and 31 points to USC and UCLA, respectively.

Then, all of a sudden, in the final two games at Folsom Field in 2019, Colorado locked its opponents down. Stanford and Washington managed to get just 13 and 14 points, respectively, against a previously suspect defense, giving the home team two straight wins.

The pass defense needs to take a big step forward – the Buffaloes allowed 288.3 yards through the air per game, finishing ranked 123rd out of 130 FBS teams.

 

The rush defense will also need to step up, especially compared to the last game against UCLA. Since-departed running back Joshua Kelley led a Bruin attack that gained 200 yards on the ground, controlling the possession in the double-digit win.

 

Just like in the report before that game, Landman will be the main man to watch on defense. The two-time All-Pac-12 senior had 137 tackles last season – almost double the next closest player on his team.

UCLA returns starting junior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who led the Bruins to the win in 2019 with an efficient 21-for-28 night. Colorado’s defense needs to shut him and the rest of the offense down in order to give the inexperienced offense a chance to pull out a win.

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Jack Perez | Alumnus
Perez was the Sports editor for the 2020-2021 school year. He was previously an assistant Sports editor for the men's volleyball, women's water polo and track and field beats during the 2019-2020 school year and a staff writer on the gymnastics, beach volleyball, women's water polo and men's water polo beats.
Perez was the Sports editor for the 2020-2021 school year. He was previously an assistant Sports editor for the men's volleyball, women's water polo and track and field beats during the 2019-2020 school year and a staff writer on the gymnastics, beach volleyball, women's water polo and men's water polo beats.
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