Derek McCartney records one of his five QB sacks last season.
Photo by: Tony Harman
Buffs’ Linebackers Settle In Comfortably With 3-4 Base Scheme
August 24, 2016 | Football, B.G. Brooks
Knowing Personnel Makes Leavitt More Comfortable As Well
(Eighth in a series of position-by-position previews of the 2016 Buffs to be posted on CUBuffs.com during the preseason. Today: Linebackers)
BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes have changed defensive schemes. As for the schemer . . . not the slightest shift.
Jim Leavitt is entering his second season as CU's defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. What he brought to Boulder on day one is what he'll bring on his final day. His off-the-charts energy all but engulfed his players when he arrived two winters ago.
That level hasn't dipped.
"He's still full of energy all the time, full of fire," outside linebacker Derek McCartney said. "When you play for a guy like that, you want to play. You come out ready to play all the time."
Added inside linebacker Rick Gamboa: "He's been the same from day one – excited to come out here, has a lot of passion for the game and inspires us to get better and work hard. He brings energy and makes us want to be energetic out here."
Leavitt's first season saw the Buffs in a 4-3 base defense (four down linemen, three linebackers), mainly because it was less disruptive to mostly remain in that scheme for his first year. Also, Leavitt didn't yet have eyes-on, first-hand knowledge of his players' capabilities.
In year two, he does, and he's now based the Buffs in a 3-4 defense (three down linemen, four linebackers) that he says is a better fit for his coaching strategy as well as his personnel.
"We're doing different things than last year (because) I know our people and know what we can do," Leavitt said, adding that the 3-4 is "very different" for his linebackers.
Leavitt likes his LBs, likes his entire defense for that matter. One big, overall concern is depth. He says he could use more on 'D', and in fact the entire team could.
"But is anybody else any different," he asks, "other than the Alabamas? There are about 10 teams that can withstand some things (injuries, etc.). We're not in that position but we should be; there's no reason not to be.
"But this team competes now . . . who knows how we'll do, but they play hard. We're a better football team."
As August camp wound down, Leavitt said the top two players – inside and outside – across his linebacking depth chart have shown a "sense of urgency, probably more so than before. They've got a serious demeanor to them, the starters. The top guys, they get it; they know what we need to do."
CU returns its top three inside linebackers, which is not that much of a rarity. Here's what is rare: each member of that trio was the team's leading tackler in three successive seasons – Addison Gillam (2013), Kenneth Olugbode (2014) and Gamboa (2015).
The starting outside 'backers in CU's 3-4 base are likely to be McCartney and Jimmie Gilbert, who combined for 117 tackles and 11 sacks last season. They were one-two (Gilbert six, McCartney five) in QB takedowns in 2015, and both have gotten stronger and are better equipped physically to take on offensive linemen. McCartney is up to 250 pounds, Gilbert to 235, and McCartney says improved strength has allowed him to improve in almost every area.
Inside depth comes from Ryan Severson, Travis Talianko, Christian Shaver and junior college transfer Drew Lewis, who has impressed Leavitt with his speed and his quickly acquired knowledge of the scheme.
"It's been hard for Drew because he's trying to learn this whole thing in a very short period of time," Leavitt said. "He's been good, he's playing well. I'm happy with Drew."
Outside depth is provided by Terran Hasselbach, Aaron Howard, N.J. Falo, Travis Talianko and Sam Bennion, who signed with CU in the 2014 recruiting class but spent the last two years on a Mormon mission. Leavitt called the 6-5, 230-pound Bennion "really, really good for a freshman coming off a two-year mission."
Lewis has worked his way onto the two-deep chart, Bennion is still battling.
Both McCartney and Gamboa believe the Buffs' defense is more physical and more experienced in knowing what Leavitt expects. They also say this defense – the team in reality – is tighter knit.
"Every year it just gets better and better as our team comes closer together," McCartney said. "It's been doing that ever since I came here. It's really cool to see how we've grown.
"I'm excited to see our potential develop this year. Camp has gone really well. We've showed a lot of improvement and had a lot of fun getting better together."
NOT EASY BEING A 3-4 BACKER: McCartney, who made five QB sacks last season (Gilbert had six), spent a considerable portion of 2015 at defensive end in the 4-3 base. The 3-4 finds him at outside linebacker, standing up and often caring more about where the football is being thrown rather than preventing it from being thrown.
"I started doing more (pass) coverage, playing more in space," he said. "It's been a good transition for me, and most of our outside backers have gone through the same thing."
Leavitt said the OLBs "have to be pretty sharp in this scheme. Inside, also. We ask them to do a lot of things in this package, this defense. It's not easy to learn, it's a challenge. But (McCartney) understands all our schemes; he knows our defense well and is very good with it."
McCartney and his fellow OLBs sometimes make defensive calls, as do the inside backers and safeties. Corners and D-linemen, said Leavitt, aren't excluded depending on different fronts. "This is a group deal," he said. "But mostly safeties and linebackers, they're the ones that kind of handle it all."
He called Olugbode, Gillam and Gamboa "really, really good at it . . . they know what they're doing. Drew is getting closer but he's not there yet. But he's going to be very good for us."
WELL-RESTED, STILL WELL-PREPARED: Gillam, who in 2013 set a freshman school tackle record (119) and was a freshman All-America selection, spent much of August camp tuned in but held out.
He missed most of the 2015 season with a knee injury after playing with injuries/illness the previous year. Coaches (including Leavitt) want him as healthy as possible for 2016, and Leavitt called Gillam's part-time participation in training camp "not an issue at all" in Gillam being up to speed in the new defense.
Gillam participated in the Buffs' third camp scrimmage last Friday night and "played well," Leavitt said. "I haven't seen him play more than a game but I've seen him on tape . . . I think he's gotten a lot better and I think this scheme helps him a lot more.
"I thought he was rough – not as good fundamentally as he needed to be. I think he's much better fundamentally than he has been. But you've got to get out there and play and go."
Gillam's teammates also were impressed when he played in camp.
"The days he's in he's looked very good," Gamboa said. "He's getting back to where he was – running around, making plays. It's fun being out there with him."
THE PROOF IS IN THE DOING: Although his first season saw the Buffs show night-and-day improvement on his side of the ball, there were enough dark series in 2015 during which Pac-12 offenses made Leavitt's bunch pay.
Still, the Buffs were much, much better in scoring defense (27.5 points allowed per game), takeaways (doubling their total from 2014 – 11 to 22) and several other defensive categories to put expectations on the launching pad for 2016. Leavitt realizes this, but throughout August camp he routinely brought the ship back to earth by telling his players and coaches, "We haven't done anything yet."
That phrase has resonated among the Buffs' linebackers.
"Absolutely," McCartney said. "Even though we improved last year we still ended up like 70th or something in the country (in scoring defense). That's not where we want to be at all. That's not good to me or any of us. We know we're headed in the right direction but we're not there yet.
"For us as a defense we know we've got the potential to be really good. If we come to play every play then we have the chance to do something special this year. That's how we look at it."
Gamboa echoed that: "We can be a real good defense. Big front, lot of depth on the D-line, six or seven guys rotating in and out. At linebacker and secondary we have a lot of experienced guys. I think I'm still the youngest one out of all the whole group. We've got guys who've played two and three years . . . we're real experienced on the defensive side.
"But every week we have to come out ready to play; we can't look over a team. We're not there yet. We can't just come out and play; we have to be ready every play. We have to make teams not think, 'Oh, we're just playing Colorado again.'"
THE INSIDE LOOK AT . . .
Linebackers
Coach: Jim Leavitt, second year on staff.
Returning starters: MLB Rick Gamboa, Soph.; JLB Kenneth Olugbode, Sr.; SLB Derek McCartney, Jr.; MLB Addison Gillam, Jr. (2014 starter).
Returnees: MLB N.J. Falo, Soph.; MLB Christian Shaver, Jr.; JLB Ryan Severson, Sr.; JLB Travis Talianko, Sr.; WLB Jimmie Gilbert, Sr.; WLB Deaysean Rippy, Sr.; OLB Terran Hasselbach, Soph.; OLB Aaron Howard, Sr.
Newcomers: OLB Sam Bennion, Fr.; LB Akil Jones, Fr.; ILB Drew Lewis, Soph.; OLB Pookie Maka, Fr.; LB Jacob Stoltenberg, Fr.
Key losses: ILB Grant Watanabe, WLB Hunter Shaw, SLB De'Jon Wilson.
Stat line: CU's three leading tacklers from the last three seasons are back – and they're all linebackers. Gamboa led the Buffs in 2015 (96 total/58 solo), Olugbode in 2014 (83/57), and Gillam in 2013 (119/78).
Bottom line: The linebacker spots (inside, outside) should be a strength on a defense that could be one of the tops in the conference by season's end. Of course, Leavitt's battle cry is, "We haven't done anything yet," and he's right. But his first CU defense was better by leaps and bounds last season, and Gillam's return on the inside should make this season's edition even better. McCartney can be a premier player on the outside, and teamed with Gilbert figures to upgrade the Buffs' pass rush. With the D-line being another strength, the entire linebacking corps figures to be freed up more from blockers and clog up the run. Lewis' quick development is key; his snaps could increase considerably by the time Pac-12 play begins.
Next: Wide receivers
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes have changed defensive schemes. As for the schemer . . . not the slightest shift.
Jim Leavitt is entering his second season as CU's defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. What he brought to Boulder on day one is what he'll bring on his final day. His off-the-charts energy all but engulfed his players when he arrived two winters ago.
That level hasn't dipped.
"He's still full of energy all the time, full of fire," outside linebacker Derek McCartney said. "When you play for a guy like that, you want to play. You come out ready to play all the time."
Added inside linebacker Rick Gamboa: "He's been the same from day one – excited to come out here, has a lot of passion for the game and inspires us to get better and work hard. He brings energy and makes us want to be energetic out here."
Leavitt's first season saw the Buffs in a 4-3 base defense (four down linemen, three linebackers), mainly because it was less disruptive to mostly remain in that scheme for his first year. Also, Leavitt didn't yet have eyes-on, first-hand knowledge of his players' capabilities.
In year two, he does, and he's now based the Buffs in a 3-4 defense (three down linemen, four linebackers) that he says is a better fit for his coaching strategy as well as his personnel.
"We're doing different things than last year (because) I know our people and know what we can do," Leavitt said, adding that the 3-4 is "very different" for his linebackers.
Leavitt likes his LBs, likes his entire defense for that matter. One big, overall concern is depth. He says he could use more on 'D', and in fact the entire team could.
"But is anybody else any different," he asks, "other than the Alabamas? There are about 10 teams that can withstand some things (injuries, etc.). We're not in that position but we should be; there's no reason not to be.
"But this team competes now . . . who knows how we'll do, but they play hard. We're a better football team."
As August camp wound down, Leavitt said the top two players – inside and outside – across his linebacking depth chart have shown a "sense of urgency, probably more so than before. They've got a serious demeanor to them, the starters. The top guys, they get it; they know what we need to do."
CU returns its top three inside linebackers, which is not that much of a rarity. Here's what is rare: each member of that trio was the team's leading tackler in three successive seasons – Addison Gillam (2013), Kenneth Olugbode (2014) and Gamboa (2015).
The starting outside 'backers in CU's 3-4 base are likely to be McCartney and Jimmie Gilbert, who combined for 117 tackles and 11 sacks last season. They were one-two (Gilbert six, McCartney five) in QB takedowns in 2015, and both have gotten stronger and are better equipped physically to take on offensive linemen. McCartney is up to 250 pounds, Gilbert to 235, and McCartney says improved strength has allowed him to improve in almost every area.
Inside depth comes from Ryan Severson, Travis Talianko, Christian Shaver and junior college transfer Drew Lewis, who has impressed Leavitt with his speed and his quickly acquired knowledge of the scheme.
"It's been hard for Drew because he's trying to learn this whole thing in a very short period of time," Leavitt said. "He's been good, he's playing well. I'm happy with Drew."
Outside depth is provided by Terran Hasselbach, Aaron Howard, N.J. Falo, Travis Talianko and Sam Bennion, who signed with CU in the 2014 recruiting class but spent the last two years on a Mormon mission. Leavitt called the 6-5, 230-pound Bennion "really, really good for a freshman coming off a two-year mission."
Lewis has worked his way onto the two-deep chart, Bennion is still battling.
Both McCartney and Gamboa believe the Buffs' defense is more physical and more experienced in knowing what Leavitt expects. They also say this defense – the team in reality – is tighter knit.
"Every year it just gets better and better as our team comes closer together," McCartney said. "It's been doing that ever since I came here. It's really cool to see how we've grown.
"I'm excited to see our potential develop this year. Camp has gone really well. We've showed a lot of improvement and had a lot of fun getting better together."
NOT EASY BEING A 3-4 BACKER: McCartney, who made five QB sacks last season (Gilbert had six), spent a considerable portion of 2015 at defensive end in the 4-3 base. The 3-4 finds him at outside linebacker, standing up and often caring more about where the football is being thrown rather than preventing it from being thrown.
"I started doing more (pass) coverage, playing more in space," he said. "It's been a good transition for me, and most of our outside backers have gone through the same thing."
Leavitt said the OLBs "have to be pretty sharp in this scheme. Inside, also. We ask them to do a lot of things in this package, this defense. It's not easy to learn, it's a challenge. But (McCartney) understands all our schemes; he knows our defense well and is very good with it."
McCartney and his fellow OLBs sometimes make defensive calls, as do the inside backers and safeties. Corners and D-linemen, said Leavitt, aren't excluded depending on different fronts. "This is a group deal," he said. "But mostly safeties and linebackers, they're the ones that kind of handle it all."
He called Olugbode, Gillam and Gamboa "really, really good at it . . . they know what they're doing. Drew is getting closer but he's not there yet. But he's going to be very good for us."
WELL-RESTED, STILL WELL-PREPARED: Gillam, who in 2013 set a freshman school tackle record (119) and was a freshman All-America selection, spent much of August camp tuned in but held out.
He missed most of the 2015 season with a knee injury after playing with injuries/illness the previous year. Coaches (including Leavitt) want him as healthy as possible for 2016, and Leavitt called Gillam's part-time participation in training camp "not an issue at all" in Gillam being up to speed in the new defense.
Gillam participated in the Buffs' third camp scrimmage last Friday night and "played well," Leavitt said. "I haven't seen him play more than a game but I've seen him on tape . . . I think he's gotten a lot better and I think this scheme helps him a lot more.
"I thought he was rough – not as good fundamentally as he needed to be. I think he's much better fundamentally than he has been. But you've got to get out there and play and go."
Gillam's teammates also were impressed when he played in camp.
"The days he's in he's looked very good," Gamboa said. "He's getting back to where he was – running around, making plays. It's fun being out there with him."
THE PROOF IS IN THE DOING: Although his first season saw the Buffs show night-and-day improvement on his side of the ball, there were enough dark series in 2015 during which Pac-12 offenses made Leavitt's bunch pay.
Still, the Buffs were much, much better in scoring defense (27.5 points allowed per game), takeaways (doubling their total from 2014 – 11 to 22) and several other defensive categories to put expectations on the launching pad for 2016. Leavitt realizes this, but throughout August camp he routinely brought the ship back to earth by telling his players and coaches, "We haven't done anything yet."
That phrase has resonated among the Buffs' linebackers.
"Absolutely," McCartney said. "Even though we improved last year we still ended up like 70th or something in the country (in scoring defense). That's not where we want to be at all. That's not good to me or any of us. We know we're headed in the right direction but we're not there yet.
"For us as a defense we know we've got the potential to be really good. If we come to play every play then we have the chance to do something special this year. That's how we look at it."
Gamboa echoed that: "We can be a real good defense. Big front, lot of depth on the D-line, six or seven guys rotating in and out. At linebacker and secondary we have a lot of experienced guys. I think I'm still the youngest one out of all the whole group. We've got guys who've played two and three years . . . we're real experienced on the defensive side.
"But every week we have to come out ready to play; we can't look over a team. We're not there yet. We can't just come out and play; we have to be ready every play. We have to make teams not think, 'Oh, we're just playing Colorado again.'"
THE INSIDE LOOK AT . . .
Linebackers
Coach: Jim Leavitt, second year on staff.
Returning starters: MLB Rick Gamboa, Soph.; JLB Kenneth Olugbode, Sr.; SLB Derek McCartney, Jr.; MLB Addison Gillam, Jr. (2014 starter).
Returnees: MLB N.J. Falo, Soph.; MLB Christian Shaver, Jr.; JLB Ryan Severson, Sr.; JLB Travis Talianko, Sr.; WLB Jimmie Gilbert, Sr.; WLB Deaysean Rippy, Sr.; OLB Terran Hasselbach, Soph.; OLB Aaron Howard, Sr.
Newcomers: OLB Sam Bennion, Fr.; LB Akil Jones, Fr.; ILB Drew Lewis, Soph.; OLB Pookie Maka, Fr.; LB Jacob Stoltenberg, Fr.
Key losses: ILB Grant Watanabe, WLB Hunter Shaw, SLB De'Jon Wilson.
Stat line: CU's three leading tacklers from the last three seasons are back – and they're all linebackers. Gamboa led the Buffs in 2015 (96 total/58 solo), Olugbode in 2014 (83/57), and Gillam in 2013 (119/78).
Bottom line: The linebacker spots (inside, outside) should be a strength on a defense that could be one of the tops in the conference by season's end. Of course, Leavitt's battle cry is, "We haven't done anything yet," and he's right. But his first CU defense was better by leaps and bounds last season, and Gillam's return on the inside should make this season's edition even better. McCartney can be a premier player on the outside, and teamed with Gilbert figures to upgrade the Buffs' pass rush. With the D-line being another strength, the entire linebacking corps figures to be freed up more from blockers and clog up the run. Lewis' quick development is key; his snaps could increase considerably by the time Pac-12 play begins.
Next: Wide receivers
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
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