Colorado University Athletics
Woelk: Buffs Football, Basketball Notebook
November 03, 2022 | Football, Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Some notes, quotes and observations as Colorado hosts Oregon this weekend in football before Buffaloes' men's basketball kicks off the season Monday at home against UC Riverside.
Roster retention — If you didn't catch Mike Sanford's press conference on Tuesday, CU's interim boss talked about what will no doubt be one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle this offseason for the Colorado coaching staff — whoever is in charge.
"Retention of this roster is by far the most important thing because we have some tremendous examples of growth," Sanford said of a young Buffs team. "It continues to grow to the point where you are starting to see some confidence start to show up on game day. That's how this program is ultimately going to be built into a championship-caliber program, is the retention and the development of some of our young depth."
Buffs fans don't need to be reminded of what happened after last season, when several key players departed for other programs. But CU fans will nevertheless get a first-hand reminder Saturday when former Buffs cornerback Christian Gonzalez lines up in an Oregon uniform at Folsom Field.
While the 1-7 Buffs have clearly struggled this year, there have been some bright spots that point to better days in the future. Youngsters such as wide receivers Jordyn Tyson and Montana Lemonious-Craig have grabbed headlines — for good reason — but there are solid returnees up and down the lineup. Overall, nine offensive starters and seven on defense could return next year, as well as a host of solid reserves.
That's a foundation on which CU's next coach can build — if they all remain in Boulder.
"If we have to hit the reset button again with our roster, I don't think that's going to be in the best interest of anything going forward," Sanford said.
Sanford made his comments in regards to the recently announced Buffs4Life NIL Collective, a recently formed entity that could play a major role in help CU Athletics grow in the rapidly changing environment of Name, Image and Likeness.
"We have to take that next step in embracing this new collective, embracing Buffs4Life, taking care of our current roster," Sanford said. "This is going to student-athletes everybody's going out and cheering for and watching on TV … It's incredibly important for the retention of our roster to step up in a big way."
Naturally, there have been some questions among CU supporters about Buffs4Life, in particular folks who aren't familiar with the organization.
Simply, it has existed now for years as a group that helps former CU student-athletes in need. Now, the new collective is stepping up to support current student-athletes from all sports (and contributors can even specify which team or player they would like to support if they so choose).
Three names to know? Former CU head coach Gary Barnett, former linebacker Sean Tufts and CU Hall of Famer Lisa Van Goor all sit on the Buffs4Life Board of Directors and are closely involved with the new endeavor.
That's a good group.
O-line development: Colorado's offensive line has shown some moments of growth over the last few weeks. CU's run game has improved and the pass protection has gotten better.
The best news? Every starter in the group has another year of eligibility. If the entire line returns for another season, it could be a solid bunch next year.
Breakout Buffs — Switching gears to men's hoops, we noted after Pac-12 Media Day that CU coach Tad Boyle believed this year could be a breakout year for juniors Tristan da Silva and Nique Clifford and sophomore KJ Simpson.
All three had solid games in last Sunday's 72-61 exhibition win over Nebraska. Simpson had 17 points and three assists and da Silva and Clifford each scored nine points, with Clifford also snagging eight rebounds.
But three other Buffs who stood out were J'Vonne Hadley, a junior college transfer, junior Luke O'Brien and sophomore Julian Hammond III.
Hadley plays with an edge — something not uncommon with JC transfers who bring with them just a little chip on their shoulders. The 6-foot-6 wing had 11 points and eight rebounds and also defended well at several different spots. He'll be a key addition to CU's lineup.
O'Brien, meanwhile, continues to show all the positive signs of the player development that has become a hallmark of Colorado's program under Boyle. The 6-foot-8 wing had eight rebounds — including five on the offensive glass — and played good defense.
"I'm really, really proud of him," Boyle said earlier this week. "He's certainly matured. He got bigger and stronger. He's made great strides mentally since his freshman year when he was a little fragile. He would get down on himself and get frustrated. He did not handle adversity real well when he got here, but it's gotten a lot better."
While Boyle's starting lineup is by no means set — never mind his overall rotation — O'Brien could be a key contributor. He is showing signs of being a player willing to do the "dirty work" (witness the offensive rebounds) and while his stat line might not always jump, his presence will make the players around him better.
Hammond, meanwhile, dished out a team-high four assists in 17 minutes on the floor. Paired with Simpson, he'll give CU a nice backcourt rotation.
Big man progress — Sunday's game also gave us a good glimpse of the progress made by CU 7-footer Lawson Lovering, who missed roughly half of last season with an injury.
Lovering, a sophomore, is bigger and stronger after a year in the weightroom — and also more confident. He finished with seven points and five rebounds and also had a pair of blocked shots. He looks far more comfortable this year and is showing signs of becoming a rim protector — something the Buffs definitely need on the defensive end.
It will be fun to watch him grow into his role as the season progresses.
