Position Preview: O-Line Has Blend Of Experience, Youthful Talent
August 13, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado offensive line coach Klayton Adams likes the material with which he's been given to work.
For Adams, the question is how quickly he can mold that raw material into a cohesive unit that can be the bulwark for a successful Buffaloes offense in 2018.
"There's some pretty talented guys, some pretty tough guys, some pretty smart guys," Adams said last week. "We just have to put it all together and we have to get five of them to put it all together at the same time in a game. You see little flashes of it in practice, but right now there's a long way to go and a lot of work ahead of us."
But one thing Adams has seen already is a group that has developed a strong chemistry. That is a virtual requirement when it comes to building a group that must have five players operate as one on every play.
"I think the group is a tight group in terms of togetherness, in terms of off the field," Adams said. "I think they like each other and they're happy for each other when somebody else plays well. Now we have to figure out who those six or seven guys are and really create continuity with them. But I do think the overall chemistry of this group is really good."
Adams, who serves as a co-offensive coordinator with Darrin Chiaverini, got a good look at his line in Saturday's first major scrimmage of camp, a test he called "kind of a midterm." He mixed and matched a variety of combinations, then spent the weekend grading the test.
"We have to make some decisions based on this scrimmage," Adams said. "We'll go in and look at it in detail and start making some of those decisions. ... Now we have to figure out who the seven or eight guys are going to be."
Adams' line this year is a solid group that includes experienced veterans and talented youngsters, and the starting five will no doubt include a blend of the two.
Two almost-certain starters are also two of the most experienced players on CU's roster. Junior right guard Tim Lynott Jr. has 24 starts to his credit, the most of any player on CU's offense and second on the team to linebacker Rick Gamboa's 37. Right behind Lynott in terms of experience is junior right tackle Aaron Haigler, who has started 16 games in his career at guard and tackle. Both started for the Buffs as redshirt freshman in 2016 as well as most of last season.
Lynott is coming back from an Achilles injury suffered in the 10th game of the season last year. But after a rigorous rehab program, he has showed no signs of the injury hampering his performance in camp.
"(He) has been able to knock the rust off pretty fast," Adams said. "He's been able to do pretty much every single thing we've done without being limited. He's picked up where he left off mentally and we're trying to get him to take some steps fundamentally and become more of a complete player. But I've been impressed with him so far."
Haigler, meanwhile, is by all accounts having his best camp yet as a Buff. One of seven team captains — and the only junior in the group — his leadership will be an integral part of the line's development.
"He's an excellent leader in the fact that he has no ego so he helps all the guys on the offensive line," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "He does extra work, he teaches them and he works with them. He also inspires them with how hard he works and the way he can handle all the things that college life presents: academics, athletics and social. He's a true college student and a true college football player."
But after Lynott and Haigler, the Buffs will be turning to a group of players with little or no Division experience.
Making the calls at center will likely be redshirt freshman Colby Pursell, a player CU coaches have liked since he enrolled as a "grayshirt" in the spring of 2017. A smart, analytical player, Pursell has beefed up his body to a solid 290 and has also embraced the mental part of the game required to play his position.
"He's a very calm guy," Adams said. "Sometimes we have to push him to be a little less calm. His blood pressure very rarely rises. I would expect him to play that way when he gets into a game. ... I'm excited about his progression."
But it is the left side of the line where there are still plenty of decisions to be made. While the Buffs have lined up senior Josh Kaiser at left tackle and junior Brett Tonz at guard for most of camp, Saturday's scrimmage saw Adams mix and match a variety of combinations. That included some time for talented redshirt freshman Jake Moretti at left tackle, Kaiser at guard, redshirt freshman William Sherman at tackle and guard, and Tonz at center (along with his time at guard_.
Moretti, coming off a knee injury that sidelined him the last two seasons as well as the spring sessions, will be a factor at left tackle. CU coaches have indicated they will continue to bring him back slowly, but there is no doubt they would love to have the Moretti in the game. Adams has said they will keep him on a "pitch count," meaning a situation where he could play 30 or 40 snaps per game early, then slowly increase the count as the season progresses.
"He's going to play for us this year," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "But I don't know how much right now."
Kaiser, who started five games last year, said the lineup doesn't matter as much as the result.
"I think every one of us is willing to do whatever it takes for us to win games," he said. "We want to get back to winning games and go to a bowl game. We have a tight-knit group and the chemistry is good. I think we all want to do what's best for the team."
The Buffs struggled to find consistency up front last year, giving up 39 sacks and averaging just 3.78 yards per rush — both significant steps back from the previous season.
Adams will now focus on finding a group that can help improve both of those numbers.
"Everybody's got strength and weaknesses," he said. "We just need to figure out as we get closer to the first game, who are we going to be offensively, which I think we're close to finding out, and how do we put people in position to help us there. We have to put the guys who are best pass protectors at tackle and guys who can really move the ground game in there at guard. We have to put the guy who stirs the drink at center. I don't know that we're closing in our top five, but I think we have about eight that we feel are really hard core."
The Buffs are also developing some depth up front, something that has been lacking at times in the past few years. Redshirt freshman Chance Lytle and Heston Paige, sophomore Kary Kutch (a JC transfer) and sophomore Hunter Vaughn have all been getting their share of snaps in camp, and the Buffs also have some true freshmen in the wings, including Kanan Ray, Casey Roddick, Frank Fillip and Joshua Jynes.
WHO'S BACK: Senior Josh Kaiser; Juniors Tim Lynott Jr., Aaron Haigler, Brett Tonz, Justin Eggers, Jack Shutack; Sophomores Kolter Smith, Hunter Vaughn; Redshirt freshmen Jacob Isen, Colby Pursell, Jacob Moretti, Chance Lytle, William Sherman, Heston Paige.
WHO'S NEW: Freshmen Joshua Jynes, Kanan Ray, John Deitchman, Casey Roddick, Frank Fillip; Sophomore Kary Kutsch (JC transfer).
EARLY CAMP DEPTH CHART: Left tackle: Kaiser, Moretti, Fillip; Left guard: Tonz, Sherman, Lytle; Center: Pursell, Paige, Jynes, Eggers; Right guard: Lynott, Kutsch, Smith; Right tackle: Haigler, Vaughn, Shutack.
WHAT'S IN STORE: With so many newcomers and not an abundance of experience, this is a position that could be a question mark into September as it continues to progress. The development here will be a huge determining factor in whether CU's offense can find its stride and become the force CU coaches think it might be. One big reason for optimism is the group's chemistry, a requirement for a good offensive line.
STATS TO REMEMBER: Thanks to injuries and other issues, CU started six different O-line combinations in 12 games last year — and three of the starters from 2017 are gone. While Lynott (1,649 career snaps) and Haigler (1,311) have seen plenty of playing time, the experience dwindles dramatically after that. Only two other Buffs have seen time on the offensive line in a game — Kaiser with 502 snaps and Tonz with 63.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
Players Mentioned
