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Via coaching change, Karl Dorrell hoping for fresh energy within OLs room

At his weekly press conference Monday afternoon, Karl Dorrell expanded up his decision, of which news broke Sunday evening, to relieve offensive line coach Mitch Rodrigue of his duties.

Junior center Colby Pursell prepares to snap the ball to Brendon Lewis in week one against UNC
Junior center Colby Pursell prepares to snap the ball to Brendon Lewis in week one against UNC (Nigel Amstock / Rivals)
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Dorrell deciding to fire Rodrigue came a day after the Buffaloes had allowed a season-high six sacks in Saturday's 26-3 loss at California; for context, the Bears had managed just 10 sacks all year through six games leading into their contest vs. the Buffs.

Despite a fairly veteran unit up front, anchored by multi-year starters Kary Kutsch (senior) at left guard and Colby Pursell (junior) at center, as well as returning starters Frank Fillip and Casey Roddick at the tackle positions, CU's o-line has struggled considerably in 2021.

Minnesota sacked Brendon Lewis four times in week three; Arizona State got to him three times; while Southern California managed five sacks of the Buffs' freshman signal caller.

With an already shaky passing game exacerbated by a lackluster 3.53 yards per rush on the year, Dorrell opted to make a change.

“We’ve been working for weeks to try to create a level of consistency with how we’re playing offense," Dorrell said. "We just haven’t been able to put it all together on a consistent basis, which brought me to the conclusion that I needed to do something to hopefully give us a new approach and to kind of refocus and reset the button for us as we have these five games remaining. I decided to relieve Mitch Rodrigue of his duties as our offensive line coach."

"...I felt it was the right time to do that, to try to give our players some energy, some redirection and some focus as we finish these last five games of the season, for us to play some better football. So far so good. We had a good practice today. I think the players have responded favorably to the change, particularly the offensive line. So, we’re going to build, going forward, to play some better games as we finish throughout these last five games and there’s no better way to play then against a good Oregon Ducks (team)."

William Vlachos, a former All-American center at Alabama, who had been serving in a quality control capacity with the Buffs, has been tapped by Karl Dorrell as CU's offensive line coach for the remainder of the season
William Vlachos, a former All-American center at Alabama, who had been serving in a quality control capacity with the Buffs, has been tapped by Karl Dorrell as CU's offensive line coach for the remainder of the season (Marvin Gentry / USA Today)

Dorrell has selected the 33-year-old William Vlachos to oversee CU's offensive linemen for the remainder of the year.

Vlachos had joined CU's staff in the early spring of 2020 and leading up to Rodrigue's dismissal, was serving as a quality control coach for the Buffaloes.

He previously coached as an offensive assistant with the Buffalo Bills, while his coaching start came at Alabama, his alma mater, from 2015-2017 in a quality control capacity.

Vlachos, who will serve as the Buffs' lead offensive line coach, will be supported by graduate assistant Donovan Williams.

"It’s a new voice, someone that’s different that’s commanding the room and I think it gives — anytime you get a different way of messaging that’s different than the previous message, sometimes there’s some enlightenment with that," Dorrell said.

"I think our players have really accepted that. They were willing to move forward and to give this new change in what we’re doing a real positive impact...I feel it was really good from that (perspective). It’s more of a redirection — it’s just another point of emphasis but doing it a different way.”

When asked about what he'll look for in a full-time offensive line coach, Dorrell deferred, focusing instead on the Buffs' immediate task at hand, the No. 7-ranked Oregon Ducks this weekend in Eugene.

Dorrell was pleased with how the Buffs practiced Monday, especially with the o-line under the direction of Vlachos and Williams for the first time.

"They’re excited with this opportunity that’s in front of them," Dorrell said. "Our offensive line that I met with yesterday, they understood the decision that I made, they respected it, and they’re moving forward with a new attitude and hopefully some new effort to get some things shored up."

"That’s going to get us to be playing some better football starting this week. Like I said, it was a really hard decision that I had to make and it’s not stuff that we take lightly, but I think it was the best thing to do at this time.”

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