Colorado University Athletics
Preview: 10 Buffs To Watch In Spring Ball
February 20, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — With Mike MacIntyre's fifth spring session in Boulder set to begin Wednesday, here are 10 players whose development will be interesting to watch as spring ball unfolds.
1. NT Javier Edwards. The Buffs brought in a big man to fill some big shoes. Edwards, a junior college transfer, is expected to step in and compete for the starting job vacated by Josh Tupou. Edwards has the physical tools — he's listed at 6-foot-3, 350 pounds — and by all accounts had an excellent early strength and conditioning session the first five weeks of school. He has by no means been handed the starting job, but CU coaches will be watching closely to see how he progresses at the Division I level.
2. OT Isaac Miller. After an outstanding spring a year ago, the CU sophomore was expected to challenge for some significant playing time last fall before a knee injury sidelined him for the season. But, coaches like his footwork and technique and think the 6-foot-7, 280-pounder could compete for a starting job this year.
3. Safety Evan White. Back after a year away from the program, White is bigger, stronger, faster — and more mature. White showed his potential as a true freshman, playing in 11 games and starting in three. But that production slipped his second season in Boulder and he spent last year watching from afar. He could be a big part of a secondary that will be replacing three starters, including strong safety Tedric Thompson, and coaches will be watching closely to see how he responds to his second chance.
4. RB Beau Bisharat. Bisharat's physical development over the last year has been outstanding. After spending most of last season playing special teams (he did get 15 carries for 45 yards), it will be interesting to see if he can work his way into the rotation a little more often. With Phillip Lindsay, Kyle Evans, Michael Adkins and Donovan Lee all returning, Bisharat might still be a year away from being a major contributor, but it won't be a surprise if he makes some waves this spring and next fall as CU coaches will almost certainly find a way to utilize his athleticism somewhere.
5. WR Johnny Huntley III. Another sophomore who has benefitted greatly from some serious time in the weight room, the 6-foot-3 Huntley is now a solid 220 pounds. Like Bisharat, he's at a position where the Buffs are loaded — virtually every wideout from last year returns — but he could still end up being a player who makes an impact. A year ago, Huntley was considered a redshirt possibility before Juwann Winfree suffered a season-ending knee injury; now it will be interesting to see how he fits into the mix this spring and in fall camp.
6. ILB Drew Lewis. A JC transfer from a year ago, Lewis came in at a position where the Buffs were stocked. He did play 46 snaps on defense and had eight tackles, including a sack; and he was a force on special teams. A lanky player with good sideline-to-sideline speed, he could be a player who makes a much bigger impact this year as the Buffs reload at the position in the wake of Kenneth Olugbode's graduation.
7. DE Frank Umu. D-line coach Jim Jeffcoat liked Umu's progress last fall, but because the Buffs had plenty of experience and depth at the position, he saw just a handful of snaps at the position. Now, the CU coaches will take a much closer look at the sophomore, who has shaped his body in the weight room and has the strength and power to be an impact player.
8. DE Chris Mulumba. A solid physical specimen, the 24-year-old Mulumba turned heads in strength and conditioning drills after enrolling for the spring semester. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound JC transfer has quick hands and great balance (a result of his judo training) and coaches are anxious to see him in pads against Divison I players. Still relatively new to the game — he didn't start playing football until he was in high school in his native Finland — there will no doubt be parts of his game that are a work in progress, but his pure athletic ability could make him an impact player in a hurry.
9. OLB N.J. Falo. Coaches are hoping this is the breakout year for Falo. The junior has shown glimpses of terrific potential over the last couple of seasons; now he'll be expected to turn that into consistency. He had a two-tackle, two-pass breakup game against UCLA last season in 46 defensive snaps (his high for the season) and was in on a big sack in CU's win at Stanford. The spring session will be a key for his development.
10. QB Steven Montez. We're going to throw an expected starter into this group because it's a big spring for the sophomore QB. With CU's defense losing eight starters and going through a reloading phase, the expectation will be for the offense to pick up the slack and be the difference maker. That, of course, will rest on the shoulders of the quarterback. Montez had a good spring a year ago, then made some big strides in the fall. But now, with the starting job clearly his to keep, he needs to show development in every area — on the field and off — to make sure the offense takes that expected next big step.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
