Fall scrimmage

Normally construction noise is obnoxious and annoying, but today it was beautiful background music to the CU fall scrimmage in front of a few thousand fans on a beautiful Boulder summer morning at Folsom Field.  While the players and coaches were working on the field, university contractors were toiling away, both in the endzone seating area, which is going to look really cool, as well as a crane moving materials around on what used to be Franklin Field and will eventually be the main part of new facilities and the indoor practice field; they have also turned in the last section of new seats so that they face more toward the field in the northeast end.  Here are a few of my personal observations and impressions of the play and players.

The team started with a few kickoffs with all three guys getting a chance, Diego Gonzalez booming his right through the uprights!  Donovan Lee, Lee Walker, Tony Jones, Ryan Severson and Phillip Lindsay were lining up deep in pairs and Lindsay getting the best of the returns.  Most of the rest of the scrimmage was situational, coaches placing the ball where they wanted it for a series or two.  There were four noticeable players missing when the number one offense and defense came out for the first series.   On offense, Shay Fields was the third WR with Spruce and Goodson, with Bryce Bobo nursing a shoulder, and he made some plays.  On defense, it was not a surprise that they came out in the nickel package but it was with T-Fr. Christian Shaver and Michael Mathewes at DE, Olugbode and Greer at LB and Terrell Smith at safety.  DE Derek McCartney and LB Addison Gillam are both also nursing shoulders and should be back next week, but S Jered Bell, for the second time in his career, when he is projected to be a starter, tore his ACL in a non-contact drill in practice and is out for the season.  The only silver lining is that he should be a shoe-in for a sixth year waiver and hopefully will be back next season. WR Elijah Dunston and CB Akhello Witherspoon also sat out.  Coaches played a lot of players and combinations.  MacIntyre said some guys were a little weary after nine practices in six days, but they get Sunday off.

The offense seemed to do a lot better than it sounded like they did last week.  For most of the morning, they played a lot of different combinations of first and second teamers, and probably a few third string that could move up or make the travel squad.  They scored a lot of TDs in red zone and goal line situations, but there were only some extended drives.  All the RBs looked good, with most everyone except Michael Adkins, including even FB George Frazier (also a big 4^th down block), getting in the end zone.  However, the star of the day was probably redshirt freshman Phillip Lindsay was is unbelievably quick laterally and showed why MacIntyre calls him the “Tasmanian Devil” with some nifty cuts and runs, and two TDs; I predict he will lead all RBs in yards from scrimmage, in addition to being the main kickoff returner when it is all said and done.  WRs Nelson Spruce and DD Goodson are both going to have big years in terms of receptions, as they both know how to get open on the shorter routes.  Devin Ross played slot and outside and I think will have a nice season battling Fields for playing time.  Sr. Tyler McCulloch made a couple of plays, but when push comes to shove, DBs beat him on close balls.  I hardly noticed Sean Irwin or Kyle Slavin and a dangerous TE is what this offense is still seriously lacking.  It looks like the o-line is going to be the expected JeromyIrwin/Crabb/Kelley/Munyer/Nembot, but the backups are the best they have been in years in case something happens.  Sefo was very solid, moved the team fairly well, was good in the redzone, but his long ball is still often a little lone-Rick Neuheisel, on the Pac12 Network CU preview show, told Sefo he still has a tendency to stiffen his front leg and overthrow the deep ball.  Jordan Gehke looked much better than in the spring, threw a nice ball most of the time, is still a better runner, but his mistakes are what makes him second string.

The defense had at least three turnovers: Ken Crawley stripped Tony Jones near the goal line and Chido Awuzie recovered it; late in the session T-Fr. LB Rick Gamboa tipped a ball that was picked off by Terrel Smith; but the best play was a diving catch of a Jordan Gehrke pass by safety Evan White, who will be hard to keep off the field tis year, especially with Bell out.  Chido got some snaps at safety as well and will battle Tedric Thompson, Marques Mosley and Smith to re-establish the new safety and nickel back pecking order.  The defense had a couple of sacks and a few stops.  I am not sure if this d-line is going to be good and deep enough to take some pressure off the DBs against some of these offenses they will face, but the DBs are pretty good and they will cause more turnovers this season at least.  The defense will also be much better and faster with Gillam instead of Greer with the first team nickel.  Olugbode twisted an ankle early but came right back in the next series.  I will be curious to see the defensive line depth chart but both Shaver and Mathewes are going to play.  I didn’t notice Jase Franke but many think he will play this season as well, possibly like De’Jon Wilson a little inside and outside.

They ran a bunch of punts with various guys-Lee Walker, Donovan Lee, Jay MacIntyre, Greg Henderson and Shay Fields.  I have no idea who will be back there for csu.  Spruce didn’t get any reps but they know what they get with him.  Henderson had best return but I would be reluctant to put him out there unless he really wants to for NFL scouts.  Fields  had a TD called back by a penalty.  Walker and Donovan are also both very fast and quick.  I think it’s in everyone’s best interest if baby Mac redshirts.  O’Neill looked pretty good, booming some nice high punts (and no rugby style) but he was the only punter and I am not sure if they even have a backup (they have a committed punter in latest class).

The last few series were mostly the other backups with true frosh Cade Apsay leading the offense. His throws were really nice (except maybe the Gamboa tip-Smith INT), he didn’t look like a deer in the headlights, and appears to be the 3^rd string, with Awini and Gangi only calling signals on the sidelines and never taking a snap.  Little MacIntyre got a lot of play here with some screens and quick outs.

The entire team ran a few sets of lines at the end and then fans were invited onto the field to talk with and get pictures with players.  It was a really great vibe and the team and fans were very excited about the season’s possibilities, starting in less than two weeks in Denver.

Go Buffs!