Depth, Defense, Dorrell Influence — Image Of Buffs Coming Into Focus
October 27, 2020 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — With the Colorado Buffaloes' Nov. 7 opener against UCLA now less than two weeks away, the picture of Karl Dorrell's first CU team continues to come more and more into focus.
The Buffs have conducted 16 practices — including a pair of scrimmages — as Dorrell and his staff have explored a multitude of combinations on both sides of the ball in order to determine a two-deep lineup. They are near a decision on their starting quarterback and have begun the process of installing a specific game plan for the Bruins.
As Dorrell noted after Saturday's scrimmage, there is still plenty of work to be done over the next eight practices — and there are no doubt some questions that won't be answered until that opening kickoff at Folsom Field.
But there are some things we have learned over the last three weeks that give Buff Nation an idea of what to expect when CU finally opens its season:
— Defense will be a cornerstone. This should be no surprise, for a couple of reasons.
One, Dorrell — whose background is rooted deeply on the offensive side of the ball — nevertheless is a firm believer in defense setting the tone for his team. "I believe to be a championship level team we have to play great defense — that's the cornerstone of our program, playing great defense," he said recently. "Then, it's the offense taking advantage of the greatness of the defense by putting points on the board because they're getting the ball back for the offense. That is really our philosophy in terms of our program. We're working in that direction."
Two, the Buffs have a solid group of returning vets on the defensive side of the ball, as well as some continuity in the scheme/terminology department, thanks to the presence of returning defensive coordinator Tyson Summers. That experience includes key veterans across the defensive front, and CU's coaches have been steadily building depth there throughout camp.
Bottom line: It's no secret that any team with a solid defensive front has a chance to succeed. The Buffs have that chance.
— This staff has no aversion to playing youngsters and putting responsibility on their shoulders. One of Dorrell's very first tasks after taking the job last February was to secure the recruiting class he inherited, and he did just that.
His efforts are paying off in a big way. Those newcomers are contributing, as are a number of younger players who don't have a lot of experience.
Part of that equation, of course, is necessity. The Buffs have just nine scholarship seniors.
But it's also Dorrell showing that he will play the best players, and the CU staff is showing no hesitancy to put young players in critical positions. That bodes well not only for this season, but as a building block for future years. There may be no better example here than the play of sophomore defensive backs Mark Perry and Chris Miller. They are two players with limited experience, but they have embraced their roles and responsibility this camp — and have become critical pieces as a result.
— Limiting mistakes. After two scrimmages and tons of reps in practice, the Buffs have shown two solid tendencies:
One, they are taking care of the ball. The offense has limited its turnovers, a crucial issue for any team.
Two, the Buffs haven't shown a proclivity for penalties. That's the sign of discipline, and an indication that they aren't going to be giving away free yards to opponents.
Both areas are important. With an overall young team that will have to develop on the fly as the season progresses, limiting unforced errors will be a big help in that development process.
— Offensive line is jelling. With three returning vets with plenty of starting experience, this shouldn't be a surprise.
What has been particularly pleasing thus far for Dorrell and O-line coach Mitch Rodrigue has been the improvement of left guard Kary Kutsch. The senior started all 12 games for CU last year, but he has made perhaps the biggest strides of any O-linemen in camp thus far.
"Kary has done a tremendous job," Dorrell said after Tuesday's practice. "He looks great." Dorrell added that the difference between this year and last has been "night and day," for Kutsch. His presence on the left side with veteran tackle William Sherman should be a nice security blanket for CU's starting quarterback, along with veteran center Colby Pursell.
Also having good camps in the trenches have been sophomore guard Casey Roddick and tackle Frank Fillip on the right side, while sophomore Kanan Ray — who can play guard or tackle — adds some depth to both spots.
The key here is continuity among all five starters, something Dorrell said he has seen grow and develop as camp has progressed.
— This offense could be fun to watch. This is Darrin Chiaverini's second go-round as the offensive coordinator and play-caller, and his comfort level appears to have grown, especially as he works closely with Dorrell and quarterbacks coach Danny Langsdorf.
With a new — and relatively inexperienced — starting quarterback, the Buffs likely won't put a ton of pressure on the QB, at least not right away. But they will utilize the talent they have in the backfield, at wide receiver and tight end. The Buffs have playmakers at every one of those spots, and CU will find ways to get them into space and give the quarterback a chance to succeed and gain confidence in the process.
In short, this might be as versatile an offense as Colorado has seen in recent years.
— Depth, depth, depth. Dorrell is a big believer in making sure he has more than one reliable player at as many spots as possible. He has stressed that to his team regularly, and they have responded by making this a very competitive camp.
The result is the Buffs should have fresh legs at a number of positions —- defensive line, wide receiver, running back and the secondary in particular. While some of that depth is young and inexperienced, the talent is there, and as we mentioned earlier, Dorrell has proven he's willing to put young players in positions of responsibility.
— The Dorrell influence. There might not be another team in the nation that was begging for stability and steadiness more than these Buffs.
Not only are they playing under their third head coach in three years, they dealt with a canceled spring, a topsy-turvy summer — and then a period when their season was virtually canceled before the Pac-12 changed its mind.
Through it all, Dorrell has kept the Buffs in a steady, nose-to-the-grindstone mode. He has earned the players' trust, and in turn, is showing he will trust them — if they earn it.
Such a steady, stable environment will be crucial this season, especially because we know the unseen obstacles aren't finished popping up. There will be more potholes, and Dorrell's level-headed demeanor will be a huge plus in negotiating them as they arise.
Panic isn't in Dorrell's vocabulary. But progress is a staple of his, and it's something the Buffs should make each and every week this year.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
