Buffs' Lindsay Knows Summer Sets Tone For Fall

BOULDER — Phillip Lindsay had a simple message for all of his Colorado teammates Friday morning.

"Once we get back for summer, it's on," CU's senior running back said. "You can't go home in the summertime and get fat or not work out. You have to start where you left off. A lot of our young players have had some big gains and we have to keep that up. We have to keep moving forward."

Lindsay and his teammates are currently putting the finishing touches on their final spring strength and conditioning session. They began end-of-spring testing on Friday and will continue next week. They will then concentrate on finals and finishing the semester strong in the classroom, then have some time off before summer workouts begin.

That session is set to begin June 5. They will then have a few days off before fall camp opens July 28 — only the third time in CU history that the Buffs have opened fall camp in July — all of which sets the stage for the Sept. 1 season opener vs. Colorado State in Denver.

Lindsay knows how the Buffs spend their time between now and that opener will go a long way in determining how CU's fall unfolds.

A year ago, the Buffs' summer was the difference maker. A group of CU seniors determined to go out on a winning note made sure Colorado players knew what was at stake. Along with a successful strength and conditioning session, they also had what was unquestionably the best set of volunteer workouts in the Mike MacIntyre era.

Now, Lindsay said the goal is to make sure this summer is equally productive — and it is a different group of seniors who must provide the spark.

"We don't have the Chidos and Teds and Ahkellos anymore," Lindsay said of departed seniors such as Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thompson and Ahkello Witherspoon. "We have the young kids trying to build their own legacy. As a captain, I hold myself to a high standard and I'm not going to let any of these young guys slip. I'm going to do my best to make sure everybody's out here grinding. That's what you have to do to be a championship team.."

While the process of building team chemistry is never ending, Lindsay said summer workouts can be a particularly key part of the big picture. Volunteer workouts — when the weather is hot and minds are on things other than football — are especially important.

"It's so important because that's where you get a lot of your team bonding," Lindsay said. "You see the character people have. You see the dog inside them. It wasn't like Chido and Ted just showed up and were ready for the NFL. You have to put the time in. If that's where you want to be, you have to put the time in. Champions do extra."

The Buffs are coming off their most successful season in more than a decade, one that produced a 10-4 record, a Pac-12 South title and an Alamo Bowl berth. Lindsay, meanwhile, enjoyed one of the most productive seasons by a CU back in years, finishing with 1,189 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing, along with 47 pass receptions for 390 yards and a touchdown.

But the season didn't end in the fashion the Buffs envisioned, with a loss to Washington in the Pac-12 title game followed by a loss to Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl. It is an ending that has been a primary driving force throughout the spring.

"We got to the Pac-12 championship but it didn't go the way we wanted it," Lindsay said. "To me, it was embarrassing. In my head, it's a pride thing. I take it very personal. This is it for me and I want to go out with a bang. The men who rebuilt this program deserve it and that's what we're going to go get."

Lindsay is a fifth-year senior, a member of MacIntyre's first recruiting class at Colorado. There are seven members of that class still on the roster, along with three players from the 2012 class. Lindsay said the "elder statesmen" must make sure the program doesn't slip after its turnaround 2016 season.

"The older guys, we sacrificed so that the kids now can come in and continue the legacy," Lindsay said. "We went through the hard times so they don't have to. There's no reason for us to ever go backward. We're too talented, we're going to continue to bring in good players — we just have to continue working hard. It's all about working hard."

BIG INFLUENCE: After testing which saw a number of Buffs record significant strength gains, Lindsay credited strength and conditioning coordinator Drew Wilson with helping the Buffs make major improvements in the weight room. Wilson is just finishing his second spring at Colorado.

"Coach Drew has made a tremendous difference," Lindsay said. Just his presence alone has put us on a different level. You know that he's not going to take anything from anybody, but he also knows how to have fun and enjoy what we do. You have to know when to focus up and he helps us do that. You can have fun, but you have to get the job done."

TEAM ELDERS: There are still three players on the 2017 roster who were members of former coach Jon Embree's last recruiting class in Boulder: offensive linemen Jeromy Irwin and Gerrod Kough and linebacker Derek McCartney. All three are likely starters next fall.

As for MacIntyre's first class, there are seven players remaining — and again, all could be significant contributors in their finals seasons at CU. The list includes running backs Lindsay and Michael Adkins, wide receivers Bryce Bobo and Devin Ross, defensive linemen Timothy Coleman Jr. and George Frazier, and offensive lineman Jonathan Huckins.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu