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Karl Dorrell challenging younger players to step up as leaders for CU

During the Buffs' fall camp back in August, Karl Dorrell announced that he'd be using weekly captains as opposed to tapping a handful of players with that responsibility for the season.

Karl Dorrell is seen on the sidelines during the Buffs' 34-0 win over Arizona a few weekends ago
Karl Dorrell is seen on the sidelines during the Buffs' 34-0 win over Arizona a few weekends ago (Nigel Amstock / Rivals)
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Dorrell also made note of a 20-plus-strong leadership council within the Buffs' locker room, comprised of players from all classes, freshman to seniors.

So far in 2021, Colorado's weekly captains have largely been predictable.

Senior linebacker Nate Landman has been a captain in five of six games for the Buffs; junior cornerback Mekhi Blackmon has served as a captain four times; while junior tight end Brady Russell has been tapped as a captain for three games.

But there has been room for younger players to assume a position of leadership in a given week's practice, and, as a result, on gameday.

Second-year freshmen Brendon Lewis and Christian Gonzalez, two members of CU's 2020 class that have seen the field extensively since arriving in Boulder, have also earned weekly captain positions for the Buffs this year (Lewis three times, Gonzalez twice).

Both players are on CU's aforementioned leadership council and Dorrell is hoping Colorado's other underclassman players can emulate their example from a leadership perspective.

"There’s no age standard to become a leader," Dorrell said. "That’s something that I’m trying to encourage a team that has such a youthful group — let’s not wait to be a senior to believe, You don’t have to be a senior or junior or sophomore. Leadership takes guys doing the right things, keeping guys accountable to doing the right things...we need more guys to step up and do those things.”

Second-year freshman cornerback Christian Gonzalez leads CU with 422 snaps played on defense so far this year
Second-year freshman cornerback Christian Gonzalez leads CU with 422 snaps played on defense so far this year (Nigel Amstock / Rivals)

Up and down Colorado's depth chart, it's not difficult to spot the younger players making contributions.

Gonzalez and Lewis are among the freshman starters on offense, in addition to wide receivers Brenden Rice, Chase Penry and Ty Robinson, all of whom have seen heavy snaps so far this year.

Jake Wiley, a third-year redshirt freshman, has started at offensive tackle for the Buffs.

For Dorrell, getting those players to match their on-field actions with leadership in the locker room will be key for a team desperately trying salvage a 2021 season (2-5, 1-3 Pac-12) that is trending the wrong way closing in on the two thirds mark.

“We have a number of guys who are kind of just ‘shut up and work’ guys," Dorrell said. "Chase Penry is kind of a ‘shut up and work’ kid — a very good player, a young player, but he’s not ready to lead. He just wants to do his job well so that everybody knows that you can count on him."

"We have some really good young candidates that feel like they're not ready to make that step yet because of their newness in the program. But I’m still encouraging all the different classes to create some leadership to get this team to play together and be accountable to each other.”

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