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Q & A WITH LANCE CARL – PART TWO: OFFENSE
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Lance Carl then … A member of Bill McCartney’s first recruiting Class (1983), Carl was a 12-letter winner (football, baseball, track and basketball) out of Fort Madison, Iowa. Carl, a wide receiver who led the Buffs in receiving in 1986, was a member of the team when the Buffs ended a six year run of losing seasons in 1985 – McCartney’s fourth year as head coach. Carl was on the receiving end of one of the most memorable touchdowns in Colorado football history, a 52-yard halfback pass from O.C. Oliver on the first play of the fourth quarter of CU’s epic 20-10 upset of No. 3 Nebraska in 1986.
Lance Carl now … Carl signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins, and also had a four year run as a scout for the Philadelphia Eagles. More recently, Carl spent six years with the Colorado Department of Higher Education, where he was a director for student motivational outreach. In November of 2013, Carl was named to a newly created position, associate athletic director for business development. The largely external role which encompasses business development, community partnerships, Carl serves as the coordinator for non-game day events (such as the Dead & Company playing at Folsom Field last July, and returning this June). Carl, with an office down the hall from athletic director Rick George, is also the sports supervisor for the football program. He has daily interactions with head coach Mike MacIntyre, the assistant coaches, support personnel and the student-athletes.
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Note … For regulars here at CU at the Game, you may recall that Mr. Carl was gracious enough to do a similar interview last spring. If you would like to look back at that interview – and see how prescient Mr. Carl was about the 2016 season (“No More Excuses” was one heading of one segment; “We’re the Real Deal” was another) – you can read it again here.
… Still to come … A look at the Defense (Friday, March 24th) …
… Previously posted … Part One: Coaches
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Part Two: Offense
Are either Sam Noyer or Tyler Lytle Pac-12 ready quarterbacks?
Both of them are very impressive, but they have to bide their time. We’ve got somebody special back there (in Steven Montez). No. 12 is going to be very special. He’s been making some throws in spring ball that has everybody excited. He’s going to be a leader for us. He’s got leadership qualities. I will predict that this offense is going to be a more explosive offense than last year, and that’s saying quite a bit.
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On figuring out a way to keep the wide receiver corps happy
All of our receivers are back. Kabion Ento is shining in spring ball, Johnny Huntley is having a great spring, Jay Mac(Intyre) is having a solid spring. You have all of those weapons. Dylan Keeney is having a great spring ball … we just have so many weapons this year.
If you remember last year, if you look at the stats for our three receivers, it was pretty even. They were all dynamic in their own way. I think there will be a lot of footballs to throw around this year. It’s going to be fun to watch.
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On the running backs
We moved Donovan Lee to cornerback. He wants to get on the field, and the best way for him to get on the field, and he knows that the best way for him to get there is on defense and special teams.
Beau Bisharat is quicker than last year. Same size, but I think he understands the schemes better than before. We’re running more a zone scheme, whereas in high school, he just pounded it in there. He was just running over guys. He understands that now it’s more of a pick and choose your gap in this offense …
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On having a feature back instead of a running back by committee
All the credit goes to Darian Hagan. I believe the same thing – If you’ve guy who is hot, at running back, then go. You don’t rotate guys in, and rotate guys out, just to make sure everyone gets a chance to play. This is not the YMCA. He found somebody who is hot, and Phillip Lindsay has shown you he is an All-Pac-12, second-team running back. That’s who he is.
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On offensive line coach Klayton Adams moving pieces around along the line
(Klayton) Adams wants to have all of his linemen know all of the positions. Jeromy Irwin, it’s been great for Jeromy, because at the next level, Jeromy’s a guard in the NFL, and getting reps at guard will only help him. If Gerrad Kough comes back healthy (out this spring with an ankle injury), then you have the option of moving Jeromy back outside.
And it’s good for Josh Kaiser to get some work, too. Josh spent last year (as a backup guard), and he’s having a good spring. Lynott is doing a good job, Huckins is doing a good job … overall the line is pretty solid. The younger guys are coming along. (Dillon) Middlemiss is coming along, Isaac Miller is getting 100% healthy, he’s been held back a little bit.(with a knee injury from last year).
That being said, whether it’s (Grant) Polley, or one of the other guys coming here in the fall, and showing a little bit, there is depth. Polley, (William) Sherman. The thing about those guys, if you are young and hungry, and if you come in here, and grasp the system right away, you will see Adams playing them.
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Will Tim Lynott play center this fall (after starting every game last season at guard)?
“Still to be determined. Huckins is doing a good job there this spring. They all understand that the best five guys are going to play. That’s why you interchange them in the spring, so you can see what you have. If the young guys get here, and one of the young guys starts shining … the easiest place for a young guy to play is at guard. So if Lynott ends up at center, and that’s part of your best five going forward, that’s what Klayton will do.
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Is the tight end just a sixth offensive lineman at CU?
Dylan Keeney (6’6″, 220) still has to grow; still has to grow into the position. He doesn’t have the girth to be an in line blocker, like Sean (Irwin) did. Chris Bounds (6’4, 245), though, does. He’s a sturdy guy, he can hang in there and block. He’s an able receiver. Until we have a dynamic tight end, we’ll work on the outside. (Will Jared Poplawski fill that role?) No idea. He’s a freshman. He’s wet behind the ears. I have no idea. He’s just a guy to me until he comes in and gets smacked in the mouth.
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On competition at the skill positions
Now I do know, that K.D. Nixon is going to come in here. Laviska Shenault is going to come in here. Maurice Bell is going to come in here, and it’s like, ‘Hey, juniors, seniors. We’re not going to take a backseat to anybody’. They (all three being wide receiver recruits) are going to compete right away. Will there be enough balls? Sure, there will be enough balls, because we’ll play the best guys. If someone gets their feelings hurt? Well, it’s on them. Once again, it’s not the YMCA. If you can play, you can play. We’ll see.
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On the CU kicking game
I think Davis Price has a great future here. I think he has a strong leg, I like him. He played last well last year before he got injured. I think when Alex Kinney is allowed to just punt, and not be a rugby guy, he’s a good punter. He’s doing a good job for us.
On the punt team, we want to have an identity. If other teams know that the punt team is solid, then you have an advantage over them. I don’t think we had that last year. What I do like is that we have a lot of depth on the team this year, a bunch of red-shirt freshmen. I expect those players to come in and have a positive influence.
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