Colorado University Athletics
Buffs' Depth Chart For Opener Boasts Plenty Of Experience
August 27, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
CU lists 21 upperclassmen in starting spots
BOULDER — Since the day he arrived in Boulder, Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre has aimed for the day that he would have an experienced, upperclassmen-dominated team.
That day has arrived. When the Buffs open their season Friday versus Colorado State at Sports Authority Field in Denver (6 p.m., ESPN), MacIntyre will have the most juniors and seniors in his starting lineup since he took the reins in Boulder in 2013.
Of course the actual starting lineup won't be determined until game day. But according to the latest depth chart, released Saturday, the Buffs' opening day starters will include 11 seniors, 10 juniors, two sophomores and one redshirt freshman on offense and defense (there are two positions where two players are listed as co-No. 1).
It's the most seniors, the second-most juniors and the fewest sophomores for an opening day lineup in MacIntyre's tenure, and it's part of a team that has a school-record 412 starts on its resume´.
"You definitely want to have a junior- and senior-laden team, and you want a lot of them to be fourth-year juniors and fifth-year seniors," MacIntyre said. "That gives you the experience you need. It means you have older men out there playing. They're bigger, stronger, more mature mentally and physically, and they've seen the heat of the battle. That's how you develop a program and that's where we're getting to."
These Buffs fit that mold. Of the 24 players listed atop their positions on offense and defense , 23 of them have at least three career starts under their belts, with the vast majority having at least twice that many.
The list includes 11 seniors — the most in MacIntyre's tenure in Boulder — and 10 juniors, by far the largest percentage of upperclassmen in his four years with the Buffs. There are just two sophomores — the fewest in the MacIntyre era — and just one freshman, redshirt freshman guard Tim Lynott Jr.
It's a stark contrast to his second season in Boulder, when he had just 10 upperclassmen, nine sophomores and three freshmen start the season opener. It means this year's group is not only older, but full of players who have gained extensive playing time in the Pac-12.
"These young men are experienced," MacIntyre said. "They've seen a lot of things happen and they understand how to handle different situations. When those situations come up, they'll be even more even-keeled. They've seen different stadiums and different settings. They've had good plays happen to them and bad plays happen to them. They'll know how to react and just keep playing when those things occur. They have that experience that will help them in all of those situations."
If there's any surprise on the latest depth chart, it's that there are no surprises, with only a couple of changes from the pencil depth chart at the beginning of camp as far as players atop their positions.
One change occurred at defensive end, where senior Samson Kafovalu has moved into the top spot. Addison Gillam and Rick Gamboa are listed as co-starters at inside linebacker and Ahkello Witherspoon and Isaiah Oliver are listed as co-starters at cornerback.
Positions that were up in the air were the return spots on special teams. Sophomore Jay MacIntyre is listed as the No. 1 punt returner, followed by Kyle Evans and Ronnie Blackmon. Listed as the top kick returners are Phillip Lindsay and Tony Julmisse.
It's worth noting that while CU's base defense is a 3-4 alignment, odds are the Buffs won't start the majority of their games in that formation. Last season, Colorado opened 11 of its 13 games with some version of a nickel defense.
There are also some notable additions to the latest depth chart in the form of newcomers. Junior college transfer Kabion Ento, who did practice with the Buffs in the spring, is No. 2 behind Shay Fields at the "Z" receiver; true freshman Johnny Huntley is No. 2 behind Bryce Bobo at "X" receiver; Juco transfer Drew Lewis is No. 2 at inside linebacker behind Kenneth Olugbode; and Julmisse is listed as a backup cornerback behind Chidobe Awuzie.
Julmisse is not, however, listed at any of the wide receiver spots.
NEW FIELD: The Buffs practiced Saturday for the first time on the new Franklin Field turf, installed last spring. The field is just east of Folsom Field and adjacent to the new Indoor Practice Facility.
"It went well," MacIntyre said after the workout. "It's beautiful, the grass is awesome."
The new fields are much closer to the Buffs' locker rooms, and it also means players aren't trudging up the hill from the lower practice fields after a long workout.
MacIntyre also said they will use both the IPF and the outdoor fields in the same practice, as it will allow the team to spread out and have the use of two 100-yard fields.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
