As the days go on, Colorado gets deeper and deeper into fall camp in preparation for Nov. 7's season-opening matchup at home versus UCLA.
On Tuesday, the Buffs put pads on for the first time, upping the physical nature of practice and providing coaches with their first indicators as to which players might be separating themselves on the depth chart from others.
Sophomore nose guard Jalen Sami is glad to be back practicing and gearing up for the season after months of COVID-caused delay.
“It feels good," he said. "...Usually (fall camp) is a little earlier and we don’t have to worry about to school so this time we’ve had to fit in our football schedule with workouts and also with our class schedule. There’s a little conflict there, but it feels great to put on pads and be out there with the boys again, hitting each other and playing football.”
Sami played in 11 games for Colorado last season, seeing action on 411 snaps and recording 25 tackles with a sack on the year.
While Sami looks to make even more of a splash for CU in 2020, he had some good things to say about the Buffs' offensive line and how going up against them in practice each day will help him achieve that.
He even named a few guys specifically that have stood out to him as harder to beat on a play-by-play basis as compared to last fall camp.
“I really think that all of our o-line has grown together, especially under coach (Mitch) Rodrigue," Sami said. "He’s definitely had them coming in and putting in the work this offseason. They’re in unison as one, but I’d say Kary (Kutsch) or Casey (Roddick) have definitely improved since last year.”
Join the conversation on Jalen Sami and the Buffaloes' d-line at Buff Nation, the premiere message board community serving countless CU fanatics.
Sami was also quick to point out the enhanced strength of depth that the Buffs have to his left and right, with fellow 2019 starters Mustafa Johnson and Terrance Lang looking like locks to pick up where they left off last year plus the likes of Na'im Rodman, Janaz Jordan, Jeremiah Doss and JUCO transfer Justin Jackson, among others, ready to contribute in more meaningful ways.
"We all get to work, be as a group and rotate fresh legs for a fresh new defensive line coming in and making plays," Sami said. "It’s also a key learning point, watching from the sideline, taking mental reps and then also coaching each other between plays."
"It shows that we’re getting experienced with practice and reps and then having younger guys come in, step in, know the plays as well and actually perfect their craft day by day.”
On a final note, Sami broke down how position coach Chris Wilson — who's changes to the d-line's techniques has been well-discussed already a week into camp — is looking to change his players' style of play in 2020.
“He’s a negative play defensive line coach, where he stresses getting off the line and stopping the run early on downs, making those negative plays and tackles for losses," Sami said. "It brings (opponents) up into third and long yardage, so that’s a lot harder for them to make plays."
"The more we do to stop the run, get off the ball, pass rush and help our DBs out in coverage — that’s just the NFL scheme that he’s bringing to our system.”
