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Colorado Daily – Colorado State
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August 31st – Game Day!
… CU in a few minutes …
Video: BuffStampede.com from August 29th
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Rocky Mountain Showdown preview: Adam Munsterteiger (BuffStampede.com) and Brian Howell (Daily Camera):
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Buffs hoping for a fast start against Colorado State
From CUBuffs.com … It’s been roughly nine months since the Colorado Buffaloes walked off the field in Utah to end the 2017 season, a 34-13 loss putting a dismal final note on a disappointing 5-7 finish.
Friday night, Mike MacIntyre‘s Buffs have a chance to begin writing a new tune when they open the 2018 season with a 7:30 p.m. contest against in-state rival Colorado State at Broncos Stadium at Mile High (CBSSN).
At stake — as is always the case in the matchup — are bragging rights across the state for the next year. The Buffs have owned those rights for the last three years, and a handful of CU seniors have the opportunity to join a short list of all-time Buffs who were 4-0 in their careers against the Rams.
“I think it is a cool thing to be a part of, being in a class that has won this game every single year we have played in it,” said senior linebacker Rick Gamboa, who will be making his 38th consecutive start for the Buffs. “This is definitely a special game for me. Going back to my redshirt freshman year, that was the first game I had ever started at CU. I can look back at the past three times I’ve played in this game, reliving those memories, seeing those different teams we have had going into those games, and how each game has happened.”
It will be the sixth matchup for MacIntyre against the Rams, and he will be looking for his fourth straight win and fifth overall in the series. Colorado State coach Mike Bobo, whose Rams dropped a 43-34 decision to Hawaii last week, hopes to end an 0-3 skid against the Buffaloes.
For the Buffs, Friday’s opener is the first step in what they hope will be a season that erases the sting of last season’s step back.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 30th
... CU in a few minutes …
New Buffs looking to make their mark in season opener
From the Daily Camera … Posting another losing season – their 11th in 12 years – in 2017, the Colorado Buffaloes seemed to have lost the momentum gained from their remarkable run to the Pac-12 South title in 2016.
In reality, the Buffs may just be getting started in enjoying the benefits of that great season from two years ago.
Following that run to the South title, the Buffs have put together two consecutive recruiting classes that are loaded with the type of talent they weren’t getting in previous years. (The 2019 class is shaping up to be pretty good, as well.)
A lot of that talent is ready to make an impact as the Buffs open the season on Friday against in-state rival Colorado State (0-1) at Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver.
… Continue reading story here …
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Neill Woelk – Buffs unofficial mantra: “Nothing to say … a lot to prove”
From CUBuffs.com … They have been, for the most part, tight-lipped about their goals. They have quietly gone to work every day, completing what may have been overall one of the most productive fall camps in the Mike MacIntyre era at Colorado.
If there is an identity so far to these 2018 Colorado Buffaloes, it is one of a blue-collar bunch not prone to outlandish pronouncements or public statements of far-flung goals.
What that will produce is yet to be seen. But what we already know is that the just-completed fall camp was a workmanlike effort, one that had precious few “wasted” days. There were no moments when MacIntyre or his coaching staff had to hit the rewind button and start over, no days when players simply went through the motions. They hit the practice field and made steady if not spectacular progress on a daily basis.
Not that this team is without individual personalities or character. It is a bunch that runs the gamut, from the outgoing exuberance of quarterback Steven Montez to the quiet stoicism of linebacker Rick Gamboa, from the youthful enthusiasm of youngsters such as K.D. Nixon and Nate Landman to the level-headed, even-keel approach of veterans such as Evan Worthington, Juwann Winfree and Aaron Haigler.
But overall, it is a group that has put team ahead of individual, a characteristic not built overnight — and a characteristic not inherent in every squad.
Now, they are ready for the first test, one that comes Friday night on the big stage when they meet rival Colorado State in CU’s 7:30 p.m. season opener at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 29th
… CU in a few minutes …
Kyle Evans’ path from gruesome injury to starter “an amazing story”
From the Daily Camera … The silence was deafening.
It was about a year and a half ago when Kyle Evans’ gruesome injury effectively shut down the first significant scrimmage of Colorado’s 2017 spring workouts. Evans was supposed to provide backfield support to Phillip Lindsay last year. Though he eventually made a remarkable recovery from the dislocated hip that stunned his teammates into silence that March day, Evans’ season never gained traction.
When the Buffaloes hit the turf Friday night at Broncos Stadium, a fully healthy Evans finally will have an opportunity to build on the promise he displayed as a freshman and sophomore. Sharing top billing atop the Buffs’ depth chart alongside Virginia Tech transfer Travon McMillian, any big play Evans records in the opener against Colorado State surely will provide a jolt of inspiration to teammates who had reason to wonder if Evans would ever suit up again a year and a half ago.
“It was one of those ones at practice where everybody stops and nobody moves,” MacIntyre said. “(Trainer) Adam Holliday said, ‘Mike, we’ve got to go keep on practicing. I said, ‘I don’t want to keep practicing. This is terrible.’
“And lo and behold, he’s back. Last year as the season went on, he started getting better and better. But Phillip was running so hot in what we were doing at the time. But he is just taking off. He’s better than he was as a sophomore right now. It’s an amazing story to me.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Drew Litton joins CUBuffs.com
From CUBuffs.com …Denver’s award-winning cartoonist Drew Litton will join CU this fall for a series primarily surrounding each football game. His designs will be featured on CU’s social media channels.
Litton is a nationally syndicated sports cartoonist and is best known for his 25+ years as the creator of the popular Rocky Mountain News, “Win, Lose & Drew” sports cartoon. Starting Friday he will begin drawing his fun-filled Colorado Buffaloes cartoons exclusively for the University of Colorado. He also draws for KUSA TV 9News, The Colorado Springs Gazette, The Colorado Rockies Magazine, Mile High Sports Magazine and a variety of other clients. His work has been featured on ESPN.com, as well as the Chicago Tribune.
Nobody covers the wild ride of Colorado sports through art and humor better than Litton.
He currently resides in the Denver area with a rather extensive collection of cartoon bobbleheads and Finnegan, his overly caffeinated Schnauzer.
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Buffs aware that defense wins championships …
From the Daily Camera … As far as senior linebacker Rick Gamboa is concerned, it’s defense that wins championships.
By that standard, the Colorado Buffaloes were almost as far from a Pac-12 Conference championship last year as Fairview or Boulder High. Other than the occasional pass breakup from defensive backs Evan Worthington and Isaiah Oliver, who later was a second-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons, Buffs fans often were better off getting a drink refill or taking a restroom break when CU’s defense hit the field.
Few are expecting the Buffs’ defense to suddenly morph into one of the powers of the Pac-12, like the unit that helped lead CU to the 2016 South Division title. Yet with a handful of newcomers — particularly defensive ends Mustafa Johnson and Israel Antwine, along with safety/Buff Back Davion Taylor — the Buffs are expecting to show marked improvement on defense this fall.
However, for those who experienced last year’s frustrations, the goal of putting a better defensive product on the field in 2018 has been a personal one. That unit will get its first test Friday night in the season opener against Colorado State, a team that struggled in its opening loss at home against Hawaii but, nonetheless, saw its new quarterback — KJ Carta-Samuels — throw for a school-record 537 yards.
“We all believe that defense wins championships,” Gamboa said. “So for us to reach our goals that we want to reach as a team, we know we have to have a good defense. There’s going to be games where the offense struggles, the defense struggles, and the other side of the ball is going to have to pick up. We know that as a team. I think just as a defense, the more takeaways we get, the more stops we get, the least amount of points we give up, that gives the offense a great opportunity to score points.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Short video – Cheer on your Buffs!
Just because …
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August 28th
… CU in a few minutes …
Tuesday press conference video
CU conducted its first Tuesday pre-game press conference of the 2018 season. Featured were quarterback Steven Montez, linebacker Rick Gamboa, running back Kyle Evans, and CU head coach Mike MacIntyre.
You Tube video, courtesy of BuffStampede.com
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The video of the full press conference, including players press conference, can be found here.
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Here is the transcript of Mike MacIntyre’s press conference, from CUBuffs.com …
“Our young men are excited about playing in the Rocky Mountain Showdown again. They really enjoy going and playing in [Broncos Stadium at Mile High]. They love going and playing in the pro stadium and they’re excited about the game.”On the whether running back group has a chance to be better than in past seasons:
“We haven’t played in a game yet, so it’s hard to say they’re better [than in past seasons]. Phil [Lindsay] did everything. I think the thing we have is three or four guys that we believe can do a lot. I’m excited about what they’ve shown in practice, I’m excited about their competition and effort. We’ll see when they get on the field if they’re doing what we feel like they’ve been doing in practice. I believe they will. With Phil he was kind of one of those Swiss [Army] Knives, he could a little bit of everything. We’ll see who has the hot hand and go with them, I don’t plan on running four guys in and out all game. If a guy is hot, we’ll play them.”On if it is fair to judge a coach based on their performance in rivalry games:
“First of all, I’m glad that [CSU Head Coach] Mike [Bobo] is back. He is a phenomenal guy and a phenomenal coach. I’m glad he’s back and going. I know that had to be extremely hard on him, his family and it had to be extremely hard on the team, to be away for 10 days and then come back. He’s a heck of a football coach. The ball bounces funny ways in games. I think he’s done an excellent job there. He’s been to three bowl games in a row. They lost a lot of players off of [former CSU Head Coach] McElwain’s last team. I think [Mike Bobo] has done a heck of a job keeping it going and he’s a heck of a coach.”On size in the receiving group:
“It’s all relative. The smaller, shiftier guys, if they can get open and catch it, they’re good. If they’re big and can get open and catch it, they’re good. I think it’s kind of apples and oranges. We’ll have to see how they play. The guys before played in a lot of games and made a lot of big plays. They were all still on NFL rosters when I walked in here, so that shows you the talent they had. I’m excited about watching these young men play and hopefully they’ll be able to do as well as the guys that came before. We’ll see.”On discovering Rick Gamboa:
“I saw him play in high school. He wore No. 7 at Chaminade High and they had all kinds of good players around him. He was always the one showing up to the football. Always. I said, ‘this guy is just a football player, he has that innate ability to find a football.’ Other people go, ‘well he’s not that fast, he’s not [this or that].’ I said, ‘ he has that innate ability to find a football, he’s off the charts smart, he’s off the charts in his ability to communicate and I want to sign him.’ I think the rest is history. We redshirted him his freshman year. He told the team the other day, ‘my freshman year when I came in, and played against the first unit as a scout team guy, I learned the speed of the game, I learned how to see it and I learned how to do it.’ [As coaches] we can check how much film they watch and he always has the most, by far. He just loves it and eats up and understands it. If you get him [beat] in the game with something and you try it again, you won’t get him a second time. The Oregon State game his redshirt freshman or sophomore year, they had been practicing a screen and they ran it a little bit earlier in the game. Right before the half they ran the same screen. He diagnosed it, him and Kenneth [Olgubode] hit the guy [to dislodge the ball], and he picked it up and ran it in for a touchdown. He does things like that quite often and you’re thinking ‘how did he get there?’ He just saw it. He’s a phenomenal young man and a great leader. He truly is a quarterback. You hear that a lot, but he truly is a quarterback with his ability to diagnose things on defense.”On whether Davion Taylor is the fastest player he has ever coached:
“Davion is extremely fast. I coached a guy named Paul Richardson one year that was pretty fast. But Davion is the fastest guy I’ve ever coached that’s over 220-pounds, yes. He is really catching on to football. It’s still new to him, he’s only played two years of junior college football, he didn’t play in high school. Every day you see the light bulb go off a little more. He plays fast on the football field.”On Kyle Evans’ growth since arriving at CU:
“I saw Kyle Evans play as a ninth grader in football and basketball, him and Jay [MacIntyre] always competed against each other, so I’ve known him for a long time. Going into his senior year [of high school], he broke his ankle. We were recruiting him at San Jose State and I liked him, but we left and came here. All of the sudden I get a phone call from him one day and he says, ‘my mom and I are coming out there, I want to come walk on at Colorado.’ He went to [Archbishop] Mitty High School in San Jose and he walked on, and he’s done phenomenal. His sophomore year he played really well, he had big games against Oregon and Arizona State, had another couple good runs against Utah. Then that spring he broke his hip, it was one of those [injuries] where everybody at practice stops and nobody moves. I was just sitting there looking at him, and I said ‘I don’t want to keep practicing, this is terrible.’ So we move down [to the practice fields for fall camp] and low and behold, he’s back. Last year as the season went on he was getting better and better, but Phillip was running so hot. He has just taken off [this fall], he’s better than he was as a sophomore right now. He’s really running well. It’s an amazing story to me. He’s one big muscle, he’s amazing.”On who has the advantage with CSU having played a game:
“I would rather play a game. I think if you ask any coach, they would probably say that. [Colorado State] has played a game, that gives them an advantage with the speed of the game. You always hear that you improve the most from your first game to your second game, I hope that’s not true of them, but it’s going to be a heck of a game. I was really impressed with Colorado State’s fight in the second half, they really could have won that game which was amazing to me as I watched it on tape. Their fight, their aggressive, they kept competing and had an opportunity to [win the game]. They have some big play capability to say the least. They always have a great receiver. It’s amazing. That [Olabisi Johnson] kid is really a good football player, I bet he’ll have a chance to make somebody’s team next year in the NFL. He’s that good to me.”On goals changing season to season:
“When you stand in there with a group of young men, they all want to achieve being the best. I think that’s true in anybody’s business. Nobody says ‘we’re going to shoot for being medicore.’ You don’t do that. You set high expectations and you go after them. When you first start at a program that’s not all you talk about, you have to start with all the base things that get you to those expectations. As they get going, the kids talk about it, I don’t even have to talk about it. You heard what he said, what their goal is. We always talk about, it truly is coach-speak, but taking it one game at a time. If you take of your goal and you win each game as you go, you can achieve a lot of dreams and goals you set. As a leader, you have to set the expectations high. You have to set the bar high and if you don’t you’re not leading, you’re just part of the group. You watch the water fall in the cracks, you have to make the cracks and help them get there.”On QB Steven Montez helping inexperienced group at wide receiver:
“Those kids have played in games, they just haven’t had main roles. They’re not that wet behind the ears so to speak. All of our quarterbacks have done a good job building chemistry with the receivers. Steven [Montez] getting out there and working with them, those guys have been working hard. I’m excited about what they’ve shown in practice, now they have to go do it in the games. There is a camaraderie there, there is a feel [for eachother] there. They know how they’re running the routes. He knows who he can lay out there and throw it to deep to, who he can throw the back shoulders to, they’ve got those nuances figured out and that makes a big difference in a game.”On the tight end position:
“Last year Chris Bounds made a lot of big plays for us. I can remember a couple of them in the Arizona game, I think he had two touchdowns. Chris is our main tight end, then we have Brady Russell and Darrion Jones, [Jared] Poplawski was in the mix but he had his shoulder operated on. We use a lot of different sets, they’ll be used in all those sets. I thought they’ve had a good fall camp. They also all play on special teams which is a big deal.”
On added pressure opening the season with two rivalry games:
“It’s exciting for us, since last season ended and everybody realized that we were going to play our two biggest rivals back-to-back. I guess you could say there’s always a buzz about the CSU game, but now it’s kind of a double-buzz all the time. It makes it special. Our guys understand that and I think that’s pushed them, because everywhere they go they hear about the CSU game and our next game. That’s something they have to put in the back of their mind and take one day at a time. I think they have taken it one day at a time, they have worked hard, there hasn’t been one day where we’ve gone out to practice and they [didn’t work hard]. Knock on wood, I hope it’s not Thursday or Friday before we play. They’ve been into it so maybe it has an undercurrent and motivated them more.”
On Javier Edwards Getting Over His Juice Habits And Getting In Better Shape
“If you have ever been able to talk to Javy, he has a personality. He is so funny. When he got here, he was overweight. He worked at it and got it down, and he really started working with our nutritionist. He started working with our trainers and our strength coaches and they put him on a plan, and he worked at it and stayed at it. That is pretty hard to do for a twenty-year old kid, while also at the same time pushing himself every day and working. I have been very pleased with him. He is a lot quicker. He was quick anyway, but only for about two plays. Now he is quicker, stronger, and more powerful. He looks like a good football player out there. I hope he does that in the games coming up. I think he can be a force inside.”
On What Motivates This Team
“They have grown closer together. I think they are kind of bonding on everybody calling them a failure last year, and hearing, ‘You let it down, and you didn’t keep it going.’ That is what they have heard out there with people saying different things. They have two chips on their shoulders, and have decided to shut their mouths and work at it, and let the results on the field stand for it. Hopefully they will get the results that they have worked hard to achieve. Nothing is guaranteed. There is hard work, which gives you the opportunity, then you have to go and do it under pressure. That is a whole other step, and hopefully we will make that step.
On How They Were Able To Get Strong 2017 and 2018 Recruiting Classes
“There are a lot of different things that have helped us do that. I would say first of all, the success we had in 2016. When we talked to kids and they talked to other kids who played here, they know they can be successful. That is the main, big hurdle. That has helped in the recruiting side of it. The other side of it is that we have a phenomenal recruiting staff. I have a whole personnel group in there and we do that, and we put that in place three years ago. We didn’t have that before when I first got here. We had one guy and the rest of the coaching staff which is not the best way to do it. We went out and raised money and we were able to make a better recruiting staff. Our coaching staff has done a great job when they have gone out on the road. They have made great contacts. We have kept evaluating well, and that is important. This facility is a big part of it. It is a combination of multiple things coming together, it is not just one. Hopefully those guys play well, and that entices more good young men to come here to this great university and live in this beautiful area where you drive over and see those mountains. That helps a lot because the young men we bring from Texas can’t stop starring at the mountains. The beauty of this place makes a big difference.”
On Playing The Best Players, Even If They Are Freshman
“We had to play too many of those guys my first year here. I think that they do see that we are going to play the best players, and we are going to work with them and help them. The other thing that is good too is how the dynamics of recruiting have changed a little bit, and we have been in the forefront of it on purpose because I kind of saw it coming with all of the early graduates and the junior college kids. When we were living in California and other places, you can go to school for a year and can go four for three, and get those kids in January. Now they go through January, go through summer, spring, and fall practice. Those guys can help you quicker. We have one young man who didn’t do that. He walked in and is going to play the first game, but I think that helps your overall team too.”
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Buff secondary aware that CSU quarterback set a school record for passing yards
From CUBuffs.com … Guaranteed, the Colorado State offense has the full attention of the Colorado Buffaloes’ defense.
Forget the final score. The Rams’ 43-34 loss to Hawaii in their Saturday season opener is really a secondary statistic for the Buffs. What has the Buffs’ rapt attention is the Rams’ second-half offensive performance, one in which CSU amassed 450 yards offense and 27 points, very nearly erasing a 37-7 deficit in the process.
The Buffs will open their season Friday against the Rams in a 7:30 p.m. game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High (CBSSN).
“They have a great quarterback, a great receiving corps and they do a good job on offense,” said CU’s defensive passing game coordinator ShaDon Brown, who spent his Sunday dissecting game film. “They can score points and they’ve put up a lot of yards, and this isn’t the first time. They did the same thing last year. We have to do a good job of having our eyes in the right spot and making plays on the football.”
The Rams’ offense will no doubt be a test for CU’s defense, in particular a secondary that will likely have at least one cornerback making his Division I debut. Colorado’s first depth chart of the season lists junior college transfer Delrick Abrams Jr. as the starter at one corner, with Trey Udoffia and Dante Wigley as co-No. 1s at the other. CU’s starting safeties, Nick Fisher and Evan Worthington, are both seniors.
The Rams bring a senior quarterback into the game, Washington transfer K.J. Carta-Samuels, along with three quality receivers.
“Anytime you have a senior quarterback, that really helps, just the maturity factor,” Brown said. “And when you’re going against receivers that are 6-foot-4, 6-5, 6-6, that poses problems — size, matchups, those things. You have to stay on top and know that there’s times when a receiver is going to get a jump ball and you have to play it through his hands.”
The Rams do indeed have size at the position. Junior Preston Williams, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Tennessee, finished with nine catches for 188 yards and two scores. Senior Olabisi Johnson (6-0, 203 pounds) added six catches for 157 yards and two score while 6-6 sophomore Warren Jackson added five catches for 72 yards.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 27th
… CU in a few minutes …
Buff fans asked to wear white for CSU game Friday night
From CUBuffs.com … As fall rapidly approaches, and the Colorado Buffaloes are preparing to take the field, Colorado fans everywhere are embracing the renewal of traditions and displaying their spirit for the kick-off of football season. This year’s College Colors Day, taking place Aug. 31 when the Buffs face off against the Colorado State Rams in the Rocky Mountain Shootout.
To support the Buffs, be sure to wear your best Buffs gear that day, and remember if you’re going to the game, wear WHITE Buffs gear! The annual College Colors Day holiday allows fans across the country to showcase their unmatched passion and pride by sporting their best Buffs gear and sharing photos and video on social media using the hashtag #CollegeColorsDay.
“We want to see all Colorado fans participating in College Colors Day and showing the world how proud they are of our University,” said JT Galloway, Associate AD for Licensing and Trademarks. “Whether you’re close to campus or across the globe, College Colors Day lets our fans unleash their Buffs spirit.”
College Colors Day was created by the University’s licensing partner, IMG College Licensing (IMGCL), to present a unified spirit day for college fans and supporters. Beyond showing their fandom on social media, fans can also visit www.CollegeColorsDay.com for discounts on new college merchandise, including an inaugural partnership with Ebates that gives consumers 30% cash back on college merchandise purchases made at Fanatics via the website. Through Sept. 2, fans can also use the website to enter for the chance to win a variety of prizes, including two tickets and a trip to the national championship in the Bay Area thanks to IMGCL’s partnership with the College Football Playoff (CFP), and its charitable arm, Extra Yard for Teachers.
Whether going to work, school, or just spending time with friends, Colorado fans are encouraged to share in the excitement of a new season by wearing their colors on College Colors Day.
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Mike MacIntyre post-practice comments to media (Mon.)
From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com:
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Last two recruiting Classes already making significant contributions
From Neill Woelk at CUBuffs.com … One thing that becomes quite apparent when perusing the newest Colorado football depth chart is this:
The 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes are already paying some major dividends. When taking into account the two-deep at each position, no fewer than 24 members of the last two recruiting classes are represented — and 10 of those are possible starters. It is a sign that the Buffs have not only improved their recruiting since the arrival of recruiting coordinator/co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini in 2016, but have done so while also addressing some specific needs throughout the roster.
Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of where the members of CU’s last two recruiting classes could be impact players:
Wide receiver — When Colorado opens the season Friday night in Denver against Colorado State (7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network), the Buffs could have two true sophomores — K.D. Nixon and Laviska Shenault Jr. — starting at wide receiver.
Even if the two aren’t on the field when the game begins, CU coaches are confident the two will have a big impact on the offense this year. Both are playmakers, both have steadily improved since arriving and both have the skills to be difference makers.
Meanwhile, another member of the 2017 group, junior transfer Tony Brown, also had an excellent camp and is expected to get his opportunities, while true freshman Dimitri Stanley has flashed some skills as well over the last week and is also listed in the two deep.
… Continue reading story here …
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August 26th
… CU in a few minutes …
A few thoughts on the CU depth chart for the season opener
Depth chart for the CSU game can be found here
Changes in the depth chart, from the “pencil” depth chart (July 25th) to the depth chart for the CSU game (August 26th):
— Wide receiver (X) … was: Kabion Ento or Laviska Shenault … now: K.D. Nixon or Kabion Ento
— Wide receiver (Z) … was: Juwann Winfree … now: Juwann Winfree or Laviska Shenault
What it means … not a great deal. Juwann Winfree has been nursing a hamstring injury this Fall Camp, so sliding Laviska Shenault in as a second choice at the Z wide receiver shouldn’t bear much attention. All of the above names will see action this fall.
— The offensive line remains the same, with the starters listed as: Josh Kaiser – LT; Brett Tonz – LG; Colby Pursell – C; Tim Lynott, Jr. – RG; Aaron Haigler – RT.
What it means … Three positions – center and the right side of the line – has been fairly set all summer. The Buffs will start a senior (Kaiser) and a junior (Tonz), but two freshmen – Jake Moretti and Frank Fillip – should see playing time
— Running back … was: Kyle Evans as the starter, with four other backs listed as second string … now: Kyle Evans or Travon McMillian listed as co-starters. Alex Fontenot and Beau Bisharat are listed as the backups, with Donovan Lee being moved from a back up at running back to a back up at wide receiver (H).
What it means … the running back who gets the “start” against Colorado State may have as much to do with the first play call of the season (down-and-distance) as it does which back is the feature back. Both will play against the Rams. Moving Donovan Lee outside will give the Buff coaches a chance to give the 5’10”, 190-pound senior a chance to get the ball in space.
— Left defensive end …was: Mustafa Johnson … now: Israel Antwine
— Right defensive end … was: Chris Mulumba … now: Mustafa Johnson, with Chris Mulumba listed (along with Terrance Lang) as the backup
What it means … Two newcomers are set to start along the front of CU’s 3-4 defensive alignment, with only nose tackle Javier Edwards keeping his starting position. Mustafa Johnson is a sophomore transfer, while Israel Antwine is a true freshman. Buff fans will be hoping that this is a sign that Antwine is that good, and not a sign that Chris Mulumba has regressed.
— Jack (inside) linebacker … was: Drew Lewis … now: Nate Landman
— Outside linebacker … was: Carson Wells … now: Drew Lewis
What it means … Nate Landman is playing well enough that the Buffs want to get the sophomore on the field. Putting Landman on the inside allows Drew Lewis, who led the team in tackles last season to move to the outside. Lewis, who had eight third down stops and eight quarterback pressures last year (second on the team in both categories) should be able to increase both of those numbers this fall playing from the outside.
— Left cornerback … was Chris Miller … now: Trey Udoffia or Dante Wigley
— Right cornerback … was Trey Udoffia … now: Delrick Abrams, Jr., with Chris Miller listed as a backup
What it means … Chris Miller (like Juwann Winfree) has been nursing a hamstring injury during Fall Camp. While player and coaches say all is well, it may make sense to have players with more experience on the field to start the season. Abrams, Jr. comes to CU from the junior college ranks, while Trey Udoffia and Dante Wigley both started seven games last fall.
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… Other Depth Chart notes of note … Sam Noyer and Tyler Lytle remain listed as “or” at backup quarterback … Ronnie Blackmon is listed as the primary punt returner, with K.D. Nixon the primary kickoff returner … With Jared Poplawski out for the season with a shoulder injury, the backup tight end position (behind Chris Bounds) was up for grabs. Red-shirt freshman Brady Russell (who was just given a scholarship this past week) is listed ahead of junior college transfer Darrion Jones, who Buff fans had high hopes for when Jones signed this past December …
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… Injury Report …
… Out for the season … TE Jared Poplawski, So. … S Jaisen Sanchez, So.
… Other … WR Jaylon Jackson, R-Fr., (foot) … LB Jacob Stoltenberg, So. (knee) … TB Jarek Broussard, Fr. (knee) … OL Kanan Ray, Fr. (knee) … OL Casey Roddick, Fr. (knee) … DL Jalen Sami, Fr. (knee) …
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August 25th
… CU in a few minutes …
Depth chart for CSU game released
From Neill Woelk at CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s starting lineup for next Friday’s season opener against Colorado State could include as many as six sophomores and two freshmen, along with three junior college transfers who will be playing their first game at the Division I level.
CU head coach Mike MacIntyre released the Buffs’ first depth chart of the regular season Saturday, but stressed that it is by no means permanent.
“You know how they say something’s ‘not etched in stone’ — that’s a depth chart,” MacIntyre said after Saturday’s practice. “It’s basically a starting point. Everybody has to be available and ready. What we saw was that competition in camp has been excellent, and that helps you get better as a football team. We have a lot good football players and we play a lot of different schemes and formations. A lot of our guys are going to play.”
After Saturday’s practice, MacIntyre had team captain and starting right tackle Aaron Haigler address the team. Haigler recounted how he was not a starter the first two games of the 2016 season, but was then called into action in Week 3 when CU’s starting right tackle went down with an injury.
That first start, Haigler, noted, came at Michigan in front of 100,000 fans. He ended up starting seven games that year, including the Pac-12 championship game and the Alamo Bowl. He stressed to his teammates that it is imperative to always be ready, and to know that starting assignments can change throughout the season.
“That’s what we stress to our players,” MacIntyre said. “Everybody has to be ready because you never know when you’re going to be needed. You have to keep working and always be ready because things can change even in the middle of a game.”
The Buffs officially wrapped up fall camp this week, and it was one of the most competitive camps in recent years at a number of positions. Some of those competitions went down to the final few days, and some are still up in the air, with several positions listing co-starters.
That includes wide receiver, where the starter at the “X” position is listed as either sophomore K.D. Nixon or senior Kabion Ento, while the “Z” spot is listed as either sophomore Laviska Shenault Jr. or senior Juwann Winfree.
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2 Replies to “Colorado Daily – CSU Week”
Mighty Golden Buffaloes 42 – sheep 10
Let’s go Buffs!!!
Man I am excited. 3 days and it is kick off time. GO BUFFS!!