2016 In Review: O-line Paved Way For Major Offensive Improvement

As the No. 10 Colorado Buffaloes continue preparations for their Dec. 29 Valero Alamo Bowl meeting with No. 12 Oklahoma State, we take a position-by-position look at the team that produced one of the most dramatic turnaround seasons in college football history.

Today, we look at the offensive line:

WHAT WE KNEW IN AUGUST: While there was plenty of returning experience up front, there were still plenty of questions concerning Colorado's offensive line when the Buffs opened camp for the 2016 season.

Injuries had ravaged the group in 2015, with the Buffs using nine different starting lineups in 13 games. New O-line coach Klayton Adams, who had made the move from running backs, was by no means starting from scratch, but he also knew the task of putting together a cohesive group would take the majority of camp to accomplish.

A couple of the starting spots were relatively assured when camp began. Left tackle Jeromy Irwin, coming off a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the 2015 season and 2016 spring, returned and figured to be one of the line's anchors. Senior center Alex Kelley, a two-year starter, also returned.

But that left two guard spots and right tackle to be decided, and competition in camp was fierce. The Buffs knew they had to dramatically improve their pass protection — CU allowed 41 quarterback sacks in 2015 — as well as become more proficient in the run game.

WHAT WE SAW THIS SEASON: The Buffs opened with a lineup of Irwin at left tackle, Gerrad Kough at left guard, Kelley at center, redshirt freshman Tim Lynott Jr. at right guard and Sam Kronshage at right tackle. All except Lynott had significant experience under their belts, and that experience showed immediately. CU ran for 260 yards in the opening 44-7 win over Colorado State and allowed just one quarterback sack, a good indication of what was ahead.

That same lineup ended up starting in six of CU's 13 games prior to the Alamo Bowl, and while injuries did cause the Buffs to make some changes, they were by no means wholesale along the lines of 2015. Lynott started every game and Irwin and Kelley started in 12 of 13. Aaron Haigler stepped in for an injured Kronshage at two different junctures, including the last four prior to the bowl; and Jonathan Huckins replaced an injured Kough for the final three.

Still, the overall continuity resulted in much more consistency and the offense took big strides forward as a result. The Buffs added eight points a game to their scoring average (32.8), shaved 13 sacks allowed from their 2015 total, added nearly 40 yards per game rushing (191.9) and finished in the top half of the Pac-12 in total offense for the first time since entering the conference (446.3 yards per game).

At season's end, Irwin was selected second team All-Pac-12 and Kelley and Kough were honorable mention selections.

Lynott, meanwhile, was a first-team pick on the USA Today Freshman All-America squad.

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN 2017: While there was some cautious optimism at the beginning of 2016 because of the returning experience, the expectations for 2017 will be significantly higher in 2017.

The Buffs will return four of their five starters on the line, with Kelley the only player graduating. It will mean a wealth of starting experience and depth as well, and it will be Adams' second year with the position group.

Irwin, who took big steps last year, will be an all-conference candidate from the get-go. Kough, who had an outstanding year before his injury, should also take another solid step forward and Lynott will be a force.

Haigler, a redshirt freshman who stepped in and played well for an injured Kronshage, will benefit greatly from another year of spring ball and offseason strength work. He'll be expected to add some weight to his 6-foot-7, 270-pound frame and the battle at right tackle will no doubt be one to watch.

At center, the Buffs will have some options. Huckins has had some work at the position, as has Lynott, and it will be interesting to see how the Buffs work with the position in the spring.

There is also some depth. Redshirt freshman Dillon Middlemiss and sophomore Josh Kaiser — all of whom saw some playing time this year — will be expected to push for more next year, and freshmen Isaac Miller, Hunter Vaughn and Mo Bandi could figure in the mix.

The Buffs are also expected to add some linemen in the upcoming recruiting class. While it's rare for true freshmen to play on the offensive line, it wouldn't be a surprise to see some newcomers push the older players in camp.

And, one more factor to consider is that this will be the O-line's second spring with Adams as the position coach. Considering the strides the Buffs made in his first year, it's a promising sign for 2017.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu