Buffs Offense Focuses On Playmakers

Football August 03, 2023 Neill Woelk, Contributing Editor

BOULDER — What is quickly becoming clear as the Colorado Buffaloes hit the ground in fall camp is this: time is of the essence.

With the Sept. 2 season opener at TCU now just a month away, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' team is trying to make the best use of every minute they spend on the field.

For offensive coordinator Sean Lewis, that means figuring out every way possible to achieve what is actually a relatively simple goal:

"I want to get the ball into as many playmakers' hands as often as possible," Lewis said after Thursday's practice, CU's second of fall camp. "However we're going to do that, whether we throw it, we hand it, we pitch it, we shuffle it, we hide it under someone's legs and they hand it to someone else. I want to get the ball to our playmakers and utilize all their skill sets and get that speed in space as early and as often as possible."

This much is already becoming certain: the Buffs have an ample supply of those playmakers with the speed to make those plays. Colorado has a solid core of wide receivers and a very promising group of running backs.

Of course it all starts with the quarterback, and after two practices, Shedeur Sanders looks to have picked up where he left off in the spring: distributing the ball to his weapons and keeping the defense honest with a healthy mix from the run game.

No doubt, it's early. But after just two practices, it's not hard to tell who Sanders is comfortable with when it comes to his receivers. Two-way standout Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Javon Antonio and Xavier Weaver have all made an impact in the first two days, taking most of the snaps with the No. 1 offense.

"Knowing you have all those weapons out there at one time is amazing," Sanders said after Tuesday's practice.

Lewis said one critical part of Sanders' camp will be learning how to become an "elite problem solver."

"It's a matter of knowing where the answers are to the problems that the defenses present to us and he can have the answers," Lewis said. "When he sees the problems that show up, he can solve them in a very, very rapid manner."

As far as running backs go, the Buffs have a nice mix of speed and size in the backfield. Just about every back on the roster has received at least a few snaps with the No. 1 or No. 2 offenses, and each has had his moments. Alton McCaskill has shown the ability to accelerate in a hurry when he hits the second level, Kavosiey Smoke can run and catch out of the backfield, Dylan Edwards' speed is apparent, and returnees Anthony Hankerson and Charlie Offerdahl have already both made some plays.

After two days in helmets and shells, the Buffs are tentatively scheduled to don full pads on Friday. For every coaching staff in America, that day is a big one because it marks the moment when they can truly begin separating their squad and formulating a depth chart.

For the Buffs, it will be a critical moment. With just a handful of returnees from last year — and roughly 70 scholarship newcomers — depth charts will likely be written, revised and revised again over the next four weeks.

Still, after just a couple of days, there are some players who are at least working the inside track to a spot near the top of those depth charts. Keeping in mind that just about everything will change over the next few weeks, here are some observations after the first two days:

— Travis Hunter (the only player on the field wearing a purple jersey) is making plays on both sides of the ball. The Buffs will no doubt count on him to be an elite cover corner on defense, but he will also likely be a significant contributor on offense. He gets open, has sure hands and seems to have another gear when he makes a catch.

But, as Sanders noted, the Buffs have other weapons at the spot. Horn, Antonio and Weaver have all made plays and right now have the inside track on being starters in September.

— Up front on offense, the Buffs are getting good looks at tackles Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan and Savion Washington, guards Jack Bailey, Jack Wilty and Landon Bebee, and center Van Wells.

— RB McCaskill, the transfer from Houston who missed last year with an injury, appears to be fully healed with more than just a little "giddy-up" in his tank.

— The Buffs have several candidates for backup QB, but none with Division I experience. Early on, JC transfer Gavin Kuld and true freshman Ryan Staub are getting long looks.

— At tight end, converted wide receiver Michael Harrison, one of a handful of returnees, is getting plenty of snaps with the No. 1 bunch and is making plays consistently.

— Safety Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig and linebacker LaVonta Bentley both had interceptions Thursday. Bentley, who has had two nice days of practice, tipped the ball to himself for the interception while Silmon-Craig alertly snagged a tipped ball off a receiver's hands for the pick.

— D-linemen who are getting looks include Amari McNeill, Taijh Alston, Shane Cokes and Sav'ell Smalls and Jordan Domineck is already establishing himself as a quality edge rusher.

— Returnee Marvin Ham is getting time at inside 'backer, along with Bentley, Demouy Kennedy and Jeremiah Brown.

— On the outside, Derrick McLendon made a leaping knockdown of a Sanders pass attempt Thursday and Khairi Manns inserted himself into some plays.

— Colorado's secondary will be talented. Along with Hunter, Omarion Cooper has been in the midst of the action at corner and true freshman Carter Stoutmire has taken some snaps. At safety, Silmon-Craig, Jahquez Robinson, Shilo Sanders and returnee Trevor Woods have been getting reps with the top units.

Again, it's early. Very early. Position coaches are just starting to get a feel for how players are reacting and the first full-pads practice will no doubt generate plenty of changes.

But we know now the Buffs have hit the ground running — and the clock is ticking.

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