Shoring up secondary a priority for Buffs

BOULDE R » It’s a nice feather in the cap of the Colorado football program to promote the fact that it has sent so many defensive backs to the NFL in recent years.

The list is impressive, as it includes four cornerbacks and two safeties that have at least been in NFL camps.

Five of those six are still on NFL rosters and four are starters.

The downside is that the Buffaloes (53, 23 Pac12) are now going through some growing pains without that group, and it’s been a tough couple of weeks for the secondary.

Injury and a targeting call depleted the Buffs at safety during the second half of last weeks’ 4134 overtime loss to Oregon State, while the cornerbacks have had a rough stretch the past few weeks.

“We’ve struggled out there,” coach Mike MacIntyre said. “We’ll keep moving people around and keep trying to find the right guys to make plays out there and keep trying to help them with different things, coverage wise.”

Although the Buffs are reeling with a threegame losing streak — none more excruciating than the loss to Oregon State, when the Buffs were outscored 383 in the final 24 minutes of regulation and overtime — they have a chance to finish the season on a high note.

Shoring up the secondary will be critical, however, as they look to regroup Friday night at Arizona (45, 33).

“Any time you get beat, it’s like a baseball player going through a slump, you keep swinging and then your contact will start happening,” said CU safeties coach and defensive passing game coordinator Sha Don Brown. “They have to keep playing and keep their confidence and keep attacking the ball. All of a sudden they’ll start making those plays.”

Brown points to the crew of former CU defensive backs now in the NFL.

“Those guys that are playing in the NFL that show up around here, you watched them when they were freshmen and sophomores,” Brown said. “Did they get beat? Yeah.

“Trey and those guys are sophomores. They’re going to have those growing pains.”

Right now, CU has to live through the pain, but likes the talent.

Junior Delrick Abrams, Jr., has played well most of the year, but has been recovering from a calf injury and didn’t play much against the Beavers.

The Buffs are also confident in Trey Udoffia and Dante Wigley, who both have played well at times.

“When you’ve got some 5050 balls, you have to make some plays on the ball,” Brown said. “This year we’ve made some of those. We’ve won five football games with those guys and I think we can win moving forward with them. They just have to regroup, get their confidence back and we have to help them some and move forward.”

At safety, the Buffs could be dealing with a different issue this week.

Evan Worthington, who has started 19 consecutive games, didn’t play the second half against Oregon State and was going through concussion protocol this week. He may not play Friday.

Then, on the penultimate play of the third quarter, Worthington’s backup, Kyle Trego, was ejected for targeting. He has to sit out the first half against Arizona.