One of the oldest sayings on the practice field is that iron sharpens iron. That exact phrase was uttered by both Colton Hood and Kahlil Benson at CU fall sports media day on Friday, as both sides of the ball tune each other up for the Buffs’ first game that’s now less than three weeks away.

Colorado is hoping that’s true as its new-look roster battles against each other for the first time this fall during camp, which started on July 29. Last year, the proof was in the pudding for the Buffs, with certain skill groups that naturally compete against one another in practice either succeeding or struggling. Colorado’s receivers were one of the team’s strong points a season ago, and their secondary improved as a result. Up front, the results weren’t as peachy, as both sides of the ball struggled mightily on the line of scrimmage.

This season, the Buffs have upgraded their talent all over the roster. The coaching staff and players alike have taken pride in the fact that they don’t stagger their starters during practice, instead consistently going best-on-best during scrimmage periods. They’re hoping that pays off when the season kicks off.

The Colorado secondary has been a standout group at camp, with coach Deion Sanders saying they have “four to five” cornerbacks that can stick to receivers in man coverage and Shilo Sanders exclaiming that he expects the group to be a “No Fly Zone” this fall in an ode to the Denver Broncos’ most recent Super Bowl team in 2015-16.

“There’s no weak spot,” CU’s star safety said. “That’s what the offseason is all about. Just getting better myself, and coaches making the whole defense better also. That’s what they’re here to do is make the whole team better.”

“The coverage (in practice) has been way, way, way tighter than it was last year,” Shedeur Sanders added. “Like way tighter.”

That, in turn, makes the CU receivers have to up their game in practice for the offense to have success. LaJohntay Wester said on Friday that he’s been moving around the offense, working both on the outside and in the slot, though he prefers to maximize his quickness advantage on the inside. Vanderbilt transfer Will Sheppard, who wasn’t with the team this spring and is getting his first reps with the team in camp, has also been one of the stars of the last few weeks.

CU’s receivers have had their fair share of success these last few weeks as the two groups go back and forth, but the Buffs’ secondary has the confidence that it can shut them down at any time.

“I wouldn’t really say there’s a toughest guy to cover,” cornerback Colton Hood, who transferred in from Auburn, said. “Just because if I get beat, I think it’s something I did, something I need to fix.”

The other major inter-position battle is obviously up front, where a slew of quality transfers litter both lines. The two groups have been seen going at it plenty as the season gets underway, both before and after the whistle. Indiana transfer Kahlil Benson, the projected starter for the Buffs at right tackle, has been at the center of plenty of it and has established himself as one of the enforcers during camp.

“Man, we’re going at it every single day,” Benson said of the offensive and defensive lines. “Weight room, locker room, keeping our locker clean, any and all of that. We’re just always competing with each other. I mean, of course because you’ve got dogs on both sides of the ball.”

Colorado fans will get to take a look for themselves at the inter-squad competition, as Deion Sanders announced that the Buffs will hold an open practice next Friday, August 16, at All City Stadium in Denver at 6:30 p.m. Sanders cited shaking up the routine and the fact that the players will give maximum effort in front of the public as reasons for the change.

“I don’t want to get routine,” Sanders said. “One thing about it, when you hit a little low, I don’t want to hit a low. We haven’t hit that. These guys are flying around, and I’m trying to prevent (hitting the low). See, the thing about when you practice in front of company, nobody’s gonna embarrass themselves, right? When you guys are out there, everyone’s gonna go hard.”

With the new-look Buffs firing on all cylinders, they know that the fiery battles every day will only make their lives easier on Saturdays. Shedeur Sanders even took it a step further on Friday

“I’m just excited to go out there because I know I feel like the game will be easier than it is in practice,” he said.