Game Week Primer As Buffs Count Down To CSU Game

BOULDER — Have a busy August and not enough time to keep close tabs on the Colorado Buffaloes?

We understand. Vacations, getting ready for the back-to-school rush, last-minute commitments — all those things can tie up your time. 

But it is now officially football season. It's time to get up to speed. The Buffs will kick off the Mel Tucker Era on Friday at 8 p.m. when they square off with in-state rival Colorado State in Denver (ESPN).

What do you need to know?

We're glad you asked. Just in time for that Buffs-Rams tilt under the Friday night lights, here's a quick primer on the 2019 Colorado Buffaloes: 

1. There's a new sheriff in town. When Tucker hit Boulder last December, he made it clear what his expectations would be.

He got the Buffs' attention in a hurry. Tucker has stressed a relentless work ethic, a physical style of play and a new emphasis on conditioning. Discipline is non-negotiable, commitment is a requirement, and daily improvement is the standard.

The Buffs have embraced the change in culture. This will not be a team that backs down from anyone, nor will it be a team that retreats in the fourth quarter. When the Buffs hit the field at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, it will be a group that will be excited about playing a physical brand of football.

2. Colorado should be able to score plenty of points on some people. If there has been one overriding theme in August, it is that the offense is loaded with talented players at the skill positions.

It starts at wide receiver, where preseason All-American Laviska Shenault Jr., K.D. Nixon and Tony Brown lead a deep, experienced group loaded with at least a half-dozen players capable of producing game-breaking moments. It continues at running back, where the Buffs are inexperienced but by no means lacking in talent. Sophomore Alex Fontenot, freshman Jaren Mangham and redshirt freshman Deion Smith and Jarek Broussard are all capable backs with big-play potential. 

And that offensive firepower quite clearly includes the guy who can make it all go — quarterback Steven Montez. The fifth-year senior has all the physical tools and by all accounts has done a very good job of learning the nuances of coordinator Jay Johnson's new offensive scheme. Montez had by far the best camp of his career, and is poised for a season that could no doubt put him squarely in the crosshairs of NFL scouts. If Montez is at his best, this could be a very exciting offense to watch.

3. The  offensive line has improved. It's no secret the Buffs have struggled in the trenches the last couple of seasons, especially when it came to establishing anything in the realm of consistency from week to week.

But under the direction of new O-line boss Chris Kapilovic, the line has made steady progress. Colorado has  put together a cohesive unit that should be better in pass protection and far more productive in helping produce a reliable rushing attack. The Buffs have a pair of solid tackles in grad transfer Arlington Hambright on the left side and sophomore William Sherman on the right, a pair of battle-tested returnees in the middle in senior center Tim Lynott and sophomore right guard Colby Pursell, and a steady first-year starter in left guard Kary Kutsch. They also built some depth in camp, getting some quality reps for backups who could find themselves getting some significant snaps on game night.

Kapilovic will be the first to tell you there is still lots of work to be done up front. But this group is improved, and it will be fun to watch them continue to develop as the season progresses.

4. The Buffs have playmakers on defense — but they are also young and inexperienced in lots of places. Actually, that "inexperienced" tag fits the whole team. The Buffs have just 179 returning starts across the board from last year's team, the fewest since the advent of the 11-game regular season schedule in 1971.

But the number is especially striking on defense, where CU has just 69 returning starts from last year.

Still, as we mentioned, there is some outstanding returning talent, beginning with defensive tackle Mustafa Johnson and inside linebacker Nate Landman, both first-team preseason All-Pac-12 picks. Johnson and Landman give the Buffs a nice foundation for a strong front seven — a key for Tucker's No. 1 priority of stopping the run.

There is also some experience elsewhere on the defense. Outside linebacker Davion Taylor started 10 games last year, cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. started eight and outside linebacker Carson Wells started six. The Buffs will also have a veteran at safety in graduate transfer Mikial Onu, who started 20 games in his career at SMU.

But truth is, Onu is the only CU defensive starter with anything more than one year of significant Division I experience. After that — and after the players previously mentioned who have roughly a year in the starter's saddle — the Buffs will count on talented but untested youngsters to grow up in a hurry.

As in right away.

That means players such as cornerbacks Mekhi Blackmon and Chris Miller, safety Aaron Maddox, defensive linemen Jalen Sami and Terrance Lang, outside linebacker Alex Tchangam and inside 'backer Jonathan Van Diest won't have the luxury of a "break-in period." They will be on the field Friday night and they will be tested immediately by a solid — and veteran — CSU offense.

It is another group that should develop and grow as the season progresses, but also one whose margin for error will be slim and none. The Buffs will need their veterans — especially on the front seven — to make plays and take some pressure off the secondary as it continues to mature.

5. Players ready for a breakout. Here we venture into the area of educated guesses. Odds are, we'll miss someone who will have a huge game Friday night.

 But if you are looking for some new faces who might be ready to turn heads in a hurry, try:

— Freshman running back Jaren Mangham, who had an outstanding camp and showed flashes of being a force, inside and out.

— Wide receivers Dimitri Stanley, Daniel Arias and La'Vontae Shenault. Stanley is an electric redshirt freshman who will also return punts. Arias is a big, physical receiver who can outrun defenders and still go get the ball in traffic. Shenault is a talented youngster currently just third on the depth chart, but with the kind of talent that will be hard to keep off the field.

— DBs Mekhi Blackmon and Aaron Maddox. Both juniors, these two showed flashes in camp of being able to come up with big plays. Their inexperience could be a factor, but their athleticism could also help the Buffs produce some key turnovers.

— DE Terrance Lang. After a year as a pass-rush specialist, Lang has a chance to become an every-down guy. If he produces in that role, he could be a difference-maker.

— TE Brady Russell. The former walk-on is number one on the depth chart after a solid camp that saw him improve on a daily basis. He is a threat as a receiver, a more-than-capable blocker and can play several spots in the tight end playbook.

— DB Mark Perry. Keep your eye on this guy. A talented, physical back who hunts the ball, Perry should get some time with the No. 1 defense when they go into a nickel package.

6. Special teams could fit the name. Senior punter Alex Kinney, junior kicker James Stefanou and senior snapper J.T. Bale are all quality, reliable performers, and the coverage and return teams are talented as well. This could be a year when CU's special teams are the difference in a game — in a good way.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu