` UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BUFFALOES / SPORTS INFORMATION SERVICE www.CUBuffs.com Fieldhouse Annex #50, 357 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0357 © 2017 CU Athletics Telephone 303/492-5626 (FAX: 303/492-3811; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]) David Plati (Associate AD/Sports Information), Jason Clay (Associate SID), Troy Andre (Associate SID/Internet Managing Editor), Linda Sprouse (Associate SID), COLORADO Andy Schlichting (Assistant SID), Maggie Still (Assistant SID), Neill Woelk (CUBuffs.com Contributing Editor), Ryan Megay (Graduate Assistant)
Colorado Football: 2017 Letter-of-Intent Day Notes & Bios / Information Copyright © 2017, University of Colorado (February 1, 2017)
QUICKLY
It’s the 2017 edition of national letter-of-intent day, as high school seniors around the nation were allowed to sign on the dotted line starting at 7:00 a.m. local time on February 1 … Signed letters are express mailed in, but can be confirmed by FAX or digitally … The team total cannot exceed 85 scholarships, or a maximum 25 qualifiers any single year (more can sign if a school can count some early enrollees back) … The NCAA maximum is 56 recruiting visits allowed, with six transferable to the next recruiting cycle; the Buffs “banked” six from 2016 and have utilized 42 of the 62 (27 players committed out of those 42) ... CU will pick up the maximum six unused visits to bank toward 2018) … The list of signees is on the back page of this packet and biographies within.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Here’s a look at the preliminary spring numbers when taking a look at the 2017 University of Colorado football roster:
Lettermen Returning: 53 (25 offense, 24 defense, 4 specialists) Lettermen Lost: 32 (18 offense, 13 defense, 1 specialists) Career/2016 starts in parenthesis; calculated by those with seven-plus starts in 2016 or by who played the majority of snaps at a position.]
Starters Returning (12)—Offense 9: WR Bryce Bobo (16/13), WR Shay Fields (34/14), WR Devin Ross (20/14), OT Jeromy Irwin (26/13), LG Gerrad Kough (23/11), RG Tim Lynott, Jr. (14/14), RT Aaron Haigler (7/7), TB Phillip Lindsay (18/12), WR Jay MacIntyre (12/10). Defense 3: ILB Rick Gamboa (25/14), DE Leo Jackson III (11/1), FS Ryan Moeller (19/10).
Others Returning With Significant Starting Experience (6; min. 4 career starts)— TB Michael Adkins (4/0), TE/HB George Frazier (6/1), ILB Addison Gillam (24/2), WR Donovan Lee (5/1), SLB Derek McCartney (24/12), CB Isaiah Oliver (6/3).
Others Returning With Significant Position Game Experience (15; three or fewer career starts)— OLB Tim Coleman, WR Kabion Ento, TB Kyle Evans, OLB N.J. Falo, DT Jase Franke, DB Nick Fisher, OLB Terran Hasselbach, OL Jonathan Huckins, CB Anthony Julmisse, TE Dylan Keeney, DT Eddy Lopez, DE Michael Mathewes, QB Steven Montez, WR Lee Walker.
Starters Lost (11)—Offense 3: C Alex Kelley (38/13), OT Sam Kronshage (13/7); QB Sefo Liufau (40/11). Defense 8: CB Chidobe Awuzie (42/14), DE Jordan Carrell (26/14), OLB Jimmie Gilbert (27/14), DE Samson Kafovalu (21/13), ILB Kenneth Olugbode (37/12), SS Tedric Thompson (38/14), DT Josh Tupou (45/14), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (21/12).
Others Lost With Significant Starting/Playing Experience (7)— OG Shane Callahan (6/1), QB Jordan Gehrke (1/0), TE Sean Irwin (18/3), OG John Lisella (5/0), ILB Ryan Severson (1/0), OLB Christian Shaver (4/0), C Sully Wiefels (2/0).
Specialists Returning (4)— SN J.T. Bale, PK Chris Graham, P Alex Kinney, PK Davis Price. Specialists Lost (1)— PK Diego Gonzalez.
Spring Roster (94 players/69 scholarship)— 23 seniors (20 fifth-year), 27 juniors, 21 sophomores, 23 freshmen (16 redshirt/7 true).
2017 HONOR CANDIDATES TO WATCH
Looking ahead to 2017, CU will have a few candidates for honors. Topping the list are seniors-to-be WR Bryce Bobo, WR Shay Fields, OT Jeromy Irwin, TB Phillip Lindsay, S Ryan Moeller and WR Devin Ross, all of whom earned some kind of All-Pac-12 recognition in 2016 (Lindsay is headed to Columbus this weekend with three dozen players for the city’s annual Touchdown Club reception for the top players in 2017). Others such as seniors ILB Addison Gillam, OG Gerrad Kough and S Afolabi Laguda, juniors ILB Rick Gamboa, OLB Derek McCartney and WR Juwann Winfree and sophomore OG Tim Lynott Jr. (a freshman All-American) are worthy of a look along with other underclassmen that could emerge as honors-type players as the program continues to evolve under national Coach of the Year Mike MacIntyre.
2017 COLORADO Schedule series 2016 Results (Won 10, Lost 4; 8-1 Pac-12)
S 1 (Fri.) Colorado State (Denver) 64-22- 2 S 2 (Fri.) Colorado State (Denver) W 44- 7 69,850 S 9 TEXAS STATE 0- 0- 0 S 10 IDAHO STATE W 56- 7 39,505 S 16 NORTHERN COLORADO 9- 2- 0 S 17 at Michigan L 28-45 110.042 S 23 *WASHINGTON 5-10- 1 S 24 at Oregon W 41-38 53,974 S 30 *at UCLA 3- 9- 0 O 1 *OREGON STATE (Family Weekend) W 47- 6 46,839 O 7 *ARIZONA (Family Weekend) 14- 5- 0 O 8 *at Southern California L 17-21 68,302 O 14 *at Oregon State 4- 5- 0 O 15 *ARIZONA STATE (Homecoming) W 40-16 48,588 O 21 *at Washington State 6- 4- 0 O 22 *at Stanford W 10- 5 44,535 O 28 *CALIFORNIA 3- 5- 0 N 3 (Thurs.) *UCLA W 20-10 43,761 N 4 *at Arizona (Homecoming) 3- 5- 0 N 12 *at Arizona W 49-24 41,068 N 11 *SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 0-11- 0 N 19 *WASHINGTON STATE W 38-24 48,658 N 25 *at Utah 32-28- 3 N 26 *UTAH W 27-22 52,301 D 1 or 2 Pac-12 Championship (at Santa Clara, Calif.) D 2 Washington (Pac-12 Championship) L 10-41 47,118 *—Pac-12 Conference game; OPEN WEEK: Nov. 18. D 29 Oklahoma State (Alamo Bowl) L 8-38 59,815
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 2
RECRUITING REVIEW
Over the past 45 years, the bulk of CU’s recruits have come primarily from three states: California (266), Colorado (254) and Texas (133). The below is a look at CU’s high school only recruiting numbers since 1973, the first class where students knew they would be able to participate as freshmen. It includes signed recruits who might not have reported to campus for whatever reason, unless that player signed again and counted toward a subsequent class; this prevents double counting. (NDP*— how many members of the class were future NFL draft picks; 1 in every 6.4 CU recruits from 1973-2011 were drafted into the pros, 129 of 834; some seniors from ’16 were in ’12 class, so number will be updated later this spring):
Year Coach On Signing Day Total Colo. Calif. Texas Other States JC NDP* 2017 Mike MacIntyre 24 (5) 5 9 7 1—Arizona; 1—Florida (1—Australia) 5 — 2016 Mike MacIntyre 14 (2) 2 4 1 2—Florida, Georgia; 1—Louisiana, Oregon, Utah 4 — 2015 Mike MacIntyre 15 (2) 4 5 2 3—Arizona; 1—Hawai’i 4 — 2014 Mike MacIntyre 20 (1) 5 10 2 2—Utah; 1—Hawai’i 4 — 2013 Mike MacIntyre 22 (1) 3 13 3 1—New York, Washington (1—Mexico) 1 — 2012 Jon Embree 28 (1) 3 10 7 3—Washington D.C.; 1—Arizona; Hawai'i, Louisiana, Missouri, New York 0 — 2011 Jon Embree 23 (1) 2 8 4 3—Hawai’i; 2—Arizona; 1—New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C. 1 0 2010 Dan Hawkins 21 2 9 2 2—N.J.; 1—Alabama, Florida, Hawai'i, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina (1—Canada) 2 1 2009 Dan Hawkins 19 5 5 3 1—Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee 1 2 2008 Dan Hawkins 20 5 6 2 2—Ohio; 1—Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, New Jersey, Utah 1 1 2007 Dan Hawkins 23 (1) 4 7 0 2—Florida, Hawai’i, Pennsylvania, Tennessee; 1—Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana 4 4 2006 Dan Hawkins 20 4 6 2 2—Hawaii; 1—Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, New Jersey, Washington (1—Samoa) 2 3 2005 Gary Barnett 21 (1) 9 6 1 2—Florida; 1—Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska 4 1 2004 Gary Barnett 17 (1) 2 4 2 3—Michigan; 2—Hawaii; 1—Alabama, Iowa, Louisiana, Oklahoma 1 4 2003 Gary Barnett 23 (1) 5 4 8 2—Tennessee; 1—Alabama, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma 2 2 2002 Gary Barnett 28 (2) 7 6 10 3—Louisiana; 1—Illinois, Wisconsin 2 2 2001 Gary Barnett 13 7 1 3 1—Hawai’i (1—Canada) 4 2 2000 Gary Barnett 19 8 3 2 1—Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana (2—Canada) 5 2 1999 Gary Barnett 16 6 3 1 1—Arkansas, Hawai’i, Idaho, Illinois, Washington, Wisconsin 2 0 1998 Rick Neuheisel 20 1 9 5 1—Alaska, Florida, Hawai’i, Oregon, Washington 1 5 1997 Rick Neuheisel 22 5 9 3 2—Arizona, Washington; 1—Missouri 1 5 1996 Rick Neuheisel 21 3 9 3 1—Arizona, Hawai’i, Maryland, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington 0 3 1995 Rick Neuheisel 22 5 10 5 1—Arizona, Tennessee 0 2 1994 Bill McCartney 18 3 6 2 3—Michigan; 1—Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Tennessee 0 1 1993 Bill McCartney 20 7 2 2 2—Louisiana; 1—Washington D.C., Georgia, Hawai’i, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada (1—Samoa) 0 5 1992 Bill McCartney 25 5 4 4 3—Louisiana; 1—Arizona, Hawai’i, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wyo. (1—Samoa) 1 10 1991 Bill McCartney 20 4 3 5 2—Louisiana; 1—Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, Utah 2 9 1990 Bill McCartney 20 6 5 4 3—Louisiana; 1—Michigan (1—Canada) 3 7 1989 Bill McCartney 20 (1) 8 7 1 2—Michigan; 1—Mississippi, Ohio 1 4 1988 Bill McCartney 22 3 8 2 2—Idaho; 1—Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Washington 4 5 1987 Bill McCartney 12 1 5 3 2—Nevada; 1—Missouri 0 6 1986 Bill McCartney 23 7 12 2 2—Missouri 0 6 1985 Bill McCartney 23 9 6 2 3—Missouri; 2—Nevada; 1—Kansas 0 0 1984 Bill McCartney 22 12 6 2 1—Illinois, Nebraska 7 1 1983 Bill McCartney 24 11 3 0 3—Missouri; 2—Florida, 1—Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio 3 4 1982 Chuck Fairbanks 13 10 1 0 1—Arizona, Nevada 15 1 1981 Chuck Fairbanks 24 3 8 8 2—North Carolina, Pennsylvania; 1—Oklahoma 3 2 1980 Chuck Fairbanks 25 6 7 0 2—Illinois, Pennsylvania; 1—Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, N.C., New Mexico, Oregon, Wash. 3 5 1979 *Bob Cortese 24 9 4 2 2—New York; 1—Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington 5 0 1978 Bill Mallory 28 5 3 1 7—Florida; 3—Illinois; 2—Oklahoma, Washington; 1—Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, N.M., Ohio 2 0 1977 Bill Mallory 21 10 5 0 2—Illinois; 1—Arizona, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio 1 3 1976 Bill Mallory 23 2 4 4 5—Illinois, 4—Washington, 1—Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wyoming 2 9 1975 Bill Mallory 21 10 5 2 2—Illinois; 1—Oregon, 1—Washington 3 5 1974 Bill Mallory 23 9 1 6 2—Ohio, Washington; 1—Hawai’i, Kansas, New Mexico 2 3 1973 Eddie Crowder 35 12 5 3 2—Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, N.J.; 1—Hawai’i, Nebraska, N.M., Ohio, Oklahoma, Wash. (1-Canada) 3 4 Totals ...... 956 254 266 133 Florida 26, Illinois 23, Louisiana 22, Hawai’i 21, Arizona 20, Washington 20, 111 129 Missouri 17, Michigan 13, Ohio 13, Nevada 8, Kansas 7, Tennessee 7, Nebraska 6, New Jersey 6, Oklahoma 6, Oregon 6, New Mexico 5, Utah 5, Washington D.C. 5.
*—Fairbanks did not become head coach until April 4, 1979; Cortese coordinated recruiting in the interim. In this time frame, 28 percent of all Buffalo high school recruits have come from California, 27 percent from Colorado and 14 percent from Texas. (#)—denotes high school players that counted toward previous class (grayshirts; not included in that year’s class).
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
The CU coaches saw many of the high school players in this year’s recruiting class in the Buffs’ summer camps (12 of the 22 prep signees): Bell, Callier, Lewis, Miller, Newman, Olver, Paige, Polley, Roddick, Sparaco, Van Diest and Wells (in addition to seeing Lytle throw in person).
FIRST & LAST
The first commitments for Colorado’s 2017 recruiting class came on the same day, last February 28, when Cherry Creek High School (Englewood, Colo.) teammates DE Dante Sparaco and OLB Jon Van Diest pledged their intents to the Buffaloes (Sparaco would finish his prep career at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The last commit came from DE Terrance Lang, who signed with the Buffs two days later.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 3
RECRUITING POSITION BREAKDOWNS
Listed below are the position breakdowns of Colorado’s recruiting classes since 1982. Counts include high school and junior college signees but not four-year transfers; fullbacks counted in running back totals; outside linebackers count either under defensive ends or linebackers, depending on where they eventually played (players listed with offensive and defensive positions, and snappers, if recruited, are in athlete column):
Offense------Defense------Offense------Defense------Year Total OL QB RB TE WR DE DT LB DB PK/P ATH Year Total OL QB RB TE WR DE DT LB DB PK/P ATH 2017 29 5 1 1 1 4 4 2 5 4 1 1 1999 18 4 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 3 0 0 2016 18 3 1 1 0 5 0 0 3 4 0 1 1998 21 2 3 1 0 2 2 3 3 4 1 0 2015 19 3 1 3 0 1 3 2 1 2 1 2 1997 23 5 0 4 2 2 2 1 3 4 0 0 2014 24 4 1 0 2 2 5 2 2 3 0 3 1996 23 3 1 1 1 4 2 1 3 7 0 0 2013 23 4 2 2 1 3 2 0 5 2 1 1 1995 22 6 0 4 3 1 1 2 2 2 1 0 2012 28 2 1 4 4 3 3 6 0 5 0 0 1994 17 2 0 5 1 2 0 2 3 2 0 0 2011 24 5 2 2 0 3 2 0 3 4 1 2 1993 19 3 2 0 1 2 1 5 4 0 1 0 2010 23 3 1 4 4 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 1992 25 6 1 2 1 4 1 1 4 4 0 1 2009 20 4 1 0 1 4 2 1 2 3 1 1 1991 23 5 1 4 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 0 2008 21 3 1 3 3 1 0 1 4 3 1 1 1990 23 6 1 4 2 2 0 2 3 2 1 0 2007 28 8 2 2 1 3 2 3 2 5 0 0 1989 21 1 2 5 1 0 1 6 3 2 0 0 2006 22 5 1 3 3 1 1 2 3 3 0 0 1988 26 5 2 3 3 1 0 4 2 5 1 0 2005 25 3 2 3 1 3 3 4 1 3 1 1 1987 12 3 0 3 0 0 3 1 1 0 1 0 2004 19 2 1 2 0 2 3 2 3 2 0 2 1986 23 3 3 5 1 0 1 3 5 2 0 0 2003 25 4 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 6 2 0 1985 23 6 0 4 2 1 1 4 4 1 0 0 2002 30 6 1 2 1 3 3 2 5 7 0 0 1984 29 6 4 3 1 3 1 1 5 4 1 0 2001 17 3 1 2 0 2 1 5 1 1 0 1 1983 27 6 2 3 2 3 0 5 1 4 1 0 2000 24 5 2 2 2 0 3 2 2 4 1 1 1982 28 13 0 4 1 1 0 2 5 2 0 0
CLASS NOTES
The seven high school signees from Texas tie for third most in school history, topped only by 10 in 2002 and eight in 1981 (seven also signed in 2012). The five offensive linemen are the most since 2011 (5), and the five linebackers tie for the most-ever, last in 2013. The 24 high school signees are the most since Jon Embree signed 28 in his 2012 class. Colorado signed an offensive lineman for the 45th straight year (since 1973, when freshmen became eligible again); that’s the only position in which the Buffaloes have signed at least one player every year. The next longest streak is 24 years running with at least one defensive back. Colorado Connection I (middle school). Jake Moretti, Dante Sparaco and Jonathan Van Diest played on Team Colorado at the 2013 FBU National Championship (a 64-team single elimination national football tournament with brackets for 6th, 7th and 8th-graders); the championship weekend was in Naples, Fla. Colorado Connection II. Three signees were coached in high school by CU alum. Jonathan Van Diest and Dante Sparaco (his junior season only) were coached by Dave Logan (’75) at Cherry Creek High School. Chase Newman played for Mike Moschetti (’99), at La Mirada High School.
Here are some quick tidbits about some of the members of this year’s recruiting class:
RB Alex Fontenot has a fondness for this Sunday’s Super Bowl (LI) site, Houston’s NRG Stadium. He rushed for three touchdowns there in the 2015 Texas Class 5A state championship game. DE Shamar Hamilton has moved around a lot; Colorado is the fifth different state he has lived in, plus he has also lived in Jamaica (he spent a couple of his elementary schools years there). He’s also creative; he would like to become a scientist and inventor one day and looks forward to the day when he gets to patent his own ideas. LB Nate Landman was born in Zimbabwe, Africa. He is the third member of his family to go to a Pac-12 school to be a student athlete; his brother played as a true freshman at Arizona State in 2014 and sister swam at Oregon State. His father played international rugby for Zimbabwe. CB Isaiah Lewis listed “maple donuts” as one of his favorite foods. DE Chris Mulumba served one year in the Finnish military and is fluent in three languages: Finnish, English and French. He is also a four-time Finnish national judo champion. LB Chase Newman has a fairly famous father ( David); he played football at Missouri and in the Canadian Football League where in 1980 he was a CFL All-Star and won the Frank M. Bibson Trophy as league’s top rookie. OT Heston Paige has done volunteer work for “Best Buddies,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). OL Grant Polley has some baseball roots; an uncle, Greg Breaux, was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 47th round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft from Waltrip High School in Houston, Texas. OL Casey Roddick is the son of a one-time master chef, and from him he learned to master the art of cooking barbecue, and thus is one of his favorite hobbies; DT Jalen Sami has some musical ability, as he can play both the ukulele and the piano. OL William Sherman lists one of his hobbies as traveling; he has been to 20 different states and to Liberia. DE Dante Sparaco’s grandfather, Mike Sparaco, won the 1967 NJCAA 191-pound weight class national wrestling championship at Trinidad State Junior College. PK James Stefanou is CU’s first-ever recruit from Australia. LB Jonathan Van Diest has performed hundreds of hours of community service, highlighted by volunteering at Mile High Workshop, which helps employ addicts and ex-felons. OLB Carson Wells is the son of a rancher, and helps with the family’s 1200 head of cattle; a member of his high school’s FFA Chapter (Future Farmers of America), he has his own personal steer that he named “Ralphie” and will sell it prior to leaving for Boulder later this spring.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 4
DOUBLE DIPPING
Since 1983, Colorado has plucked two recruits (and in three instances, three) from the same high school in the same class 40 times, including this year’s signing of duo from three different schools. A closer look (position listed is what they were recruited as):
2017 2009 1996 Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.) Denver East (Denver, Colo.) Berkeley (Calif.) *DE Dante Sparaco, LB Jonathan Van Diest P Zach Grossnickle, TE DaVaughn Thornton S Rashidi Barnes, WR Marcus Williams Jr.
(*—committed while at CC; finished at IMG) 2007 Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.) Denton (Denton, Texas) OL Tom Ashworth, WR Eric McCready Mission Viejo (Calif.) CB Chris Miller, OL Grant Polley OL Matthew Bahr, TB Brian Lockridge 1995 DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas) 2006 Berkeley (Calif.) WR K.D. Nixon, WR Laviska Shenault, Jr. Douglas County (Castle Rock, Colo.) DB J’Juan Cherry, LB Hannibal Navies 2016 TE Steve Fendry, DL Eric Lawson 1993 South Planation (Plantation, Fla.) 2005 Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.) WR Johnny Huntley, ATH Tony Julmisse Mullen (Denver, Colo.) TE Desmond Dennis, WR Phil Savoy 2014 CB Benjamin Burney, TB Maurice Greer 1992 Chaminade College Prep (Los Angeles, Calif.) 2003 Boulder (Colo.) ILB Rick Gamboa, ATH Donovan Lee Hillsboro (Nashville, Tenn.) OL Heath Irwin, WR Deren Tadlock Christian Brothers (Sacramento, Calif.) CB Chris Russell, TE Joe Sanders TE Hayden Jones, CB Ahkello Witherspoon 1988 Mullen (Denver, Colo.) Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.) Locke (Los Angeles, Calif.) OG Brian Daniels, WR Stephone Robinson OL Josh Kaiser, DE Michael Mathewes QB Darian Hagan, OT Vincent Smith
2013 2002 Serra (Gardena, Calif.) Fairview (Boulder, Colo.) QB Eric Hamilton, CB Deon Figures The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas) ILB Jason Ackermann, DE Mike Groover OL Jonathan Huckins, OL Sam Kronshage 1986 Flower Mound (Texas) Pomona (Calif.) 2012 OL Del Scales, OL Frederick Staugh TB J.J. Flannigan, LB Lamarr Gray Cypress Fairbanks (Cypress, Texas) 2001 OL Jeromy Irwin, TE Sean Irwin 1985 Overland (Aurora, Colo.) H.D. Woodson (Washington, D.C.) Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.) DL Jahi Green, OT Gary Moore DB Kenneth Crawley, DB John Walker, TB Jim Farrell, WR Keith Pontiflet DL De’Jon Wilson 2000 Smoky Hill (Aurora, Colo.) Upland (Calif.) Mont de La Salle/ Vanier Prep (Montreal, Quebec) DE Terry Jones, RB Jeff Knabenshue, RB Donta Abron, DB Marques Mosley, OL Marwan Hage, DE Rudy Hage DT Brad Robinson FB Christian Powell 1997 1984 Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.) Fairview (Boulder, Colo.) DT Justin Solis, DL Johnny Stuart Fairview (Boulder, Colo.) LB Kyle Cabral, DE Robert Haas DB Derek Fullmer, QB Tom Stone 2011 North Shore (Houston, Texas) 1983 Oak Ridge Military Academy (Greensboro, N.C.) WR Cedric Cormier, OL Andre Gurode Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.) ATH Jermane Clark, RB Rashad Hall TE Jon Embree, QB Rick Wheeler St. Louis (Honolulu, Hawai’i) Mullen (Denver, Colo.) OL Paulay Asiata, DE Juda Parker PK Dave DeLine, WR David Tate Somerset (Somerset, Texas) DB Will Harlos, QB Stevie Joe Dorman
ROSTER ATTRITION
Colorado had 27 seniors on its final 2016 roster, 12 of whom have already graduated with most of the rest in position to this May. Since the end of the season, there has been some additional attrition: OT Sam Kronshage and C Colin Sutton have opted to end their collegiate careers and graduate this May (Sutton in fact has already been offered a job). OG John Lisella has ended his career for medical reasons. TB Dino Gordon, WR Justin Jan and OLB Christian Shaver along with walk-on SN Austin Shaw have left the program.
ANNUAL HISTORY LESSON
The most players a Division I school can have on scholarship is 85; when the two-platoon system returned in 1965, there were no scholarship limits; in 1973, a maximum of 105 could be awarded, which was reduced to 95 in 1978. A four-year reduction started in 1988 for Title IX purposes by the NCAA scaled it down to the current 85 over a four-year period (ending in 1992). Though with attrition, the average number of players on scholarship in the FBS has hovered around 80, according to AFCA figures. Colorado has 69 players on scholarship returning from the 2016 squad, and NCAA rules dictate no school can over-sign the maximum of 25 players (down from 28 in past years).
Colorado had one short of the full complement of 84 players on scholarship at the end of the 2016 season, and graduated 21 on scholarship; three more schollies were picked up in offseason attrition. With nine early enrollees on scholarship, the Buffs will have 69 scholarship players on the roster for spring practice (though a handful will miss the sessions because of injuries).
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 5
A LOOK BACK AT MAC’S FIRST FOUR CLASSES
This is the fifth recruiting class at Colorado under coach Mike MacIntyre and his staff, so let’s look back at his first four and see how many have contributed. Like the recruiting services (with the exception of not playing to those schools who have large subscriber bases and thus often overrate players to keep a large paying customer base happy), we’ll use a star system to gauge their contributions to the program at this point in time. Here’s the scale:
All-conference performer (honorable mention) or better GS Gray-shirted, reported for first-time in spring Starter/rotated into game regularly with first unit MED No longer on team due to medical/injury reasons Has seen limited game action or mostly on special teams MM Serving Mormon Mission Reserve performer/squad member; did not/has not played NIP No longer in program but at one time played RS Redshirted, has not yet had chance to play NIP No longer in OR never joined program (never played)
Five stars for honorable mention All-Pac 12 or better? With 12 schools, very few will have more than a handful of players make first-team in any one season. Of the 85 recruits Mac & Company have welcomed to Boulder, 47 have significantly contributed (5/4/3½), with another 13 seeing limited action (3); 11 redshirted and 2 are grayshirts. Just 12 are no longer in the program (two of which due to medical reasons; one never enrolled). A closer look by class (*—denotes junior college transfer; #—transferred to complete eligibility elsewhere; MM—served Mormon Mission; list includes any walk-ons that have seen significant playing time):
2013 (23) 2014 (25) 2015 (19) 2016 (18) Chidobe Awuzie, CB Shay Fields, WR *Jordan Carrell, DT ½ Beau Bisharat, TB Bryce Bobo, WR *Ahkello Witherspoon, CB Tim Lynott, OL ½ *Kabion Ento, WR Jimmie Gilbert, OLB #Cade Apsay, QB #Patrick Carr, TB ½ Anthony Julmisse, CB Addison Gillam, ILB Jase Franke, DL N.J. Falo, LB ½ *Drew Lewis, ILB Phillip Lindsay, TB Rick Gamboa, LB Nick Fisher, CB Johnny Huntley, WR Kenneth Olugbode, ILB Terran Hasselbach, DL Aaron Haigler, OL *Kyle Trego, DB Devin Ross, WR Dylan Keeney, TE Alex Kinney, P RS Ronnie Blackmon, CB Tedric Thompson, S *Leo Jackson, DL (GS) *Afolabi Laguda, DB RS Akil Jones, LB Michael Adkins, TB Donovan Lee, WR Steven Montez, QB RS Pookie Maka, LB Tim Coleman, DE Jay MacIntyre, WR Isaiah Oliver, CB RS Sam Noyer, QB George Frazier, FB/DE Michael Mathewes, DL Chris Bounds, TE RS Derrion Rakestraw, WR *Jordan Gehrke, QB Christian Shaver, DE Dillon Middlemiss, OL RS Terriek Roberts, DL Diego Gonzalez, PK *Wyatt Tucker Smith, SN Brett Tonz, DL RS Trey Udoffia, DB Jonathan Huckins, OL Evan White, S Lyle Tuiloma, DL RS Hunter Vaughn, OL Sam Kronshage, OL *Sully Wiefels, OL Frank Umu, DL RS *Juwann Winfree, WR John Lisella, OL (GS) Eddy Lopez, DT NIP #Justin Jan, WR NIP Ca’Ron Baham, RB Sefo Liufau, QB Josh Kaiser, OL NIP *Blake Robbins, DT ---- Chance Lytle, OL (GS) Ryan Severson, OLB Jaisen Sanchez, DB NIP Aaron Baltazar, RB ---- Colby Pursell, OL (GS) Colin Sutton, OL *Travis Talianko, ILB NIP Donald Gordon, TB MED Elijah Dunston, WR Lee Walker, WR WALK-ONS: MED Markeis Reid, DE RS/INJ Isaac Miller, OL (GS) WALK-ONS: Davis Price, PK NIP Connor Center, TE RS/MM Sam Bennion, DL J.T. Bale, SN NIP Gunnar Graham, OL NIP Grant Watanabe, LB (GS) Andrew Bergner, DB NIP Hayden Jones, TE Lucas Cooper, DB WALK-ONS: NIP Isaiah Holland, OL Ryan Moeller, DB WALK-ONS: *Wes Christensen, WR Chris Graham, PK Kyle Evans, TB
½ Robert Orban, WR/H Aaron Howard, DL
Chris Hill, TE
SALAAM MEMORIAL
The memorial service for the late Rashaan Salaam (CU’s 1994 Heisman winner) who passed away on Dec. 5, will be held on Friday, March 17 (6-8 p.m.). Further details to be announced.
LINDSAY OFF TO COLUMBUS FOR HONOR
The Touchdown Club of Columbus has named Colorado's Phillip Lindsay as one of only eight running backs to receive its coveted “2017 Player To Watch Award.” Unlike most "watch lists," the TDC has annually presented a crystal trophy to each honoree for accomplishments during the 2016 season and recognition for the upcoming year. In all, nearly 40 of the nation's top college football players will be in Columbus this weekend, including Sam Darnold (USC), Quinton Flowers (South Florida), Nick Fitzgerald (Mississippi State), Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State), Logan Woodside (Toledo), Mike Weber (Ohio State), Josh Allen (Wyoming) and Deondre Francois (Florida State), among others. The event is this Saturday (Feb. 4) at Express Live in downtown Columbus.
NEWEST TRACK BUFF
Sophomore-to-be Aaron Haigler, who started seven games at offensive right tackle last fall, will become the latest Buff to try his hand in a second sport. He has joined the track team and will participate in throws, which are no stranger to him. In high school (Notre Dame near Northridge, Calif.), he lettered four times in track and field with personal bests of 59-11½ in the shot put, the school record, and 157-0 in the discus. The shot put mark was the fourth best in the state for 2014.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 6
STATE-BY-STAT AT-A-GLANCE
The below chart indicates the last time a player from each state was on the CU season roster (includes transfers and walk-ons; had to suit for at least one game). Rosters were available back to 1928; going into 2017, only two states, Rhode Island and Vermont, have never produced a CU player, with eight not having a prep recruit. A state-by-state look (a—last year a prep or junior college recruit signed from that state, including 2017; b—last year a player from that state, recruit, walk-on or transfer, was on the roster):
State a-Year b-Year State a-Year b-Year State a-Year b-Year State a-Year b-Year State a-Year b-Year Alabama 2010 2011 Hawai’i 2015 2016 Minnesota 2005 2006 Ohio 2010 2012 Washington 2016 2016 Alaska 1998 2002 Idaho 2014 2016 Mississippi 2014 2015 Oklahoma 2009 2016 West Virginia …… 1970 Arizona 2017 2016 Illinois 2009 2013 Missouri 2012 2013 Oregon 2016 2016 Wisconsin 2002 2016 Arkansas 2016 2016 Indiana 1972 2009 Montana 1991 1994 Pennsylvania 2007 2016 Wyoming 1992 1996 AUSTRALIA 2017 …… Iowa 2004 2012 Nebraska 2005 2009 Rhode Island …… …… AMER. SAMOA 2006 1996 California 2017 2016 Kansas 2005 2013 Nevada 2009 2011 South Carolina …… 2015 CANADA 2001 2010 COLORADO 2017 2016 Kentucky 2008 2008 New Hampshire …… 2002 South Dakota 1996 2000 ENGLAND …… 1964 Connecticut 2009 2010 Louisiana 2017 2013 New Jersey 2016 2016 Tennessee 2009 2013 FINLAND 2017 …… Delaware …… 2001 Maine …… 1988 New Mexico 2011 2014 Texas 2017 2016 MEXICO 2013 2016 Dist. of Columbia 2012 2014 Maryland 1996 1998 New York 2013 2015 Utah 2016 2016 Florida 2017 2016 Massachusetts 1983 2008 North Carolina 2011 2011 Vermont …… …… Georgia 2017 2016 Michigan 2004 2014 North Dakota 1968 1978 Virginia 2011 1969
CU signed players from seven states in this class (high schoolers from Colorado, Arizona, California, Florida and Texas and JC players with roots from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and ... Finland).
EARLY ENROLLEES
Colorado has a record nine early enrollees, which includes a record five high school players that graduated early so they could enroll in school for the spring semester. The Buffs never have had more than five, and most of those were JC transfers.
SUPER BOWL RINGS
Nice: 50 Super Bowls, 51 rings. That’s the number of Super Bowl championship rings won by former Colorado Buffaloes heading into Super Bowl 51 this weekend. That count can escalate if New England defeats Atlanta, as OT Nate Solder (’10), who is looking to win his second with the club (also won SB XLIX, 28-24 over Seattle). Several have won multiple rings; 35 different CU alums have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy overall. There are others with Buff ties who could also receive a ring: if New England wins, earning rings would be Moses Cabrera (strength & conditioning coach, similar assistant position at CU in 2010) and James Hardy (assistant strength coach; he was CU’s basketball strength & conditioning coach for seven years, 2010-16 and worked nine years overall for the Buffs). If Atlanta wins, Chris Morgan would get one (Falcons’ O-Line coach; he played guard at CU from 1995-99), as would Steve Scarnecchia (assistant to the head coach; he worked a little over a year in CU’s football video office). SUPER BOWL PRODUCERS: Colorado has had 92 players overall appear on the rosters for all 50 previous Super Bowls, which is the ninth-most all-time.
COMBINE
The National Football League combine is this month at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis (February 28-March 6); the NFL website will post the official list when final, but over 300 players will be attending. CU seniors will be showcased in the Buffs’ own pro timing day on March 8; Colorado was one of the first to host their own, starting in the late 1980s, but now most schools have one.
PRO TIMING DAY
Colorado’s annual pro-timing day has been set for Wednesday, March 8, when around 40-plus scouts from most, if not all, of the 32 National Football League teams visit Boulder to test CU’s 2016 seniors in an assortment of drills. The schedule for the day is not finalized, but will again be in the afternoon (most likely after 1 p.m.) . The event will feature the traditional bench press and speed and agility tests (40-yard dash, shuttles, vertical jumps, etc.); testing will be done in the weight room and in the practice bubble. All scouts must register with the football office; media can attend but must wear their 2016-17 CU Athletics credential in addition to signing up in advance with the SID office; otherwise, the event is not open to the public.
SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Spring practice will begin on Wednesday, February 22, with the spring game on Saturday, March 18 (1:00 p.m., to be televised live by the Pac-12 Networks, with KOA-Radio in Denver likely to once again air a pregame show and then a live broadcast of the game. The tentative practice dates are as follows: February 22-24-25-27 and March 1-3-4-6-8-10-11-13-15-17-18 (all practices are prior to spring break). Pro-Timing Day has been set for the afternoon of Wednesday, March 8. The team is allowed 15 practices over 29 days; how the practice sessions will break down, per NCAA rules: three in shorts (no contact), four in pads (no tackling), four in pads (tackling allowed 50 percent or less of the time), four in pads (tackling allowed throughout). Spring break (March 27- 31) does not count against the 29 days should the schedule be dramatically revised for some reason.
AUGUST REPORTING DATE: Players will report August 4 for assorted orientations, an evening meal and the first (non-football) meeting, with the first practice the next day (August 5) and the first full practice in pads on August 9. The first day of classes is Monday, August 28, with CU’s first game set for September 1 (Colorado State in Denver). Looking way ahead, Fall/Thanksgiving Break is November 20-24, ahead of CU’s final regular season game at Utah (November 25); classes end December 14 and finals are over December 20. The first day of classes for the Spring 2018 semester will be January 16.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 7
HEAD COACH MIKE MACINTYRE
Mike MacIntyre has completed four seasons as head coach at the University of (the win, per NCAA policy, is not credited to him Colorado. He was named the 25th head football coach in the school’s history on since he did not coach SJSU in the bowl). December 10, 2012, after leading San Jose State to its first 10-win season in 25 years. In his fourth year at CU, he led the Buffaloes to their first 10-win season in For his accomplishments at San Jose, he was the 15 years. recipient of the 2012 Fellowship of Christian Athletes National Coach of the Year. The award is presented MacIntyre, 51, is 36-52 in seven seasons as a collegiate head coach, 20-31 in to a coach who exemplifies Christian principles and four at Colorado. Each of his four teams made gigantic strides, but his 2016 team who is involved in the FCA, in addition to success and (10-4) earned him eight National Coach of the Year honors from the Associated performance of that coach’s team. Press, Walter Camp, Bobby Dodd, ESPN/Home Depot, FWAA/Eddie Robinson, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), SB Nation and Scout.com, as well He assumed the SJSU position in December as a finalist for the Bear Bryant and Maxwell Club awards. He also earned the AFCA 2009, compiling a 16-21 record with the Spartans; he took over a team that had Region 5 Coach of the Year honor and the group’s inaugural Comeback Coach of gone 2-10 in 2009, but began instilling a different culture despite a 1-12 record his the Year Award. The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame presented him with its “King of first season in San Jose. His second Spartan team went 5-7, but closed the year the Hill” honor for all sports within the state for 2016. with thrilling wins over Navy and Fresno State. His SJSU teams thus won 12 of his last 14 games there.
The 2016 Buffaloes tied with five others for the most improved in the nation San Jose State’s most impressive wins in his final year there came over San Diego overall (+5½) and the most improved all-time in Pac-12 Conference league games State, Navy, BYU and Louisiana Tech, teams that otherwise combined to go 30-12 (+7). He also earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors as Colorado won the in 2012. Tech in particular was an offensive powerhouse (led the nation in scoring, league’s South Division with an 8-1 mark and earned its first appearance in the second in total offense and fourth in passing), but their coaches felt MacIntyre and conference’s championship game. The Buffaloes returned to the nation’s Top 25 his staff put together the best plan to disrupt its high-octane offense of any of its for the first time in 11 years, climbing as high as No. 9 in both the Associated Press opponents, including Texas A&M. The only losses were to Stanford (20-17 in the and USA Today/Coaches polls (and No. 8 in the College Football Playoff Standings). season opener, as the Cardinal won on a fourth quarter field goal) and to Utah The Buffs were ranked No. 10 in the CFP’s final standings, and finished No. 15 in State. the coaches and No. 17 in the AP polls, the first time CU made the final rankings since 2002. The 2012 season under MacIntyre is one of the best in San Jose State’s nearly 120-year football history. In recording their first 10-win season since 1987, the The team had been making significant improvement from one year to the next, Spartans did it with a highly-productive offense that scored 423 points, a defense most notably closing games stronger in 2016 than it had been after losing eight that ranked among the national leaders in many statistical categories and reliable league games by one score over the 2014-15 seasons. In its sixth year in the Pac- special teams. 12, the Buffs finally picked up their first wins over Arizona State, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA. His third Spartan team saw a school-record 16 SJSU players earn All-Western Athletic Conference honors, which came in a year that 36 school and conference His second Buffalo team set over 100 offensive records and started to close the records either were tied or broken. gap in talent and performance with their Pac-12 brethren despite a 2-10 record in 2014, and in 2015, it was the defense’s turn, showing improvement by as many as MacIntyre’s San Jose State teams performed in the classroom as well. In 2011, 50 spots nationally in many major defensive areas as the team would finish 4-9. the school had a record number of Academic All-WAC team members – 13 – while The biggest jump came in points allowed per game, slicing off 11.5 per from the defensive end Travis Johnson became the Spartans’ first player in 30 years to get previous year, the fifth-best improvement in all of Division I/FBS. Academic All-America recognition. In addition, San Jose State’s Academic Progress Rate score was 981, second best in the WAC. But that team, like the 2014 squad, had some struggles closing out many games, a typical sign of youth needing to develop. Those late game woes may Before his 2010 head coaching debut, MacIntyre instituted a comprehensive have cost the Buffs four wins in each of the last two seasons, so signs that CU is recruiting plan and initiated a “Summer Bridge” program for his first recruiting pulling closer to even with their Pac-12 counterparts is evidenced at every turn. class to provide his newcomers a smooth transition into life as a college football player (he installed the same program at Colorado). Facing five nationally-ranked In his first year in Boulder (2013), he guided the Buffaloes to a 4-8 teams early in the season, the Spartans rebuilt themselves repeatedly, and were record, matching the number of wins in the program for the previous two seasons. positioned late for victory in four of their final five games before finishing with a 1- There was measured improvement across the board, as evidenced by the team 12 record. improving in over two dozen statistical categories despite playing the nation’s seventh toughest schedule, which included five 10-win teams. Under MacIntyre, the 2011 Spartans produced the fourth-best turnaround in their football history with a 4½-game improvement, exhibiting resiliency and With a 41-27 win over Colorado State in the ’13 season opener, he became just resourcefulness to find a winning way: four of the team's five wins came in the the second head coach since 1932 at Colorado to win his first game, joining Rick game’s final minute. The opportunistic Spartans were the co-national leaders with Neuheisel in 1995 as the only pair to do so among the 15 different men to lead the 20 fumble recoveries, tied for fourth in turnovers gained (33), were disciplined as program in that time frame. He also had to face the daunting task of rallying his the second least penalized team in the Football Bowl Subdivision and ranked in the team after a devastating flood hit Boulder, forcing the cancellation of a game, which top 25 in passing offense (23rd) for the first time in eight years. led to two consecutive bye weeks after the Buffs started out 2-0. A veteran coach of 24 seasons, MacIntyre arrived at San Jose State after two years The team improved in 29 major statistical categories, in most cases rather as the defensive coordinator at Duke University, where he was reunited with head dramatically, and set a record for the fewest fumbles in a season with just 14 while coach David Cutcliffe from earlier in his coaching days. Those Blue Devil defenses reducing penalties dramatically (ending the season with just 10 over the final four were among Duke's best statistically over a 20-year span, and in 2009, Duke's five games, a 50-year program low). His second CU team broke that fumbles mark wins were the most in a season by the Blue Devils since 1994. The American with just 12. Football Coaches Association (AFCA) named him its 2009 FBS Assistant Coach of
He coached San Jose State to a 10-2 record in 2012, with a final regular season the Year. ranking of No. 24 in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls as CONTINUED well as in the final BCS Standings. The Spartans earned a berth in the Military Bowl where it defeated Bowling Green, 29-20, and finished No. 21 in the national polls Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 8
MACINTYRE, continued
Prior to returning to college ball, MacIntyre spent five seasons in the National Temple to a 28-24 upset of No. 14 Virginia Tech. He then joined Cutcliffe’s staff at Football League with the New York Jets (2007) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-06) Ole Miss the following season. coaching defensive backs. Working for legendary coach Bill Parcells, the Cowboys returned to the NFL playoffs in 2003 and again in 2006 after missing out on A 1989 graduate of Georgia Tech, he lettered twice (1987-88) at free safety and postseason competition during the 2000 through 2002 seasons. punt returner for legendary head coach Bobby Ross. Prior to becoming a Yellow Jacket, MacIntyre played two seasons (1984-85) at Vanderbilt for his father, George, MacIntyre has coached on both sides of the ball, spending four years at Ole Miss the head coach of the Commodores from 1979-85. The elder MacIntyre, who passed (1999-2002) where he started as the wide receivers coach for two seasons and the away in January 2016 at the age of 76, was the national coach of the year in 1982. defensive secondary coach in his final two years. The Rebels posted a 29-19 record in that time with bowl appearances in the 1999 and 2002 Independence Bowls and MacIntyre earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Georgia Tech the 2000 Music City Bowl. The 2001 Rebels ranked fifth nationally in pass defense, and his master's in Education with an emphasis on Sports Management from allowing just 161.3 yards per game. Georgia in 1991.
At Mississippi, among his recruits were two high profile student-athletes that one He originally agreed to a five-year deal with an annual salary of $2 million plus could sign to letters-of-intent, quarterback Eli Manning and linebacker Patrick Willis. incentives (January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2017); in February 2014, he And along his coaching trail, he has mentored many current and former NFL players received a one-year extension through the end of 2018, and last month, he was including recently retired former Dallas and Cincinnati safety Roy Williams, a five- extended three more seasons through 2021, with his total package over the five years time Pro Bowl player. At Dallas, he also tutored Terrence Newman, the former increased to $16.25 million.
Kansas State cornerback who longtime CU fans certainly remember. He was born George Michael MacIntyre on March 14, 1965, in Miami, Fla., and is
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Georgia, married to the former Trisha Rowan; the couple has three children, Jennifer, Jay and working two years (1990-91) in that capacity. He then coached one year as the Jonston; Jay is a junior receiver on the CU football team. As previously stated, he is defensive coordinator at Davidson (1992), four years at Tennessee Martin (1993-96) very active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as being an AFCA/Jason and two seasons at Temple (1997-98); while with the Owls, he coached under former Foundation Ambassador, assisting the organization in spreading awareness of the problem of youth suicide. CU assistant coach Ron Dickerson and then Bobby Wallace, and in ’98 helped coach
THE 2017 COLORADO COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech ‘89) Director of Recruiting Adam Toyama (Hawai’i ’04) Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Brian Lindgren (Idaho ‘04) Director of Player Personnel Brad Forsyth (Illinois Wesleyan ’90) Co-Offensive Coordinator / Receivers Darrin Chiaverini (Colorado ’99) Director of Quality Control/Offense Daniel Da Prato (UL-Monroe ’03) Offensive Line Klayton Adams (Boise State ’05) Director of Quality Control/Defense Nate Taye (San Jose State ’13) Running Backs Darian Hagan (Colorado ’96) Director of Quality Control/Special Teams Matt Thompson (Fort Lewis ‘05) Tight Ends / H-Backs Gary Bernardi (Cal State-Northridge ‘76) Director of Football Academics Katie Bason (Wake Forest ‘05) Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers D.J. Eliot (Wyoming ‘99) Assistant Director of Recruiting A. J. Baer (Washington State ’11) Defensive Line Jim Jeffcoat (Arizona State ‘82) Operations & Recruiting Assistant Scott Unrein (Colorado ‘11) Secondary ShaDon Brown (Campbellsville ’02) Intern Erik Aunese (Colorado Mesa ‘16) Inside Linebackers Ross Els (Nebraska-Omaha ’88) Intern Matt Bryson (Oklahoma State ’10) Offensive Graduate Assistant Peter Tuitupou (San Jose State ’13) Intern Cory Hall (Colorado ’16) Offensive Graduate Assistant John Hughes (Humboldt State ’12) Director of Strength & Conditioning Drew Wilson (King’s College ‘00) Defensive Graduate Assistant TBA Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach TBA Defensive Graduate Assistant Chidera Uzo-Diribe (Colorado ’14) Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach Justin Geyer (Mt. St. Joseph ’10) Director of Football Operations Bryan McGinnis (San Jose State ’07) Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach Jeremy Layport (Cal Lutheran ‘02)
IN THE FINAL ASSOCIATED PRESS POLLS
Colorado finished No. 17 in the Associated Press poll, the first time that the Buffs made the final poll since a No. 20 ranking in 2002; the Buffs were 15th in the USA Today/Coaches poll. It marked the 20th time that Colorado finished ranked by the AP, the ninth time the Buffaloes accomplished the feat after not being ranked to start the season. (Note: the AP started counting bowl games in 1968):
ASSOCIATED PRESS Season Preseason Record Finish Season Preseason Record Finish Season Preseason Record Finish 1937 NR 8-1-0 No. 17 1975 NR 9-3-0 No. 16 1994 No. 8 11-1-0 No. 3 1956 NR 7-2-1 No. 20 1976 NR 8-4-0 No. 16 1995 No. 13 10-2-0 No. 5 1961 NR 9-1-0 No. 7 1989 No. 14 11-1-0 No. 4 1996 No. 5 10-2-0 No. 8 1967 No. 10 9-2-0 No. 14 1990 No. 5 11-1-1 No. 1 2001 NR 10-3-0 No. 9 1969 NR 8-3-0 No. 16 1991 No. 13 8-3-1 No. 20 2002 No. 7 9-5-0 No. 20 1971 NR 10-2-0 No. 3 1992 No. 12 9-2-1 No. 13 2016 NR 10-4-0 No. 17 1972 No. 2 8-4-0 No. 16 1993 No. 11 8-3-1 No. 16
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 9
ELIOT NAMED DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND LINEBACKERS COACH
D.J. Eliot is returning to a part of the country he is most familiar with, as he is CU’s 2013 with 102 tackles and Josh Forrest, now with the Los Angeles Rams, topped that new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Buffaloes, head coach Mike in 2014 with 110 tackles, a figure that ranked No. 3 in the SEC that season.
MacIntyre announced on January 19. He has a proposed three-year contract Eliot got his start in coaching along the Rocky Mountain Front Range at his alma agreement that will be submitted for approval to the CU’s Board of Regents. mater, Wyoming, as a graduate assistant in 1999. From there he went to the University Eliot, 40, joins the Colorado staff from the University of Kentucky, where he was the of Houston as a graduate assistant for two years before landing in a similar position at Wildcats’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the last four seasons (2013- Miami for the 2002 season; the Hurricanes went 12-0 and were ranked No. 1 at the 16) and helped coach UK to the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, the program’s first postseason end of the regular season before falling 31-24 in double overtime to Ohio State in the appearance since 2010. BCS National Championship Game.
A native of Edmond, Okla., he played collegiately at the University of Wyoming and That 2002 campaign at Miami is one of many highly accomplished seasons Eliot has brings a total of 18 years of coaching experience to the Buffaloes. He replaces Jim seen in his career. In his second of three seasons at Rice, he helped the Owls go 10- Leavitt, who served in the same role for the last two seasons in Boulder before 3 and win the 2008 Texas Bowl, the programs first bowl win since 1950 and first 10- accepting a similar position at the University of Oregon. win season since 1949.
“I’m excited about having D.J. Eliot as our defensive coordinator, he brings a lot of Eliot helped lead a defensive turnaround at Texas State, as the Bobcat defense went expertise and energy to our defense,” MacIntyre said. “Also he is one of the great, from giving up 34.8 points per game to only 20.3. Texas State also dropped from young defensive minds in the game of college football today.” allowing 394.6 yards per game to 313.9.
“I am very excited to work at a great program with an excellent head coach and at a His presence at Florida State also helped lead a revival of FSU’s defense. The year prior place that has always been special to me and my family,” said Eliot, whose wife is from to his arrival, the Seminoles ranked 108th in total defense and rushing defense. Westminster and graduated from Northglenn High School. However, by 2012, FSU ranked second nationally in total defense (254.1 yards per game) and sixth in scoring defense (14.7 points per game). Eliot’s defense at Kentucky was the same schematically as CU’s last season when the Buffs ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 in total defense. “We are a 3-4 system that is built to In his three seasons at Florida State, the ‘Noles went 31-10 and he helped FSU tie for apply pressure on the offense and confuse the quarterback,” Eliot said of his system. the national lead in sacks with 48 in 2010. In his second season FSU limited
A linebacker himself back in his playing days at Wyoming, Eliot over his coaching opponents to just 2.35 yards per carry, which led the nation in that category. His career has tutored many defensive players to numerous accolades and a future in the defensive ends on the 2012 team, Werner and Cornellius Carradine, combined for 24 quarterback sacks and 31 tackles for losses overall when FSU finished 12-2. National Football League.
At his past two coaching stops, Kentucky and Florida State, he coached eight players At Kentucky, the Wildcats set a new school record for defensive touchdowns scored in who were drafted in the NFL, including a pair of first round picks. Linebacker Bud a season with six in 2014; UK recorded 23 takeaways that year. UK jumped 45 places in the total defense rankings from 2013 to 2014 under Eliot, finishing in the top half Dupree was a 2015 first round selection of the Pittsburg Steelers, Kentucky’s first th player selected in the first round in 12 years, and Bjoern Werner out of Florida State of the nation in that statistic. In 2015, UK ranked 28 in the FBS in passing defense by giving up only 198.1 yards per game, the schools best pass defense in five years. went No. 24 overall to Indianapolis after playing under Eliot when he was coaching defensive ends for the Seminoles. This past fall, sophomore Jordan Jones became the first player in UK history to have
Werner is one of two conference defensive players of the year and All-Americans on at least 100 tackles, 14.0 tackles for a loss and 4.0 sacks, all of which came during the Eliot’s resume, collecting the ACC honor in 2012 when he was a unanimous All- season when he garnered second-team All-SEC honors by the AP and league coaches. American. The first was linebacker Nick Bunting, the 2006 Conference USA Defensive Sophomore safety Mike Edwards finished the regular season leading all SEC defensive Player of the Year at Tulsa, Eliot’s one season at the school. Brandon Jenkins, a fifth backs in tackles with 93 and tied for the team lead in interceptions with three, round pick of the Washington Redskins in 2013, exited school at Florida State ranking including two off Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson in the Cats’ 41-38 victory over No. 11 Louisville. ninth in school history in career sacks (22.5). He was a preseason All-American entering his senior year before missing the majority of 2012 with a Lisfranc injury. Eliot graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Natural Science from Wyoming in 1999
Overall at Kentucky, he coached 11 Wildcats who earned All-SEC recognition and in and in 2002 he earned a master’s degree in Education at Houston. He and his wife, three of his four years with the school one of his linebackers recorded over 100 tackles Miekel, have one son, Dawson, and three daughters, Drue, Page and Reace. in a season. Avery Williams, currently on the Tennessee Titans roster, was the first in
EXPERIENCE ANALYSIS
A look at annual fluctuations in the percentage of upperclassmen starting games over the last decade or so at Colorado; in 2012, the Buffaloes started its fewest seniors believed ever (17.8%) and a record number of freshmen (28.0%; 21.6% true frosh). A year-by-year glance at starts by class since 1999:
Season G SR JR SO FR (RS-True) UpperCl% Fr-Pct. Season G SR JR SO FR (RS-True) UpperCl% Fr-Pct. 1999 12 115 42 86 21 (20-1) 59.5 8.0 2008 12 106 54 63 41 (24-17) 60.6 15.5 2000 11 55 116 38 33 (15-18) 70.7 13.6 2009 12 57 90 89 28 (24-4) 55.7 10.6 2001 13 102 95 83 7 (0-7) 68.9 2.4 2010 12 82 111 37 34 (22-12) 73.1 12.9 2002 14 155 130 14 9 (0-9) 92.5 2.9 2011 13 141 55 57 33 (10-23) 68.5 11.5 2003 12 105 49 78 32 (14-18) 58.3 12.1 2012 12 47 84 59 74 (17-57) 49.6 28.0 2004 13 72 103 100 11 (0-11) 61.2 3.8 2013 12 70 92 69 33 (2-31) 61.4 12.5 2005 13 116 112 48 10 (4-6) 79.7 3.5 2014 12 83 50 96 35 (18-17) 50.4 13.3 2006 12 92 84 71 17 (11-6) 66.7 6.4 2015 13 59 110 86 31 (25- 6) 59.1 11.7 2007 13 89 106 38 53 (29-24) 68.2 18.5 2016 14 141 116 28 23 (23- 0) 83.4 7.5
DID YOU KNOW? For the first time since 2001, Colorado did not start a true freshman in any game over the entire course of the season. Since freshmen became eligible in 1972, CU has not started a true frosh during a season only 10 times (1972, 1974, 1978, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2001, 2016). And in 2015, CU did not start a freshman, true or redshirt, in the season opener (at Hawai’i) for the first time since 2005.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 10
BROWN TO COACH CU SECONDARY
University of Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre announced Monday the hiring of his top four cornerbacks either before or early in the season and had true freshman ShaDon Brown as an assistant on his staff in charge of coaching the Buffalo starting at cornerback for most of the year – Elijah Riley started the final nine games secondary. of the season and Jaylon McClinton the last five.
Brown, 37, comes to CU after spending the 2016 season coaching the cornerbacks at In his five seasons (2011-15) at Wofford College, he spent the first four of those as Army and the five seasons before that at Wofford College. cornerbacks coach before moving on to safeties in 2015. Brown was also the special teams coordinator during the 2013 and 2014 seasons and was promoted to recruiting “ShaDon is an excellent secondary coach who brings knowledge of the 3-4 defense coordinator in the spring of 2015. Additionally, he spent the summer of 2015 working that they ran at Army and is a perfect fit for what we’ve been doing here at Colorado,” in the NFL as a defensive backs intern with the Super Bowl 50 runner-up Carolina MacIntyre said. “I’m excited about ShaDon working with our secondary and helping Panthers. us continuing having one of the top pass defenses in the country.” Brown coached three all-conference corners at Wofford, including Blake Wylie who in Army’s secondary was one of the top units in the nation last season with Brown 2012 was named a third-team All-American by College Sports Madness. coaching its corners. The Black Knights ranked sixth in the nation in passing defense at 170.2 yards per game, was 11th in interceptions with 17 and ranked 17th with a Before Wofford, Brown was a coach in the high school ranks in the state of Kentucky. pass efficiency defense of 115.12. From 2008-10 he was head coach at Rowan County (Ky.) High School where he led the Vikings to the 2010 Class 4A District 8 Championship, its first since 1982. He was “I’m excited to be there, happy to be on staff that has a head coach who is well named the Kentucky Class 4A District 8 Coach of the Year in 2010 and 10 of his players respected around the country like Coach MacIntyre,” Brown said. “I feel like this is a at Rowan County went on to play college football. program very similar to where I came from, it’s on the rise, and I’m excited to work with the guys here, high character guys that love playing the game of football. As a player himself, Brown started at linebacker for Campbellsville University, a NAIA school in Kentucky that in 2001 won a school-record 10 games and finished the “I’m excited about coming on staff with D.J. Eliot, who I’ve heard nothing but good season ranked No. 10 with Brown starting at linebacker. He was a team captain his things about as a person and as a football coach and I’m excited to get going and win senior season in 2002. a Pac-12 Championship.” After graduating in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, he became a Overall, Army, who like the Buffs also ran a 3-4 defensive scheme, ranked fourth in graduate assistant coaching linebackers at the University of the Cumberlands in the nation in total defense by allowing just 291.5 yards per game during an 8-5 season Williamsburg, Ky. in 2003. He was promoted to a full-time assistant coach for the that saw the Black Knights win the 2016 Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl 38-31 in inside linebackers for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, helping lead the Patriot football overtime over North Texas. That was Army’s first bowl appearance and winning season team to a ranking as high as No. 5 in the nation. since 2010. In 2006 he returned to his alma mater (Campbellsville) as the inside linebackers Brown had a large impact on Army’s turnaround from going 2-10 the year before his coach before moving to the high school ranks in 2007 where he was an assistant coach arrival to winning a bowl game last December. Army went from being ranked 47th in at Boyle County High School for one season. the nation in total defense to fourth and from 48th in passing defense to sixth with Brown added to its coaching staff. On top of that all, the success Army’s secondary A native of Danville, Ky., he and his wife, Rhonda, have a daughter, Shaelyn, and two found came with Brown working with true freshman for most of the season. He lost sons, Braylon and Keenan.
DEFENSE SET TO SLIDE? HOLD YOUR HORSES …
Some are already trying to make the point that CU’s defense, which finished second in the Pac-12 and 19th in the nation, is headed for a big drop off because the Buffs lose eight starters. Colorado allowed 342.5 yards per game, with the 193.6 per game through the air also second in the league and 20th nationally (CU was 6th and 44th, respectively in rushing defense, allowing 148.9 per). It marked the first time CU finished in the top 20 in total defense since 1998, when the Buffs were 13th in allowing 296.0 yards. The Buffs also allowed 21.7 points per game to finish 20th in the NCAA, a 25-year best as CU was last in the top 20 in 1991, when it allowed 13.6 per. So yes, losing eight starters will present a challenge to replace, but let’s look inside the numbers:
The eight starters lost to graduation are: CB Chidobe Awuzie, DE Jordan Carrell, OLB Jimmie Gilbert, DE Samson Kafovalu, ILB Kenneth Olugbode, SS Tedric Thompson, DT Josh Tupou and CB Ahkello Witherspoon. In 2016 (regular season), all played in all 13 games, or 104 total, with 102 starts and a collective 5,969 snaps.
Not taking into account any of the junior college transfers or incoming freshman, eight potential replacements from last year’s squad had a handful of starts (five) but were generally second-team, and include OLB Derek McCartney, who was lost for the year in the third game of the season with a knee injury. The others are DL Tim Coleman, OLB N.J. Falo, CB Nick Fisher, DT Jase Franke, ILB Addison Gillam, DE Leo Jackson and CB Isaiah Oliver. The eight have 210 career games played, including 68 starts, and 5,643 plays between them – hardly inexperienced as a group. The eight played 1,768 snaps in the regular season (and added nearly 200 more in the Alamo Bowl). Jackson started 10 games in 2015, and Oliver was in for 440 snaps in starting five games this past season. Gillam, who was returning from knee surgery, and Falo in particular had their snap counts increase over the course of the season, and in the Washington State game where Fisher played his most snaps of the year after an ejection and injury to players ahead of him, all he did was earn Pac-12 Defensive player of the week honors.
The three returning starters, ILB Rick Gamboa, FS Afolabi Laguda and S/OLB Ryan Moeller played a combined 39 games (36 starts) with 1,739 snaps. And oh by the way, Clemson lost eight starters on defense two years ago prior to its 14-0 regular season run.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 11
RECORD 82 EARN LETTERS
Colorado had a record 82 players earn letters in 2016, 42 offensive players, 35 defensive players and 5 specialists; the old high was 81 set last year. Historically, there are generally five ways a player can letter: play counts (scrimmage snaps plus special teams; essentially waived back in the 90s if they played in at least one game); possess a special skill—punter/kicker/special teams; be a true freshman (or JUCO) who gave up his redshirt year for the benefit of the team (unless injured and can get a medical hardship waiver); play fewer than the 100 plays but a pivotal role on scout teams, subbing for an injured player, or being lost for the season due to injury without a redshirt year available; and be a senior in good academic standing. The 2016 lettermen (27 seniors listed in bold; *— includes three players who can earn a rare fifth-letter due to past in-season injuries):
*ADKINS II, Michael 4L FALO, N.J. 2L HOWARD, Aaron 3L LEWIS, Drew 1L SHAVER, Christian 3L AWINI, Jaleel 2L FIELDS, Shay 3L HUCKINS, Jonathan 3L LINDSAY, Phillip 3L SUTTON, Colin 2L AWUZIE, Chidobe 4L FISHER, Nick 2L HUNTLEY III, Johnny 1L LIUFAU, Sefo 4L TALIANKO, Travis 2L BAGBY, David 1L FRANKE, Jase 2L *IRWIN, Jeromy 4L LYNOTT, Tim Jr. 1L TALLEY, Daniel 1L BALE, J.T. 1L FRAZIER, George 3L IRWIN, Sean 4L MacINTYRE, Jay 2L THOMPSON, Tedric 4L BERGNER, Andrew 2L GALLOWAY, Danny 1L JACKSON III, Leo 2L MATHEWES, Michael 2L TONZ, Brett 1L BISHARAT, Beau 1L GAMBOA, Rick 2L JAN, Justin 1L McCARTNEY, Derek 3L TREGO, Kyle 1L BOATMAN, Brian 2L GEHRKE, Jordan 3L JULMISSE, Anthony 1L MIDDLEMISS, Dillon 1L TUILOMA, Lyle 1L BOBO, Bryce 3L GILBERT, Jimmie 4L KAFOVALU, Samson 4L MOELLER, Ryan 3L TUGGLE, Joey 3L BOUNDS, Chris 1L *GILLAM, Addison 4L KAISER, Josh 2L MONTEZ, Steven 1L TUPOU, Josh 4L CALLAHAN, Shane 3L GONZALEZ, Diego 3L KEENEY, Dylan 2L OLIVER, Isaiah 2L UMU, Frank 1L CARRELL, Jordan 2L GRAHAM, Chris 3L KELLEY, Alex 4L OLUGBODE, Kenneth 4L WALKER, Lee 2L COCHRANE, Xavier 1L GRUNDMAN, Sean 1L KINNEY, Alex 2L ORBAN, Robert 2L WIEFELS, Sully 2L COLEMAN, Timothy Jr. 3L HAIGLER, Aaron 1L KOUGH, Gerrad 3L PRICE, Davis 1L WITHERSPOON, Ahkello 3L COOPER, Lucas 1L HALL, Joseph 2L KRONSHAGE, Sam 3L RIPPY, Deaysean 2L ENTO, Kabion 1L HASSELBACH, Terran 2L LAGUDA, Afolabi 2L ROSS, Devin 3L EVANS, Kyle 2L HILL, Chris 2L LEE, Donovan 3L SEVERSON, Ryan 4L
2017 COLORADO FOOTBALL LETTERMAN PICTURE
Colorado has 53 lettermen returning for 2017 (52 from the 2016 team, with two others from past years); they break down into 25 on offense, 24 on defense and 4 specialists; the Buffs lose 32 lettermen off the 2016 squad (18 offense/13 defense/1 specialist). CU returns 12 starters from last season (9 offense/3 defense), losing 12 (4 offense/8 defense); two players started seven games each at right tackle and one player started 10 times as the fourth wide receiver, so the offensive starter count last year is based off 13 players. The 2016 starters are listed in bold (six or more starts); *—denotes letters earned primarily on special teams; #—lettered but injured early in the 2016 season and has been submitted for medical hardships. The breakdown:
OFFENSE Position Returning (25) Lost (18) WR (x) Bryce Bobo, Kabion Ento, Johnny Huntley, Xavier Cochrane *Jaleel Awini, Sean Grundman WR (z) Shay Fields, Lee Walker, *Robert Orban David Bagby, Danny Galloway WR (h) Devin Ross, Jay MacIntyre Joey Hall, *Justin Jan LT Jeromy Irwin, Dillon Middlemiss Shane Callahan LG Gerrard Kough, Jonathan Huckins, *Josh Kaiser John Lisella II (from 2015) C Alex Kelley, Sully Wiefels RG Tim Lynott Jr. Colin Sutton RT Aaron Haigler Sam Kronshage TE/HB George Frazier, Dylan Keeney, *Chris Bounds Sean Irwin, Chris Hill, Brian Boatman QB Steven Montez Sefo Liufau, Jordan Gehrke TB Phillip Lindsay, Michael Adkins, Beau Bisharat, Kyle Evans, Donovan Lee Joey Tuggle
DEFENSE Position Returning (24) Lost (13) OLB #Derek McCartney, N.J. Falo Christian Shaver DE Timothy Coleman, *Frank Umu Jordan Carrell DT Jase Franke, Eddy Lopez (from 2014), Brett Tonz, Lyle Tuiloma Josh Tupou DE Leo Jackson III, Michael Mathewes Samson Kafovalu, *Aaron Howard OLB Terran Hasselbach Jimmie Gilbert,*Deaysean Rippy MLB Rick Gamboa, Addison Gillam JLB *Drew Lewis Kenneth Olugbode *Ryan Severson, *Travis Talianko CB Anthony Julmisse, *Andrew Bergner Chidobe Awuzie SS Nick Fisher, *Kyle Trego, *Jaisen Sanchez (from 2015) Tedric Thompson FS Afolabi Laguda, Ryan Moeller (N/OLB), Daniel Talley CB Isaiah Oliver, *Lucas Cooper Ahkello Witherspoon
SPECIALISTS Position Returning (4) Lost (1) P Alex Kinney PK Chris Graham, Davis Price Diego Gonzalez SN J.T. Bale `
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 12
2016 SENIORS
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Exp. Hometown (High School/Previous College) Major TGD 16 AWINI, Jaleel WR 6- 2 215 Sr. 1L Aurora, Colo. (Rangeview/Air Force) Economics Graduated (Dec. 16) 4 AWUZIE, Chidobe DB 6- 0 205 Sr. 4L San Jose, Calif. (Oak Grove) Business-Management Graduated (Dec. 16) 84 BAGBY, David WR 6- 0 180 Sr. 1L San Diego, Calif. (Torrey Pines/Arizona) Sociology (May ’17) 99 *BOATMAN, Brian TE 6- 3 225 Sr. 2L Centennial, Colo. (Kent Denver) Economics (May ’17) 70 CALLAHAN, Shane OL 6- 6 300 Sr. 3L Parker, Colo. (Chaparral/Auburn) Communication Graduated (Aug. 16) 92 CARRELL, Jordan DE 6- 3 300 Sr. 2L Roseville, Calif. (Roseville/ American River College) Communication Graduated (Dec. 16) 88 *GALLOWAY, Danny WR 6- 0 200 Sr. 1L Lone Tree, Colo. (Highlands Ranch/Willamette) Economics (May ’17) 7 GEHRKE, Jordan QB 6- 1 200 Sr. 3L Scottsdale, Ariz. (Notre Dame Prep/Scottsdale CC) Psychology (May ’17) 98 GILBERT, Jimmie OLB 6- 5 230 Sr. 4L College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated) Sociology (May ’17) 10 GONZALEZ, Diego PK 6- 0 215 Sr. 3L Monterrey, MEXICO (Prepa Tec/Monterrey Tech) Business (Mngt. & Marketing) Graduated (Dec. 16) 83 *GRUNDMAN, Sean WR 6- 2 205 Sr. 1L Monument, Colo. (Lewis-Palmer/Western State) Business (Mngt. & Marketing) (May ’17) 27 *HALL, Joey WR 5- 9 170 Sr. 2L San Luis Obispo, Calif. (Mission Prep) Mechanical Engineering (May ’17) 94 #HENINGTON, Tyler DL 6- 2 240 Sr. 2L Centennial, Colo. (Mullen) Business (Acct.) & Economics (May ’17) 38 *HILL, Chris TE/HB 6- 2 225 Sr. 2L Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Mountain Vista) Communication Graduated (Dec. ’16) 99 HOWARD, Aaron OLB 6- 1 230 Sr. 2L Denver, Colo. (East/Willamette) Psychology (Leadership Studies minor) Graduated (Dec. 16) 81 IRWIN, Sean TE 6- 3 250 Sr. 4L Cypress, Texas (Cypress Fairbanks) Classics & History Graduated (Dec. 16) 54 KAFOVALU, Samson DT 6- 4 295 Sr. 4L Riverside, Calif. (Arlington) Communication (May ’17) 74 KELLEY, Alex C 6- 2 310 Sr. 4L Oceanside, Calif. (Vista) Ecology & Evolutionary Biology & English Graduated (Aug. 16) 13 LIUFAU, Sefo QB 6- 4 230 Sr. 4L Tacoma, Wash. (Bellarmine Prep) Economics (May ’17) 31 OLUGBODE, Kenneth ILB 6- 1 220 Sr. 4L San Jose, Calif. (Bellarmine Prep) Urban Design & Planning (May ’17) 3 RIPPY, Deaysean OLB 6- 2 240 Sr. 3L McKees Rocks, Pa. (Sto-Rox/Univ. of Pittsburgh) Ethnic Studies (May ’17) 30 SEVERSON, Ryan ILB 5-10 205 Sr. 4L San Jose, Calif. (Valley Christian) Business (Mngt. & Marketing) Graduated (Dec. 16) 27 TALIANKO, Travis ILB 6- 1 215 Sr. 2L Sierra Madre, Calif. (St. Francis/San Jose St./College of the Canyons) Economics Graduated (Dec. 16) 9 THOMPSON, Tedric DB 6- 1 205 Sr. 4L Valencia, Calif. (Valencia) Sociology (May ’17) 48 *TUGGLE, Joey TB 5- 7 185 Sr. 1L Aurora, Colo. (Smoky Hill) Business Management (May ’17) 58 TUPOU, Josh DT 6- 3 325 Sr. 4L Buena Park, Calif. (Buena Park) Communication (May ’17) 53 WIEFELS, Sully OL 6- 3 305 Sr. 2L Eagle, Idaho (Eagle/American River College) Political Science Graduated (Dec. 16) 23 WITHERSPOON, Ahkello DB 6- 3 195 Sr. 3L Sacramento, Calif. (Christian Brothers/SCCC) Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (May ’17) *—fourth-year seniors foregoing extra year and played as seniors in 2016 (or decided after the season); #—career ended by injury.
ACADEMIC HIGHS ACHIEVED IN 2016 FALL SEMESTER
The grade point average for the fall 2016 semester for all 360 CU student-athletes was 2.953, while the cumulative grade point was 2.932; it was the third-best semester, fall or spring, GPA on record. In addition, nine of the 15 programs (indoor and outdoor track are combined) improved their semester grade points from the spring and 10 saw their cumulative averages rise. Twelve teams boasted grade points of 3.0 or better for the semester (one other came in at 2.982), the most-ever, with a record 11 sporting a cumulative grade point besting the 3.0 mark.
For the fall semester, 263 student-athletes owned grade points over 2.5 (73%), 196 over 3.0 (54%, the fifth time half are over 3.0, all over the last five semesters) and 92 over 3.5 (26%, an all-time best); and 16 student-athletes recorded perfect 4.0 semesters. Overall, cumulatively speaking, 274 students are at or above 2.50 (76%), with 186 at 3.0 or higher (52%, another record) and 76 at or eclipsing 3.50 (21%).
The men’s ski team posted the best term average (3.520) while the women skiers had the best cumulative mar (3.442); the women have had 31 straight semesters with a 3.0 or better (and 10 straight over 3.2). Women’s cross country (25 consecutive semesters over 3.0), soccer (16), women’s track & field (16), women’s golf (13) and men’s skiing (13) all added to their double-figure streaks of 3.0 or better semesters. For just the second time, all nine women’s programs posted semester GPA’s of 3.0 or better for a term (first done in Spring ’15), with 12 doing it overall when including three men’s programs: cross country, golf and skiing. Football had a run of 11 straight terms of 2.5 or above come to an end (2.461), but has maintained a cumulative number of 2.6 or above for seven straight semesters.
A closer look, team-by-team (—indicates average higher than at the end of the Spring ’16 semester):
Team Fall GPA Cum. GPA Team Fall GPA Cum. GPA Team Fall GPA Cum. GPA Men’s Basketball 2.335 2.507 Women’s Golf 3.160 3.111 Men’s Track & Field 2.982 2.984 Women’s Basketball 3.141 3.115 Women’s Lacrosse 3.313 3.154 Women’s Track & Field 3.316 3.248 Men’s Cross Country 3.037 3.206 Men’s Skiing 3.520 3.330 Women’s Volleyball 3.107 3.154 Women’s Cross Country 3.313 3.249 Women’s Skiing 3.431 3.442 All Varsity Sports 2.953 2.932 Football 2.461 2.606 Women’s Soccer 3.227 3.358 Men’s Golf 3.102 2.908 Women’s Tennis 3.113 3.027
STAT OF THE YEAR
THE COIN TOSS: It might be a long, long time until this happens again. In 2016, the Buffaloes won 13 of 14 coin tosses to determine who gets the ball first (CU deferred all 13 times to the second half). Our Faculty Representative, Dr. David Clough, put it this on his engineering final exam when it was 12 of 13: What is the probability of winning 12 or more coin tosses, in any order, out of 13? Answer: 1.71 x 10-3 (or 1 in 585). The updated number for 13 out of 14? Try 9.15 x 10-4, or 1 out of 1,092.
OBSCURE NOTE OF THE WEEK
One of the team themes is to be “uncommon.” CU won six straight conference games this season within the same year for the first time since opening 7-0 in the first year of the Big 12 in 1996. In the 1961, 1989 and 1990 seasons, CU also finished 7-0 on its way to Big 8 titles those years. The eight wins in league play are the most CU has ever won in a conference season.
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 13
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Here’s where the Buffs ranked statistically in select categories in the Pac-12 and the NCAA for the 2016 season:
TEAM Pac12 NCAA Category Stat Pac12 NCAA Category Stat Pac12 NCAA Category Stat 8th 56th RUSHING OFFENSE ...... 182.6 6th 44th RUSHING DEFENSE ...... 148.9 5th 38st PUNT RETURNS ...... 9.7 8th 47th PASSING OFFENSE ...... 254.5 2nd 20th PASSING DEFENSE ...... 193.6 5th 32nd KICKOFF RETURNS ...... 22.8 6th 47th TOTAL OFFENSE ...... 437.1 2nd 19th TOTAL DEFENSE ...... 342.5 12th 118th NET PUNTING...... 34.4 3rd 29th 3rd DOWN EFFICIENCY...... 44.3 2nd 14th 3rd DOWN EFF DEFENSE ... 32.7 4th 32nd TURNOVER MARGIN ...... +0.43 7th 51st SCORING OFFENSE ...... 31.1 3rd 20th SCORING DEFENSE ...... 21.7 6th 49th TIME OF POSSESSION ...... 30:50
INDIVIDUAL (Top 25 in conference or top CU leader; players must meet NCAA minimum of 75% of team’s games; *—if had enough attempts to qualify) Rushing Pac-12 NCAA Yds/Gm Receptions Pac-12 NCAA No./Gm Scoring Pac-12 NCAA Pts/Gm Phillip Lindsay ...... 5th 45th 89.4 Devin Ross ...... 6th 67th 4.9 Phillip Lindsay ...... 11th 71st 7.4 Rushing/Avg. Per Carry Pac-12 NCAA Yds/Gm Shay Fields ...... 16th 134th 4.0 Field Goal Pct. Pac-12 NCAA Pct. Phillip Lindsay ...... 9th 86th 5.13 Phillip Lindsay ...... 18th 146nd 3.8 Chris Graham ...... 8th 87th 66.7 Defo Liufau ...... 13th 166th 2.99 Bryce Bobo ...... 29th 191st 3.4 Field Goals Pac-12 NCAA FG/Gm Passing Yards Pac-12 NCAA Yards Receiving Yards Pac-12 NCAA Yds/Gm Chris Graham ...... 8th 87th 0.83 Sefo Liufau ...... 8th 72nd 197.2 Shay Fields ...... 7th 93rd 63.1 Quarterback Sacks ...... Pac-12 NCAA Avg./Gm Steven Montez...... 12th 114th 98.0 Devin Ross ...... 13th 117th 56.2 Jimmie Gilbert ...... 3rd 27th 0.77 Passing Efficiency Pac-12 NCAA Rating Bryce Bobo ...... 23rd 202nd 42.1 Forced Fumbles ...... Pac-12 NCAA Avg./Gm Sefo Liufau ...... 7th 62nd 132.6 Yards Per Reception Pac-12 NCAA Yds/Gm Jimmie Gilbert ...... 2nd 3rd 0.43 Completion Pct. Pac-12 NCAA Rating Shay Fields ...... 8th 79nd 15.8 Fumbles Recovered ...... Pac-12 NCAA Total Sefo Liufau ...... 5th 29th 62.7 Punting Pac-12 NCAA Avg. Kenneth Olugbode ...... 3rd 8th 3 Steven Montez...... 9th 64th 59.3 Alex Kinney ...... 7th 63rd 41.3 Interceptions ...... Pac-12 NCAA Avg./Gm Total Offense Pac-12 NCAA Yds/Gm Punt Returns Pac-12 NCAA Avg. Tedric Thompson ...... 1st 5th 0.50 Sefo Liufau ...... 6th 60th 238.3 Jay MacIntyre ...... 5th 28th 8.9 Passes Defended Pac-12 NCAA Avg./Gm Steven Montez...... 12th 128th 119.0 Kickoff Returns Pac-12 NCAA Avg. Ahkello Witherspoon ..... 1st 1st 1.6 Phillip Lindsay ...... 16th 163rd 89.4 Anthony Julmisse ...... 9th 59th 22.4 Tedric Thompson ...... 1st 1st 1.6 All-Purpose Pac-12 NCAA Yds/Gm Touchdowns Pac-12 NCAA TDs Tackles / Tackles For Loss Phillip Lindsay ...... 6th 33rd 129.9 Phillip Lindsay ...... 2nd 20th 17 CU uses coaches’ video; numbers do not Shay Fields ...... 18th 145th 9 [email protected].
CAREER CHART WATCH
Here’s where several Buffaloes rank on some of CU’s all-time statistical charts through the 2016 season (Note: Colorado does not count bowl stats into career totals to protect past history, thus career numbers for players past and present will differ from NCAA):
TB MICHAEL ADKINS is 42nd in rushing yards (1,175). CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE finished fifth in pass deflections (35), 22nd in tackles (273; seventh in solo stops with 226), tied for 25th in tackles for loss (26; the most by a defensive back), first in sacks by a defensive back (9) and second in third down stops (47). WR BRYCE BOBO is 22nd in receptions (88) and is 31st in receiving yards (945). WR SHAY FIELDS is sixth in receptions (144), is 10th in receiving yards (1,929) and tied for eighth in touchdown receptions (17). OLB JIMMIE GILBERT finished tied for sixth in quarterback sacks (20), 18th in tackles for loss (31) and fourth in third down stops (44). ILB ADDISON GILLAM is 24th in total tackles (270), is tied for 25th in tackles for loss (26) and is 33rd in quarterback sacks (10½). PK DIEGO GONZALEZ finished 11th in kick scoring (114; which was 38th overall) and tied for ninth in field goals made (21). TE SEAN IRWIN finished tied for 111th in receptions (31) and 114th in receiving yards (322). DE SAMSON KAFOVALU finished tied for 39th in quarterback sacks (9½). TB DONOVAN LEE is 60th in receptions (46) and is 21st in kickoff return yards (586). TB PHILLIP LINDSAY is 13th in rushing yards (2,233), is third in all-purpose yards (4,001), is 24th in receptions (87), 42nd in receiving yards (719) and is sixth in kickoff return yards (1,077). QB SEFO LIUFAU finished first in passing yards (9,568), completions (870), attempts (1,383), completion percentage (62.9), total plays (1,751), total offense (10,509), tied for first in touchdown passes (60), and 56th in rushing yards (941; minus sack yards, his 1,382 yards are the sixth most by a quarterback). OLB DEREK McCARTNEY is tied for 39th in quarterback sacks (9½). ILB KENNETH OLUGBODE finished 16th in total tackles (299). TB DEVIN ROSS is tied for 16th in receptions (97) and is 21st in receiving yards (1,113). ILB RYAN SEVERSON finished 10th in kickoff return yards (872), fourth in special teams points (84) and 18th in special team tackles (24). SS TEDRIC THOMPSON finished 38th in total tackles (246), fifth in interceptions (13) and tied for sixth in pass deflections (34).
COLORADO IN THE POLLS – 2016 WEEK-BY-WEEK
A weekly look at where Colorado has placed weekly in each of the three major polls in 2016 (the College Football Playoff committee first released its weekly rankings on Nov. 1 and does weekly on Tuesdays; RV—denotes received votes; number is place outside top 25):
Poll PS 9/06 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/02 10/09 10/16 10/23 10/30 11/06 11/13 11/20 11/27 12/03 Final
Associated Press --- RV RV --- RV 21 RV RV 23 21 16 12 9 9 11 17 SA Today Coaches --- RV RV --- RV 23 RV RV 23 20 15 12 9 9 11 15 FWAA-NFF Super 16 ------RV 21 --- RV RV RV 14 t-11 9 9 11 --- CFP Committee Poll N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 15 12 10 9 8 10 ---
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 14
HISTORICALLY
Colorado is in its second century of intercollegiate football, as the Buffaloes finished their 127th season of competition having played 1,225 games with an all- time record of 695-494-36. CU currently stands 25th on the all-time win list and is 36th in all-time winning percentage (.582; the Buffs are 29th for those schools with 1,000 or more games played in Division I-A). Only 12 Division I schools have played more seasons of intercollegiate football than Colorado; Washington is the only Pac-12 school that matches CU’s total of 127 (Cal is the only one who has played more games – 1,232), with only USC (823) and Washington (715) having won more games (CU is sixth in the league in winning percentage). In Boulder, the Buffs are 401-189-16 (.675) all-time and 309-169-10 (.643) in 93 seasons on the “hilltop” (Folsom Field).
TALE OF THE TAPE / COLORADO-COLORADO STATE
Here’s a comparative look ahead to the 2017 season opener on Friday, September 1 between Colorado and Colorado State (in Denver) in both general areas as well as several statistical categories to all games through the end of the 2016 season (NCAA/national rankings, if applicable, are in parenthesis):
Category Colorado Colorado State Category Colorado Colorado State Overall Record ...... 10-4 7-6 Third Down Conversion Offense ...... 44.4 (29) 42.4 (47) Streak ...... Lost 2 Lost 1 Third Down Conversion Defense ...... 32.7 (14) 49.0 (123) vs. AP Ranked Teams (at time of game) ...... 2-3 0-1 Fourth Down Conversion Offense ...... 42.1 (103) 56.5 (38) Pac-12 / Mountain West Record ...... 8-1 5-3 Fourth Down Conversion Defense ...... 45.0 (45) 45.5 (38) Alumni On NFL Rosters (as of Jan. 31) ...... 9 8 Three & Outs on Defense ...... 61 (17) N/A (--) Rushing Offense ...... 182.6 (56) 217.8 (31) Quarterback Sacks By ...... 2.57 (30) 2.23 (53) Average Per Rush ...... 4.0 5.3 Quarterback Sacks Allowed ...... 2.21 (77) 1.00 ( 8) Passing Offense ...... 254.5 (47) 244.7 (55) Net Punting ...... 34.36 (118) 40.64 (10) Completion Percentage ...... 61.6 (33) 60.4 (41) Punt Returns ...... 9.69 (38) 8.52 (53) Average Per Attempt ...... 7.6 8.8 Punt Return Yardage Defense ...... 13.12 (118) 6.65 (49) Passing Efficiency ...... 135.5 (53) 157.0 (12) Kickoff Returns ...... 22.83 (32) 20.31 (76) Total Offense ...... 437.1 (47) 462.5 (30) Kickoff Return Yardage Defense ...... 25.81 (123) 19.63 (43) Average Per Play ...... 5.54 6.68 Penalties Per Game ...... 5.43 (44) 6.08 (62) Scoring Offense ...... 31.1 (51) 35.3 (28) Penalty Yards Per Game ...... 47.2 (40) 54.2 (64) Rushing Defense...... 148.9 (44) 214.0 (98) Turnovers Gained ...... 26 (18) 14 (104) Average Per Rush ...... 4.1 4.8 Turnovers Lost ...... 20 (68) 15 (17) Passing Defense ...... 193.6 (20) 205.2 (32) Turnover Margin ...... +0.43 (32) -0.08 (73) Completion Percentage ...... 49.8 58.7 Interceptions ...... 15 (22) 8 (93) Average Per Attempt ...... 5.7 8.5 Red Zone Scoring Percentage (Offense) .. 88.1 (29) 94.3 ( 1) Pass Efficiency Defense ...... 104.3 (5) 143.7 (107) Red Zone Scoring Percentage (Defense) . 74.5 (12) 93.6 (125) Total Defense ...... 342.5 (19) 419.2 (69) Time of Possession ...... 30:50 (49) 29:18 (74) Average Per Play ...... 4.87 6.11 Strength of Record (ESPN) ...... 11 N/A Scoring Defense ...... 21.7 (20) 30.4 (81) Schedule Strength (USA Today/Sagarin) ... 20 77
2016 PAC-12 CONFERENCE STANDINGS
South Division (-4) conference------overall------School (AP/Coaches/CFP) W L Pct. Pts Opp W L Pct. Pts Opp Next Up COLORADO (#17/#15/#10) ...... 8 1 .889 289 166 10 4 .714 435 304 S 1 Colorado State (Denver) Southern California (#3/#5/#9) ...... 7 2 .778 299 180 10 3 .769 447 315 S 2 WESTERN MICHIGAN Utah (#23/#21/#19) ...... 5 4 .556 284 251 9 4 .692 388 311 S 2 NORTH DAKOTA Arizona State ...... 2 7 .222 256 382 5 7 .417 400 478 A 31 NEW MEXICO STATE UCLA ...... 2 7 .222 216 264 4 8 .333 299 330 S 2 TEXAS A&M Arizona ...... 1 8 .111 203 393 3 9 .250 297 460 S 2 NORTHERN ARIZONA
North Division (+4) conference------overall------School (AP/Coaches/CFP) W L Pct. Pts Opp W L Pct. Pts Opp Next Up Washington (#4/#4/#4) ...... 8 1 .889 389 184 12 2 .857 585 248 S 1 at Rutgers Washington State (RV/RV/#23) ...... 7 2 .778 358 244 8 5 .615 496 343 S 2 MONTANA STATE Stanford (#12/#12/#18) ...... 6 3 .667 233 202 10 3 .769 342 265 S 2 at Rice California ...... 3 6 .333 304 392 5 7 .417 445 511 S 2 at North Carolina Oregon State ...... 3 6 .333 230 291 4 8 .333 314 366 S 2 PORTLAND STATE Oregon ...... 2 7 .222 296 408 4 8 .333 425 497 S 2 SOUTHERN UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Washington 41, Colorado 10 (at Santa Clara, Calif.)
DID YOU KNOW? Since 1989, CU has played the sixth most ranked teams in the nation (130, with a record of 45-83-2), trailing only Florida (144; 74-69-1), Alabama 140 (83-56-1), LSU (140; 68-72), Michigan 131 (67-62-2) and Ohio State 131 (79-49-3); the runner-up in wins, Florida State, has played 127; 82-45. CU’s 45 wins over ranked programs are the 20th most over these 28 seasons (and CU’s 68 overall wins against ranked schools are 23rd all-time). Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 15
THE RISE … FROM FOUR OR FEWER TO 10 OR MORE
Taking a look at the current landscape of the so-called Power-5 conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern) and examining the history of those teams, CU’s turnaround is up there with some of the all-time finest among college football’s big boys. The Buffaloes became the ninth team among the Power-5 schools since 1972 to win 10 or more games after finishing the previous season with four or fewer wins (1972 was the year freshmen became eligible to play in NCAA Division I football, thus defining the modern era). (CU was just the 30th team to go from four to nine wins.) Here’s a look at those current power-5 programs with the largest turnarounds since 1972 (conference listed after school name is the one it belonged to at the time).
Power-5 Programs Jumping from Four or Fewer Wins to 10 or More Wins in Just One Season
Improvement Previous Season Next Season Improvement Previous Season Next Season School Overall Wins Record Year Record Year School Overall Wins Record Year Record Year Auburn (SEC) + 8 + 9 3-9 2012 12-2 2013 Northwestern (Big Ten) + 6 + 7 3-7-1 1994 10-2 1995 TCU (Big 12) + 7½ + 8 4-8 2013 12-1 2014 Wake Forest (ACC) + 5½ + 7 4-7 2005 11-3 2006 Penn State (Big Ten) + 6½ + 7 4-7 2004 11-1 2005 Washington State (Pac-10) + 5½ + 6 4-7 2000 10-2 2001 Colorado (Pac-12) + 6 + 6 4-9 2015 10-4 2016 Arkansas (SEC) + 4½ + 6 4-7 2005 10-4 2006 Colorado (Big 12) + 6 + 7 3-8 2000 10-3 2001
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS ALL-TIME IN PAC-12 LEAGUE PLAY
Colorado completed the biggest improvement in league record from one year to the next in the history of the Pac-12 Conference with its 27-22 win over Utah in Boulder to close the regular season. The Buffs finished at 8-1 in league play, a total reversal from a 1-8 mark in 2015, or a difference of seven games. While those inside the CU program thought it could be done, after going 5-40 in Pac-12 play from 2011 through 2015, CU was picked to finish last in the South Division in the 2016 preseason media poll (in fact, CU was 11-58 in conference games from 2009 from 2015).
In Pac-12 history, there are just two instances where a school won seven or more games in league play than it did the season before, with Colorado joining the 1940 Stanford team as the only ones to accomplish the feat. Stanford’s 6½-game improvement that year had been the best from one year to the next, with three others improving by five games; but at +7, this year’s Buffaloes became the league’s all-time most improved team. A closer look:
ALL-TIME BIGGEST OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN PAC-12 CONFERENCE PLAY FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT
Improvement Previous Season Next Season Improvement Previous Season Next Season School Overall Wins Record Year Record Year School Overall Wins Record Year Record Year *Colorado + 7 + 7 1-8 2015 8-1 2016 Oregon State + 4 + 4 1-6 1954 5-2 1955 *Stanford + 6½ + 7 0-6-1 1939 7-0 1940 Southern California + 4 + 4 3-4 1975 7-0 1976 *California + 5 + 5 1-6 1957 6-1 1958 Arizona State + 4 + 4 4-4 1995 8-0 1996 Oregon + 5 + 5 2-6 1993 7-1 1994 Washington State + 4 + 4 3-5 1996 7-1 1997 Stanford + 5 + 5 2-6 1998 7-1 1999 Washington State + 4 + 4 2-6 2000 6-2 2001 UCLA + 4 + 5 2-3 1945 7-0 1946 Arizona State + 4 + 4 1-7 2001 5-3 2002 Washington + 4 + 5 1-5-1 1951 6-2 1952 California + 4 + 4 0-8 2001 4-4 2002 #Washington + 1½ + 5 1-1 1944 6-3 1945 Washington + 4 + 4 0-9 2008 4-5 2009 California + 4½ + 4 1-6 1946 5-1 1947 Washington State + 4 + 4 2-7 2014 6-3 2015 Washington + 4 + 4 2-5 1949 6-1 1950 (#—conference played a limited schedule in 1944 due to World War II)
*—LAST TO FIRST: Colorado is technically the first AND fourth team to go from “worst to first” in Pac-12 history. The Stanford and Cal teams did it, along with the ’59 Washington team that was 1-6 in 1958 but went 3-1 in 1959 (the year Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State left the conference for up to five seasons). But in all three cases, Idaho was a member of the league those years but always played an abbreviated schedule (finishing 0-3 all three times).
MOST IMPROVED FBS TEAMS IN 2016
There have now been three seasons in school history where CU finished as or tied as the nation’s most improved team. In one of the more dramatic turnarounds in NCAA history, CU went from 1-10 in 1984 to 7-5 in 1985, a 5½-game improvement, after the Buffs switched from a pro passing attack to the wishbone on offense. Then in 2001, Colorado improved six games, finishing 10-3 after going 3-8 the year before; in fact, CU just missed playing in the BCS Championship game by .05 of a point. This year, CU tied for the biggest jump over its 2015 record with five other schools; the Buffs also debuted as No. 15 in the first College Football Playoff Poll of the season, one of only two teams (with Nebraska) that had losing seasons in 2015. The most improved teams in 2016:
School 2015 2016 Diff. School 2015 2016 Diff. School 2015 2016 Diff. Colorado 4-9 10-4 + 5½ Troy 4-8 10-3 + 5½ Wyoming 2-10 8-6 + 5 UCF 0-12 6-7 + 5½ Army 2-10 8-5 + 5½ Eastern Michigan 1-11 7-6 + 5½ Georgia Tech 3-9 9-4 + 5½
ALL-TIME MOST IMPROVED CU TEAMS
The 2016 Buffaloes were the second most improved team from one year to the next in CU history as well. The biggest turnarounds in Buff history:
Season Record Season Record Improvement Season Record Season Record Improvement 2000 3-8 2001 10-3 + 6 1922 4-4 1923 9-0 + 4½ 2015 4-9 2016 10-4 + 5½ 1916 1-5-1 1917 6-2 + 4 1984 1-10 1985 7-5 + 5½ 1964 2-8 1965 6-2-2 + 4 1893 2-4 1894 8-1 + 4½
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 16
COLORADO BY THE NUMBERS IN 2016
0-18 Colorado’s record coming into the year against Arizona State, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA since joining the Pac-12 (4-0 this year); 3:19 The average length of CU’s games in 2016 (the quickest 2:58 against Stanford; the longest being 3:37 versus Washington State); 4-0 Colorado’s record against Pac-12 North opponents this season (it was 3-17 entering the year); 3 The number of interceptions CU had against Stanford, its most in a game since picking off that number against Central Arkansas on Sept.7, 2013. 4 The number of true freshmen the Buffs played in 2016 (1 offense/2 defense/1 specialist), the same number as in 2015; 10-5 Colorado’s non-conference record over the last four seasons under Mike MacIntyre (includes Pac-12 title game and Alamo Bowl); 10-5 The final score of the win at Stanford, CU’s lowest point total in winning game since Oct. 8, 1992 (a 6-0 win at Missouri); 10 The total yards on offense that Colorado State had in the first quarter of the season opener (while CU had 253); 11 The number of drives CU ran plays in plus territory against Colorado State (out of 13 total; 49 plays in all); 12 The number of first downs Colorado had earned before CSU picked up its first in the opener (there was 10:23 left in the second quarter); 13 The number of players making their debut in CU uniform in the season opener against CSU (including 2 who started, OG Lynott and S Laguda); 15 The number of fumbles by CU tailbacks (on offense) in 51 games under Mike MacIntyre (1,472 carries; 7 this year in 399); 17- (-of-31) Colorado’s second down efficiency at Oregon (a 54.8 conversion rate including 5-of-5 on 2nd-and-4 or less); 19 The number of players earning first downs for Colorado this season (including QB Sefo Liufau, who has earned at least one all three ways for four years); 20.6 The opponents’ third down conversion percentage on 3rd-&-6 or longer (27-of-131); 21.5 The average number of seconds between plays by the Colorado offense (1037 scrimmage/25 FGA/68 punts, 404:17 possession time, or 24,257 seconds); 25 Consecutive games CU forced a turnover from the 2015 season opener through the 12th game in 2016, the longest streak in the nation when it ended; 27 The number of different NFL teams that have scouted the Buffaloes on game days this season; 29 The number of Colorado games played in less than three hours since 1990 (out of 330 games; one this year—Stanford); 34-0-1 Colorado’s all-time record when rushing for 300-plus yards in a game (one game this year: 315 against Arizona State in a 40-16 win on Oct. 15); 35.5 The third down efficiency of opponents against Colorado in the state’s borders since the ’09 opener (281-of-791); 36.8 The opponents’ combined percentage on third down inside-the-CU 20 (77-of-209) in the last 94 games (dating to 2008; 8-of-26 this year); 41 The margin of victory over Oregon State (47-6), CU’s largest in a conference game since 1992 (a 54-7 win over Kansas State); 50 The number of Buffaloes who have scored 100 or more career points (PK Diego Gonzalez and TB Phillip Lindsay joined the group this year); 53 The number of Buffaloes who have 1,000 or more career rushing yards; who will make it 54? 68.3 The average number of plays (plays, kicks, returns) per fumble in the MacIntyre Era at Colorado (68 fumbles, 4,642 touches); 76.7 The combined conversion percentage on third down with one- and two-yards to go for a first (46-of-60); 100 The combined points scored in CU’s first two games of the season, its most since 1994 (103); 119 The number of passes thrown by CU quarterbacks before the first opponent interception, the most-ever into a season (topping 105 in 2000); 127 The number of additional plays on offense that Colorado has run compared to its opponents in the regular season (+328 over the last two-plus seasons); 156 The number of consecutive PAT kicks CU kickers had made from Nov. 26, 2011 through Sept. 24, 2016, when Oregon blocked one; 260 The number of rushing yards by Colorado against Colorado State, the most by the Buffs in a season opener since 1994 (407 against NE Louisiana); 309 The number of all-time wins Colorado has recorded at Folsom Field since it opened on Oct. 11, 1924 (401 overall at all home venues); 310 The school record first downs Colorado in 2016 (143 rush/138 pass/29 by penalty), ranking 12th in the NCAA (third Pac-12) for the regular season; 359 Through three games, CU had allowed exactly the same number of yards rushing AND passing: 359 (or 718 total); 468 The total offense that QB Steven Montez amassed in his first career start at Oregon on Sept. 24 (333 passing, 135 rushing and accounting for 4 TDs); 593 Colorado’s total offense against Oregon, its most in 21 games against the Ducks and actually the first time the Buffs gained over 400; 992.8 The passer rating for WR Bryce Bobo, as he is 1-for-1 for 67 yards and a touchdown (the NCAA formula does not cap it like the NFL’s); 1,101 The number of passing yards that QB Sefo Liufau finished with Against Arizona State, the most by a CU player against any single opponent (four games; 4,176 The air miles CU racked up traveling in back-to-back weeks to play Michigan and Oregon, the first time CU played back-to-back in the ETZ and PTZ.
ATTENDANCE UP
The attendance at Folsom Field for the Utah season home finale was 52,301, the first sellout since Oct. 4, 2008 (53,927 vs. Texas; Folsom’s capacity then was 53,613, but 3,000+ seats were removed during 2014’s renovation). It was the largest since Oct. 2, 2010 (52,855 vs. Georgia) and the first over 50,000 since Nov. 4, 2011 (50,083, USC), and was the largest for a non-Nebraska home finale since 1996 (53,550 for Kansas State on Nov. 16), as well as the fifth-most ever for a Folsom finisher that didn’t involve the Huskers. CU averaged 46,609 for the season (279,652 for six home games), its highest average since 2011 (50,355 for 5 games). CU averaged 39,389 for the 2015 season, thus averaging 7,220 more than a year ago (an 18 percent increase), as it was CU’s largest improvement from one season to the next since 1988-89 (when the average jumped by 9,764) and the seventh largest in school history. Colorado also had last averaged over 40,000 for a full season in 2012 (45,373). CU had the second largest increase in attendance among the 65 “Power 5” schools, as the Buffs’ average was 18.4 percent higher than the 2015 season; Miami-Fla. was first (23 percent), then CU, Duke (13 percent) and Illinois, Iowa and Louisville (all 10 percent).
DID YOU KNOW? In its history, Colorado is 315-23-1 when scoring 30 or more points (7-0 in 2016), along with records of 227-8 with 35-plus points and 210-6 with 36-plus, 187-4 with 38-plus and 119-2 with 43 or more tallies. The six losses with 35 more points came to Air Force (58-35 in 1968), Oklahoma (82-42 in 1980), Stanford (41-37 in 1993), Toledo (54-38 in 2009), Kansas (52-45 in 2010), Utah (42-35 in 2012) and California (59-56 in 2OT in 2014).
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 17
2016 SEASON HONORS
Honors afforded the Buffaloes to date for the 2016 season:
BUFFALOES ON NATIONAL AWARD LISTS (Watch Lists/Official Nominations)
Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award: Mike MacIntyre (one of 23 on official watch list) Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year): CB Chidobe Awuzie, OLB Jimmie Gilbert (two of 91 on official watch list) Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (most outstanding offensive player with ties to state of Texas): SE Sean Irwin (one of 41 players on official watch list) Dante Hall Award (most impactful “little big man” under 6-foot tall): TB Kyle Evans (one of 39 players on official watch list) Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player): WR Donovan Lee (one of 43 on official watch list) Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year): CB Chidobe Awuzie, OLB Jimmie Gilbert (two of 89 on official watch list) Senior Bowl Watch List (January 28 all-star game): CB Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thomson, Josh Tupou Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back): CB Chidobe Awuzie (one of 39 on official watch list) Doak Walker (top running back): TB Phillip Lindsay (one of 77 on official watch list) Danny Wuerffel Award (athletic, academic & community achievement): QB Sefo Liufau (one of 88 on official watch list) Polynesian Player of the Year (most outstanding player of Polynesian Ancestry): QB Sefo Liufau, DT Josh Tupou (two of 38 players on official watch list)
ALL-AMERICAN
OLB JIMMIE GILBERT (second-team: collegesportsmadness.com; third-team: Associated Press) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (second-team: CBSSports.com)
FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
OG TIM LYNOTT, Jr. (first-team: USA Today)
ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE
CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE (first-team: Associated Press; second-team: Pac-12 Coaches, Phil Steele’s College Football) OLB JIMMIE GILBERT (first-team: Associated Press, Pac-12 Coaches, collegefootballnews.com, Phil Steele’s College Football) ST RYAN MOELLER (first-team: Pac-12 Coaches) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (first-team: Associated Press, collegefootballnews.com, Phil Steele’s College Football; second-team: Pac-12 Coaches) OT JEROMY IRWIN (second-team: Pac-12 Coaches; third-team: Phil Steele’s College Football) TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (first-team: collegefootballnews.com, Phil Steele’s College Football; second-team: Pac-12 Coaches) CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON (second-team: Associated Press, Pac-12 Coaches; third-team: Phil Steele’s College Football) WR BRYCE BOBO (honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) DE JORDAN CARRELL (third-team: Phil Steele’s College Football; honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) WR SHAY FIELDS (third-team: Phil Steele’s College Football; honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) C ALEX KELLEY (third-team: Phil Steele’s College Football; honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) OG GERRAD KOUGH (honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) QB SEFO LIUFAU (third-team: Phil Steele’s College Football; honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) ILB KENNETH OLUGBODE (second-team: Phil Steele’s College Football; honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) WR DEVIN ROSS (honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches) DT JOSH TUPOU (honorable mention: Pac-12 Coaches)
COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (Associated Press, Pac-12 Coaches)
MIDSEASON ALL-PAC-12
CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE (ESPN.com); OLB JIMMIE GILBERT (ESPN.com); C ALEX KELLEY (ESPN.com); OG GERRAD KOUGH (ESPN.com)
COLORADO CHAPTER / NFF COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ALL-COLORADO TEAM
MIKE MacINTYRE, Coach of the Year ILB KENNETH OLUGBODE (first-team) QB SEFO LIUFAU (second-team) CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE (first-team) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (first-team) WR DEVIN ROSS (second-team) OLB JIMMIE GILBERT (first-team) DE JORDAN CARRELL (second-team) DT JOSH TUPOU (second-team) OT JEROMY IRWIN (first-team) WR SHAY FIELDS (second-team) CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON (second-team) TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (first-team) C ALEX KELLEY (second-team)
PAC-12 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
QB SEFO LIUFAU (Sept. 2, Offensive vs. Colorado State: 33-23-0, 318, 1 TD passing; 14-66 rushing; 384 yards total offense; 17 FDE) QB STEVEN MONTEZ (Sept. 24, Offensive at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) PK DAVIS PRICE (Oct. 1, Special Teams vs. Oregon State: 2-2 FG (54 &, 22 yards), 5-5 FG, 11 points, 8 KO/4 TD; longest FG by a freshman in school history) TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (Oct. 15, Offensive vs. Arizona State: 26-219, 3 TD rushing; 4-20 receiving; 10 first downs earned) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (Oct. 22, Defensive at Stanford: 12 tackles (four solo), two interceptions-returned 30 yards, one third down stop, one touchdown save) CB ISAIAH OLIVER (Nov. 3, Special Teams vs. UCLA: 5-124, 1 TD punt returns; longs of 68 (TD) and 42, first CU punt return for a TD since 2005) QB SEFO LIUFAU (Nov. 19, Offensive vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345, 0 TD passing; 23-108, 3 td passing; 453 yards total offense; 22 FDE) CB NICK FISHER (Nov. 19, Defensive vs. Washington State: 4,2—6 TT, 4 third down stops (one on fourth down), 1 PBU) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (November 26, Defensive vs. Utah: 4 tackles (four solo), two interceptions, four third down stops (one fourth), four PBU’s)
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 18
2016 SEASON HONORS, continued
ROSE BOWL PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB STEVEN MONTEZ (Sept. 24 at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) QB SEFO LIUFAU (Nov. 19 vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345, 1 TD passing; 23-108, 3 td passing; 453 yards total offense; 22 FDE)
NFF/COLORADO CHAPTER STATE OF COLORADO PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB STEVEN MONTEZ (Sept. 24 at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) WR SHAY FIELDS (Oct. 1 vs. Oregon State: 7-169 receiving, 3 TD (covering 51, 33 and 63 yards), 5 FDE TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (Oct. 15 vs. Arizona State: 26-219, 3 TD rushing; 4-20 receiving; 10 first downs earned) QB SEFO LIUFAU (Nov. 19 vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345, 1 TD passing; 23-108, 3 td passing; 453 yards total offense; 22 FDE) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (Nov. 26 vs. Utah: 4 tackles (four solo), two interceptions, four third down stops (one fourth), four PBU’s)
SCOUT.COM PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB SEFO LIUFAU (Sept. 2 Colorado State: 33-23-0, 318, 1 TD passing; 14-66 rushing; 384 yards total offense; 17 FDE)
COLLEGESPORTSMADNESS.COM NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB STEVEN MONTEZ (Sept. 24 at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start)
COLLEGESPORTSMADNESS.COM PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB STEVEN MONTEZ (Sept. 24, Offensive at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (Oct. 15, Offensive vs. Arizona State: 26-219, 3 TD rushing; 4-20 receiving; 10 first downs earned) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (Oct. 22, Defensive at Stanford: 12 tackles (four solo), two interceptions-returned 30 yards, one third down stop, one touchdown save) ILB KENNETH OLUGBODE (Nov. 3, Defensive vs. UCLA: seven tackles (three solo, one for a loss), one third down stop, 51-yard interception return) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (November 26, Defensive vs. Utah: 4 tackles (four solo), two interceptions, four third down stops (one fourth), four PBU’s)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PERFORMANCE AWARDS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (honorable mention: Oct. 15, vs. Arizona State: 26-219, 3 TD rushing; 4-20 receiving; 10 first downs earned) QB SEFO LIUFAU (honorable mention: November 19 vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345, 1 TD passing; 23-108, 3 td passing; 453 yards total offense; 22 FDE)
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL MANNING AWARD STARS OF THE WEEK (eight selected weekly)
QB STEVEN MONTEZ (honorable mention: Sept. 24 at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) QB SEFO LIUFAU (honorable mention: Nov. 19 vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345, 1 TD passing; 23-108, 3 td passing; 453 yards total offense; 22 FDE)
DAVEY O’BRIEN AWARD “GREAT EIGHT” NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS (eight selected weekly)
QB SEFO LIUFAU (Sept. 2 vs. Colorado State: 33-23-0, 318, 1 TD passing; 14-66 rushing; 384 yards total offense; 17 FDE) QB STEVEN MONTEZ (honorable mention: Sept. 24 at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start)
ESPN HELMET STICKERS
TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (Oct. 15 vs. Arizona State: 26-219, 3 TD rushing; 4-20 receiving; 10 first downs earned) QB SEFO LIUFAU (honorable mention: Nov. 19 vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345, 1 TD passing; 23-108, 3 td passing; 453 yards total offense; 22 FDE)
JIM THORPE AWARD DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON (honorable mention; Sept. 24 at Oregon: 3, 2—5 TT, 3DS, PBU, INT, the latter with :48 left in the end zone)
EARL CAMPBELL-TYLER ROSE AWARD NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB STEVEN MONTEZ (honorable mention: Sept. 24 at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) QB STEVEN MONTEZ (honorable mention: Oct. 1 vs. Oregon State: 27-19-0, 293, 3 TD passing; 4-28 rushing; 321 yards total offense; 13 FDE in first career start)
CU ATHLETES-OF-THE-WEEK
QB SEFO LIUFAU (August 29-September 4; vs. Colorado State: 33-23-0, 318, 1 TD passing; 14-66 rushing; 384 yards total offense; 17 FDE) QB SEFO LIUFAU (September 12-18; at Michigan: 25-16-0, 246, 3 TD passing; 8-4 rushing; 250 yards total offense; 1-14 receiving; 9 FDE) QB STEVEN MONTEZ (September 19-25; at Oregon: 32-23-2, 333, 2 TD passing; 21-135, 1 TD rushing; 468 yards total offense; 23 FDE in first career start) OLB JIMMIE GILBERT (Sept. 26-Oct. 2; vs. Oregon State: 7 tackles (7 solo, two quarterback sacks), three hurries, two forced fumbles, third down stop) WR BRYCE BOBO (October 3-9; at Southern California: 10-83 receiving, 1-1, 67 passing 1 TD) TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (October 10-16; vs. Arizona State: 26-219, 3 TD rushing, 4-20 receiving) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (October 17-23; at Stanford: 12 tackles (4 solo), two interceptions, one third down stop) CB ISAIAH OLIVER (Oct. 31-Nov. 6; vs. UCLA: 5-124, 1 TD (68 yards) in punt returns; two tackles, two PBU’s, one third down stop) QB SEFO LIUFAU (November 14-20; vs. Washington State: 41-27-0, 345 , 0 TD passing; 23-108, 3 TD rushing; 453 yards total offense, 22 FDE) ILB KENNETH OLUGBODE (Nov. 28-Dec. 4; vs. Washington/Pac-12 Championship: 14 tackles (10 solo, two for zero, one-half quarterback sack, one third down stop) TB PHILLIP LINDSAY (December 25-31; vs. Oklahoma State in Alamo Bowl: 14-63, 0 TD rushing, 6-103, 0 TD receiving)
FWAA NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
COLORADO (honorable mention: Sept. 24 at Oregon [Won, 41-38]: Steven Montez recorded the first 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing game in school history (333 and 135, respectively), and CU held off an Oregon rally with an interception in its own end zone by Ahkello Witherspoon in the final minute to earn a signature road win in its Pac-12 opener.)
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2016 SEASON HONORS, continued
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS
MIKE MacINTYRE (winner: Walter Camp; Bobby Dodd Trophy, ESPN Home Depot, Associated Press, FWAA/Eddie Robinson, AFCA, SB Nation; Scout.com; finalist: Bear Bryant, Maxwell). Also: AFCA Region V Coach of the Year.
AFCA COMEBACK COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
MIKE MacINTYRE (winner) BOBBY DODD TROPHY COACH OF THE WEEK
MIKE MacINTYRE (one of 18 head coaches named to the award’s midseason watch list; National Coach of the Week for Nov. 20-26)
BROYLES AWARD / ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
JIM LEAVITT, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (one of five finalists)
FOOTBALLSCOOP ASSISTANT COACHES OF THE YEAR
Defensive Backs: Charles Clark & Joe Tumpkin (winners) Offensive Coordinators: Darrin Chiaverini/Brian Lindgren (tandem is one of eight finalists)
COACHINGSEARCH.COM ASSISTANT COACH OF THE WEEK
BRIAN LINGREN, Quarterbacks (Week 4; September 24 at Oregon) BRIAN LINDGREN, Quarterbacks (Week 12; November 19 vs. Washington St.) JIM LEAVITT, Linebackers (Week 7; October 15 vs. Arizona State) JOE TUMPKIN, Safeties (Week 13; November 26 vs. Utah) CHARKES CLARK, Defensive Backs (Week 8; October 22 at Stanford)
ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
OLB DEREK McCARTNEY (Jr.; bone marrow match and donated through the Be the Match national program)
NFF/COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 2016 INDUCTEE
DE HERB ORVIS (played at Colorado from 1969-71; recorded 20 career sacks and went on to enjoy a 10-year career in the National Football League)
POLYNESIAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
QB SEFO LIUFAU (winner)
POLYNESIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 2017 INDUCTEE
OG CHRIS NAEOLE (Colorado, 1992-96; NFL: New Orleans, Jacksonville 1997-2008, 12 years, Hawaiian ancestry
PAC-12 ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
PK CHRIS GRAHAM (honorable mention: Integrative Physiology, 3.19 GPA) DE AARON HAIGLER (honorable mention: Arts & Sciences, 3.05 GPA) DE AARON HOWARD (honorable mention: Psychology/Leadership Studies, 3.56 GPA) P ALEX KINNEY (honorable mention: Business, 3.02 GPA) ILB RYAN SEVERSON (honorable mention: Business, 3.44 GPA)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION SCHOLAR-ATHLETE NOMINEE
ILB RYAN SEVERSON (Business—Administration, Operations Management: 3.43 grade point average)
COLORADO TEAM AWARDS (Selected by coaches unless otherwise indicated)
Zack Jordan Award (most valuable player): CB Chidobe Awuzie and Derek Singleton Award (spirit/dedication/enthusiasm): TB Phillip Lindsay QB Sefo Liufau Tyronee “Tiger” Bussey Award (inspiration in the face of physical John Mack Award (outstanding offensive players): TB Phillip Lindsay adversity): ILB Addison Gillam Dave Jones Award (outstanding defensive players): SS Tedric Thompson Tom McMahon Award (dedication/work ethic): ILB Kenneth Olugbode Bill McCartney Award (special teams achievement): TB Beau Bisharat and Eddie Crowder Award (outstanding team leadership): TE George Frazier CB Isaiah Oliver Offensive Trench Award: OT Jeromy Irwin Lee Willard Award (outstanding freshmen): OG Tim Lynott, Jr., and Defensive Trench Award: OLB Jimmie Gilbert and DT Josh Tupou QB Steven Montez Hammer Award (hardest legal hit of the year): TE Sean Irwin Offensive Scout Player of the Year: QB Casey Marksberry Best Interview (selected by team beat media): TB Phillip Lindsay Defensive Scout Players of the Year: DE Sam Bennion and DB Lucas Cooper Buffalo Heart Award (selected by the fans): QB Sefo Liufau Dean Jacob Van Ek Award (academic excellence): OL Isaac Miller
POSTSEASON ALL-STAR GAMES
CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE (Senior Bowl) SS TEDRIC THOMPSON (East-West Shrine Game) OLB JIMMIE GILBERT (East-West Shrine Game) DT JOSH TUPOU (East-West Shrine Game) QB SEFO LIUFAU (Senior Bowl) CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON (East-West Shrine Game) ILB KENNETH OLUGBODE (East-West Shrine Game)
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 20
GAME-BY-GAME STARTERS (2016)
Here were CU’s starters for the 2016 season (bold indicated first career start):
OFFENSE WR (X) WR (Z) WR (H) LT LG C RG RT TE QB TB Colorado State Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Kronshage MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lindsay Idaho State Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Wiefels Lynott Kronshage MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lindsay Michigan Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Haigler S. Irwin Liufau MacIntyre (WR) Oregon Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Haigler S. Irwin Montez Lindsay Oregon State Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Kronshage MacIntyre (WR) Montez Lindsay Southern California Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Kronshage MacIntyre (WR) Montez Lindsay Arizona State Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Kronshage MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lindsay Stanford Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Kronshage Keeney Liufau Lindsay UCLA Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Kronshage MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lee (WR) Arizona Bobo Fields Ross Callahan Kough Kelley Lynott Haigler MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lindsay Washington State Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Huckins Kelley Lynott Haigler Frazier Liufau Lindsay Utah Ento Fields Ross J. Irwin Huckins Kelley Lynott Haigler S. Irwin Liufau Lindsay Washington Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Huckins Kelley Lynott Haigler MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lindsay Oklahoma State Bobo Fields Ross J. Irwin Kough Kelley Lynott Haigler MacIntyre (WR) Liufau Lindsay
DEFENSE OLB DE NT DE OLB JLB MLB LCB SS FS RCB Colorado State McCartney Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Idaho State Shaver Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Michigan McCartney Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Oregon Moeller Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Oliver Oregon State Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Southern California Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Jackson Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Arizona State Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Stanford Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon UCLA Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Arizona Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Washington State Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Utah Awuzie (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Oliver Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Washington Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Witherspoon Oklahoma State Moeller (N) Carrell Tupou Kafovalu Gilbert Olugbode Gamboa Awuzie Thompson Laguda Oliver
(N)—Nickel back. CONSECUTIVE STARTS—Thompson 27, Gamboa 25, Awuzie 22, Olugbode 20. CAREER STARTS—Tupou 45, Awuzie 42, Liufau 40, Kelley 38, Thompson 38, Olugbode 37. PLAYER PARTICIPATION (dressed/played): Colorado State 89/60; Idaho State 86/71; Michigan 74/56; Oregon 70/56; Oregon State 75/68; USC 70/58; Arizona State 74/57; Stanford 70/57; UCLA 77/57; Arizona 70/62; Washington State 74/58; Utah 78/58; Washington 68/57; Oklahoma State 76//56.
CAREER GAMES PLAYED/STARTED CHART
Listed below are the career games played/started for the players on the 2016 Colorado Buffaloes. The players on the opening day roster collectively had played in 1,072 games, with 412 starts, both all-time highs for any returning Colorado team. Other recent years: 824/327 (2015), 904/314 (2014), 896/268 (2013), 674/223 (2012), 890/303 (2011), 877/313 (2010), 847/236 (2009), 817/277 (2008), 853/251 (2007) and 1,053/295 (2006). The list through 2016 (includes the Alamo Bowl):
Player G GS Player G GS Player G GS Player G GS Player G GS ADKINS II 25 4 FALO 19 0 IRWIN, J. 36 26 MAKA 0 0 SHAVER 35 4 AWINI 16 1 FIELDS 38 34 IRWIN, S. 50 18 MARKSBERRY 0 0 SHAW 0 0 AWUZIE 48 42 FISHER 26 1 JACKSON III 26 11 MATHEWES 11 1 SILZER 0 0 AWUZIE 48 42 FRANKE 23 1 JAN 9 0 McCARTNEY 26 24 SMITH 0 0 BAGBY 0 0 FRAZIER 39 6 JONES 0 0 McGARRY 0 0 STOLTENBERG 0 0 BALE 14 0 GALLOWAY 1 0 JULMISSE 14 0 MIDDLEMISS 2 0 SUTTON 6 0 BANDI 0 0 GAMBOA 27 25 KAFOVALU 44 21 MILLER 0 0 TALIANKO 13 0 BENNION 0 0 GEHRKE 10 1 KAISER 27 0 MOELLER 33 19 TALLEY 4 0 BERGNER 15 0 GILBERT 51 27 KEENEY 23 3 MONTEZ 11 3 THOMPSON 47 38 BISHARAT 14 0 GILLAM 39 24 KELLEY 50 38 NOYER 0 0 TONZ 10 0 BLACKMON 0 0 GONZALEZ 17 — KINNEY 27 — OLIVER 27 6 TREGO 8 0 BOATMAN 4 0 GORDON 0 0 KOUGH 31 23 OLUGBODE 49 37 TUGGLE 0 0 BOBO 38 16 GRAHAM 26 — KRONSHAGE 35 13 ORBAN 24 0 TUILOMA 1 0 BOUNDS 12 0 GRUNDMAN 1 0 LAGUDA 27 14 PATTERSON 0 0 TUPOU 48 45 CALLAHAN 28 6 GRZESIEK 0 0 LEE 32 5 PORTER 0 — UDOFFIA 0 0 CARRELL 27 26 HAIGLER 12 7 LEWIS. D. 14 0 PRICE 8 — UMU 11 0 COCHRANE 1 0 HALL 4 0 LEWIS, T. 1 0 RAKESTRAW 0 0 VAUGHN 0 0 COLEMAN, D. 0 0 HASSELBACH 26 0 LINDSAY 39 18 RIPPY 6 0 WALKER 17 1 COLEMAN, T. 31 2 HILL 20 0 LISELLA II 11 5 ROBERTS 0 0 WIEFELS 21 2 COOPER 6 0 HOWARD 24 0 LIUFAU 43 40 ROSS 37 20 WITHERSPOON 37 21 DEMENT 0 0 HUCKINS 26 13 LOPEZ 14 0 SANDERS 0 0 2016 FINAL 1902 720 ENTO 14 1 HUDSON 0 0 LYNOTT, Jr. 14 14 SANCHEZ 13 0 2015 FINAL 1600 613 EVANS 24 0 HUNTLEY III 13 0 MacINTYRE 26 12 SEVERSON 45 1
LAST TRUE FRESHMEN TO START: TB Patrick Carr, CB Nick Fisher, CB Isaiah Oliver, ILB Grant Watanabe (2015); WR Shay Fields, WR Donavan Lee, DE Christian Shaver, S Evan White (2014); TB Michael Adkins II,CB Chidobe Awuzie, DE Jimmie Gilbert, ILB Addison Gillam, QB Sefo Liufau, S Tedric Thompson, CB John Walker (2013). LAST TRUE FRESHMEN TO START AT QUARTERBACK: Sefo Liufau (2013), Tyler Hansen (2008), Craig Ochs (2000), Koy Detmer (1992). IN A SEASON OPENER: Has not occurred. LAST TRUE FRESHMEN TO START AT RUNNING BACK: TB Patrick Carr (2015), Michael Adkins II (2013), Donta Abron, Christian Powell (2012); Darrell Scott (2008), Rodney Stewart (2008), Brian Lockridge (2007), Brian Calhoun (2002), Marcus Houston (2000). IN A SEASON OPENER: Kent Kahl (1991). LAST REDSHIRT FRESHMEN TO START: OT Aaron Haigler, OG Tim Lynott, Jr., QB Steven Montez (2016); DT Jase Franke, LB Rick Gamboa, TE Dylan Keeney, WR Jay MacIntyre, DE Michael Mathewes, WR Lee Walker (2015); DE Derek McCartney, FS Ryan Moeller (2014); TE Sean Irwin, CB John Walker (2013). LAST PLAYERS TO START FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A SENIOR: OLB David Goldberg, WR Logan Gray, FB Evan Harrington, DT Conrad Obi, DE Tony Poremba, OG Sione Tau (2011); TE Luke Walters (2010); TB Kevin Moyd, OLB Bryan Stengel (2009); WR Steve Melton (2008), TE Joe Sanders (2007). LAST PLAYERS TO START WHILE WALK-ONS: FS Ryan Moeller (2014); FB Jordan Murphy (2013); WR Dusty Ebner, C Keenan Stevens (2009), WR Steve Melton (2008); ILB Jake Duren, SS D.J. Dykes (2007). Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 21
FINAL 2016 DEPTH CHART
Here was Colorado’s final depth chart for the 2016 season (—denotes not returning; heights and weights were those last season):
OFFENSE DEFENSE SPECIALISTS (Multiple) (3-4 Base)
WIDE RECEIVER (X) DEFENSIVE END PUNTER 4 Bryce Bobo, 6‐2, 190, Jr.*** 92 Jordan Carrell, 6‐3, 300, Sr.** 89 Alex Kinney, 6‐1, 205, Soph.* 17 Kabion Ento, 6‐3, 180, Jr.* 59 Timothy Coleman, 6‐3, 250, Jr.*** 15 Chris Graham, 6‐3, 235, Jr.** 6 Johnny Huntley, 6‐3, 210, Fr.* 90 Frank Umu, 6‐4, 280, Fr.‐RS* 28 Cameron Silzer, 5‐11, 180, Jr.
WIDE RECEIVER (Z) NOSE TACKLE PLACEKICKER / KICKOFF 1 Shay Fields, 5‐11, 180, Jr.** 58 Josh Tupou, 6‐3, 325, Sr‐5.** 49 Davis Price, 6‐2, 190, Fr.* 17 Kabion Ento, 6‐3, 180, Jr.* 56 Jase Franke, 6‐3, 260, Soph.** 15 Chris Graham, 6‐3, 240, Jr.*** (KO#1) 18 Lee Walker, 6‐0, 180, Soph.** 55 Brett Tonz, 6‐3, 285, Fr.‐RS* 89 Alex Kinney, 6‐1, 205, Soph.**
WIDE RECEIVER (H) DEFENSIVE END PUNT RETURN 2 Devin Ross, 5‐11, 185, Jr.*** 54 Samson Kafovalu, 6‐4, 295, Sr.‐5**** 26 Isaiah Oliver, 6‐1, 190, Soph.** 14 Jay MacIntyre, 5‐10, 190, Soph.** 52 Leo Jackson III, 6‐3, 275, Jr.** 14 Jay MacIntyre, 5‐10, 185, Soph.** 85 Justin Jan, 6‐3, 210, Fr.‐RS* 93 Michael Mathewes, 6‐4, 260, Soph.** 21 Kyle Evans, 5‐6, 175, Soph.**
LEFT TACKLE OUTSIDE LINEBACKER KICKOFF RETURN 76 Jeromy Irwin, 6‐5, 295, Jr.**** 42 N.J. Falo, 6‐2, 220, Soph.** 8 Anthony Julmisse, 6‐1, 185, Fr.** 70 Shane Callahan, 6‐6, 300, Sr.‐5*** 96 Terran Hasselbach, 6‐1, 240, Soph.** 23 Phillip Lindsay, 5‐8, 190, Jr.*** 60 Dillon Middlemiss, 6‐5, 295, Fr.‐RS* 21 Kyle Evans, 5‐6, 175, Soph.** JACK (INSIDE) LINEBACKER LEFT GUARD 31 Kenneth Olugbode, 6‐1 220, Sr.**** HOLDER 68 Gerrad Kough, 6‐4, 295, Jr.*** 20 Drew Lewis, 6‐2, 230, Soph.* 82 Robert Orban, 6‐6, 195, Jr.** 79 Jonathan Huckins, 6‐4, 295, Jr.*** 30 Ryan Severson, 5‐10, 205, Sr.**** 89 Alex Kinney, 6‐1, 205, Soph.** 75 Josh Kaiser, 6‐5, 295, Soph.** MIKE (INSIDE) LINEBACKER SNAPPER (Short & Long) CENTER 32 Rick Gamboa, 6‐0, 230, Soph.** OR 63 J.T. Bale, 6‐2, 205, Fr.‐RS* 74 Alex Kelley, 6‐2, 305, Sr.‐5**** 44 Addison Gillam, 6‐3, 230, Jr.**** 38 Chris Hill, 6‐2, 225, Sr.**
53 Sully Wiefels, 6‐3, 295, Sr.‐5** OUTSIDE LINEBACKER INJURED / — OUT FOR 2016 SEASON 66 Colin Sutton, 6‐5, 290, Jr.** 98 Jimmie Gilbert, 6‐5, 230, Sr.**** 10 Diego Gonzalez, 6‐0, 215, Sr.‐5*** (Achilles) RIGHT GUARD 96 Terran Hasselbach, 6‐1, 240, Soph.** 46 Trent Headley, OLB, 6‐2, 225, Jr. (shoulder) 56 Tim Lynott Jr., 6‐3, 300, Fr.‐RS* CORNERBACK 78 John Lisella, OL, 6‐4, 280, Soph.* (hypertension) 79 Jonathan Huckins, 6‐4, 295, Jr.*** 4 Chidobe Awuzie, 6‐0, 205, Sr.**** 95 Derek McCartney, OLB, 6‐3, 250, Jr.*** (knee) 53 Sully Wiefels, 6‐3, 295, Sr.‐5** 73 Isaac Miller, 6‐7, 280, Fr.‐RS (knee) 8 Anthony Julmisse, 6‐1, 185, Fr.* RIGHT TACKLE 41 Andrew Bergner, 5‐11, 170, Jr.** 39 Jaisen Sanchez, S, 6‐1, 200, Soph.* (knee)
64 Aaron Haigler, 6‐7, 270, Fr.‐RS* OR 9 Juwann Winfree, WR, 6‐3, 205, Jr. (knee) FREE SAFETY 71 Sam Kronshage, 6‐6, 295, Jr.*** L 1 Afolabi Laguda, 6‐1, 205, Jr.** ( )—throws or kicks left‐handed/footed. TIGHT END / H-BACK (Y) 25 Ryan Moeller, 6‐1, 215, Jr.*** (also N/OLB) Seniors (23): Listing with a (‐5) indicates 81 Sean Irwin, 6‐3, 250, Sr.‐5**** 7 Nick Fisher, 6‐0, 180, Soph.** fifth‐year senior (13); the others (10) are 5 George Frazier, 6‐2, 260, Jr.*** STRONG SAFETY fourth‐year seniors. Four fourth‐year juniors 86 Dylan Keeney, 6‐6, 220, Soph.** 9 Tedric Thompson, 6‐0, 205, Sr.**** have declared this their senior season. 38 Chris Hill, 6‐2, 225, Sr.** 7 Nick Fisher, 6‐0, 180, Soph.** 43 Chris Bounds, 6‐4, 245, Fr.‐RS* 22 Kyle Trego, 6‐0, 190, Soph.* OR—indicates those listed are considered even (co‐first/second/third team status); QUARTERBACK CORNERBACK 13 Sefo Liufau, 6‐4, 230, Sr.**** 23 Ahkello Witherspoon, 6‐3, 195, Sr.*** ITALICS—Players listed in italics left the 12 Steven Montez, 6‐5, 225, Fr.‐RS* 26 Isaiah Oliver, 6‐1, 190, Soph.** previous game with an injury and their status 7 Jordan Gehrke, 6‐1, 200, Sr.‐5*** is questionable.
TAILBACK (Heights and weights as of August 6, 2016) 23 Phillip Lindsay, 5‐8, 190, Jr.***
21 Kyle Evans, 5‐6, 175, Soph.** 29 Donovan Lee, 5‐9, 180, Jr.***
19 Michael Adkins II, 5‐10, 205, Jr.**** 35 Beau Bisharat, 6‐2, 215, Fr.* *—denotes number of letters earned through 2015; Injured players listed in italics (status questionable or doubtful—not out for an
extended time; probables listed as normal).
CAPTAINS: 5 George Frazier, TE/HB 13 Sefo Liufau, QB 76 Jeromy Irwin, OT 31 Kenneth Olugbode, ILB 23 Phillip Lindsay, TB
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 22
2017 SPRING ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Exp. Hometown (High School/Previous College) Status 19 ADKINS II, Michael TB 5-10 205 Sr. 4L San Diego, Calif. (Helix) S 1/1 63 BALE, J.T. SN 6- 2 205 So. 1L La Mirada, Calif. (La Mirada) WO 3/3 69 BANDI, Mo OL 6- 5 265 So. VR Longmont, Colo. (Niwot) WO 3/3 57 BENNION, Sam OLB 6- 5 230 Fr. RS North Logan, Utah (Logan) S 4/4 41 BERGNER, Andrew CB 5-11 170 Sr. 2L Parker, Colo. (Legend/Arizona State) WO 1/1 35 BISHARAT, Beau TB 6- 2 215 So. 1L Sacramento, Calif. (Jesuit) S 4/3 2 BLACKMON, Ronnie DB 5-10 180 Fr. RS Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake) S 4/4 4 BOBO, Bryce WR 6- 2 200 Sr. 3L Covina, Calif. (Charter Oak) S 1/1 43 BOUNDS, Chris TE 6- 4 245 So. 1L Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Chaminade College Prep) S 3/3 94 CARROLL, Ellis ILB 6- 1 230 Fr. RS Boulder, Colo. (Boulder) WO 4/4 87 COCHRANE, Xavier WR 5- 9 170 Jr. 1L Phoenix, Ariz. (Mountain Pointe) WO 2/2 80 COLEMAN, Derek TE 6- 5 220 Fr. RS Broomfield, Colo. (Legacy) WO 4/4 59 COLEMAN, Timothy Jr. DE 6- 3 255 Sr. 3L Denver, Colo. (Mullen) S 1/1 37 COOPER, Lucas DB 5-10 180 So. 1L Palos Verdes, Calif. (Palos Verdes) WO 3/3 89 DEMENT, Kevin WR 5-11 180 Jr. VR Centennial, Colo. (Arapahoe) WO 2/2 3 EDWARDS, Javier DL 6- 3 350 Jr. JC Houston, Texas (Aldine Davis/Blinn College) S 3/2 62 EGGERS, Justin OL 6- 5 310 So . TR Marshall, Wis. (Marshall/Western Illinois) WO 3/3 17 ENTO, Kabion WR 6- 3 180 Sr. 1L Pine Bluff, Ark. (Dollarway/East Central [Miss.] CC) S 2/1 21 EVANS, Kyle TB 5- 6 175 Jr. 2L San Jose, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty) S 2/2 42 FALO, N.J. OLB 6- 2 235 Jr. 2L Sacramento, Calif. (Inderkum) S 3/2 1 FIELDS, Shay WR 5-11 185 Sr. 3L Bellflower, Calif. (St. John Bosco) S 2/1 7 FISHER, Nick DB 6- 0 190 Jr. 2L Temecula, Calif. (Great Oak) S 3/2 56 FRANKE, Jase DT 6- 3 280 Jr. 2L Camarillo, Calif. (St. Bonaventure) S 2/2 5 FRAZIER, George TE/HB 6- 2 280 Sr. 3L Monrovia, Calif. (Monrovia) S 1/1 32 GAMBOA, Rick ILB 6- 0 230 Jr. 2L Sylmar, Calif. (Chaminade College Prep) S 2/2 44 GILLAM, Addison ILB 6- 3 230 Sr. 4L Palo Cedro, Calif. (Foothill) S 1/1 15 GRAHAM, Chris PK 6- 3 235 Sr. 3L Burlingame, Calif. (Burlingame) S 1/1 45 GRZESIEK, Tanner TB 5-10 200 Sr. 1L Colorado Springs, Colo. (Classical Academy/UCCS) WO 1/1 64 HAIGLER, Aaron OL 6- 7 280 So. 1L Northridge, Calif. (Notre Dame) S 3/3 13 HAMILTON, Shamar DE 6- 5 230 Jr. JC Lantana, Fla. (Santaluces/ASA College Miami) S 3/2 96 HASSELBACH, Terran OLB 6- 1 240 Jr. 2L Parker, Colo. (Regis) S 2/2 79 HUCKINS, Jonathan OL 6- 4 310 Sr. 3L The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands) S 1/1 29 HUDSON, Uryan DB 5- 9 150 Fr. RS Manvel, Texas (Manvel) WO 4/4 6 HUNTLEY III, Johnny WR 6- 3 220 So. 1L Plantation, Fla. (South Plantation) S 4/3 76 IRWIN, Jeromy OL 6- 5 300 Sr. 4L Cypress, Texas (Cypress Fairbanks) S 1/1 10 JACKSON, Jaylon WR 5-10 175 Fr. HS Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill) S 5/4 52 JACKSON III, Leo DE 6- 3 280 Sr. 2L Decatur, Ga. (North Atlanta/Foothill College) S 1/1 36 JONES, Akil LB 6- 0 220 Fr. RS San Jose, Calif. (Valley Christian) S 4/4 8 JULMISSE, Anthony DB 6- 1 190 So. 1L Plantation, Fla. (South Plantation) S 4/3 75 KAISER, Josh OL 6- 5 295 Jr. 2L Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo) S 2/2 86 KEENEY, Dylan TE/HB 6- 6 230 Jr. 2L Granite Bay, Calif. (Granite Bay) S 2/2 89 KINNEY, Alex P 6- 1 205 Jr. 2L Fort Collins, Colo. (Rocky Mountain) S 3/2 1 LAGUDA, Afolabi DB 6- 1 205 Sr. 2L Snellville, Ga. (Brookwood/Butler CC) S 1/1 29 LEE, Donovan TB 5- 9 180 Sr. 3L West Hills, Calif. (Chaminade College Prep) S 2/1 20 LEWIS, Drew LB 6- 2 230 Jr. 1L Sammamish, Wash. (Eastlake/Washington/Coffeyville) S 2/2 23 LEWIS, Isaiah DB 6- 0 190 Fr. HS Granite Bay, Calif. (Granite Bay) S 5/4 23 LINDSAY, Phillip TB 5- 8 190 Sr. 3L Aurora, Colo. (Denver South) S 1/1 91 LOPEZ, Eddy DT 6- 3 315 Jr. 2L El Paso, Texas (Coronado) S 2/2 56 LYNOTT, Tim Jr. OL 6- 3 300 So. 1L Parker, Colo. (Regis) S 3/3 74 LYTLE, Chance OT 6- 7 310 Fr. HS San Antonio, Texas (Churchill) S 5/4 7 LYTLE, Tyler QB 6- 5 205 Fr. HS Redondo Beach, Calif. (Servite) S 5/4 14 MacINTYRE, Jay WR 5-10 190 Jr. 2L Boulder, Colo. (Monarch) S 2/2 34 MAKA, Pookie OLB 6- 3 220 Fr. RS Salt Lake City, Utah (Cottonwood) S 4/4 13 MARKSBERRY, Casey QB 6- 3 185 Fr. RS Gwinnett, Ga. (Waunakee) WO 4/4 93 MATHEWES, Michael DE 6- 4 255 Jr. 2L Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo) S 2/2 16 McGARRY, Tyler QB 6- 0 205 So. RS Studio City, Calif. (Notre Dame) WO 3/3 51 MEEK, Bryan LB 6- 0 210 Sr. RS Niwot, Colo. (Niwot/Air Force) WO 1/1 60 MIDDLEMISS, Dillon OL 6- 5 295 So. 1L Arvada, Colo. (Pomona) S 3/3 73 MILLER, Isaac OL 6- 7 280 So. VR Longmont, Colo. (Silver Creek) S 3/3 25 MOELLER, Ryan DB 6- 1 215 Sr. 3L Rifle, Colo. (Rifle) S 1/1 12 MONTEZ, Steven QB 6- 5 225 So. 1L El Paso, Texas (Del Valle) S 3/3 9 MULUMBA, Chris DL 6- 4 280 Jr. JC Helsinki, FINLAND (Mäkelänrinne/Diablo Valley College) S 2/2 15 NOYER, Sam QB 6- 4 215 Fr. RS Beaverton, Ore. (Beaverton) S 4/4 26 OLIVER, Isaiah DB 6- 1 190 Jr. 2L Goodyear, Ariz. (Brophy Prep) S 3/2 82 ORBAN, Robert WR 6- 6 195 Sr. 2L Denver, Colo. (Regis) WO 1/1
—continued—
Colorado Football / National Letter-of-Intent Day Information & Notes (February 1, 2017) Page 23
ALPHABETICAL ROSTER, CONTINUED
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Exp. Hometown (High School/Previous College) Status 9 PATTERSON, T.J. QB 6- 3 185 Sr. VR Boulder, Colo. (Boulder/Wyoming) WO 1/1 95 PORTER, Nick P/PK 6- 0 185 So. VR Louisville, Colo. (Fairview) WO 3/3 49 PRICE, Davis PK 6- 2 190 So. 1L Evergreen, Colo. (Evergreen) WO 4/3 65 PURSELL, Colby OL 6- 4 285 Fr. HS Valencia, Calif. (Hart) S 5/4 3 RAKESTRAW, Derrion WR 6- 2 175 Fr. RS Woodstock, Ga. (Sequoyah) S 4/4 90 ROBERTS, Terriek DE/OT 6- 6 265 Fr. RS Denver, Colo. (South) S 4/4 2 ROSS, Devin WR 5-11 185 Sr. 3L Altadena, Calif. (Bishop Alemany) S 1/1 33 SANDERS, Chase S 6- 0 180 Fr. RS Jupiter, Fla. (Jupiter) WO 4/4 28 SILZER, Cameron P 5-11 190 Sr. VR Templeton, Calif. (Templeton/Grossmont/Cuesta) WO 1/1 61 SMITH, Kolter OL 6- 2 265 Fr. RS Edmond, Okla. (Deer Creek) WO 4/4 10 SPARACO, Dante DE 6- 5 250 Fr. HS Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek/IMG Academy) S 5/4 45 STOLTENBERG, Jacob LB 6- 0 245 Fr. RS Sugar Land, Texas (Clements) WO 4/4 28 TALLEY, Daniel DB 6- 2 210 Jr. 1L Aurora, Colo. (Regis/CSU-Pueblo) WO 2/2 55 TONZ, Brett DE 6- 3 290 So. 1L Peoria, Ariz. (Centennial) S 3/3 22 TREGO, Kyle DB 6- 0 190 Jr. 1L Discovery Bay, Calif. (Liberty/Diablo Valley College) S 3/2 72 TUILOMA, Lyle DT 6- 3 320 So. 1L Nanakuli, Hawai’i (Nanakuli) S 3/3 5 UDOFFIA, Trey DB 6- 0 185 Fr. RS Loomis, Calif. (Del Oro) S 4/4 90 UMU, Frank DE 6- 4 315 So. 1L Littleton, Colo. (Heritage) S 3/3 77 VAUGHN, Hunter OL 6- 7 290 Fr. RS Parker, Colo. (Legend) S 4/4 18 WALKER, Lee WR 6- 0 185 Jr. 2L San Diego, Calif. (James Madison) S 2/2 6 WHITE, Evan DB 6- 2 205 Jr. 2L Aurora, Colo. (Cherokee Trail) S 2/2 4 WIGLEY, Dante DB 6- 1 180 So. JC Carrollton, Ga. (Carrollton/Holmes Community College) S 3/2 9 WINFREE, Juwann WR 6- 3 205 Jr. JC Englewood, N.J. (Dwight Morrow/Maryland/Coffeyville) (knee) S 2/2 Heights and weights recorded as of January 31, 2017. EXPERIENCE KEY: #L—indicates number of letters earned through 2016; HS—high school; JC— junior college transfer; RS—freshman redshirt in 2016; TR—transfer; VR—varsity reserve performer. STATUS KEY (Fall): S—scholarship, WO—walk- on; #/#—clock at start of 2017 season, i.e., 2/1: two years to play one in eligibility.
Inactive Roster Players (Injured/Ineligible/Etc .) No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Exp. Hometown (High School/Previous College) Reason Status 46 HEADLEY, Trent OLB 6- 2 225 Jr. VR Littleton, Colo. (Columbine/Metro State) Injured (shoulder) WO 1/1 68 KOUGH, Gerrad OL 6- 4 295 Sr. 3L Pomona, Calif. (Pomona) Injured (ankle) S 1/1 95 McCARTNEY, Derek OLB 6- 3 250 Jr. 3L Westminster, Colo. (Faith Christian) Injured (knee) S 1/1 70 MORETTI, Jacob OL 6- 4 270 Fr. HS Arvada, Colo. (Pomona) Injured (knee) S 5/4 39 SANCHEZ, Jaisen DB 6- 1 210 So. 1L Kapolei, Hawai’i (St. Louis) Injured (knee) S 2/2
Spring Walk-Ons Candidates No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Exp Hometown (High School/Previous College) Status 21 HUBBARD, Darrell WR 6- 1 195 Jr. JC New Orleans, La. (Aldine Davis/Blinn College) WO 3/2 Others TBD
No Longer On Team (players who left program after the end of the 2016 season with eligibility remaining) No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Exp. Hometown (High School/Previous College) Status 10 GORDON, Dino TB 5-11 210 Fr. VR Compton, Calif. (Millikan) S 3/3 85 JAN, Justin WR 6- 3 210 Fr. 1L Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler) S 3/3 71 KRONSHAGE, Sam OL 6- 6 295 Jr. 3L The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands) S 1/1 78 LISELLA II, John OL 6- 4 280 So. 1L Littleton, Colo. (Columbine) S 2/2 47 SHAVER, Christian OLB 6- 3 230 Jr. 3L Sandy, Utah (Jordan) S 2/1 65 SHAW, Austin LS 6- 4 220 Fr. RS Austin, Texas (Regents School) WO 3/3 66 SUTTON, Colin OL 6- 5 290 Jr. 2L Foothill Ranch, Calif. (Orange Lutheran) S 1/1
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INJURY REPORT
Colorado’s injury report as of January 31 with prognosis for spring participation:
Pos Player Injury Notes Expected Status For Spring WR Jaylon Jackson knee coming off ACL surgery in high school, completing rehab LIMITED OG Gerrad Kough ankle underwent offseason ankle surgery (early January) OUT OL Jake Moretti knee underwent ACL surgery in high school (missed his senior year after he was injured early last summer) OUT OLB Derek McCartney knee he suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter of the Michigan game (underwent surgery on Oct. 4) OUT DB Jaisen Sanchez knee suffered torn knee ligaments in spring practice (March 30) and underwent surgery on April 14 OUT DB Daniel Talley shoulder he underwent surgery in October to mend a labrum tear LIMITED WR Juwann Winfree knee suffered a torn ACL in practice on August 18; had surgery on Sept. 6 LIMITED HIPAA: The players listed above have signed waivers for their injury information to be released/discussed with the media.
-1 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 1-
JUNIOR COLLEGE a junior and into the first round of the 2014 LHSAA Class 5A JAVIER EDWARDS playoffs. He did not allow a passing touchdown to be completed NT, 6-3, 350, Jr., Houston, Texas (Aldine Davis/Blinn on him all season and he had 31 tackles and four interceptions College) while also forcing and recovering one fumble. He also played basketball and ran track in high school and his top 400-meter —He enrolled in classes for the spring AT COLORADO time of 49.9 was one of the top-three fastest in school history semester and will participate in spring drills. He has three at the time. He was a part of the 4x400 relay team that finished years to play two in eligibility. fourth at the 2014 LHSAA State Class 5A Outdoor Track and JUNIOR COLLEGE—Scout.com rated him as the No. 46 Field Championships. junior college prospect in nation. He was a second-team All- —He is interested in studying engineering at Southwest Junior College Football Conference selection in 2016 ACADEMICS Colorado. as a sophomore and garnered honorable mention accolades his freshman season. In eight games for the Buccaneers he PERSONAL—He was born Dec. 29, 1997, in Lafayette, La. recorded 24 tackles, two sacks and 3.5 tackles for losses. Blinn His hobbies include running, playing basketball and hanging finished 2016 with a 5-4 record under coach Ryan Mahon. He out with teammates. He has two cousins also playing college had a five-tackle performance at Trinity Valley Community football - Malik George, who is entering his second season at College and a five-tackle plus one sack day against New Mexico Stephen F. Austin; and Claude George, a senior linebacker at Military Institute his sophomore season. His freshman year in Texas A&M, who started three games for the Aggies in 2016. nine games he recorded 29 tackles, including one for a loss. He posted seven tackles at Trinity Valley Community College, his season/career-game high during his junior college career. SHAMAR HAMILTON DE, 6-3, 230, Jr., Lantana, Fla. (Santaluces/ASA College HIGH SCHOOL—He garnered all-district accolades out for Miami) Aldine Davis High School as a senior in 2014 when he led his team to the first round of the playoffs. He also was a member of AT COLORADO—He enrolled in classes for the spring the track and field team, competing in the discus. semester and will participate in spring drills. He has three
years to play two in eligibility. ACADEMICS—He is in the College of Arts and Sciences at Colorado. JUNIOR COLLEGE—He played his freshman and sophomore seasons in 2015 and 2016, the first two years of existence for PERSONAL—He was born Oct. 27, 1996, in Houston, Texas. ASA, the only junior college football program in Florida. In 17 He is the son of Regina Edwards and he has two siblings. (First games over two seasons with the Silver Storm he recorded name is pronounced ha-vee-AIR) 10 sacks, which ranks as the second-most in school history. He also posted 65 tackles, 16 of which went for losses. As a KEVIN GEORGE sophomore he ranked second on the team in tackles with 31 CB, 6-3, 175, Soph., Lafayette, La. (Carencro/Georgia out of the defensive end position while playing in 8 of 10 games Military Academy) and helping lead his team to an 8-2 record. He had 5.5 sacks, totaled 7.5 tackles for losses and also forced and recovered AT COLORADO—He will have four years to play three in one fumble. In the second week of the season he had a career- eligibility. high seven tackles and two sacks, his second consecutive game JUNIOR COLLEGE—He played one season at Georgia Military with a pair of sacks. During that week two 62-6 victory over College in 2016, helping the Bulldogs to a 9-2 record and a final Fort Lauderdale, four of his seven tackles went for losses. As a national ranking of No. 14 in the NJCAA National Polls. In nine freshman he totaled 34 tackles, 8.5 for losses, and was in on 4.5 games under coach Bert Williams, he had 10 tackles, seven sacks. He also had one fumble recovery. pass breakups and two interceptions, one of which he returned —He played defensive tackle at Santaluces 56 yards for a touchdown in a 45-3 win over ASA College of HIGH SCHOOL High School where he earned first-team All-Conference honors Miami. His other pick, which came in a 44-0 win over Middle as a senior under coach Paul Meunier, his only year playing Georgia State, was returned 76 yards, giving him 132 return football. He also wrestled as a sophomore, junior and senior, yards off two interceptions. going to state each year. His senior season he placed sixth at HIGH SCHOOL—He started playing cornerback his senior state in the 220-pound weight class. year of high school, but was a safety in previous seasons. In —Hamilton is studying political science at 11 games as a senior he recorded 24 tackles with four pass ACADEMICS Colorado. breakups and two interceptions while leading his team to an 8-4 record and the second round of the playoffs under coach PERSONAL—He was born Sept. 17, 1997 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Kevin Faulk, a former NFL running back. His interception in and is the son of Rosemary Watson and Franklin Hamilton. the end zone in the final minutes helped seal a 33-21 victory After football, he would like to become a scientist and an over Teurlings Catholic. He also caught one touchdown pass inventor and looks forward to the day when he gets to in a 69-8 win over Opelousas. He helped the Bears go 8-3 as -2 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 2-
JUNIOR COLLEGE, CONTINUED patent his own ideas. He is the youngest boy among his five siblings and second youngest overall. Growing up, he lived in DANTE WIGLEY Jamaica, New York, Jacksonville, Miami, Palm Beach, Virginia CB, 6-1, 180, Carrollton, Ga. (Carrollton/Georgia Tech/ and Georgia. His time in Jamaica was when he was younger, Holmes Community College) spending a couple of his elementary school years there. (First AT COLORADO—He enrolled in classes for the spring name is pronounced shuh-mar) semester and will participate in spring drills. He has three years to play two in eligibility. CHRIS MULUMBA — Scout.com rated him as the No. 78 DE, 6-4, 280, Jr., Helsinki, Finland (Mäkelänrinteen/ JUNIOR COLLEGE junior college prospect in nation. He played in all 10 games Diablo Valley College) at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Miss., helping the AT COLORADO—He enrolled in classes for the spring Bulldogs to a 7-3 record and a victory in the 2016 Graphic semester and will participate in spring drills. He will have two Edge Bowl. Holmes finished the season ranked No. 7 in the years to play two in eligibility. NJCAA and the bowl appearance was its first in 28 years. He recorded 30 tackles on the year, including three for a loss and JUNIOR COLLEGE—He played one season at Diablo Valley blocked one kick. He scored one touchdown, which came in a College in 2015 for coach Mike Darr; he signed with Central 63-49 win over No. 15 Itawamba Community College, when he Florida after his sophomore season but did not attend school stripped an ICC receiver of the ball and raced 66 yards into the there so he sat out the year and essentially took a redshirt end zone. He had a team-high six pass breakups for the Bulldog season. As a sophomore in 2015 he led DVC with 63 tackles, defense that allowed only 374.1 yards per game. had nine tackles for losses and four sacks in 10 games. He was —Redshirted; did not see a first-team All-Bay 6 League selection that season when he AT GEORGIA TECH (2015, Fr.) game action. He signed with the Yellow Jackets in Georgia was a teammate of Kyle Trego, who signed with CU and was a Tech’s 2015 recruiting class. sophomore defensive back for the Buffs this past fall. He played his freshman season at Chabot Junior College in 2014 where he HIGH SCHOOL—He lettered four years at Carrollton High posted 35 tackles, four tackles for a loss and had one sack. School where he played running back, cornerback and wide receiver for head coach Ed Dudley. He was a 2014 Georgia PRE-COLLEGE IN FINLAND—He did not play football in high Athletic Coaches Association first-team All-State selection. He school because it was not a team sport in Finland, but he did garnered first-team all-region and all-area honors in 2013 and wrestle and was a state champion in 2009. He was a four-time 2014. As a senior he recorded 65 tackles, eight pass breakups, Finnish national judo champion from 2009-12 (he competed forced two fumbles and had two interceptions in 10 games in the sport for a total of 10 years) and he was a Scandinavian while not allowing a receiving touchdown. He was a team champion in 2010. He played for the Helsinki Roosters in 2012, captain his senior year. During his junior season he recorded which is a club team and founding member of the American 64 tackles and six pass breakups on defense while scoring five Football Association of Finland. He was 19 the first time he total touchdowns; one came on an interception return and ever played organized football. He served his mandatory one- then he had two each rushing and receiving. He led his team to year of military service for the Finnish Army where he trained 2013 state championship game. as a scout. ACADEMICS—He is in the College of Arts and Sciences at Colorado. ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business management at Colorado. PERSONAL—He was born May 19, 1997, in Cobb, Ga. Full name is Dante Malik Wigley. He is the son of Dewy Chism and PERSONAL—He was born Oct. 10, 1992 in Finland after his Kim Wigley. He has one sister, Zion. (Name is pronounced parents escaped war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo dAAn-tai wi-gg-le-ii) the year before his birth. His hobbies include watching movies, going on hikes and swimming in lakes. He is fluent in French and Finnish in addition to English. He is the son of Annina and Etienne Mulumba. His father is a teaching assistant at a Finnish school and his mother is a nurse. He has two sisters, Audrey and Gloria, who both play basketball at Arizona Western College, and one younger brother, Etienne, Jr. (Last name is pronounced muh-lumb-buh) -3 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 3-
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MAURICE BELL JACOB CALLIER WR, 6-0, 170, Murrieta, Calif. (Murrieta Valley) DE, 6-2, 245, Downey, Calif. (St. John Bosco)
HIGH SCHOOL—Scout.com ranked him as the No. 8 wide HIGH SCHOOL—Scout.com rated him as the No. 7 defensive receiver in California. He played in the inaugural Polynesian end in the West and fourth-best in California. He helped lead Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Jan. 21, 2017. He played the St. John Bosco Braves, coached by Jason Negro, to the CIF- defensive back and wide receiver for coach George Wilson, SS Division I Championship in 2016 by defeating Concord De helping the Nighthawks to their best season in the program’s La Salle 56-33 in the state title game. During the Braves’ 13-2 25-year history. He led Murrieta Valley to an 11-3 record in season, they defeated powers Corona Centennial, Santa Ana 2016 and its first Southwestern League title since 2005 with a Mater Dei and De La Salle to win a second state championship, perfect 5-0 record in conference play and an appearance in the the other coming in 2013. He was a first-team defensive Southern Section Division 2 title game. His team was ranked No. lineman by the Press-Telegram on its 2016 Dream Team. He 2 in the season-end Inland rankings by The Press Enterprise. led the Braves’ defensive charge in 2016 when he was third He drew All-Area honorable mention honors from The Press on the team with 95 tackles, 12 for losses, and he had a team- Enterprise as a senior when he caught 69 passes for 1,083 yards high nine sacks. As a junior he helped lead the Braves to the and seven touchdowns. He averaged 15.7 yards per reception championship game and was selected by the Press-Telegram to and was one of two players in the Southwestern League to its Dream Team as a first-team defensive lineman. He posted a have over 1,000 yards receiving, the other being teammate team-high 12 sacks his junior season and had 64 total tackles. Marquis Spiker, who had 1,737. His biggest game came against His biggest game came in the CIF Southern Section semifinal Colorado’s Grandview (Aurora) High School, when he had 11 game against Bishop Amata when he scored two touchdowns receptions for 245 yards and two touchdowns in a 50-49 loss. on defense, first on a 33-yard fumble return and later on a 42- In a game against Vista Murrieta, his pass breakup on a fourth- yard interception return, while also recording three sacks in a and-2 with 1:29 remaining secured the Nighthawks 42-37 63-10 win. For that performance, he was named the SoCal Prep victory that snapped Vista Murrieta’s seven-plus-year league Legends Boys Athlete of the Week. He played on the rugby team winning streak. He had six receptions for 116 yards and one his sophomore season and on the basketball team as a junior. 65-yard touchdown reception in a 42-14 victory over Great Oak that clinched a share of the Southwestern League title for the ACADEMICS—He is undecided on a major at Colorado, but would like to study history. Nighthawks. In a 42-0 win over Chaparral he had 10 catches for 213 yards and three touchdowns. He had a 93-yard kickoff PERSONAL—He was born Dec. 17, 1998 in Los Angeles, return for a touchdown in a 56-27 win over Murrieta Mesa Calif. His hobbies include working out, playing basketball, and on five total returns in 2016 he averaged 39.6 yards. As a video games and dancing. He is the son of Elva and James junior he caught 51 passes for 956 yards with 16 touchdowns. Callier. He has four older brothers, all of whom played college He posted four 100-yard receiving games that year and had a football. James Jr. (eldest) and James T., separated by 54 days, TD reception in 10 of 12 games, including multiple TDs in five both played at San Jose State from 2004-07. James Jr. was a contests. In a 63-13 win over Temecula Valley, he caught five tailback while James T., a fullback, who was a 2004 Academic passes for 138 yards and three TDs. He also played basketball All-WAC selection and was the family’s first college graduate, as a freshman and sophomore in high school and ran track, earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in competing in the 200- and 400-meter dashes. His top times in criminology. James Jr. and James T. became the first brother those events were 22.7 and 49.5, respectively. tandem at San Jose State in 17 years to score points in the
same game in a 2006 win at New Mexico State. Jesse Callier ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying communicatinos at Colorado. was a tailback at Washington from 2010-14 and he ran for 997 yards and five touchdowns in his career. The fourth of his elder PERSONAL—He was born June 10, 1999, in San Diego, Calif. brothers to play college football was Josh, who played at St. His hobbies include hanging out with friends and working Benedictene College, a private school in Atchison, Kan. (Last out. His parents are Allison and Lester Bell. His mother works name is pronounced Coll-yee-A) for Verizon Wireless and father owns a business assisting special development adults. He is active in the community and volunteered for local charity groups aimed at raising funds and awareness for cancer, and also for his father’s business. -4 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 4-
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PERSONAL—He was born on Oct. 23, 1998, in Dallas, Texas. ALEX FONTENOT He is the son of Sharron and Bobby Jackson. (Last name is RB, 6-0, 190, Richmond, Texas (George Ranch) pronounced jay-lynn)
HIGH SCHOOL—He was rated as a top 20 prospect by the Houston Chronicle in its list of the Houston area’s top 100 NATE LANDMAN players for the class of 2017. He garnered first-team All-District LB, 6-3, 210, Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista) honors as a senior under coach Ricky Tullos when he led the Longhorns into the Class 6A bi-district playoffs. He rushed 91 HIGH SCHOOL—Scout.com rated him as the No. 5 outside times for 642 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior, averaging linebacker prospect in California and No. 7 in the west. He 7.1 yards per carry. He helped George Ranch win the Texas played for Mustang head coach Craig Bergman where he earned Class 5A Division I state title in 2015 when the Longhorns went East Bay Athletic League MVP honors as a two-way starter at 16-0. He rushed for three touchdowns in the 56-0 victory over linebacker and receiver. The San Jose Mercury News and East Mansfield Lake Ridge in the state championship game at NRG Bay Times selected him as its East Bay Defensive Player of the Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans and site of Super Year, as did MaxPreps on its All-NorCal High School Football Bowl 51. In a semifinal victory over Cedar Park Vista Ridge, he Teams. He was selected by the San Francisco Chronicle to its rushed 16 times for 162 yards and one touchdown. Overall as All-Metro first-team defense. He helped the Mustangs to a 12-1 a junior he ran for a total of 1,408 yards on 158 carries with 21 record, capture its first EBAL title since 2005 and win the CIF- touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per carry. North Coast Section Division I championship game. In that title
game he helped Monte Vista beat Antioch, a team that featured ACADEMICS—He carried a 3.8 GPA in high school and is the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect in running back Najee Harris, interested in studying finance at Colorado. 42-18 by catching three passes for 31 yards while recording PERSONAL—He was born March 16, 1999 in Sugarland, three tackles for a loss and one forced fumble on defense. In his Texas. His hobbies include playing video games and hanging three playoff games, he posted a combined 8.0 tackles for losses out with friends. His father, Albert Fontenot, played 10 seasons and 1.5 sacks while on offense he had 12 catches for 144 yards in the NFL with three teams after being drafted in the fourth and four touchdowns. Overall for his senior season he caught round out of Baylor in the 1993 NFL Draft. A defensive lineman, 38 passes for 577 yards and seven touchdowns in addition to the elder Fontenot had 27.5 sacks and 156 tackles in 130 career throwing for a pair of scores. He was a terror on defense and games in the NFL. (Last name is pronounced font-en-know) recorded 32 tackles for a loss, including having multiple stops behind the line of scrimmage in 10-of-13 games. He caught three touchdown passes in a first-round win over Irvington JAYLON JACKSON in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs to give Monte WR, 5-10, 170, Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill) Vista its first playoff victory since 2012. One of his touchdown passes was in a playoff victory over Heritage that put Monte AT COLORADO—He graduated early from high school and Vista into the championship game. As a junior he received enrolled in classes for the spring semester. He will participate honorable mention All-Metro accolades as a linebacker from in spring drills on a limited basis as he completes rehab after the San Francisco Chronicle and was a first-team All-EBAL ACL surgery in high school. selection when he led the Mustangs to a 7-4 record. That year he had nine tackles for a loss, six sacks, five pass breakups and — PrepStar Magazine selected him to its HIGH SCHOOL he forced four fumbles. As a sophomore he was an honorable Top 35 All-American team. He was a wide receiver under mention selection to the All-EBAL team. coach Joey McGuire at Cedar Hill, playing on the varsity team starting with his freshman season when he was called up for ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business at the the team’s playoff run. His entire senior season was lost due to University of Colorado. a knee injury, but he was on the team’s leadership council. He also missed all but one game of his junior season because of a PERSONAL—He was born Nov. 19, 1998, in Zimbabwe, knee injury that he suffered the previous spring. He returned Africa. Parents are Shaun and Many Landman. His father played for Cedar Hill’s playoff game against Southlake Carroll in international rugby for Zimbabwe. His brother, Brendan, played November 2015 and recorded 40 total yards in a 37-33 loss. tight end as a true freshman at Arizona State in 2014 before His sophomore season he had 257 receiving yards and one transferring while his sister, Ocean Trail, swam for Oregon touchdown while also rushing 32 times for 253 yards. That State’s team from 2009-13. year he helped Cedar Hill win its second straight state title. He also competed on the track and field team, where he recorded a time of 10.55 in the 100-meter dash. ACADEMICS—Jackson carried a 3.4 GPA in high school. He plans to major in communications at Colorado. -5 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 5-
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team early in his prep career where he received the Defensive TERRANCE LANG Player of the Year award as a freshman and was the team MVP DE, 6-7, 265, Pasadena, Calif. (Maranatha) his junior year.
ACADEMICS— He was a Scholar-Athlete in high school HIGH SCHOOL—Scout.com rated him as the No. 3 athlete who held a 3.5 GPA. He is interested in studying sociology or in California and No. 6 in the west. Rivals.com ranked him as communications at Colorado. a top 35 player at his position in the country. He recorded 40 tackles, 15 sacks and a forced fumble in eight games his senior PERSONAL—Lewis was born Dec. 17, 1998, in Sacramento, year for coach Steve Bogan when he drew first-team all-league Calif. He says he loves maple donuts, going on hikes, but “loves honors. Against Crean Lutheran he posted 10 tackles and his family more.” two tackles for a loss, one of three games during his senior year he had multiple tackles for a loss. Another came against Village Christian when he had seven tackles, including a pair TYLER LYTLE of sacks. His junior year he recorded 21 tackles and two sacks, QB, 6-5, 205, Redondo Beach, Calif. (Servite) but also caught a touchdown pass on offense in a 38-20 win over Whittier Christian. He started playing football when he AT COLORADO—He graduated early from high school and was nine, but was also a basketball star. His junior season in enrolled in classes for the spring semester. He will participate he averaged 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the in spring drills. Minutemen when he garnered second-team All-Area honors as a forward from the Pasadena Star-News. HIGH SCHOOL— PrepStar Magazine selected him to its Top 35 All-American team. He was a 2016 first-team All-Trinity ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying communications League selection at quarterback playing under coach Scott and sports broadcasting at Colorado. Meyer at Servite. There he broke the school’s single-season PERSONAL—He wasborn Jan. 23, 1999, in Pomona, Calif. passing record by throwing for 2,759 yards and 19 touchdowns His mother is Tracey Bolden and stepfather is James Cureton. his senior season when he was named the Servite Player of He lists his hobbies as playing football and basketball. He has the Year. In 11 games he completed 199-of-331 passes (60.1 dreams of playing in the NFL one day, something he has thought percent) and averaged 250 yards per game. He ranked second in the league in passing and added seven touchdowns rushing about since he began playing football at the age of nine. He is a the ball, as he had 45 carries for 141 yards. Top passing games foodie, and his favorite meal is his mother’s enchiladas. He said include throwing for 424 yards as a junior against Fountain he choose Colorado because he liked the family environment. Valley, 343 yards against Junipero Serra his senior year and 335 yards against Mission Viejo also in 2016. The Servite Friars ISAIAH LEWIS ended the regular season 4-6 and grabbed an at-large bid to DB, 6-0, 190, Granite Bay, Calif. (Granite Bay) continue their season in the CIF Southern Section Playoffs. He was invited to play in the inaugural Polynesian Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Jan. 21, 2017 and in the Blue-Grey AT COLORADO—He graduated early from high school and All-American Bowl, both of which he did not be play in as he enrolled in classes for the spring semester. He will participate enrolled early at CU. in spring drills. ACADEMICS—He graduated high school with a 3.67 GPA. He HIGH SCHOOL—He was a multi-dimensional player is interested in studying business at Colorado. under coach Jeff Evans, playing running back, wide receiver, PERSONAL—Lytle was born Aug. 6, 1998, in Scottsdale, Ariz. cornerback and safety in his high school career. He played in His father, Mike Lytle, played safety at the University of Hawai`i. only four games his senior season, missing the latter part of the (Last name is pronounced lie-tull) year due to a shoulder injury. Despite that fact, he still garnered All-State honorable mention accolades. As a senior, he rushed the ball 31 times for 134 yards with 122 coming on 22 carries in a 27-14 win over Oak Grove. His junior season he earned most of his 321 rush yards from his flyback position, where he added 21 receptions for 338 yards, a 16.1 yards per reception average. He was selected to the Sacramento Bee’s 2015 All- Metro Football honorable mention team as a defensive back. In a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoff game against Grant, he helped the Grizzlies come back from a 21-3 deficit entering the fourth quarter to win 24-21. In that comeback he had the go-ahead 40-yard touchdown reception with 2:41 left to play and then sealed the win with an interception on his own 30 with 1:57 left on the clock. He also played on the basketball -6 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 6-
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CHRIS MILLER JAKE MORETTI CB, 5-11, 175, Denton, Texas (Denton) OT, 6-4, 270, Arvada, Colo. (Pomona)
HIGH SCHOOL—He was a 2016 Texas Associated Press AT COLORADO—He graduated early from high school Sports Editors Class 5A All-State second-team selection as and enrolled in classes for the spring semester. He will not a defensive back. A two-way player at wide receiver and participate in spring drills as he completes rehab following ACL cornerback, he was the Class 5A District 5 MVP as a utility surgery early last summer. player. He helped lead the Denton Broncos to a 9-2 record and —PrepStar Magazine selected him to its Top into the first round of the UIL Texas State Class 5A Division I HIGH SCHOOL 150 Dream Team. He was one of two recipients of the Gold Championships as a senior when he was a SportsDay HS All- 16 Adversity Award given out by Mile High Sports, earned Dallas Area second-team selection as a defensive back. He All-Colorado honors from the Mile High Sports Magazine and had 20 pass breakups and two interceptions, including one also was a finalist for the Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year, he returned for a touchdown. His junior season he led the all despite missing his senior season due to a knee injury. He Broncos into the second round of the 5A Division I playoffs, earned invites to the U.S. Army All-American Game and Nike’s finishing with a 9-3 record. He had 28 catches for 572 yards “The Opening” in 2016, but was unable to participate in either and eight touchdowns, including Denton’s only TD in a 12-11 due to the injury. He was named to the Tacoma News-Tribune’s win over Grapevine in the opening round of the playoffs. He Western 100 team. He was a first-team All-State, All-County also played on his high school basketball team and competed and All-Conference selection as a junior when he was a two- with his track and field team in the 100-meter days, 400-meter way player on the offensive and defensive lines. He helped relay and 800-meter relay, making it to the state finals as both lead Pomona under coach Jay Madden to the Colorado Class a sophomore and a junior. He anchored his 800-meter relay 5A State Championship game and a 10-4 record. As a junior he team that claimed the Class 5A Region I Championship on their recorded 30 tackles, 10 for losses and had five sacks on defense. way to the state meet. The Panthers were Jefferson County champions his freshman, ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying engineering at sophomore and junior seasons, going 9-3 in both 2013 and Colorado. 2014 while reaching the state semifinals those two years. As a sophomore he was named a second-team All-American by Max PERSONAL—He was born Feb. 17, 1999, in Columbus, Miss. Preps and also garnered first-team All-State, All-County and He lists sporting activities as his favorite hobby. All-Conference honors. He recorded 21 tackles, eight tackles for losses, four sacks and recovered one fumble his sophomore season. He was an honorable mention All-Jefferson County selection as a freshman when he played tight end and defensive end. On defense, he posted 20 tackles, two for losses and an additional three sacks. He also competed on the Panthers’ track and field team, earning three letters. He was the 2016 Class 5A champion in the shot put and helped his team win the 5A Boys State Championship his junior season. Prior to starting high school he played with fellow Buff signees Dante Sparaco and Jonathan Van Diest on Team Colorado at the 2013 FBU National Championship, which is a 64-team single elimination national football tournament with sixth, seventh and eighth-grade brackets, culminating with Championship Weekend in Naples, Fla.
ACADEMICS—He owned a 4.2 GPA in high school (4.0 scale) and was a Colorado Chapter NFF Scholar-Athlete. He intends to study integrative physiology at Colorado.
PERSONAL—He was born Aug. 20, 1998, in Grand Junction, Colo. His hobbies include hanging out with friends and watching movies. He lists his favorite movie as Step Brothers. His parents are Susan and Matt. (Last name is pronounced More-ret-tee) -7 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 7-
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to give the Eagles a 28-10 lead over Cibolo Steele. He finished CHASE NEWMAN the title game with seven receptions for 63 yards and one TD. LB, 6-2, 210, La Mirada, Calif. (La Mirada) Overall in 2016 he had 69 receptions for a team-high 1,148 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was one of three wide receivers on his HIGH SCHOOL—Scout.com rated him as the No. 7 outside team who had over 800 yards receiving on the year. He posted linebacker prospect in California and 11th-best in the west. He five 100-yard receiving games, the highest being a nine-catch, led his team coached by former Buff Mike Moschetti to three 181-yard two-touchdown performance in a 41-17 win over Suburban League titles from 2014-16 with the Matadores Duncanville. A clutch performer down the stretch in DeSoto’s winning a CIF Southern Section Southeast Division 2 title and state championship run, he scored seven touchdowns (five a CIF State championship in 2015. He was an All-Whittier Daily receiving) and recorded a pair of 100-yard games in the Eagles’ News selection that season when he recorded 77 tackles, 10 six playoff games. In the quarterfinals of the Region 1 playoffs, tackles for a loss, nine quarterback hurries, one sack and two he caught 11 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown in a 48- interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns. One 30 victory over Carroll High School. He had two 70-yard catches of those was in the Southeast Division Final against La Serna – his longest of the season – first against Irving High School and and the pick 6 sealed the victory. In the CIF championship final, again against Abilene in a semifinal game of the Region I playoffs. he had four tackles and a sack in the 27-3 win over Campolindo His junior season playing in nine games he caught 26 passes for while helping his defense hold the just 178 yards. Against San 406 yards and a team-leading four touchdowns. Two of those Clemente he recorded 11 tackles, including two for losses. touchdown receptions came in the season opener against His senior season he helped lead the Matadores to an 11-3 Mansfield, when he caught five passes for 102 yards. record and the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business and game before falling to Edison. He only played in seven games marketing at Colorado. his senior season, recording 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions and one sack. Both of his interceptions PERSONAL—Name is Kadarrian Nixon and he was born Feb. came in a 62-0 win over Cerritos, and both were returned 21, 1999, in Methodist, Texas. His hobbies include workign out for touchdowns. He played basketball for the Matadores his and reading the bible. He is the son of Kwasaica Haynes and freshman year. Larry Nixon and he has 13 brothers and sisters. ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business management at Colorado. He carried a 3.5 GPA in high school. SEBASTIAN OLVER ATH, 6-5, 250, Kentfield, Calif. (Marin Catholic) PERSONAL—He was born March 5, 1999, in Torrance, Calif. His hobbies include playing video games, pick-up basketball —He played just two seasons of football games, snorkeling and body boarding. His father, David, played HIGH SCHOOL at Marin Catholic for head coach Mazi Moayed, helping lead football at Missouri and in the Canadian Football League where his team to the Marin County League Championship and an in 1980 he was a CFL All-Star and won the Frank M. Bibson appearance in the CIF Division 3 title game with an 11-3 record. Trophy as league’s top rookie. In six CFL seasons he caught He posted 53 tackles in 11 games as a senior, 16 for losses 196 passes for 3,145 yards and 34 touchdowns while also and had eight sacks en route to earning Marin Independent returning on punt for a TD. His mother is Susan and he has one Journal Defensive Player of the Year honors. His team’s defense younger brother. allowed a county-low 262.7 yards per game and just 140.6 in MCAL play when they went 7-0 in league games. In his first K.D. NIXON season playing football, he was a first-team All-MCAL selection WR, 5-8, 180, DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) as a defensive lineman and also was named honorable mention as a punter. He helped his team to a 12-2 record in his first HIGH SCHOOL—He was selected to play on the U.S. season at Marin Catholic and an appearance in the CIF Open Under-19 National Team against Canada on Jan. 28, 2017, in Division Small School championship game. He played rugby the North American Championship at ESPN’s Wide World of and basketball growing up in Australia and while vacationing Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. PrepStar Magazine selected in the United States in 2014 he attended a Notre Dame football him to its Top 35 All-American team. He helped lead his DeSoto camp where he was urged by coaches there to play football. He High School football team coached by Todd Peterman to a 16-0 then moved to the United States and moved in with a teammate record and the Class 6A Division II state title, its first in school at Marin Catholic at the beginning of his junior season. history. DeSoto finished the season as the No. 2-ranked team in ACADEMICS— He is interested in studying international the country by MaxPreps’ national rankings. He was named to business at Colorado. the 2016 SportsDay High School All-Dallas Area first team as a utility selection. SportsDay also rated him as the No. 3 receiver PERSONAL—He grew up in Brisbane, Australia and moved in the Dallas Area. In the state championship game, he caught to America before the start of his junior season, when he moved a 28-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first half in with a teammate. (Last name is pronounced ole-ver) -8 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 8-
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UIL Texas State Class 5A Division I Championships. He did miss HESTON PAIGE four games his senior season due to a fractured kneecap. As a OT, 6-5, 270, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (ThunderRidge) junior he garnered first-team Texas AP Sports Editors Class 5A All-State honors when he graded out at 92 percent, had 128 HIGH SCHOOL—He garnered first-team Colorado Class 5A knockdowns and did not allow a sack. That year he led his team All-State accolades his senior season as an offensive tackle into the second round of the 5A Division I playoffs, finishing and earned All-Colorado honors from the Mile High Sports with a 9-3 record. His team went 8-4 during his sophomore Magazine. He was also a first-team All-Conference selection as year. a both a junior and senior. Under coach Joe Johnson, he helped ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business at the Grizzlies rush for 193.2 yards per game his senior year. His Colorado. top game that season came in a 35-13 win over rival Mountain Vista when he helped the Grizzlies rush for 403 yards and score PERSONAL—He was born Oct. 5, 1998, in Denton, Texas. five touchdowns. Between his junior and senior seasons he He enjoys playing video games, fishing and hanging out with participated in the Blue-Grey All-American Combine Colorado friends. His uncle, Greg Breaux, was drafted by the Philadelphia Regional that also featured fellow Buffalo signee Jalen Sami. Phillies in the 47th round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft As a junior in a 14-10 win over No. 3-ranked Regis, he helped out of Waltrip High School in Houston, Texas. (Last name is his team score 14 fourth-quarter points to come back and win. pronounced poly) His team went 7-5 and made it to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs his junior season, where they fell to Cherry Creek. He also played on the basketball teams his freshman and JARED POPLAWSKI sophomore seasons. TE, 6-4, 220, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro) ACADEMICS—Paige was an All-State honorable mention academic selection as both a junior and a senior in high school HIGH SCHOOL—He was selected to the 2016 All-USA where he carried a 3.6 GPA. He is interested in studying special Arizona Football Class 4A first-team after helping the Sabercats education at Colorado. under coach Jason Mohns to a perfect 14-0 2016 season and the Arizona Class 4A state championship. It was one of four PERSONAL—He was born Oct. 14, 1998, in Littleton, Colo. state championships he won in high school and he finished His hobbies include pick-up basketball games, baseball and his prep career winning 25 consecutive games. He helped the hanging out with friends. He is the son of Julie and Bill Paige. Sabercats outscore opponents 644-139 his senior year when His father owns a tractor trailer dealership in Commerce he caught 17 passes for 250 yards and four touchdowns while City, Colo., while his mother is in cosmetic sales. His father on defense he posted 17 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 lettered for UCLA from 1986-89 and was on the same team sacks. As a blocker he helped his team rush for an average of as 1988 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award winner 284.9 yards per game and he also blocked one field goal. In Troy Aikman. Bill’s UCLA teams in 1987 and 1988 both won a 35-20 win over Los Angeles’ Junipero Serra he caught two 10 games under coach Terry Donahue and finished the season passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. His next game, which ranked in the top 10. His sister, Laura, is a junior on Northern came against Valor Christian as part of the ESPN kickoff Classic Colorado’s softball team and was a 2015 Big Sky All-Academic televised nationally from Highlands Ranch, Colo., he had recipient. another touchdown reception. Six of his senior classmates committed to Division I football programs. His junior season he GRANT POLLEY led the Sabercats to a 12-2 record and the state championship. OL, 6-4, 265, Denton, Texas (Denton) He caught 32 passes for 438 yards and six touchdowns. He also played basketball his freshman through junior seasons. HIGH SCHOOL—ESPN.com ranked him as the No. 20 ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business at offensive guard in the nation and Scout.com listed him as the Colorado. No. 5 guard in Texas. Over his junior and senior seasons he collected first-team All-State honors and had a total of 259 PERSONAL—He was born June 30, 1999, in Phoeniz, Ariz. knockdown blocks while not allowing a single sack playing His hobbies include snowboarding, skateboarding and hanging under coach Kevin Atkinson. He played in the Under Armour out with friends. He was active in the community, volunteering All-American game on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla. He was a 2016 at a hospital and as a youth sports coach. He parents are Julie Texas Associated Press Sports Editors Class 5A All-State first- and Jay. (Last name is pronounced pop-ul-law-ski) team selection his senior year and also drew SportsDay HS All-Dallas Area second-team accolades. According to the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors, he graded out at 93 percent his senior season when he was credited with 131 knockdown blocks and did not allow a single sack. That season he helped lead the Broncos to a 9-2 record and into the first round of the -9 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 9-
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passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. He also was on CASEY RODDICK the track and field team where he was an honorable mention OL, 6-4, 340, Ventura, Calif. (St. Bonaventure) selection as a junior to The Gazette’s Boys’ Track and Field All- Area teams. —Scout.com rated him as the No. 3 offensive HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMICS—He is undecided on a major, but is interested guard prospect in California, No. 4 in the West and 30th overall in becoming a coach or a teacher. in the country. He helped the Seraphs under coach Adam Guerra to a 6-5 record his senior season when his team rushed PERSONAL—He was born May 6, 1999, in Colorado Springs, for 209.4 yards per game. That year he was selected as the Colo. His hobbies include playing sports and games and he loves Marmonte League Offensive Lineman of the Year. The Ventura music and signing. He can play the ukulele and the piano. He is County Coaches Association also named him as the county’s one of four children of Relva and Taleo Sami. His father served Offensive Lineman of the Year. The Seraphs had a running back eight years in the Army and now works at Fort Carson while rush for over 100 yards in 10 of 11 games led by Chuck Wick, his mother works at the Colorado Springs’ airport. His older who with Roddick blocking for him, rushed for 1,680 yards brother, Grady, is a sophomore offensive lineman at Southern and 16 touchdowns while going on to earn Marmonte League Utah. (Last name is pronounced psalm-me) co-Offensive Back of the Year accolades. His junior year he led his team to a 7-4 record and the first round of the 2015 CIF Southern Section Pac 5 Division playoffs. He was also on the LAVISKA SHENAULT JR. track and field team, competing in the discus and shot put. His WR, 6-1, 205, DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) top marks were 137 feet and 44 feet, respectively, in the events. HIGH SCHOOL—He was selected to play on the U.S. ACADEMICS—He carried a 3.3 GPA in high school and is Under-19 National Team against Canada on Jan. 28, 2017 in interested in studying sports medicine and physical therapy at the North American Championship at ESPN’s Wide World of Colorado. Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. In the game he helped the PERSONAL—His hobbies include spending time with family, U.S. National Team win 33-11 and caught a touchdown pass cooking BBQ and working out. He is the son of Robert and in the win. He helped lead his DeSoto High School football Taundra Roddick. His father is a medical engineer and mother team coached by Todd Peterman to a 16-0 record and the is a medical biller. His cousin, Charles Dillon, played football at Class 6A Division II state title, its first in school history. DeSoto Washington State and in the NFL. An uncle, Rico Gross, played finished the season as the No. 2-ranked team in the country by football at Cal-Lutheran. He was active in the community, MaxPreps’ national rankings. He caught a 51-yard touchdown volunteering at the local Boys and Girls Club and coaching pass in the third quarter of the state championship game, which youth sports. gave DeSoto a 35-17 lead. He finished the title game with six receptions for 104 yards and one TD. He had 46 receptions for 825 yards and nine touchdowns his senior year. He averaged JALEN SAMI 17.9 yards per catch with a long of 75 yards, which came in DT, 6-6, 320, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Vista Ridge) his most productive game of the season in the 55-41 win over Cedar Hill. In that game he caught six passes for 172 yards and HIGH SCHOOL—He was a second-team 5A-4A All-Area one touchdown. He had two touchdown receptions in a pair selection of The Gazette and also drew second-team All-State of games, first in the third game of the season during a 49-43 accolades from CHSAANow.com. He also garnered first-team win over Midland and in the last game of November in a 49- All-Pikes Peak league while being selected as its co-Defensive 45 victory over Abilene during the Region I playoff semifinals. Lineman MVP. His senior season during a 6-5 year under coach During a 6-6 junior season he had 27 receptions for 477 yards Jerimi Calip he recorded 55 tackles in nine games. He was and three touchdowns. In the season opener that year he credited with nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss. In a 24-22 caught four passes for 161 yards, which included an 86-yard win over Dakota Ridge, he posted 10 tackles, 4.5 tackles for touchdown catch. He played basketball as a freshman. a loss and 2.5 sacks. In seven of his nine games he played in, he was credited with multiple tackles for losses. He had four ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying mechanical games recording seven or more tackles, which also included engineering at Colorado. a nine tackle (two for losses) performance against Pine Creek PERSONAL—He was born Oct. 5, 1998, in Irving, Texas. His and eight tackles (again with two for losses) versus Rampart. hobbies include playing video games, the puzzle game Sudoku Between his junior and senior seasons he participated in the and pick-up basketball games. He spent time volunteering in Blue-Grey All-American Combine Colorado Regional that also high school to honor local veterans. He is the son of Annie and featured fellow Buffalo signee Heston Paige. His junior year he Laviska Sr.; his father passed away when he was 10. A cousin, anchored the defensive line for Vista Ridge’s playoff team that Khari Harden, played two seasons (2013-14) at Auburn before won the Pikes Peak League and finished the season 9-2. He had transferring to Tulsa. He has four siblings, three of whom are 30 tackles for the Wolves that year, including nine for losses, older than him. (Name is pronounced luh-visk-kuh shuh-nault) and four sacks. He also recovered one fumble and had three -10—2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess—10-
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televised nationally on Fox Sports, he recorded 11 tackles and WILLIAM SHERMAN a sack in a 50-49 victory. IMG’s third nationally televised was OL, 6-3, 295, Allen, Texas (Allen) also on Fox Sports, this time against Long Beach Poly, which IMG won 34-0. In that win he posted 12 tackles, three for HIGH SCHOOL—A second-team All-District selection as losses and he had two sacks. In the Armour Bowl against No. a senior, he was the offensive lineman of the year for Allen 18 St. Johns College, he recorded eight tackles, two for losses High School playing under coach Terry Gambill. Playing on and one sack in a 35-14 victory. He spent his junior season the varsity team from his sophomore year on, he helped his at Cherry Creek High School playing under head coach and team compile a 44-2 record, which included a 16-0 sophomore former Buffalo Dave Logan, a season in which the Bruins went season when the Eagles won the Class 6A Division I state 10-3 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Colorado Class championship. His next two years his teams went 14-1 and 5A playoffs. That year he was named a USA Football National reached the semifinals of the state playoffs each season. He U-16 All-American and played in the International Bowl versus garnered honorable mention all-district honors as a junior. He Team Canada, where he was a team captain. He was also listed his top games as the semifinal loss to Westlake his junior named to Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report Preseason All- season and two games his sophomore year – the first was in America team entering his junior year. Playing quarterback his a state semifinal win over Skyline when the Eagles scored 52 freshman and sophomore seasons at Glenwood Springs High points off 603 yards of offense; then the state championship School he was 200-of-330 passing (60.6 percent) for 2,429 game that he won 47-16 when he blocked for quarterback yards and 14 touchdowns versus six interceptions. He also ran Kyler Murray, who threw for 316 yards and five touchdowns 177 times for 1,072 yards with 17 TDs, giving him 3,501 yards against Cypress Ranch playing at AT&T Stadium. of total offense with 31 total touchdowns. Glenwood Springs went 8-4 his freshman season and 6-5 his sophomore year, ACADEMICS—He carried a 3.3 GPA in high school. He is advancing to the Colorado Class 3A quarterfinals in the playoffs interested in studying international business or marketing at both seasons. He garnered Denver Post All-State honorable Colorado. mention accolades his sophomore season and was named to
Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report All-American team. Prior PERSONAL—He was born May 27, 1999, in Raleigh, N.C. His hobbies include video games and traveling. He is the son to high school he played with fellow Buff signees Jake Moretti of Paula and Chris Sherman. His mother is a registered nurse and Jonathan Van Diest on Team Colorado at the 2013 FBU while his father is a manager of a sewage company. National Championship, which is a 64-team single elimination national football tournament with sixth, seventh and eighth- grade brackets, culminating with Championship Weekend in DANTE SPARACO Naples, Fla. He also won the 2013 National Prep and Youth DE, 6-5, 250, Englewood, Colo. (IMG Academy [Fla.]) Football Association National Championship as a member of the Creek Red Nation Football Club. AT COLORADO—He graduated early from high school and enrolled in classes for the spring semester. He will participate ACADEMICS—He carried a 3.8 GPA in high school. He is interested in studying neuroscience at Colorado. in spring drills.
—He was born Sept. 15, 1998, in Raton, N.M. HIGH SCHOOL—He played for three different high schools PERSONAL in his prep career; as a freshman and sophomore at Glenwood His hobbies include hunting and fishing. He was a VFW Springs High School, a junior at Cherry Creek High School Patriots Pen Essay National Finalist. His father, Dino, played and a senior for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He was a linebacker at Montana State while his grandfather, Mike two-way player for his first three years of high school, playing Sparaco, played football and wrestled at Trinidad State defensive end/outside linebacker on defense and quarterback/ Junior College and Eastern New Mexico. His grandfather was receiver on offense. Over the course of his prep career he inducted into the College Wrestling Hall of Fame and was the recorded 156 tackles, 28 for losses, 14 sacks, six force fumbles, 1967 NJCAA 191-pound weight class national champion. Mike three fumble recoveries, 25 quarterback pressures and four coached football at Raton (N.M.) High School for 24 years, pass breakups. His senior season at IMG Academy he helped 17 as head coach and was the 1993 New Mexico High School lead his team coached by Kevin Wright to a 12-0 record and a Coaches Association Football Coach of the Year. (Last name is No. 2 national ranking by USA Today. A starting defensive end pronounced spuh-rock-oh) on the Ascenders undefeated team, he was a first team Blue- Grey All-American selection. That year he recorded 71 tackles, 11 for losses, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, nine quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. In a nationally televised game on ESPN against Grayson High School, the then No. 2-ranked team in Georgia, he had three tackles for a loss, two sacks and one fumble recovery in a 26-8 victory. In the Honor Bowl against No. 7 Corona Centennial, -11 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 11-
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with fellow Buff signees Jake Moretti and Dante Sparaco on JAMES STEFANOU Team Colorado at the 2013 FBU National Championship, which PK, 6-1, 190, Melbourne, Australia (Rose Hill HS) is a 64-team single elimination national football tournament with sixth, seventh and eighth-grade brackets, culminating with PRIOR TO COLORADO (Football)—He trained periodically Championship Weekend in Naples, Fla. over the course of the past six seasons at ProKick Australia, an academy developed to assist in the transition to American ACADEMICS—He owned a 4.1 GPA in high school (4.0 scale) football by providing the fundamentals of punting and kicking. and was a Colorado Chapter NFF Scholar-Athlete. He plans to study business at the Colorado. Alumni of the academy include the last four Ray Guy Award Winners; Tom Hornsey of Memphis in 2013, Tom Hackett PERSONAL—He was born Aug. 26, 1998, in Louisville, Colo. of Utah in 2014 and 2015 and Mitch Wishnowsky of Utah in In high school he was a Young Life vice president, and in his 2016. His long field goal at ProKick was made from 63 yards free time he enjoys volunteering at Mile High Workshop, which out. helps employ ex-felons and addicts. (Last name is pronounced van dee-est) PRIOR TO COLORADO (Soccer)—He comes from a soccer background in Australia where he has elite level experience as a defender. He represented Australia on its U19 team, a youth CARSON WELLS progression team that is the feeder squad to the Olympic team. OLB, 6-4, 230, Bushnell, Fla. (South Sumter) He also played professionally, most notably in two stints for South Melbourne FC, first from 2005-06 before he signed again HIGH SCHOOL—He played defensive end, middle linebacker with them in 2010. and outside linebacker during his prep career under coach Ty Lawrence. The Orlando Sentinel named him the Defensive ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying business at Player of the Year in Central Florida and he also garnered first- Colorado. team All-State honors as both a junior and a senior. He finished PERSONAL—He was born April 15, 1987. his senior season with 96 tackles, including 18 for losses, seven sacks and two interceptions splitting time between defensive end and linebacker. That year he helped lead his team to a 10-2 JONATHAN VAN DIEST record and into the third round of the playoffs. His junior year LB, 6-1, 235, Louisville, Colo. (Cherry Creek) in an 8-3 season he posted 111 tackles, 25 tackles for a loss, six sacks, six pass breakups and he forced and recovered one HIGH SCHOOL—Scout.com rated him as the No. 1 outside fumble. He had three games during his prep career recording linebacker prospect in Colorado and the No. 8 overall in the west. over 20 tackles, his high being 22 in a 42-18 win over Sante Fe as He was selected to play in the 2017 Under Armour All-American a senior, a game in which he also forced and returned a fumble Game in Orlando, Fla. He was one of three finalists for the 2016 90 yards. He posted 20 tackles and forced a fumble in a 21-15 Denver Post Gold Helmet Award, which is presented to the win over Dunnellon and as a junior in a loss to Bishop Moore state’s player of the year and was a two-time first-team Colorado he had 20 tackles. He made the varsity team as a freshman and Class 5A All-State selection. He earned All-Colorado honors from over his career he posted 341 tackles, 76 tackles for losses, 21 the Mile High Sports Magazine and the Denver Post and was sacks, eight fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and two selected to the Tacoma News-Tribune’s Western 100 team. He interceptions. He also played on the basketball team at South set a new Cherry Creek record that dated back to 1955 with his Sumter and was on the track and field team. In basketball, 50 varsity starts during his four-year prep career. He finished he averaged 10 rebounds and five points per game his junior with 38 career sacks, which tied for second all-time with former season. In track, he ran the 100 meters, where his best time in Denver South star and current Arizona Cardinals lineman Calais the event was 11.3 seconds his junior year, and he also threw Campbell. Playing under coach Dave Logan, a former Buffalo, he the shot put and discus. His top marks in those events were 42 led his team to the Centennial League title as a senior when he feet in the shot put and 150 feet in the discus. had 74 tackles and 6.5 tackles for a loss. He was the Centennial ACADEMICS—He is interested in studying engineering at League Defensive MVP that season. His junior year he posted 60 Colorado. He was the valedictorian of his high school class, tackles with 10.5 sacks and one interception in a 10-3 season. carrying a 4.6 weighted GPA with his honors classes, and a As a sophomore he posted 62 tackles and 11 sacks during member of the National Honor Society. the Bruins’ Class 5A title run. He intercepted Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey in the championship game to seal PERSONAL—He was born Feb. 20, 1999, in Inverness, the victory. He was a first-team All-Centennial League selection Fla. He volunteered at the Southlake County Youth Center that year, the first of three times he earned the honor. He had growing up. He is the son of Patty and Larry Wells. His father 38 tackles his freshman year with 6.5 sacks while claiming the is a rancher who raises cattle and mother is a teacher at a high league championship. Over the course of his high school career school, teaching agriculture. His grandfather, Paul McCormick, his teams posted a 40-12 record. Prior to high school he played ran track at Florida. -13 —2017 University of Colorado Football Letter-of-Intent Signess— 13-
2016 GRAYSHIRTS
CHANCE LYTLE COLBY PURSELL OT, 6-7, 310, San Antonio, Texas (Churchill) OL, 6-4, 285, Valencia, Calif. (Hart)
AT COLORADO—He took 11 credit hours of classes at CU AT COLORADO—He joined the team in January 2017 as during the fall of 2016, but didn’t join the team until January a grayshirt. Before arriving at CU, he spent the fall of 2016 2017 as a grayshirt. He added 20 pounds to his frame since coaching the offensive line for the junior varsity team at his signing last February. alma mater, Hart High School. His squad posted a 9-1 record and came in second place in its conference. HIGH SCHOOL—A two-year starter at offensive tackle, he earned All-District 26-6A honors as a junior and senior. He HIGH SCHOOL—A two-year starter at offensive tackle, was the San Antonio co-offensive lineman of the year and he earned first-team All-Foothill League honors as a senior, an area All-Star team selection as a senior as well. He had a despite missing the first four games of the season with a knee stellar senior season, as he allowed just one quarterback sack injury. Upon his return, he helped his team average 150-plus and just a handful of pressures while being called for just four yards rushing and over 200 yards passing per game, allowing penalties. He had numerous touchdown and downfield blocks just two quarterback sacks while being called for a single for Churchill, which ran a balanced offense. On defense, he was penalty. He played on the junior varsity as a sophomore, but a backup performer on the line (usually the nose guard spot); was promoted to the varsity for the playoffs when Hart made a he was in on 10 tackles along with five hurries and a forced run to win the CIF Southern Section championship; even though fumble, a fumble recovery and half a sack; he was primarily he saw limited action, he called the playoff run his top moment used in situations against the run. He played exclusively on in his high school career. Under coach Mike Herrington, Hart offense as a junior, and was on the junior varsity as a freshman was 7-4 his senior year, 8-4 his junior season and 12-3 the and sophomore (offensive tackle, defensive line). Under coach championship sophomore campaign. Ron Harris, Churchill was 6-5 his senior year, and the Chargers were 8-3 his junior year under coach Glenn Hill (they were ACADEMICS—He is undecided on his major at Colorado, knocked out of the playoffs both years by an eventual state but has an interest in science. An honor roll student in high semifinalist). He also lettered once in track (throws) and school, he owns a 3.7 grade point average, earning straight A’s his junior year. played two years of junior varsity basketball as a freshman and sophomore (center/power forward). PERSONAL—He was born October 14, 1998, in Santa Clarita, Calif. His hobbies include camping, working out (owned a ACADEMICS—He is seeking a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at CU. He owned a 3.7 grade point average in 365-pound bench press as a prep) and scuba diving; in fact, he high school, which included several honors courses. He earned is a certified rescue diver (which he attained when he was 15). second-team Academic All-State honors as a senior and was a (Last name is pronounced per-sell) two-time Academic All-District team member as a junior and senior.
PERSONAL—He was born June 9, 1998, in San Antonio, Texas. His hobbies include music – he can play four instruments: cello, violin, piano and the mandolin – and also composes music and lyrics; he appeared in two of his high school annual musicals and he has earned two top honors, All-Region Orchestra (violin, 2012) and All-Region Choir (2015). Other pastimes include swimming, playing basketball (he was on an AAU team for three years) and he has trained in boxing. A grandfather (Morris Owens) was an Army Golden Gloves Champion, and his other grandfather (Col. Robert Litle) is in the Army Air Corps Hall of Fame, as he owns numerous aviation records. The family changed the spelling of their last name from Litle to Lytle as it was always being mispronounced. (Last name is pronounced Ly-tull)
High School (24)
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) BELL, Maurice ...... WR 6- 0 170 Murrieta, Calif. (Murrieta Valley) CALLIER, Jacob ...... OLB 6- 2 245 Downey, Calif. (St. John Bosco) FONTENOT, Alex ...... RB 6- 0 190 Richmond, Texas (George Ranch) JACKSON, Jaylon ...... WR 5-10 175 Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill) LANDMAN, Nate ...... LB 6- 3 210 Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista) LANG, Terrance ...... DE 6- 7 265 Pomona, Calif. (Maranatha) LEWIS, Isaiah ...... CB 6- 0 190 Granite Bay, Calif. (Granite Bay) LYTLE, Tyler ...... QB 6- 5 205 Redondo Beach, Calif. (Servite) MILLER, Chris ...... CB 5-11 175 Denton, Texas (Denton) MORETTI, Jacob ...... OT 6- 4 270 Arvada, Colo. (Pomona) NEWMAN, Chase ...... LB 6- 2 210 La Mirada, Calif. (La Mirada) NIXON, K.D...... WR 5- 8 180 DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) OLVER, Sebastian ...... ATH 6- 5 250 Kentfield, Calif. (Marin Catholic) PAIGE, Heston ...... OT 6- 5 270 Highlands Ranch, Colo. (ThunderRidge) POLLEY, Grant ...... OL 6- 4 265 Denton, Texas (Denton) POPLAWSKI, Jared ...... TE 6- 4 220 Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro) RODDICK, Casey ...... OL 6- 4 340 Ventura, Calif. (St. Bonaventure) SAMI, Jalen ...... DT 6- 6 320 Colorado Springs, Colo. (Vista Ridge) SHENAULT, Laviska Jr...... WR 6- 1 205 DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) SHERMAN, William ...... OL 6- 3 295 Allen, Texas (Allen) SPARACO, Dante ...... DE 6- 5 250 Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek/IMG Academy [Bradenton Fla.]) STEFANOU, James ...... PK 6- 1 190 Melbourne, Australia (Rose Hill) VAN DIEST, Jonathan ...... LB 6- 1 235 Louisville, Colo. (Cherry Creek) WELLS, Carson ...... OLB 6- 4 230 Bushnell, Fla. (South Sumter)
Junior College (5)
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Hometown (High School/Previous School) EDWARDS, Javier ...... DT 6- 3 350 Jr. Houston, Texas (Aldine Davis/Blinn College) GEORGE, Kevin ...... CB 6- 3 175 So. Lafayette, La. (Carenco/Georgia Military Academy) HAMILTON, Shamar ..... DE 6- 5 230 Jr. Lantana, Fla. (Santaluces/ASA College Miami) MULUMBA, Chris ...... DE 6- 4 280 Jr. Helsinki, Finland (Mäkelänrinne/Diablo Valley College) WIGLEY, Dante ...... CB 6- 1 180 So. Carrollton, Ga. (Carrollton/Holmes Community College)
Grayshirts (2; not in any 2017 counts)
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) LYTLE, Chance ...... OT 6- 7 290 San Antonio, Texas (Churchill) PURSELL, Colby ...... OL 6- 4 290 Valencia, Calif. (Hart)
Breakdown
Total ...... 29 (24 high school, 5 junior college transfers) By State ...... California 9, Texas 8, Colorado 5, Florida 2, Arizona 1, Georgia 1, Louisiana 1, AUSTRALIA 1, FINLAND 1. By Position ...... Offense 12 (5 linemen, 4 receivers, 1 quarterback, 1 running back, 1 tight end) Defense 15 (6 linemen—ends/tackles, 5 linebackers, 4 backs) Specialists 1 (1 placekicker) Athletes 1 (1 position to be determined) Specialists 0
—enrolled at CU for spring semester.