Buffs’ secondary needs to bounce back at Washington

Colorado cornerback Chris Miller has spent a little extra time at practice this week working with position coach Ashley Ambrose.

After a game in which Miller and the CU secondary got stung a few times, the Buffaloes are hoping the extra work pays off.

During Saturday’s 3120 loss to Southern California at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Buffs gave up three touchdown passes — taking away from what was otherwise a solid effort defensively.

“Hats off to them,” CU safeties coach and ShaDon Brown said. “They threw the ball down the field on a couple deep balls and made plays. If you look at the overall game, that was the difference in the game on defense.”

Facing No. 15 Washington (52, 31 Pac12) this week, the Buffaloes (51, 21) know they have to be better against the pass.

The Huskies feature one of the Pac12’s best quarterbacks, Jake Browning, and a pair of receivers — Aaron Fuller and Ty Jones — that have combined for 53 catches, 911 yards and seven touchdowns.

“It’s a huge learning experience to know that every week you have to be ready,” Brown said of the loss to USC. “We weren’t as good as we want to be. We have to go play another good team. It’s Pac12 football; anybody can beat anybody on any given night.”

CU had given up just five passing touchdowns all season before the USC game, but gave up three in about nine minutes against the Trojans.

Early in second quarter, USC faced thirdand15 from its own 26yard line when the Trojans’ Michael Pittman, Jr. beat Miller for a 19yard pass from freshman quarterback JT Daniels.

Beginning with that play, Daniels went 9for10 for 204 yards and three touchdowns during a span of 10:32 in the second quarter. Daniels went 9for25 for 79 yards and two interceptions during the other 49 minutes of the game.

“Their game plan was to run the ball and then max protect so we couldn’t sack them and then throw it deep,” CU defensive coordinator DJ Eliot said. “They won a couple and we won a couple, we just didn’t win enough.”

Getting his first career start, Miller was burned a couple of times, including by Tyler Vaughns for a 27yard touchdown. Vaughns faked a short hitch that caught Miller and then ran by him for an easy touchdown.