Colorado University Athletics
Woelk: Spring Ball Will Be Critical And Competition Stiff For Buffs
January 28, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Every spring is important for every college football program.
But there's a little extra sense of urgency this year for the Colorado Buffaloes, and for good reason.
The Buffs are coming off a 5-7 season that did not live up to some lofty preseason expectations. The reasons for the slip were numerous, but the bottom line is the Buffs are returning to work this year with a chip on their collective shoulders.
Still, this is a program that has won 15 games in the last two years. There are a number of players who contributed to the 10-win season in 2016 and know what it takes to produce such a year.
What it all means is this could be one of the more competitive spring practice sessions in recent years. While there are a number of incumbent starters returning, there will be precious few guarantees — at any position — which should make for some lively practice sessions as players begin the process of vying for starting spots.
The Buffs open spring drills Feb. 16, with the spring game set for March 17 (three days before the actual first day of spring). The early session is a schedule head coach Mike MacIntyre has employed for the last couple of years, as it allows a five-week strength and conditioning session before spring, then allows time for another session after spring ball wraps up.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will be taking a look at position preview and some key storylines. Today, we'll kick it off with a look at a variety of players and coaches for whom spring ball will be ultra important:
Quarterback Steven Montez. Last season, the CU junior became the first Buffs quarterback since 2007 to start every game in a season. Montez's numbers were good — 2,975 yards passing, 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, 60.5 percent completion rate. But he didn't hit some of the big numbers that were being bandied about before the season began, and the most important numbers — CU's win-loss record — also fell short.
This spring, Montez will be working under a new position coach, recently hired Kurt Roper. When Roper took the job, he stressed two things: one, mental toughness is the most important attribute a quarterback can have; and two, "when you choose to play this position, you haven't chosen a position, you've chosen a lifestyle."
There is no doubt he will deliver that message to Montez and the rest of CU's quarterbacks.
Montez's physical abilities are not a question. But this year, he has to take the next step in the leadership department. He has to make the Buffs "his" team — and that will mean setting an example not just on the field, but in the film room, in conditioning drills and everywhere else his teammates see him.
There's also a chance that Montez will feel some heat in the competition department. He will be challenged not only by last year's backup, Sam Noyer, but also by redshirt freshman Tyler Lytle, another youngster with all the tools. They will get their chances to show their stuff.
The big key will be how Montez establishes himself as a leader — and he has an example to work from. He spent two years playing with the consummate leader, Sefo Liufau. This will be an important spring for Montez to begin setting that kind of example because this year, he will be one of those upperclassmen his teammates look to for guidance.
Defensive linemen Terrance Lang and Mustafa Johnson. CU's defensive troubles last fall began up front, and there's no doubt this will be a focal point of the spring.
The Buffs do have a pair of returning starters on the D-line in Chris Mulumba and Javier Edwards. Mulumba showed flashes of excellent play down the stretch and Edwards has been working on his strength and stamina. They will be important to CU's progress in the trenches.
But Lang and Johnson are two players who could make a difference next fall, particularly with new D-line coach Kwahn Drake on staff.
Lang, one of the most highly ranked recruits from the 2017 class, spent last season putting on 35 pounds of muscle and practicing with the scout team. A big, fast, physically gifted player who has dedicated himself in the weight room, Lang has the chance to become an impact player in a hurry as the Buffs set their sights on dramatically improving their sack totals from last season (22). His work this spring will be crucial in that regard.
Johnson, meanwhile, is a JC transfer who brings with him some impressive credentials. He is another player CU coaches believe could have an immediate impact and his development this spring will also be critical. While the Buffs have lined up in a base 3-4 for the last three seasons, they have used plenty of four-linemen sets in pass-rush situations. Given their personnel this year, it wouldn't be a surprise to see even more of that as they take advantage of some of the newcomers, a group that will also include true freshman Israel Antwine next fall.
Buff back Davion Taylor. There was little doubt about where CU coaches expect to see Taylor play when they announced the JC standout's signing in December. Listed specifically as a Buff back — CU's combination linebacker/safety — Taylor is a player MacIntyre called a "bigger, faster Chidobe Awuzie." Given that Awuzie now plays for the Dallas Cowboys, it's a clear sign CU coaches expect Taylor to make a difference in a hurry.
Wide receivers Juwann Winfree, Laviska Shenault, K.D. Nixon, Kabion Ento and Tony Brown. Gone to graduation are three players — Shay Fields, Bryce Bobo and Devin Ross — who rank among CU's top 10 all-time leaders in receptions.
But there's an underlying thought that this year's receiving group could be more productive than the 2017 bunch, and these five are a big reason.
Winfree finished with a bang in 2017 — nine catches for 216 yards and two scores in his last two games. Shenault led the team in yards per catch, averaging 24.0 per reception, and Nixon has electrifying potential with the ability to line up at multiple spots on offense. Ento, meanwhile, had an outstanding 2017 spring before electing to redshirt last fall while Brown, a transfer who sat out last season, has big-time potential ("don't sleep on him," was one of his teammate's advice).
All five are hungry to prove themselves. Along with returning starter Jay MacIntyre, it is a group that should make for some fierce competition beginning in spring ball and carrying through to fall camp.
Co-offensive coordinators Darrin Chiaverini and Klayton Adams. Co-coordinators have become the norm in college ball, and this pairing should be fun to watch evolve. Chiaverini, a former wide receiver and current WR coach, loves to see the ball in the air. Adams, a former offensive lineman and current Buffs OL coach, still believes that short yardage situations require the ability to take that property by force.
It will be Chiaverini's first time calling plays at the Division I level and Adams' first crack at having direct input into developing an overall game plan. What kind of tweaks and twists they add to CU's up-tempo attack will be interesting to see, particularly as they try to take advantage of a veteran quarterback and some talented wideouts.
Inside LBs Rick Gamboa, Drew Lewis and Nate Landman. Gamboa last season led the Buffs in defensive snaps with 847, by far the most of his career. Lewis was second with 821. Landman, meanwhile, came on at the end of the season and showed a nose for the ball.
The Buffs had troubles with big running backs last year, an issue that began in the trenches and extended into the second level. Gamboa, Lewis and Landman — along with some other CU youngsters — will be expected to fix that problem this spring.
Cornerbacks Dante Wigley, Trey Udoffia, Kevin George and Delrick Abrams. The Buffs are losing perhap their best player from last year, cornerback Isaiah Oliver, who is leaving a year early and is expected to be a high-round NFL draft pick.
Wigley and Udoffia both got plenty of playing time last year. Abrams is a JC transfer from this year's class; George signed last year, and both should compete for spots this year.
The addition of cornerbacks coach Ashley Ambrose is a plus for the secondary, as it gives the Buffs two DB coaches again, with Shadon Brown taking the safeties. It is another spot where competition will be stiff, and it comes at a position where Colorado has come to expect outstanding play. This spring will provide a couple of these players with a nice head start for the fall.
Safety Evan Worthington. Just like cornerback, the Buffs have become accustomed to a defensive leader at safety. Worthington, already being touted as an NFL Draft prospect, is the latest. Worthington is a physically gifted playmaker who has shown a knack for getting to the ball in a hurry, both in run support and in coverage. He will be expected to be a defensive leader and this spring will be critical to developing that role.
Defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot. Eliot was thrust into a difficult situation last season — a new defensive coordinator taking over a unit that lost eight starters to graduation, including four who heard their names called in the NFL Draft. Throw in the fact that CU also had a new secondary coach and new inside linebackers coach, and a tough year shouldn't have been a surprise.
A year later, Eliot has a much better idea about who Colorado's playmakers are and how to incorporate them into CU's attack. He now has some veteran players up front, along with a new infusion of talent. Coaches and analysts I've spoken with say Eliot has a good defensive mind. The Buffs had players in position to make plays last year — but didn't make those plays.
This year, Eliot has a little more talent and a little more experience. It will be interesting to see what adjustments he makes in the spring that should make a difference next fall.
Offensive line. If you want to know how the offense will perform next fall, this group will have the biggest effect.
Last fall, CU spent virtually the entire camp playing with one set of linemen as the No. 1 unit — and then, because of suspensions and injuries, that group did not play together until Week 5. No position group requires more continuity than the O-line and the simple fact is the Buffs never established that continuity up front last year. The result was an offense that struggled to find consistency week in and week out.
That has to change this year — and the potential is good.
Returning up front and ready to practice in the spring are Aaron Haigler, Josh Kaiser and Isaac Miller, all of whom received significant playing time last fall. Brett Tonz, meanwhile, got a handful of snaps and redshirt freshman Colby Pursell got a ton of work with the No. 2 offense while still managing to redshirt.
With regular Tim Lynott Jr. out rehabbing an Achilles injury, their development this spring will be crucial as CU rebuilds its line. Along with the returning vets, Pursell and Tonz will lead a talented group of youngsters — Hunter Vaughn, Dillon Middlemiss, Grant Polley and William Sherman — anxious to compete for playing time.
The bottom line is this will not only be a critical spot for development this spring, it will also be an extremely competitive group to watch.
Running back. Here's a spot that will be interesting to watch develop because it is so wide open. With Phillip Lindsay, who carried the vast bulk of the load last year now gone, the competition is wide open — and it could get even more crowded by fall camp. It will be worthwhile to see how the Buffs decide to work Beau Bisharat, Donovan Lee, Kyle Evans and Alex Fontenot into the mix in the spring as they set the stage for next fall.
Tentative spring schedule:
While this could change, here is the tentative spring practice schedule (outside of the spring game, it has not been determined what practices will be open to the public and media): UPDATED ON FEB. 1
Friday, Feb. 23
Saturday, Feb. 24
Monday, Feb. 26
Friday, March 2
Monday, March 5
Wednesday, March 7
Friday, March 9
Saturday, March 10
Monday, March 12
Wednesday, March 14
Friday, March 16
Saturday, March 17 (1 p.m. spring game)
Monday, March 19
Wednesday, March 21
Friday, March 23
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
