Alternating QBs fails to spark offense

Stanford tried alternating quarterbacks during a series in the second quarter Saturday, but the offense succeeded mainly in moving backward.

Ryan Burns completed a 25-yard pass to Michael Rector, but then the wheels came off. A 7-yard run by Christian McCaffrey was erased by a penalty.

Keller Chryst came in at quarterback for another McCaffrey run. Burns returned and had a short run, but the play was nullified by a holding call on fullback Chris Harrell. Back came Chryst, who ran for 4. On 3rd-and-22, Burns was back but couldn’t get the offense organized in time to avoid a delay-of-game penalty.

When Stanford finally got off the play, Burns was sacked and fumbled, although Stanford

tackle Casey Tucker fell on the football. That set up a punt on 4th-and-46, drawing the loudest chorus of boos from the home fans in recent memory.

Head coach David Shaw disputed a reporter’s contention that the offense looked confused.

“We looked bad, but we’re not confused,” he said. As for the penalties, he said, “That’s not being confused; that’s poor execution. That’s poor hand placement. That’s inefficiency, and it’s been plaguing us the entire year.” Holding down Buffs: Colorado was averaging 39 points a game, so holding the Buffs to 10 was no small achievement.

But it wasn’t good enough, defensive end Solomon Thomas said.

“To come out here and play like that is unacceptable,” he said. “It’s got to stop, and we’ve got to come together as a team and play our best football. We have not played our best football yet on either side of the ball. When we do that, it’ll be something special, but until then, we’ve got to work harder.”

Thomas had blood on his face after a play on which he caused Colorado’s Sefo Liufau to hurry an incomplete pass. A Buffs lineman was called for illegal hands to the face after taking Thomas’ helmet off. Thomas needed a couple of stitches to close the wound and returned a few plays later. Briefly: Cornerback Alijah Holder returned after missing three games with a shoulder injury but reinjured it early in the second half. … McCaffrey was not at 100 percent “but still really good,’’ Shaw said. … Offensive guard/tackle David Bright missed the game with an undisclosed injury. … Colorado linebacker Kenneth Olugbode, a former Bellarmine-San Jose athlete and the brother of former Stanford safety Kyle Olugbode ,hada game-high 11 tackles and recovered a Stanford fumble.