The Colorado Buffaloes escaped Georgia Tech on Thursday night time with a 14-13 win that was equal components thrilling, chaotic, sloppy and baffling.
Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis threw a landing cross to Charlie Williams with lower than a minute to play within the fourth quarter to offer Colorado the lead. The Buffaloes practically let it slip away within the closing seconds, solely to flee because of a blocked subject purpose as time expired.
The blocked subject purpose was a becoming approach for the sport to finish given the best way Colorado’s particular groups made itself the story of the sport.
It could be the story all season given head coach Deion Sanders‘ controversial resolution to enter the season with out a designated particular groups coordinator.
Deion Sanders has to really feel vindicated even after sloppy particular groups outing
It is most likely a superb factor for Sanders, and his particular groups unit, that it was in a position to make the most important play of the sport to safe the win, as a result of it was very practically the distinction within the different path.
Not solely did Colorado have a subject purpose of its personal blocked earlier within the sport, however the Buffaloes additionally allowed a kickoff return landing (Georgia Tech’s solely landing of the sport) that regarded prefer it was going to be one of many greatest turning factors and variations within the sport.
These two points have been going to place a goal proper on Sanders for his staffing resolution, and doubtlessly depart him vast open for criticism.
And who is aware of, it nonetheless may.
Particularly if that unit continues to battle because the season progresses.
Sanders’ method with the unit is to make use of a collective group effort the place the place coaches that work with the precise gamers on particular groups take extra possession of the whole lot and work immediately with the gamers they’re already teaching.
However that can be stretching them skinny and placing much more accountability on their plate.
Particular groups is not only some throwaway side of the sport. It’s a main part and the kind of factor that may shortly flip a sport, whether or not it’s on account of subject place, penalties or simply huge performs normally. It is one thing that requires advance scouting, vital game-planning, and its personal distinctive focus. Each minute an assistant coach is spending doing their common job is a minute they aren’t dedicating to particular groups. Each minute they’re dedicating to particular groups, is a minute they aren’t dedicating to their common positions.
It’s going to be fascinating to observe the way it develops over the course of the season.
They acquired away with a foul displaying from that group on Thursday. That unit will nonetheless have to be higher.
