Colorado University Athletics
Expectations Sky-High For Buffs Wide Receivers
July 24, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Every day in practice last fall, Colorado's wide receivers tested themselves against one of the best secondaries in the nation.
Three defensive backs from that group went on to be selected in April's NFL Draft.
The receivers? They're back. Every member of the group that helped CU's offense establish itself as one of the most productive units in Colorado history returns this year — more experienced and with the benefit of another offseason under CU strength and conditioning specialist Drew Wilson.
It is why Colorado's receivers are the group this year receiving preseason accolades as among the best in the nation, and why wide receivers coach/co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini is more than ready to open fall camp.
The Buffs report for fall camp Friday and will hit the fields Saturday.
"I'm as excited as I've ever been in my career with a returning group of guys," Chiaverini said late last week. "They know the expectations, they know me know as a coach, and they know the level of discipline and the level of effort I'm going to demand from them day in and day out."
Chiaverini is in just his second year with the Buffs. When he arrived in the spring of 2016, he inherited a talented group, but one that hadn't yet realized its potential.
Chiaverini helped turn that potential into production — but not without some internal battles. Now, the receivers are committed to what he's been teaching.
"I've seen a different mindset with them this year than it was last year," Chiaverini said. "Last year in the spring and early in fall camp, it was almost a fight between us in the room. They were trying to resist the teaching. Now that they've accepted the teaching and they want the teaching and they've seen the results that come from the teaching, now they're all in and committed to it. They've seen what happens when you are fully committed to what we're doing."
What the Buffs did last year was put together an offense that finished the regular season ranked 29th in the nation in total offense, a huge jump from the year before. While that final ranking dipped after the Pac-12 title game and Alamo Bowl — two games that are still festering with CU's coaches and players — it was nevertheless a great indication of what CU's offense is capable of achieving.
"The last couple of games, how we finished, there's a bad taste in all of our mouths, mine included," Chiaverini said. "We didn't play very well in those games offensively, we didn't play very well as a receiver group, and they take pride in that. They've seen the difference. When we're committed to this and we're all in, look at the results. When we're not, when we're thinking about other things, look what happens."
If the Buffs receivers can commit themselves fully this year, it could be the kind of year that rewrites the CU record books. The returning numbers are impressive:
— Senior Shay Fields finished with career highs in catches (52), yards (845), touchdowns (9) and yards per catch (16.3), leading the team in yards and TD receptions.
— Senior Devin Ross led the team in catches with a career-high 66, while also establishing career bests in yards (765) and touchdowns (5).
— Senior Bryce Bobo also had career highs in receptions (41) and yards (523); while junior Jay MacIntyre also had career bests in receptions (30) and yards (390).
Meanwhile, running back Phillip Lindsay — 47 catches, 390 yards — also returns, as does senior wideout Kabion Ento, who had just eight catches but converted those into 174 yards (an eye-popping 21.8 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
Now, Chiaverini says, the entire group is hungry for more, and they've shown it through their offseason workout programs.
"When you can show someone that it works, then they really want to go the extra mile," Chiaverini said. "I've seen a lot of growth with Devin Ross, I've seen a lot of growth with Shay, a lot of growth with Bobo and Kabion and Jay and the guys that have been here. Now the young guys are going to get a good taste for it. They're going to see the older guys doing it the right way."
Indeed, a huge peripheral benefit of such an experienced returning group is the influence they have on newcomers — and CU's incoming wide receivers are a highly touted bunch.
"Last year I had to teach the older guys how to do it," Chiaverini said. "They figured it out and got it going, now they know how to do it the right way. Now the young guys will come in with a better perspective and the culture is established. That's the key thing, building the culture of your room. What your core values are, what your core belief system is. When you do that, it comes to fruition on the field for them."
It's no wonder Chiaverini and fellow co-coordinator Brian Lindgren are excited about this year's prospects. Along with the returning receiving corps, they expect to have the most-experienced and most talented offensive line yet in the Mike MacIntyre era, as well as an awards candidate running back in Lindsay.
Along with the receivers who put up big numbers last year, the Buffs will also have junior Juwann Winfree back in the fold. Winfree is a big, (6-foot-3, 210 pounds), athletic wideout who had a great early camp in 2016 before being sidelined for the season with a knee injury.
"I'm excited about him," Chiaverini said. "I've watched him in his rehab, I've watched him run routes. It's been impressive. I can't wait to coach him. I really haven't had a chance to coach him, but physically and mentally he's what you want in a receiver. He's going to push those veteran guys because he's a good football player. He's a physically imposing guy and we're excited to see what he can do."
Throw in a handful of talented freshmen — a group Chiaverini says will push the veterans — and it makes for what will almost certainly be the most competitive position battle in fall camp. That competition, Chiaverini said, can only make the group better.
"If you have competition within that room and you know that guy behind you is a really good young player, you don't want to be messing up and doing things wrong or not being accountable or not being consistent," Chiaverini said. "If you don't follow our core values as an offensive player, you might find yourself on the bench, even as a senior."
If there is any pitfall ahead, it is that the receivers might be reading too many of their press clippings. But Chiaverini vowed that won't be a problem.
"You can't fall in the trap of falling for the hype," Chiaverini said. "Last year, if you read the hype, we weren't supposed to be any good. Last year they ranked our receiving corps last in the conference. You can't buy into the hype, good or bad. It all comes down to hard work."
But all of CU's coaches are aware of the potential in this year's offense. The key will be turning that potential into production.
"We did a lot of really good things last year," Chiaverini said. "We didn't play well those last couple of games, but if you look at the big picture — going from where we were the year before to where we were at the end of the year — we're really just starting to get this thing going. It's exciting. It's exciting to come to work every day. We have good players and a great offensive staff of coaches. Now we have to put in the work and compete every time we step on the practice field. If we do that, the games will take care of themselves."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
