Buffs Safety Woods Adapting Quickly To New Staff, Defense
April 11, 2023 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — While Colorado's Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders has wasted no time in making dramatic changes to the Buffaloes' roster, there are still some key returnees from last season who will be expected to be contributors next fall.
Safety Trevor Woods is ready to be a part of that group.
Woods, a junior from Katy, Texas, was one of the few bright spots for CU's defense last season. In 10 games, he finished with 84 tackles — 66 unassisted — that included eight third-down stops. He also proved to be a big-play performer by recording two forced fumbles, five pass breakups and one interception.
Now, he's fitting in nicely in the new defense being installed by coordinator Charles Kelly, who also happens to be the safeties coach.
"He's got an amazing resume´," Woods said Tuesday morning. "We watch film and it will be Jalen Ramsey, Pat Surtain, Derwin James — all the best DBs in the league (and all coached by Kelly in college). You know you can trust him because of all the people he's coached and the products he's made."
Safety was by no means immune to the Buffs' roster makeover. Colorado added high school signee Jaden Milliner-Jones as well as transfers Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig (Jackson State) and Myles Slusher (a nickel back at Arkansas).
Meanwhile, the Buffs have several other returnees on the back end, including Tyrin Taylor and Jeremy Mack Jr., both of whom saw playing time last year, and it's always possible the Buffs will add more.
But Woods isn't bothered by the newcomers — and neither has he changed his approach to preparation.
"I just look at it the same way," he said. " You know, if I was saying I was changing the way I work, then that would mean that I wasn't working hard before. So I just kind of try to keep doing what I've been always doing."
Woods made a name for himself as a true freshman, appearing in 10 games in 2021 for the Buffs. He finished with 23 tackles and also had a punt block and return for a touchdown in a win over Arizona. Last year, he took his game up a notch as a regular starter.
Now, he's making a name for himself in practice under the new staff, as he "earned" his number this week in the ninth workout of spring ball. All CU players started the spring without jersey numbers and the coaching staff has been slowly awarding jersey numbers to players who have earned them.
Woods picked up his No. 43 on Tuesday.
"It is a validation kind of thing," Woods said. "Forty-three is just what I've always worn … It's what my dad wore in college and high school so it's stuck with me."
Far more important is that he's getting quality work every day against top-flight receivers, including newcomers Jimmy Horn Jr. and Travis Hunter. Both are speedy, outstanding wideouts who will challenge every defensive back they face.
"It's the kind of guys we're gonna see in games, or even better than the guys we're gonna see in games," he said. "If you can make practice as close to a game as possible, that makes the game that much easier."
In CU's new scheme, Woods will be required to play more man-to-man coverage on wide receivers. Previously, most of his pass coverage had been relegated to matchups against tight ends.
But the biggest change, he said, is simply the new culture under the new coaching staff, which has a wealth of college and NFL coaching experience.
"Guys are buying in," Woods said. "With all the coaches, all these guys that are NFL guys, guys who have had success, you know that they've done it before," Woods said. "You can really buy in and believe what they're teaching us."
Players Mentioned
