MacIntyre Likes Buffs' Response After Third Scrimmage Of Camp
August 20, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
CU will begin season 'specifics' Monday
BOULDER — One day after the Colorado Buffaloes engaged in their third scrimmage of fall camp, head coach Mike MacIntyre wasn't sure what to expect from his team when the players hit the field for a Saturday morning practice.
MacIntyre was pleasantly surprised.
"They had a ton of energy from having a good long scrimmage last night, which I was really pleased with," MacIntyre said. "They had a lot of fun and we got a lot accomplished. The kids had a great mental attitude this morning — I was waiting to see how it was going to be after practicing hard last night."
Weather pushed Friday night's scrimmage into CU's Indoor Practice Facility, but the Buffs still got plenty of snaps in, including some situational work, red zone, goal line and special teams.
Players had a great time with fellow students today at practice. These students have some talent! pic.twitter.com/SVwWOO5ju7
— Coach Mike MacIntyre (@CoachMikeMac) August 21, 2016
"We got three good scrimmages in," MacIntyre said. "Nobody got hurt in any of those scrimmages, which was interesting. We covered all our basics and we were very, very physical in those scrimmages. I think it's just a credit to how much more powerful and stronger our team is, staying healthy in those. Sometimes you can't help the non-contact injuries. But we were able be more physical. It was good."
The Buffs did lose one player, wide receiver Juwann Winfree, to a season-ending knee injury earlier this week, but it was in a non-contact drill.
Now, with less than two weeks remaining until the Sept. 2 season opener vs. Colorado State in Denver (6 p.m., ESPN) and classes beginning Monday, the Buffs will resume their regular "in-season" schedule. That will mean morning practices (usually about 8:30 a.m.).
It also means they'll begin work next week on specific game planning for their first few games and working on season specifics. Coaches will meet over the weekend to begin the process, and they'll also start sorting out a two-deep depth chart on both sides of the ball.
INJURY UPDATES: Running back Michael Adkins II, hampered by a hamstring strain since early in camp, has returned to limited drills. … MacIntyre said safety Ryan Moeller, recovering from an ankle sprain, could resume some full-speed drills as soon as Monday.
STUDENTS AT PRACTICE: The Buffs opened their practice to CU students on Saturday, and a large crowd was on hand. The CU staff also included the students in some mid-practice activities, including punt receiving and passing.
One student volunteered to attempt to field a punt, and MacIntyre had the players decide whether they thought he would cleanly catch the ball or not. About half thought he would make the catch; the other half bet that he wouldn't. At risk were 10 pushups by every player who incorrectly predicted the outcome.
When CU student Ryan Webb made a nice catch of Alex Kinney's punt, half the team erupted in cheers and rushed downfield to congratulate him. The other half hit the ground and completed their pushups.
The students also participated in a similar throwing-receiving drill, and at the end, all gathered to sing the school fight song.
"They really enjoyed that," MacIntyre said. "That spiced it up."
NEW FIELDS: The Buffs will continue to practice next week on their lower practice fields, then move to the new fields next to the Indoor Practice Facility on Saturday. While they haven't ironed out all the details, the team could use both the IPF and the outdoor fields simultaneously in some situations.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
