There are steps that every program must take under a coach, and in today’s instant gratification world, it’s a wonder if they get to evolve in the first place.
Look at Colorado, where Jon Embree was let go after just two seasons in 2012 after the Buffaloes finished with a 1-11 record.
In came Mike MacIntyre, and in Year 2, the Buffaloes are 2-7.
There is a tangible difference between those second years, and that is the second step.
The Buffaloes have moved into the next quadrant in the coaching four corners — lose big, lose little, win little, win big.
They all talk about it, it seems. Rich Rodriguez preached it, even though his team managed to win little pretty early.
Colorado has been blown out once this season, at USC on Oct. 18. The Buffaloes have narrow losses against Cal, Oregon State and UCLA, all by five points or less. In losses to Washington and Arizona State, they were competitive.
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“Now the next step is to be winning in the Pac-12,” MacIntyre said. “That’s the next step you take. You can’t jump from 1-to-10, I don’t think, overnight. We’re making progress. But definitely it is frustrating.”
Frustrating but inevitable, MacIntyre believes.
The coaching staff has stressed the importance of managing disappointment with positivity, not ignoring the negatives, yet not dwelling on them either. The staff points to the good stuff first, the subtle improvements that you see in a developing unit. Then comes the not-so-fun part.
He can list them off like he’s watching the video right then and there. The high tackle instead of the low tackle and, “he rolls over you.” The outside leverage instead of the inside leverage; the wideout running a route too far, or too short.
“Little things like that cause big issues to happen,” MacIntyre said. “Once they realize you keep correcting those individually and as a team, we’re so close. We’re right there, we’re competitive now.”
MacIntyre has taken a team from the depths before, but not one as prestigious as Colorado. The Buffaloes once were title contenders in the Big 12, a place that produced Heisman candidates. MacIntyre took over the once-proud program after lifting San Jose State from 1-11 to 10-2 in three years.
He did it once, and he did it by taking these steps.
Even if he wished he hadn’t.
“Definitely you want to skip it,” he said with a hearty laugh. “There’s no doubt there. But when you have the youngest team in the Pac-12, the fourth-youngest in America — I guarantee we have the youngest defense in America — these are all learning processes. I can’t wait until I’m coaching 20-year olds and not 18- and 19-year olds.”
Young buffaloes are called calves, and that is a good way to describe this group, including the quarterback, Sefo Liufau.
Liufau has 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, showing tremendous growth. In a league known for its quarterback play his numbers may seem pedestrian — he ranks 10th in the conference in passing efficiency — but he is growing. Growing, and fighting, just like the rest of the Buffaloes.
“We’re still fighting, we’re still growing, still learning from mistakes, still learning how to play a full four quarters,” Liufau said in the team’s weekly press conference. “We’re not just going through the motions, which is something we did last year.”
Colorado won four games last season but suffered shellackings against Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona State, Arizona, UCLA, Washington and USC. That’s a big list. Not so big anymore.
“That next stage is coming, I hope it comes this weekend,” MacIntyre said.
