Buffs Practice Report: Gillam Healthy, Happy To Be Hitting Again

BOULDER — With the first two-a-day session of fall camp in the books, another scheduled for Friday and the first major scrimmage of camp set for Saturday, the Colorado Buffaloes went through a relatively short Thursday morning practice.

Most of CU's morning workouts have been close to three hours, but head coach Mike MacIntyre shaved about 45 minutes off Thursday's practice.

"We did a little bit more team (work) and cut out a little bit more of the individual," MacIntyre said. "We did a lot of individual in the two-a-days, so we didn't have to do as much."

The Buffs also got some special teams work in, including kickoff coverage and kickoff return.

"I just cut it a little bit shorter because they had so many long reps," MacIntyre said.

Thursday's practice, the eighth of CU's 29 fall camp workouts, came in full pads.

"I think they've responded well," MacIntyre said. "We had a good two-a-day yesterday and they came back this morning really spirited, which is one thing I wanted to see. I think that showed not only their physical condition, but their mental conditioning in being an older team. I was pleased with that."

GILLAM HITTING AGAIN: After a long offseason rehabilitating a knee injury, CU junior linebacker Addison Gillam has been all smiles in camp. Gillam has been participating in some goal-line and red-zone contact drills, and shows all appearances of being ready to play.

Earlier this week, he had two outstanding stops in some goal-line situations.

"It's been great," Gillam said. "It felt good to just hit somebody. It's honestly kind of hard to focus on plays and everything, just because I'm so excited to go out and hit people and finally play football."

Gillam, who led the Buffs in tackles as a true freshman with 107 stops, played just two games last year before being sidelined for the season with a knee injury. It meant missing 11 games, plus all of spring ball.

The time away, he said, actually helped him refocus on the game.

"I missed it," he said. "I think the biggest thing I took away from it was learning to worry about what I can control and not worry about anything else. That's what I'm trying to do out here now."

Gillam is still being monitored closely in camp, and he's being brought along slowly.

"Honestly, I don't like it because I want to be out there every play all the time," Gillam said. "It's a little frustrating, but I'm dealing with it because I know it's for the best. I know it will help for the season."

OFFENSIVE DEPTH: While there are technically nine returning starters on offense, it doesn't mean there aren't plenty of position battles going on. Wide receiver, a couple spots on the offensive line and running back are still positions where the competition has been heated thus far in camp.

That, of course, is something coaches love, for several reasons. First, competition makes players better. Second, it means quality depth, something the Buffs have quietly been trying to build for four years under MacIntyre.

"It's great," said co-offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren. "In previous years, sometimes it would be just one guy at a position that you had penciled in, and there really wasn't anyone else. Now we've got two or three guys at every spot that we feel can step in and play at this level and make some plays for us. That's a testament to what we've build and where we're going."

PRACTICE TIDBITS: Three former Buffs greats were on hand at Thursday's practice. Former defensive back Dave McCloughan, now a scout for the Oakland Raiders, was making one of his regular stops in Boulder. Also at practice were former tight end Daniel Graham and defensive lineman Justin Bannan. Graham and Bannan, both of whom enjoyed long NFL careers after leaving CU, both spoke to the team after practice. ...

The Buffs were in full pads Thursday and concentrated mainly on team periods in their morning practice, with only a few individual drills scattered into the shortened session. … Red zone and goal-line work continue to be a priority. … Linebacker Addison Gillam got some contact work in again Thursday, and continues to show no signs of any lingering effects from the knee injury that sidelined him for most of last season. … Wide receiver Shay Fields had another solid day, making some tough sideline catches. … Walk-on running back Troy Lewis, twin brother of linebacker Drew Lewis, has had some nice runs in team drills. Lewis spent two years at Coffeyville CC, where he was on the football team there for one season. … Strong safety Tedric Thompson continues to have an excellent camp, both against the run and in pass coverage. ... Bryce Bobo has settled back into playing full-time receiver after experimenting with some time at defensive back. True freshman Tony Julmisse, though, continues to work both sides of the ball, something he said he enjoys. Julmisse is now wearing a green No. 8 jersey in practice instead of switching back and forth from a black to white jersey.

SCHEDULE: The Buffs are scheduled to conduct two practices on Friday, both in shells, before conducting their first major scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday in Folsom Field. Saturday's practice, open to the public, is set to begin at approximately 9:05 a.m.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu