The CU Buffaloes opened their
fall camp this weekend, reporting Friday and hitting the fields Saturday. From all accounts, it has been reported that the
team looks bigger, stronger and more physically fit than they have in a long
time. I know this has been said every
August the last few seasons, but eventually it will stop because one of these
years they will actually look like a Pac-12-sized school. I am headed up today (Monday) to see for
myself. Coach MacIntyre said the team had a “good, not
great” first session, but that everything ran smoothly and much more
efficiently than last year’s first day.
That is obviously to be expected in the second year with this staff, but
also because coaches were allowed to meet with players during the summer,
including the new freshmen, to lay some of the foundations. He went further on Sunday, calling the
practice one of the best second days he has ever been around. The team is again asking anyone who attends
to not write anything significant or detailed about what they observe. Therefore, there is not much to report yet,
but there are a few items of interest.
Two
transfers joined the squad, former Air Force QB Jaleel Awini and ex -Auburn OT
Shane Callahan, and both looked very good in their first work with the
team. Both must sit out a year, but
Callahan is appealing for a hardship waiver because one of his reasons for
transferring was a sick family member. OT
Jeromy Irwin is indeed healthy and back at full speed, waiting for Saturday
when he can hit someone for the first time a year and a half, and start earning
his starting spot. Terrell Smith is also
ready to hit again and try to earn playing time in a crowded secondary after
sitting out last season repairing his mangles shoulder. Everyone else (including R-Fr. WR Bryce Bobo
who had some classes to complete this summer) appears good to go from the
academic side.
It’s a good thing Andy LaRussa
switched to defensive ends, not only because it is one of the most important
groups, or that it’s a generally inexperienced group, but because the numbers
keep falling and everyone is going to need to be ready to play. A couple of players will already not be
participating with the team this fall: DE Leo Jackson, a JC transfer, still needs
one class to be eligible and will delay his enrollment until January; we also finally
learned the fate of d-lineman Samson Kafovalu, who was struggling to get his
classwork straight, has decided to take a semester off for “personal reasons”, go
back home and supposedly return to the school and team in January. Something tells me this is the last we see of
“Kool Aid”. Then, Tyler Henington incurred
the first injury of the camp when he rolled an ankle in the first session, although
it is not considered serious. However, next, Markeis Reed pulled up with what
might be a hernia. This opens the door
for all of the young kids to get more reps and possibly playing time. One of those players is Tim Coleman who
suffered a major knee injury in high school, then tore his Achilles a year ago,
and is now fully healthy for the first time as a Buffalo.
For
the first time since anyone can remember, the Colorado defensive secondary is
stocked with experienced players, giving them their best combination of talent,
speed and depth in years. College
football guru Phil Steele went as far as to rank this group as 7th
in the conference, and get this, 34th
in the country! This is especially
important as Coach MacIntyre said they are taking a new approach with DBs this
year, facing so many up-tempo, spread offenses that throw the ball 40-50 times
a game these days. The plan is to use
more players rotating in and out, keeping everyone fresh physically and
mentally, trying to match the waves of receivers teams are using on
offense. They have the numbers to do so this
year with five experienced safeties (Bell, Thompson, Mosley, Smith, Talianko),
not to mention R-Fr. Ryan Moeller and true frosh Evan White, who is already
turning some heads, even before putting on pads and really hitting. They also have a deep group of hungry
cornerbacks, led by former four-star recruit Yuri Wright, ready to compete with
the four top dogs (Henderson, Awuzie, Crawley, Witherspoon). MacIntyre himself will be working a lot with
this group, especially since he moved LaRussa from CBs to DEs this spring. This is a group I always like to watch, but
will definitely want to spend a lot of my time following that group around the
field today.
Other
things I will be watching for: Who is running with the ones on the o-line? How do
Jeromy Irwin, Sully Wiefels (have yet to see even a mention of him) and the
other lineman look? Who are the
receivers making the most heads turn? Is
frosh Shay Fields for real? Is there a
tight end who is going to break out? Is
Phillip Lindsay pushing for playing time?
Which other freshmen are looking good?
Who is working on punt and kickoff returns? Is Diego Gonzalez consistent enough to take
over on kickoffs?
Other
Buffs Notes:
§
Facilities upgrades: After reviewing projections and the
current reality, the estimate for the project has increased almost $13M dollars
due to increasing labor costs and unanticipated problems with soil quality. I don’t thing this is that big of a deal and he
transparency and honesty is refreshing.
I can only imagine that a previous regime would have kept that fact
quiet, rather than just owning up to it immediately, and it would have
eventually come out and bitten the bohnhead in the ass.
§
2015 Recruiting: The Buffs picked up their 8th
verbal commitment from Arizona DE Brett Tonz.
Go Buffs!
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