GRADING THE DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS UNITS AFTER THE SPRING GAME – AN Xs AND Os BREAKDOWN

[Editor’s note: After writing this post, and immediately prior to the closing of the spring transfer portal for non-graduates, CB Colton Hood and his brother, RB Brendon Hood, entered the transfer portal. Inexplicably, sources have told me that Brandon Hood was asked to leave and so he and his brother, Colton, both jumped into the portal. This leaves CU precariously thin at RB and thin at cornerback. At running back, CU will only have 3 scholarship players — Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch and Charlie Offerdahl. At corner, the addition of Teon Parks helps but there is a lack of proven players beyond DJ McKinney, Preston Hodge, and, to a lesser degree, RJ Johnson. While I’m not going to rush to judgment, the program’s decision to ask Brandon Hood to transfer raises some legitimate roster management questions as Colton Hood is talented enough to be a 1st or 2nd day NFL draft pick and the running back room lacks depth.]

It’s difficult to put too much stake into a spring game.  Players are constantly rotated, and a great play against the 2s on defense is probably not as valuable as a great play against the 1s on defense.  Still, we’ve graded the tape of the Spring Game and have a breakdown of the positives and negatives from the Spring Game.  

Quick note: Please click on each of the YouTube links below. Each link will take you to a single play that is being referenced in the blog post and NOT to the entire video.  It should be simple and easy.

Formation Notes

Colorado played primarily in a 4-2 formation with 5 DBs. CU’s 4 down lineman played both in an “even” front and an “over” front on occassion.

In an even front, each defensive tackle plays as a 3-tech — in other words, each defensive tackle is aligned on the outside shoulder of the guards. Both defensive ends, or edges, are located on the outside shoulder of the tackles.

CU also played an over front. An over front is probably the most common 4 man-front, with a defensive tackle / nose guard to the weak side of the center, a defensive tackle playing 3-tech, a strongside DE covering the tight end and the weakside DE on the outside shoulder of the tackle.

This is an image of an “over” front.

Contrast both of these to an “odd” front, where a nose tackle is aligned directly over the center with two more defensive linemen lined up on the offensive tackles’ inside shoulder — this odd front alignment is standard in a 3-4 or 5-2 formation. And now you know more than 95% of football fans.

CU played in the 4-2 nickle (with 5 defensive backs) presumably because the CU offense played at least 3 WR for almost the entirety of the scrimmage.

Lineup Notes

Starting for Colorado were DE Arden Walker, DT Anquan Barnes, DT Tawfiq Thomas, DE Quency Wiggins, LB Martavious French, LB Reginald Hughes, CB RJ Johnson, CB DJ McKinney, safety Ben Finneseth, safety Tawfiq Byard, and safety Carter Stoutmire.

Players that rotated in with the 1s over the course of the game included Kylan Salter, London Merritt, Jehiem Oatis, and Tavian Coleman. I noticed at one point that Jaheim Oatis did not seem pleased about playing with the 2s – he got hot on several occassions and had to be physically walked away from the situation on the sideline. Even though I think Amari McNeill comes in and starts with Anquan Barnes at DT, I think Oatis (and Tawfiq Thomas) will play a lot of snaps at DT as Colorado has the depth to rotate defensive linemen regularly.

Players that were held out of the Spring Game on defense include likely starters CB Colton Hood, CB Preston Hodge, DT Amari McNeill, and Edge Sam Okunlola, as well as rotation players DT Taurean Carter and Edge Keaton Wade.    

Defensive Notes

Even without likely starters Amari McNeill and Sam Okunlola, the defensive line played well. Anquan Barnes has added 25 pounds to his frame this off-season and looked stout on occassion in the middle of the field. Still, more is needed from Colorado’s defensive tackles because the interior of CU’s offensive line (Zarian McGill, Zy Crisler and Zach Owens) were able to get a push up front against the defense when the 1s played against each other. This is a great sign for the offense, as I’ve been told that some CU coaches believe that CU’s defensive tackles are the best position group on the team.

At end, Arden Walker’s quickness regularly gave Jordan Seaton difficulties. He will be a PROBLEM for opposing offenses this upcoming season, and Walker beat Seaton with a speed rush on the 3rd play of the scrimmage for an easy sack. With Taje McCoy transferring out, I expect that Walker will play a lot more than he played last year, when he played in only the 6th most snaps among defensive ends on pass rushing downs but finished with the 2nd highest number of QB pressures.

I expect Walker to have 10+ sacks this upcoming season.

While we’re on the defensive line, I want to give a shout out to London Merritt and Alexander McPherson. While Merritt didn’t have a tackle in the spring game, he didn’t look out of place (he almost tackled Kaidon Salter for a sack) and in fact ran with the 1s for a period of time in the 2nd half. Alexander McPherson was all over the field on his snaps, and he finished with 3 tackles on the day. While losing Taje McCoy is not “good,” it’s not nearly as painful as it could have been without these two dynamic freshmen defensive ends. Also, I had concerns about McPherson only weighing 240 pounds. His play at the Spring Game alleviated some of those concerns.

Surpsingly (to me, anyway), I was impressed by CU’s linebacker play. It’s clear that there is a speed upgrade over last year’s starting linebackers. As I’ve repeated ad naseum, last year’s linebacker play was not good and the linebackers struggled in pass coverage. While this year’s linebackers probably are not as physical as last year’s linebackers, this is almost irreleavnt now given the massive size of CU’s interior defensive line. CU’s defensive line should make it difficult for offensive linemen to get to the 2nd level and block CU’s linebackeres, which should enable the linebackers to play to their strengths and run to the football. It’s clear that Rob Livingston and the CU personnel department understand how to put a front 7 together.

Martavious French graded out among the highest scorers on the defense, and finished the day with 4 unassisted tackles and 1 tackle for a loss. French is fast and physical and I expect big things out of him this fall.

French with a key stop on 3rd down from his MLB position.

Equally impressive was Kylan Salter, who should be the first player off the bus for road games. Kylan Salter has not missed many arm-days in the gym. He also finished with 4 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one QB sack. He was all over the field. Salter’s only mistake was a missed tackle on Zach Atkins’ 25 yard reception on 3rd and 20.

Salter with the tackle for a loss. Carde Smith probably should have blocked him but he was down blocking.

Reginald Hughes had a quiet spring game. It’s clear that more depth is needed in the LB room.

The defensive backfield played well even without potential starters Colton Hood and Preston Hodge. Fans have heard about the rapid improvement of cornerback RJ Johnson this spring, and it was great to see him shine in the spring game. The Arkansas transfer has had a fantastic spring, and he showed good speed and ball skills on several different plays in the Spring Game.

RJ Johnson running step-for-step with Kam Mikell.

DJ McKinney played like DJ McKinney, and he’ll be a first or second day draft pick next spring.

At safety, Tawfiq Byard was very impressive. In fact, he graded out higher than any other player in the secondary. He finished with 2 tackles and a PBU. The USF transfer is only a sophomore in eligibility, but he already looks like a veteran.

Byard coming off the edge for a PBU.

Byard is a downhill safety, CU’s version of a Troy Polomalu-like player (I didn’t say Byard is Troy Polomalu, only that he has a similar downhill playing style!)

Byard is shot out of a cannon for the tackle at the LOS.

Shockingly to me, however — the player with the second highest grade in the secondary was freshman safety TJ Branch Jr. He finished the game with 2 tackles and an interception. Previously I thought that he was too small to play this upcoming season at 170 pounds. However, he showed real courage and a willingness to run up and make plays at the line of scrimmage — which means he may actually play his way into a material on-field role this fall.

TJ Branch is a missile out of the secondary to make the tackle.

Branch’s emergence makes me feel better about the depth in the secondary, which is still a concern. The recent commitmenet of Auburn safety transfer Terrance Love and Illinois State cornerback transfer Teon Parks definitely helps provide more talent and depth to a room that can be a real strength of the team.

Special Teams Notes

It appears that field goals will be kicked by committee this fall.  Aljandro Mata, last year’s primary kicker, went 3 for 5 at the Spring Game and connected on a long of 43 yards – which is about the absolute outer range for Mata’s leg.

Enter Boomin’ Buck Buchanan.  BBB has a BIG leg – he hit a field goal from 60 yards out that would have been gone from about 75 yards.  

This 60-yard FG would’ve been good from about 75 yards out!

Buchanan was 2-5 on the afternoon on field goal attempts, but 1-1 on field goal attempts that would have been good from 75.  BBB, or Alexander Stoyanovich, will be the primary kicker on field goals of 44+ yards.  

Also, Buchanan will be fun to watch on kickoffs.  On one kickoff on Saturday, he put the ball about 10 rows deep into the Dal Ward seating section.  

Boomin’ Buck Buchanan doing his thing.

I was also impressed with the new punter, Mate 2.0, Damon Greaves.  Greaves had the lowest average net punting yardage in the Big 12 last season at Kansas, averaging only 35.4 yards net per punt.  At the Spring Game, though, Greaves hit a punt 50 yards with no return.  Walk-on Daniel Gerlach also boomed a punt 55 yards. Deion Sanders has said that he’s happy with where CU’s special teams units are, and after watching the spring game I have no reason to disagree.