Buffs O-Line Progressing In Fall Camp
August 18, 2023 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado offensive line coach Bill O'Boyle has heard it more than once since he took the job under Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders.
If the Buffaloes can keep No. 2 upright, CU's offense has a very good chance of being successful.
No. 2, of course, is quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who also happens to be the head coach's son. But more important than the coach-quarterback familial relationship in this instance is that Shedeur is also the key cog in coordinator Sean Lewis' rebuilt, up-tempo offense.
If Sanders has time to operate, Colorado has the offensive skill players to put points on the board early and often. That means the Buffs have a better chance of winning, which is good for everyone involved.
But it all starts with the big fellas up front — and O'Boyle knows it is his responsibility to get that group ready by the time the Buffs open the season Sept. 2 at No. 17 TCU (10 a.m. Fox).
"I've heard it since spring," O'Boyle said after Friday's practice. "So I'm worried about my job every day."
Boyle was clearly joking about his job security — but providing security for Colorado's quarterback is certainly no laughing matter.
Sanders has had an excellent camp thus far in almost every regard, operating Lewis' offense at a high level. He works through his progressions rapidly, makes good decisions, has an NFL-caliber arm and can extend plays with his legs when necessary. He has already developed an excellent chemistry with the Buffs' top receiving corps and the results have been excellent thus far.
But the Buffs don't want to see Sanders scampering from the pocket on a regular basis. They would rather give him some time to find one of his many standout receivers, make the throw and move the ball downfield — then repeat the scenario at a pace that keeps defenses on their heels.
"It's going OK," O'Boyle said. "Our defense is very aggressive. A lot of pressure. Fortunately, we're seeing a lot of the same things that TCU is going to run, so that helps when we overlap. We'll start moving into a little bit more TCU stuff next week."
O'Boyle made the move to Colorado with Lewis, who left his post as Kent State's head coach to take the CU coordinator's post. O'Boyle's job became a bit easier when two of his linemen from Kent, tackle Savion Washington and guard Jack Bailey, followed him as transfers.
That means the Buffs immediately had a pair of linemen who were very familiar with the offense and the calls up front. Given that the offense is designed to work at a rapid-fire pace, that kind of knowledge has been very helpful as the Buffs go through the process of installing the new scheme.
"I do have to explain a lot of the new concepts that we use," Washington said. "They don't know everything so I have to be like that bridge to get everybody going."
Bailey's presence has made that task a little easier, as he can help the interior linemen adjust.
"Having Jack here just makes it easier for everybody," Washington said. "He knows the offense just like I do. He knows it better than me. He was there longer. And he's just a dog on the field."
While O'Boyle hasn't quite settled on a starting group — the Buffs still have two weeks before the opener — he has clearly narrowed the list considerably. Washington has been running with the No. 1 group at right tackle while Bailey is at left guard.
Two other spots are currently being filled by returning players — Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan at left tackle and Van Wells at center. Right guard, meanwhile, is still a rotation between transfers Landon Bebee and Jack Wilty.
But equally important is the task of developing some depth in case the Buffs need to rotate in new players.
"I think there's a good group that I'm counting on, maybe six, possibly seven, and we're just gonna let it play from there,'' O'Boyle said. "I'm all about competition in practice. I want these guys competing against each other because it's got to be that way in the game. (But) right now we're really trying to develop that two deep … that's what I'm really concentrating on right now."
One critical part of the line's development is instilling the ability to play at a rapid pace. When the offense is running at full speed, there is precious little time between plays — something that can make life miserable for a defense.
"We're playing fast," O'Boyle said. "Every day in my eyes, from our group up front, I see those guys playing faster. The ball's getting down quicker and the calls are getting out faster."
Washington and Bailey are well-acquainted with the pace. But for the other linemen, it's been an adjustment.
"I was tired, but I got used to it," Wells admitted. "It's a fast-tempo offense. You just gotta keep moving, keep running. Keep going."
BROWN NOT AVAILABLE: One linemen the Buffs haven't been able to utilize thus far is guard Tyler Brown, a Jackson State transfer. Brown would likely be a candidate for a starting job, but he has been sidelined by an illness and is also still awaiting an NCAA decision eligibility (he is a two-time transfer, having started his career at Louisiana).
"It hurts us not having Tyler," O'Boyle said. "The NCAA deal is going on right now whether he's gonna be eligible or not … We're just trying to get him healthy and I want him back in the worst way."
PRACTICE REPORT: The Buffs are getting plenty of team work every day. Friday, that included some third-down situations as well as a 1-minute drill. …
It seems that at least one wide receiver has had a big practice every day in fall camp and Friday was Javon Antonio's turn. He and Sanders were dialed in on short, mid-range and deep passes, with plenty of long gains in the process … Backup QB Ryan Staub continues to make a strong case for the No. 2 job, as he had a nice drive against the No. 1 defense Friday … Dylan Edwards looks more and more like the Buffs' No. 1 back. The true freshman hits the hole in a hurry, has great acceleration when he gets to the second level and is also proving to be a big threat as a receiver … Anthony Hankerson also continues to get some quality snaps in at RB …
Defensively, Khairi Manns has been a steady presence off the edge, showing an ability to get into the backfield in a hurry … DL Leonard Payne Jr. is making strides in the interior … Derrick McLendon is also having some solid moments off the edge rushing the passer, as is Arden Walker.
