BOULDER — A year ago, Colorado's defense made significant strides under first-year coordinator Jim Leavitt.
The numbers have been well-chronicled: the Buffs shaved nearly two touchdowns per game off their 2014 average, giving up 27.5 per game in 2015 (the third-best improvement by any FBS team); moved from 125th to 34th in the nation in defensive takeaways by doubling their 2014 output to 22 in 2015; were the only Power Five team in the nation to force at least one turnover in every game; and moved from 11th to sixth in the Pac-12 in yards allowed per game.