New OL Coach O'Boyle Says Linemen Will Love CU Offense
March 01, 2023 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — New Colorado coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders and his staff wasted no time in their first recruiting cycle when it came to adding skill position players.
The Buffaloes brought in plenty of star power at the showcase positions.
But it's no secret that the success of all those offensive players with the flash and dash hinges on one thing — the performance of the big fellas up front. If the men in the trenches can't protect the quarterback and create space for the run game, the offense won't go far.
It's why the Buffs also added a healthy dose of O-linemen in their latest signing class. Now it is up to new offensive line coach Bill O'Boyle to make sure that group is ready to hit the ground running — literally — when CU opens the season Sept. 2 at TCU.
O'Boyle arrived in Colorado from Kent State, where he had served as the O-line boss for Sean Lewis. When Lewis took the job as CU's offensive coordinator for Coach Prime, O'Boyle packed his bags as well and made the trek west to Boulder.
"I've been with him for five years and it's an honor to be with him, learn his system," O'Boyle said. "He called me about two weeks before our last game (in 2022) and said, 'What do you think about Colorado?' I told him it didn't matter where he went, I was going with him."
O'Boyle is no stranger to the state. He had a 13-year run as an assistant and head coach at Chadron State in Nebraska. As a member of the RMAC, Chadron made regular trips to Colorado. O'Boyle also had a coaching stop at Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, meaning he's familiar with the landscape.
But this is his first Power Five stop, which has meant a dramatic upgrade in the overall program support, from facilities to nutrition.
"The facilities just blew me away when I came in here," he said. "It's been a big change."
But one thing that hasn't changed is his No. 1 job — preparing his linemen for the rigors of Lewis' up-tempo offense, an attack that averaged well over 70 plays per game at Kent State.
The offense is one O'Boyle says linemen love because of the opportunities it offers.
"It's a blast," O'Boyle said. "You're pulling, you're moving, you're not just moving three feet. You have to be athletic, you have to be able to play in space, change direction. It's exciting."
Over the last couple of seasons, Kent State had one of the nation's most productive and balanced offenses. The attack hinges on a run game that gets backs into space, which opens the door for the pass attack.
Now, time is of the essence for O'Boyle and his group. The Buffs are currently in the process of wrapping up their winter strength and conditioning session and will hit the field March 19 for the first of 15 spring practices.
The Buffs have a handful of returnees with decent experience, including tackles Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan and Jake Wiley and interior lineman Van Wells.
But Colorado also added seven O-linemen in the last recruiting class, a group that includes Kent State grad transfer Savion Washington, a 6-8, 320-pounder who is already well-versed in CU's new scheme.
"You're getting a great character guy, a great athlete," O'Boyle said. "He's really grown into a great player and I think his ceiling is still climbing."
The Buffs also added several other players via the transfer portal who could come in and make an immediate impact. That group includes Tyler Brown (Jackson State), Yousef Mugharbil (Florida) and Landon Bebee (Missouri State).
"A lot of work to do," was O'Boyle's succinct assessment. "I'm never going to knock any other program, but we've got a lot of ground to make up strength-wise. The physical part really has to come along. We have to get these guys in a mindset to where you're going to run 100 plays in a game and might hit 150 plays in practice. Right now, the kids are doing a great job in the weight room … (But) I can't wait until spring ball."
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