2021 CFP SEASON PREVIEW AUTUMN 11

COLORADO
#2 PAC 12 SOUTH: CONF 3-1, HOME 1-1, AWAY 2-0, BOWL: L
Head Coach: Karl Dorrell (2) OC: Darrin Chiaverini (2) DC: Chris Wilson (1)
OFFENSE:
QB: Last year’s starter, Sam Noyer (1101 YDS, 6 TD, 7 INT passing, 208 YDS, 5 TD rushing) transferred to Oregon
State. This will open the door for freshman 6’2 225lb Brendon Lewis (95 YDS passing, 73 YDS, 1 TD rushing in
Alamo Bowl) and Tennessee transfer 6’3 J.T. Shrout (494 YDS, 5 TD, 3 INT in career). Further down the roster is
true freshman 3-star 6’3 Drew Carter. Grant Ciccarone transferred out.
RB: Last years’ PAC-12 player of the year Jarek Broussard (895 YDS, 5 TD) will lead the herd. Also returns Alex
Fontenot who was the team’s leading rusher in 2019 (874 YDS, 5 TD), Joe Davis (34 YDS) and freshman 4-star
Ashaad Clayton (31 YDS, 2 TD). Jaren Mangham (35 YDS, 2 TD) transferred to South Florida.
WR: KD Nixon (132 YDS) transferred to USC. Returns Dimitri Stanley (335 YDS, 1 TD), 6’2 La’Vontae Shenault (193
YDS), 6’3 Brenden Rice (120 YDS, 2 TD), Maurice Bell (115 YDS, 1 TD), 6’4 Daniel Arias (105 YDS), Jaylon Jackson (17
YDS, 1 TD) and 6’2 Montana Lemonious-Craig (15 YDS).
TE: Returns Brady Rusell (77 YDS, 1 TD). The other tight ends only combined for five receptions, CJ Schmanski (14
YDS) and Matt Lynch (7 YDS). Freshman Caleb Fauria was a top 20 TE recruit. Freshman Erik Olsen was a 4-star
recruit.
OL: Lost OT Will Sherman to the NFL. The other eight players who started a game last season are back, including
four regular starters. Max Wray transferred in from Ohio State. Noah Fenske transferred in from Iowa.
DEFENSE:
DL: DE Mustafa Johnson (20 TOT, 3 sacks) is gone. Returns DE Terrance Lang (9 TOT), 305lb Janaz Jordan, 325lb
Jalen Sami (4 TOT), 300lb Na’im Rodman (3 TOT), Jeremiah Doss (1 TOT), 2019 3-star 300lb Lloyd Murray Jr. DE
Blayne Toll transferred in from Arkansas.
LB: Akil Jones (27 TOT) graduated. Returns defensive leader ILB Nate Landman (53 TOT, 4 sacks) who had to
recover from an Achilles injury in the offseason. OLB Carson Wells (37 TOT, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT) is also a very good
player. Others returning are ILB Jonathan Van Diest (19 TOT), OLB Guy Thomas (10 TOT), ILB Quinn Perry (6 TOT),
Jamar Montgomery (6 TOT), Joshka Gustav (4 TOT) and 4-star redshirt freshman Marvin Ham II. Jack Lamb (13 TOT)
transferred in from Notre Dame. Incoming 3-star freshman ILB Zephania Maea could see playing time.
SF: Derrion Rakestraw (36 TOT) transferred to Tulane. Robert Barnes transferred in from Oklahoma and will
probably start. Other starting candidates are Isaiah Lewis (33 TOT, 1 sack), Mark Perry (9 TOT), Chris Miller (2 TOT),
Toren Pittman (3 TOT) and Ray Robinson (3 TOT).
CB: Returns Christian Gonzalez (25 TOT), Mekhi Blackmon (15 TOT, 1 INT) and Nigel Bethel (3 TOT, 1 INT).
SPECIAL TEAMS:
KR: Returns Evan Price (16/16 PAT, 6/8 FG). Freshman Cole Becker was a top 2 kicking recruit in his class.
PR: 3-star Punter Josh Watts joined the team and is the only punter listed on the roster.
SPIN
Boulder, CO – The Buffs made the Pac-12 Championship as recent as 2016. Last season
was only their second bowl game appearance in the last 13 seasons. They have not won
a bowl game since 2005 vs Clemson. The stats might not blow you away but they only
played six games last year. Wins were over UCLA, Stanford, Arizona and San Diego
State. Losses were to Utah by 17 and Texas by 32 in the Alamo Bowl. A bowl game will
be tough to reach with Texas A&M and Minnesota in non-conference play. The Texas
A&M game is at Mile High in Denver. Three of the five South Division games are on the
road. With questions at QB, it does not look like Colorado will get over 5 wins this year,
but with Broussard at RB, they could surprise the South.
Twitter @Autumn_Eleven