My favorite play of the Kansas game and it just shows you that if this team executes, beautiful plays can follow. This run features three blockers - TE Riar Geer ( the star of the final drive after the false start penalty on the first play), OT Ryan Miller and OG Matt Bahr - who perform their tasks perfectly, giving Rodney Stewart a wide open hole for the go ahead touchdown.

The Buffs line up in a double tight end formation with twins to the left. Kansas comes out in their base 4 - 3 set but shade their linebackers and safeties over to the strong side of the field (towards the bottom of the screen). The play call is an off tackle handoff to Rodney Stewart towards the bottom of the screen. Both the backside guard and tackle, Matt Bahr and Ryan Miller, are pulling to escort Stewart through the hole.

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Part two of the Film Series breaking down last week's game takes us to the second of three third down conversations on the Buffs' go-ahead drive midway through the fourth quarter. The first play we looked at was successful because of Tyler Hansen's ability to create something out of nothing and Riar Geer's savy to find a hole in the zone on 3rd and long. This second play was offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau dialing up the perfect play call for the situation with QB Tyler Hansen making a good read on the defense and TE Riar Geer running a quick turn-in route to perfection.

The Situation: 3rd and Four, down 30 - 27 to the Kansas Jayhawks, 10:33 left in the game.

The Buffs come out in a double tight formation with TE Riar Geer  lined up at right end and TE Ryan Deehan lined up at left end. RB Darrell Scott is the lone running back with wide receivers split to both sides. Unlike the last third down, the Jayhawks line up in a more agressive look. Still in their base 4 - 3, the middle linebacker (orange arrow) creeps up to the line of scrimmage to show a five man rush. The other two linebackers are split man-to-man in coverage responsibility against the tight ends, the two cornerbacks are man-to-man on the receivers and the top safety has running back responsibility (green arrows).

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I had to go back and breakdown the drive that allowed the Colorado Buffaloes to take the lead in the fourth quarter, highlighting the special third down plays that QB Tyler Hansen was able to complete in only his third start of his collegiate career. Special props to Burnt Orange Nation for the idea of breaking plays down with screen shots from the game.

The Situation - Colorado just went behind 30 - 27, 13 minutes left in the game. Riar Geer gets flagged for a false start on first down, backing the Buffs up to the 19 yard line. Two incompletions follow and the Buffs are now in deep trouble. A punt here gives a hot Kansas offense the ball back with great field position and a chance to extend the lead to two scores with minimal time remaining in the ball game. The Buffs need a play on 3rd and 15.

The Buffs come out in a strong (tight end lined up to the left) slot left formation. The Jayhawks show a base 4 - 3 and they only bring four linemen on the pressure, understandable considering the Buffs have to get 15 yards and Kansas looks to be dropping their linebackers for coverage. WR Scotty McKnight is lined up towards the tight end on the bottom of the screen and will come in motion. The play was initially called to run McKnight in motion run from left to right, use the top wide receivers  to run off the corner backs to create space and find the void underneath for McKnight to get up and make a play. But the play breaks down early as Hansen wanted to roll right with McKnight on the play action fake. Their is a miss-communication up top with Ryan Miller at tackle and Matt Bahr at guard as they both block down, leaving the Kansas left defensive end Jeff Wheeler unblocked and unaccounted for. This may have been by design to get the end up quickly and allowing McKnight to run freely underneath with a quick flip pass over the top but usually you chip that end so the QB can get his head around on the playaction pass. Jake Laptad, the right Kansas defensive end tries to meet Wheeler in the backfield pushing Nate Solder towards Hansen. 

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