Colorado University Athletics
New CU defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot offers instruction during Friday's practice.
Eliot Believes Overall Acclimation For Buffs’ ‘D’ Is Going Smoothly
March 10, 2017 | Football, B.G. Brooks
New DC is among three new defensive staffers on board for 2017 season
BOULDER – D.J. Eliot, as the saying goes, hit the ground running. The ground hit back. He got high marks for exuberance and intensity, but he also got a boot on his right leg.
Several spring practices ago, Eliot – hired in January as Colorado's new defensive coordinator – might have gotten a bit carried away in demonstrating the mechanics of a drill, a coverage, a technique.
Whatever, he tore his right calf muscle.
"I was running around like a maniac . . . I'm not as youthful as I once was," said Eliot, who will be booted up for roughly the next month while the injury heals.
His injury and the inconvenience of the boot might be small prices to pay if the Buffaloes can conjure up a portion of last season's defensive magic that helped propel them to the Pac-12 South Division title.
In reality, it wasn't magic or smoke and mirrors that stationed the Buffs high among the Pac-12's top defensive units. It was veteran players and coaches coupled with their hard work in a scheme that suited them.
CU retained the 3-4 scheme – three down linemen, four linebackers – when former coordinator Jim Leavitt left for the same position at Oregon. That has helped Eliot's in transition from a four-year stint at Kentucky, where he also coached the 3-4.
But Leavitt wasn't the only departee on defense; CU also lost both of its secondary coaches (Joe Tumpkin, Charles Clark) and eight productive defensive starters. Eliot didn't necessarily find a bare cupboard but he did find one that needed replenishment of both staff and front-line players.
Veteran linebackers coach Ross Els was hired to work with the inside LBs, ShaDon Brown with the secondary. As for replenishing most of the D-line, the LB corps and the DBs, you'll have to take another look at the conclusion of August camp and see who settled where.
After Friday morning's scrimmage – practice No. 11 of 15 – Eliot said the adjustment of players to coaches and vice versa appears to be going smoothly.
"I think it's going well because we're running the same scheme, using the same terminology," he said. "The coaches were the ones that had to make the biggest adjustment, not the players. We prefer it that way because it's only two or three guys who have to adjust rather than 50.
"On top of that, have a lot of new players, so they have to learn what we're going on defense, what techniques we're doing. Even though we're running the same scheme, the same terminology, it's still new to a lot of players. Those are the guys we're trying to bring along and get reps and get them ready for Saturdays."
However, in some cases the "same terminology" for coaches might not be what players are used to hearing. And in Els' case, even though he's a 27-year college coaching vet, it's his first time working in the 3-4.
Defensive back Ryan Moeller, a senior-to-be who was an All-Pac-12 selection last fall, said what amounts to a personnel overhaul on defense – line coach Jim Jeffcoat is the only holdover – has made these spring drills "a little different . . .
"We've been with the same guys for two or three years, so we were all on the same page. So coming in with the new guys, the new coaches, there's a little bit of language barrier . . . that doesn't mean that anyone's any less of an athlete or isn't as capable as the guys who were here last year.
"It's just what happens. You've got to get comfortable with the new coaches and they have to get comfortable with us. I think we're well on our way to that and today was a good showing of that."
Can a comfort level among new coaches and players develop over the course of 15 spring practices?
"Oh, definitely," said Ryan – but he added this caveat: "It depends on the intensity of the reps and your focus, how much you're going to put into it and how bad you want to be on the same page as the guy next to you or the coaches. As bad as you want it is as fast as it's going to come."
Els, said Eliot, has enough experience coaching inside linebackers to work in any scheme. Technique doesn't change; shedding blocks, reading coverages, dropping into coverage, etc. are universal.
"No matter what scheme you're running those techniques apply to every scheme," Eliot said. "His expertise at coaching the inside linebackers is very good, we're very excited to have him. As far as learning the scheme he's a veteran coach . . . and is picking it up quick. He's added a lot of experience to our defensive staff, which I'm excited about."
Normally a strong safety, Moeller was introduced to a hybrid nickel back/outside linebacker spot last fall. The position was being mulled by the defensive staff before OLB Derek McCartney was sidelined for the season by a knee injury. When that happened in game three at Michigan, Moeller moved into the new position and was superb. He made 44 tackles (27 solo) and was fourth on the team in special points (21).
He and free safety Afolabi "Fo" Laguda are the only returning secondary starters, although there are a handful of DBs who have enough experience and talent to keep the "back end" from crumbling.
Eliot, who is living with his in-laws until his family makes the move from Lexington, counted Moeller among those defensive players who have shown well through the spring. "The guys who have stood out are the same ones who stood out last year," he said, mentioning Laguda, linebacker Rick Gamboa, end Leo Jackson III and corner Isaiah Oliver.
That fivesome, said Eliot, must "take on a leadership role now and bring everybody else up. They understand that and are working at it."
More work in all areas is needed and can't stop over the late-spring/summer hiatus. Moeller said it won't, but added that the benefits of a "get-acquainted" spring have been great.
"Growth, it's been huge," he said. "A lot of experienced guys left but there's a lot of experience still around. We've got JUCO transfers, grey shirts coming in . . . it's just all going to take some time.
There's still going to be mistakes but that's why you've got spring, right? You get the cobwebs out and get everything rolling for the fall."
SCRIMMAGE REPORT: The Buffs ran over 100 plays at Franklin Field, with coach Mike MacIntyre opting for a "full-speed thud" scenario – or full speed in all phases except tackling and putting ball carriers/receivers on the ground.
"We've had four practices this week and they've been practicing hard," MacIntyre said. "And we got a ton of plays in (Friday), a ton."
The scrimmage, which featured referees and plenty of mixing and matching personnel, put the Buffs in "almost every situation, which was good," MacIntyre said. "I thought some of the DBs covered well, I thought a couple of the receivers made some big catches, which is good and bad there. And we came out of it healthy, which is always good."
He said defensive progress is noticeable, "but you're never satisfied. You know how that is. We'll watch the film and see just how much progress there is. We played a lot of guys in different spots, moved some guys up."
OUT AND ABOUT: Tailback Kyle Evans, who suffered a dislocated hip in last weekend's scrimmage and underwent surgery on Monday, was at Friday's scrimmage on crutches.
He was released from a local hospital on Thursday night. "They kicked me out because they said my rehab was going so good," he said.
Evans said a plate and eight screws were used to repair his hip.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Buffs' schedule have four spring practices remaining, including the annual spring game on Saturday, March 18 (1 p.m., Folsom Field). Meetings are scheduled for this Saturday, but no practice. Practices prior to the spring game are set for Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All practices except for the spring game are closed to the media and public
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
Several spring practices ago, Eliot – hired in January as Colorado's new defensive coordinator – might have gotten a bit carried away in demonstrating the mechanics of a drill, a coverage, a technique.
Whatever, he tore his right calf muscle.
"I was running around like a maniac . . . I'm not as youthful as I once was," said Eliot, who will be booted up for roughly the next month while the injury heals.
His injury and the inconvenience of the boot might be small prices to pay if the Buffaloes can conjure up a portion of last season's defensive magic that helped propel them to the Pac-12 South Division title.
In reality, it wasn't magic or smoke and mirrors that stationed the Buffs high among the Pac-12's top defensive units. It was veteran players and coaches coupled with their hard work in a scheme that suited them.
CU retained the 3-4 scheme – three down linemen, four linebackers – when former coordinator Jim Leavitt left for the same position at Oregon. That has helped Eliot's in transition from a four-year stint at Kentucky, where he also coached the 3-4.
But Leavitt wasn't the only departee on defense; CU also lost both of its secondary coaches (Joe Tumpkin, Charles Clark) and eight productive defensive starters. Eliot didn't necessarily find a bare cupboard but he did find one that needed replenishment of both staff and front-line players.
Veteran linebackers coach Ross Els was hired to work with the inside LBs, ShaDon Brown with the secondary. As for replenishing most of the D-line, the LB corps and the DBs, you'll have to take another look at the conclusion of August camp and see who settled where.
After Friday morning's scrimmage – practice No. 11 of 15 – Eliot said the adjustment of players to coaches and vice versa appears to be going smoothly.
"I think it's going well because we're running the same scheme, using the same terminology," he said. "The coaches were the ones that had to make the biggest adjustment, not the players. We prefer it that way because it's only two or three guys who have to adjust rather than 50.
"On top of that, have a lot of new players, so they have to learn what we're going on defense, what techniques we're doing. Even though we're running the same scheme, the same terminology, it's still new to a lot of players. Those are the guys we're trying to bring along and get reps and get them ready for Saturdays."
However, in some cases the "same terminology" for coaches might not be what players are used to hearing. And in Els' case, even though he's a 27-year college coaching vet, it's his first time working in the 3-4.
Defensive back Ryan Moeller, a senior-to-be who was an All-Pac-12 selection last fall, said what amounts to a personnel overhaul on defense – line coach Jim Jeffcoat is the only holdover – has made these spring drills "a little different . . .
"We've been with the same guys for two or three years, so we were all on the same page. So coming in with the new guys, the new coaches, there's a little bit of language barrier . . . that doesn't mean that anyone's any less of an athlete or isn't as capable as the guys who were here last year.
"It's just what happens. You've got to get comfortable with the new coaches and they have to get comfortable with us. I think we're well on our way to that and today was a good showing of that."
Can a comfort level among new coaches and players develop over the course of 15 spring practices?
"Oh, definitely," said Ryan – but he added this caveat: "It depends on the intensity of the reps and your focus, how much you're going to put into it and how bad you want to be on the same page as the guy next to you or the coaches. As bad as you want it is as fast as it's going to come."
Els, said Eliot, has enough experience coaching inside linebackers to work in any scheme. Technique doesn't change; shedding blocks, reading coverages, dropping into coverage, etc. are universal.
"No matter what scheme you're running those techniques apply to every scheme," Eliot said. "His expertise at coaching the inside linebackers is very good, we're very excited to have him. As far as learning the scheme he's a veteran coach . . . and is picking it up quick. He's added a lot of experience to our defensive staff, which I'm excited about."
Normally a strong safety, Moeller was introduced to a hybrid nickel back/outside linebacker spot last fall. The position was being mulled by the defensive staff before OLB Derek McCartney was sidelined for the season by a knee injury. When that happened in game three at Michigan, Moeller moved into the new position and was superb. He made 44 tackles (27 solo) and was fourth on the team in special points (21).
He and free safety Afolabi "Fo" Laguda are the only returning secondary starters, although there are a handful of DBs who have enough experience and talent to keep the "back end" from crumbling.
Eliot, who is living with his in-laws until his family makes the move from Lexington, counted Moeller among those defensive players who have shown well through the spring. "The guys who have stood out are the same ones who stood out last year," he said, mentioning Laguda, linebacker Rick Gamboa, end Leo Jackson III and corner Isaiah Oliver.
That fivesome, said Eliot, must "take on a leadership role now and bring everybody else up. They understand that and are working at it."
More work in all areas is needed and can't stop over the late-spring/summer hiatus. Moeller said it won't, but added that the benefits of a "get-acquainted" spring have been great.
"Growth, it's been huge," he said. "A lot of experienced guys left but there's a lot of experience still around. We've got JUCO transfers, grey shirts coming in . . . it's just all going to take some time.
There's still going to be mistakes but that's why you've got spring, right? You get the cobwebs out and get everything rolling for the fall."
SCRIMMAGE REPORT: The Buffs ran over 100 plays at Franklin Field, with coach Mike MacIntyre opting for a "full-speed thud" scenario – or full speed in all phases except tackling and putting ball carriers/receivers on the ground.
"We've had four practices this week and they've been practicing hard," MacIntyre said. "And we got a ton of plays in (Friday), a ton."
The scrimmage, which featured referees and plenty of mixing and matching personnel, put the Buffs in "almost every situation, which was good," MacIntyre said. "I thought some of the DBs covered well, I thought a couple of the receivers made some big catches, which is good and bad there. And we came out of it healthy, which is always good."
He said defensive progress is noticeable, "but you're never satisfied. You know how that is. We'll watch the film and see just how much progress there is. We played a lot of guys in different spots, moved some guys up."
OUT AND ABOUT: Tailback Kyle Evans, who suffered a dislocated hip in last weekend's scrimmage and underwent surgery on Monday, was at Friday's scrimmage on crutches.
He was released from a local hospital on Thursday night. "They kicked me out because they said my rehab was going so good," he said.
Evans said a plate and eight screws were used to repair his hip.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Buffs' schedule have four spring practices remaining, including the annual spring game on Saturday, March 18 (1 p.m., Folsom Field). Meetings are scheduled for this Saturday, but no practice. Practices prior to the spring game are set for Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All practices except for the spring game are closed to the media and public
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
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