Karl Dorrell wants to learn more about his team this time around

BOULDER — Karl Dorrell has a new focus in his second camp as CU’s head coach.

“I’m learning every day, a little bit more about a lot of guys,” Dorrell said early in spring camp. “The other part, too, is that I’m looking to learn.”

That second part is the new part.

“My approach to this 2021 season is a new approach,” Dorrell said. “I am learning a lot more about these guys.”

Last year, his first season as Colorado’s head coach, was a though time to learn about his new team. The Buffs had 24 practices to get ready for the season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so there wasn’t much time to figure out who could do what.

“You know it’s your first time coaching in front of the team—that was what we did in October—that was a lot different feeling than the feeling I have now,” Dorrell said. “I think our team is confident.”

The nature of this camp is different than the first one that Dorrell ran last fall. His coaching staff is working more with the depth players instead of focusing on getting everybody on the two-deep ready to play on a short clock.

There’s another difference, too: Colorado was missing a number of players throughout camp due to lingering injuries from the season, new injuries sustained during camp and COVID infections and close contacts.

That meant an extended look at the backend of the roster.

“You’re talking about Nate (Landman) being out, for example,” Dorrell said. “You get a chance to see some guys get more reps than they normally would have gotten.”

There were some new faces in practice, too.

“With the new guys that have stepped in, like a (linebacker) Robert Barnes and (quarterback) J.T. Shrout, it’s good to see those fresh, young bodies that we haven’t seen in the past,” Dorrell said. “They are upgrades to where we were a year ago.”

Colorado hit the transfer portal hard this spring, so there will be even more new faces on campus this fall. There’s more learning to be done.