Colorado University Athletics
Ten Things To Watch In Saturday's Buffs Scrimmage
August 04, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre had a simple message for his players Friday when it came to Saturday's scrimmage at Folsom Field.
These are practices where depth chart positions are won (and lost). Players are graded every day on the field and through film, but separation in close position battles is often made in the full-contact scrimmages.
Saturday's workout, which begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the public, is the first of three major fall camp scrimmages and will also include a selfie/autograph session with players (more information below). The next two scrimmages are scheduled for Aug. 12 and Aug. 19 (both closed).
The first scrimmage of camp is usually an opportunity for coaches to get a good look at younger players and those who don't have a lot of game experience.
One thing is certain: the Buffs won't be showing much of their offensive or defensive intricacies. Asked what fans could expect to see, MacIntyre said, "They're going to see very vanilla. We'll substitute a lot of guys in and try to see some younger guys and some guys that haven't played as many snaps play a little bit more."
Still, the scrimmage will provide an opportunity for fans to see how a number of position battles are evolving, as well as the progress of a number of young players battling for a spot on the two-deep — or even starting — positions on the depth chart.
Ten things to keep an eye on Saturday:
1. Wide receiver battle. Yes, you've heard about it since camp started, but this is a spot where the Buffs are loaded with veteran experience and young talent, and it's been on display on a daily basis in practice. As MacIntyre said earlier this week, "We have so many good ones, it's day to day who's best."
What has become apparent so far in camp is that the returning starters — Shay Fields, Bryce Bobo, Devin Ross and Jay MacIntyre — aren't ready to give an inch when it comes to holding onto their spots. But there are plenty of players right behind them making plays in practice, including senior Kabion Ento, junior Juwann Winfree and true freshmen K.D. Nixon, Laviska Shenault and Jaylon Jackson.
2. Kicking spots. Maybe not a sexy position, but incredibly important.
The Buffs had their struggles in the field goal department last season, but if early camp is any indication, those could be a thing of the past. Returnees Davis Price and Chris Graham have both been kicking well, as has incoming freshman James Stefanou.
"I see powerful legs," MacIntyre said. "I see guys that can hit it and they've looked the best we've ever looked since I've been here."
Also having his best camp yet is junior punter Alex Kinney.
3. Defensive line. The Buffs lost three starters here to graduation and there are now a host of players vying for playing time. So far, the coaches have been looking at a variety of combinations depending on the situation, finding players best suited for run defense, pass rush and goal-line situations.
Among the players to watch, in no particular order: Seniors Leo Jackson II and Timothy Coleman; juniors Chris Mulumba, Javier Edwards and Jase Franke; and sophomores Frank Umu and Lyle Tuiloma. (Coleman, by the way, is a player who could see action on both the defensive line and at outside linebacker. He practices with both, and depending upon the team and situation, will likely see action at both spots this season.)
4. Running back. It's unlikely we'll see much of starter Phillip Lindsay — coaches know what he can do.
But the battle for the backup spot, particularly important at running back, where the Buffs need someone to spell Lindsay and provide a change of pace, has been interesting to watch so far. Senior Michael Adkins II is having an outstanding camp, senior Donovan Lee continues to show his versatility and sophomore Beau Bisharat can provide a change of pace and also line up in a two-back set. This is one of those battles that could go down to the wire.
5. Quarterback. Again, we may not see a lot of sophomore and presumptive starter Steven Montez, but it has been interesting in camp to see his development. Montez has taken a step forward even from last spring. He's throwing the ball with authority and confidence and has made great progress in reading defenses and making quick decisions.
Also showing some solid improvement have been redshirt freshman Sam Noyer, true freshman Tyler Lytle and redshirt freshman Casey Marksberry. All have live arms and it will be interesting to see how much progress they've made since the spring.
6. Inside linebacker. There's no question junior Rick Gamboa, one of the team captains, is locked in here, and junior Drew Lewis appears to have the inside edge on the second spot. But there's plenty of young if untested talent right behind. Keep an eye on redshirt freshman Akil Jones, along with true freshman Nate Landman, Jonathan Van Diest and Carson Wells, all of whom have made plays in camp.
7. Cornerback. Another place where one starting spot is locked down. Junior Isaiah Oliver, touted by one publication as one of the top 10 returning players in the Pac-12, has done nothing to dispel that reputation in camp.
But on the other side, redshirt freshman Trey Udoffia has been solid every day thus far and sophomore Dante Wigley has been turning in some big plays. They will both have their opportunities in the scrimmages to make their case.
8. Offensive line development. There's a ton (OK, actually only about 1,500 pounds worth) of experience up front here. While the current No. 1 unit may not get a lot of time, it will still be worth watching how Jeromy Irwin, Gerrad Kough, Jonathan Huckins, Tim Lynott Jr. and Aaron Haigler work together, both in the run game and passing game.
But equally interesting will be to see how some of the youngsters — Isaac Miller, Colby Pursell, Josh Kaiser and Brett Tonz — perform. O-line coach Klayton Adams has said a number of younger players are making great progress and could push the current leaders on the depth chart before camp is over.
9. Buff back. A position born out of necessity a year ago, the hybrid safety/outside linebacker is now a staple for CU's defense. A year ago, we saw Ryan Moeller man the spot (some folks still call it the "Moeller position") and the senior is back again and having an excellent camp. Meanwhile, the Buffs continue to refine the spot, and junior Evan Worthington is also getting plenty of snaps at the position.
10. Overall defensive evolution. It's the first year for defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot, inside linebackers coach Ross Els and secondary coach ShaDon Brown. It's a significant change in the coaching staff, but so far, the transition seems to be extremely smooth. One area worth watching will be to see how they utilize their playmakers and put them in the best position to make those plays.
Format: The format for Saturday's practice, which begins at 10 a.m., will see the Buffs go through their regular stretching and some individual and team drills for about 40 minutes before the scrimmage begins. The practice and scrimmage should end about 12:30 p.m.
Selfie/autograph session back on: Thanks to a revised clarification from the NCAA via the Pac-12 offices on Friday, the Buffs will host a meet-and-greet and selfie session with players after the scrimmage. The rule interpretation determined that fan events are not impacted by restrictions surrounding the "dead period" recruiting schedule.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
