Gillam Good To Go, Other Pac-12 Media Day Notes

GILLAM GOOD TO GO: Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre had some good news for Buff fans Thursday when he provided an update on linebacker Addison Gillam.

After a spectacular freshman season, when he earned unanimous first-team Freshman All-American honors, Gillam was plagued by injury and illness last year. While he still started 10 games, he lost weight and was not as effective as he'd been as a freshman (although he still finished second on the team in tackles with 79).

“He's had a really good summer, gained his weight back, got the smile back on his face, stayed healthy,” MacIntyre reported. “He'll have a better year than he did as a freshman. He'll be, I think, a Pac-12 performer. I really do think he's that type of guy. I'm excited about seeing him back on the field. I would say Addison is back.”

POPULAR INTERVIEW: One of the more popular player interviews of the day in the main media session was Colorado offensive tackle Stephane Nembot.

The Cameroon native, who just began playing football five years ago, regaled the media with stories of how his first coach taught him to play the defensive line at Montclair Prep in Van Nuys, Calif.

“He'd say, 'You see that guy over there?' I'm like, 'Yeah.' He said, 'He's talking bad about your mom.' I'm like, 'What did he say? Oh, I'm coming for him.'”

It's become a little more complicated for Nembot since then. In high school, he didn't bother with a playbook. Obviously, he had to pick one up at Colorado, and he's become a quick study, according to MacIntyre.

“Communication and understanding the terminology in football, it's like a whole new language,” MacIntyre said. “I would say he knows 14 languages now.”

MacIntyre has high expectations for Nembot, now a solid-as-a-rock 6-foot-7, 323 pounds.

“This year you're going to look out there and see a beast,” MacIntyre said. “He'll play for a while in the NFL and then he'll go there with his degree and go back and help Cameroon and be a success. He's an amazing story.”

LOOKING AHEAD: When asked about the future schedule change that will see Colorado halt its annual series with Colorado State, MacIntyre explained that CU's nine-game conference schedule limits the non-conference games the Buffs can schedule. Plus, he noted, it's allowed Colorado to add Air Force to the slate.

But that doesn't mean MacIntyre has forgotten about CSU. Not yet, anyway.

“I'm worried about our first game, our second game,” MacIntyre said. “(But) I think about the CSU game every day since we lost last year, so that's going to be a fun game for all of us.”

AIMING HIGH: Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott told the media Thursday, “We strive to have the best football officiating in the country.”

Earlier this year, the conference hired David Coleman to serve as the league's Vice President of Officiating. Coleman, the former director of officiating for the NFL, will be responsible for “overseeing the football officiating program and developing comprehensive best practice programs, training, consistency and accountability across all other Pac-12 officiating programs.”

Coleman will address the media on Friday on more details of his job and goals, but Scott said one of the conference's priorities this year will be “more transparency from our programs with the media.”

One noticeable difference this year will be instant replay in stadiums.

“With the help of new technology, fans in our stadiums will watch replay reviews on the video board as our officiating crews are reviewing the plays in their booth,” Scott said.

When asked about the fact that nine of the nation's 25 most-penalized teams last year were from the Pac-12, Scott noted, “There is a certain style of play in the Pac-12 that's lled itself to certain types of penalties, holding and others. And that is the very open, fast-paced, multiple plays, lot of throwing plays types of offense a lot of our teams are known for. We do tend to run more plays than other conferences…. That is one of the criteria that we've identified that's probably always going to lend itself to more penalties. There is a direct correlation between the number of offensive plays that you run and the number of penalties.”

Scott also took a moment to tout the Pac-12's scheduling format, currently the only one in the nation that has its members play nine conference games plus a championship game.

“Once again, the Pac-12 will have the toughest schedule in all of college football,” Scott said. “On top of a tough, non-conference slate that includes games against the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 in the first month alone, we remain the only conference to play nine conference games and a championship game. I think it's safe to say our teams will earn their status on the field. Simply put, no one will have a tougher road to the playoffs than the Pac-12 Champion.”

BIGGER OLUGBODE: Linebacker Kenneth Olugbode led Colorado last year in tackles, despite tipping the scales at just 205 pounds — light for a linebacker.

This year, he's beefed up to 220.

“I ate and lifted weights,” he said. “I eat every two hours. Eat, and eat, and eat.”

He believes the extra bulk will pay dividends, especially because he hasn't lost a step in terms of speed.

“It took its toll on me, being that light,” Olugbode said. “I had to fight my way around the linemen. I don't have to worry about that near as much now.”

OLIVER TO TEST TWO POSITIONS: MacIntyre said Thursday that incoming freshman Isaiah Oliver will get a look at receiver and defensive back early in camp before the coaching staff decides what side of the line he'll eventually call home.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Oliver caught 50 passes, made 64 tackles his senior season at Brophy Prep in Goodyear, Ariz. He also blocked nine kicks in his prep career.

“We'll look at him on both sides of the ball,” MacIntyre said. “We'll give him an opportunity to find a home.”