Pre-Spring-Game Notes

The Black and Gold Spring game will kickoff at 12:07 this Saturday, April 12, covered by AM 760 and the Pac12 Networks, and will end before 2:00 when TV coverage needs to go to another spring game.  They will play four 12-minute quarters, using a running clock, except for the last two minutes of each half, where they will presumably get some two-minute work in.  Seniors and coaches will meet today to draft teams, trying to make them fairly even and balanced.  The annual Healthy Kids Day will follow, beginning about 1:30 PM. The team will then have one last practice session on Monday, April 14.  Here are the topics that are intriguing me before I head up to watch practice Friday and the scrimmage Saturday. 

Roster and practice notes: The Rivals Buff Stampede guys (Adam M, Ryan K and fan correspondent Tyler Ziskin) do a CU Buffs podcast most Mondays and this week’s had a lot of insight into the team, players and practices.  The general consensus is that the team is much farther along now than at this time last year and there is more direct coaching happening with coaches a little louder and harsher than previously. The team still is on the small side for the conference but is definitely improving team speed.  The practices have been animated and at times chippy, but players are enjoying football.

Sefo has gotten a lot of praise for his improved footwork and zip on the ball and generally seems more confident with all aspects of the offense.  I especially want to see him throw some long balls.  He has also been praised for his leadership on and off the field, taking the reins of the offense as an extension of the coaching staff in the huddle.  I specifically want to see him hook up with Bryce Bobo, who everyone has been raving about.  Now, the coaches are saying that Gehrke is really pushing Sefo every day, but I am hard pressed to believe it.  Will he really be the backup this fall, or will Cade Aspay come in and grab the backup job like Sefo did last year?  Obviously, it is preferable if he can redshirt and put two years between him and Sefo, but that is probably up to Gehrke as much as Aspay.  I will have to watch a lot of passing drills to see how these QBs do with a sneaky deep core of receivers.

Klayton Adams has to be pretty pleased with the bodies he has to work with as the running backs may be the deepest position group on the team (Sr. Tony Jones may be relegated to 4^th team and special teams) and TE, which could be such a huge position in this offense and against many of the Pac12 defenses, is also starting to shape up.  Sean Irwin, who only had one catch for 7 yards last year while seeing action in all 12 games is poised to expand his game, is catching more balls in practice, and is getting a lot of attention.  So far, he just might be the biggest (pleasant) surprise of spring practices so far (outside of Bobo anyway), and I think he will end up the starter in most packages.  I finally saw the first mention of SR. Kyle Slavin (looks the part but never shows on game day) when Coach Adams said he played his best football in last week’s scrimmage.  Connor Center’s raw 6’8” frame might provide a nice redzone target in a jumbo package.

The offensive line is also a huge concern but it a little harder for me to evaluate because of the nature of the position, but mostly because one very important cog is missing, causing a lot of shifting, which is really good for depth.  Jeromy Irwin is being counted on to be the starting left tackle even though he has only seven plays of experience and has sat out of practices basically for a year and a half now.  If he comes back in August and slides right into the LT then the line is set with Kawai Crabb moving back inside to guard with Daniel Munyer flanking Alex Kelley at center and Stephane Nembot at RT.  If Irwin does not recover fully or just isn’t as good as expected, then the shuffle could start again; if Marc Mustoe could step up it would allow Crabb to stay inside but if not, the dominoes start with Crabb moving outside, and they’ll need another guard from one of the younger players.

Probably the most disappointing surprise has been LB transfer Deaysean Rippy, who is just not making any kind of an impact, is not moving up the depth chart and is not really getting many reps in practice.  The team only really uses two LBs most of the time and Addison Gillam, Kenneth Olugbode, Woodson Greer, even Brady Daigh are well ahead of the newcomer.  Gillam has become the unquestioned leader of the defense and Olugbode may have passed up Greer for the second starting spot.

I am really curious as to how the defensive line is going to shake out, given all the movement, two guys with academic problems, a new late signee.  Besides Jim Jeffcoat and graduate assistant JB Hall, Andy LaRussa has moved over from CBs and is now helping coach the defensive end, while Coach MacIntyre himself is spending a lot of time with the DBs.  I don’t know if that has had any effect on DE Derek McCartney, but after having put on some weight in his red and greyshirt years, is one of the nicest surprises on the roster.  I plan to spend some time watching this group on Friday and at the Spring Game.  The players are settling after some switches, but they will need the fall, and hopefully Kafovalu and Solis, to really move forward as a unit. 

The defensive secondary is as deep as it has been in years, especially at cornerback where 

Greg Henderson is poised for all conference, Chidobe Awuzie is entrenched as basically a starting nickel back and newcomer Akhello Witherspoon adds some size to the group, is much more aggressive toward the ball than Kenneth Crawley, who just might become a great dime back.  Plus, they still have Yuri Wright among others.  I want to take a good look at him and the rest of this group. Even the safeties appear to be much improved and go beyond two-deep at both positions.  Versatile walk-on Ryan Moeller seems to be settling at safety where they now have five guys scrapping for playing time (sure-fire starter Bell, plus Thompson, Mosley and Terrell Smith). Only negative is Josh Moten going down a third Achilles heel tear in less than a year, but his loss is hardly felt with this depth. This is a group I really want to focus on next week. 

The highlight of the week might have been WR coach and former Biletnikoff winner Troy Walters suiting up in full pads for some hands on teaching and modeling while a few receivers were banged up. Walters held his own making one nice grab while tightly covered by Henderson.

Uncommon” Gold practice jerseys have been awarded after most practices since the second week of spring ball.  After each practice assistant coaches nominate players for their hustle and MacIntyre picks best offensive, defensive and special teams player who then wear the jerseys next practice; if they get it two times they keep it.  So far it has been on Chidobe Awuzie (two times so permanent), Sefo, Addison Gillam, Daniel Munyer, Woodson Greer, Josh Tupou, Tedric Thompson, Nelson Spruce, Kenneth Olugbode, Brady Daigh, Marc Mustoe, Marques Mosley  and walk-on CB Richard Yates.

Other Buff notes: Josh Ford’s appeal for another year of eligibility was denied, officially ending his football career.  This is not a big loss as he was never really able to get on the field and RB is one of the team’s deepest positions right now.

A lot of local prospects and some incoming frosh (including QB Cade Apsay) have been stopping by practice to check out the team.

FYI-Connor Wood got a nice non-football related job back in Texas.

Go Buffs!