BOULDER – Colorado’s defense figures to be its strenght when the Buffs kick off their season in early November, but question marks still linger over one group. While the defensive line and linebackers have All-Pac-12-caliber veteran anchors in Mustafa Johnson, Nate Landman and others, the secondary is still fairly green.
So how does head coach Karl Dorrell feel about his group?
“The confidence is very high,” Dorrell told reporters Thursday.
On the Buffs’ most recent depth chart, the starters in the secondary were a senior, a junior and three sophomores. The backups who made their way onto the depth chart were a junior, three sophomores and three freshmen.
Despite the youthfulness of the secondary, there’s a fair amount of experience. For example, K.J. Trujillo a sophomore starter at cornerback has already started seven games for Colorado. Sophomores Tarik Luckett and Mark Perry have played significant time already as well.
“These are all three young players that have had to play because of injury,” Dorrell said. “Those guys are much better going into year two in this system.”
But the familiar faces aren’t the only young players to be excited about.
So far in camp, sophomore Nigel Bethel has picked off at least three passes, including one in the first scrimmage of the year. Bethel transferred from Miami before last season but he was required to redshirt due to the NCAA’s transfer policy.
“Nigel Bethel, who you mentioned, is having a really good camp, he seems to be around the football a lot,” Dorrell said.
The true freshman in the secondary figure to be involved this season, too.
“I think we’re counting on those guys to being a factor, too,” Dorrel; said. “Toren Pittman, he’s getting his feet wet with what we’re doing. Will Anglen is also playing the safety positions. They’re there. They’re all, you know, digesting the information as best we can.”
Perhaps the most likely true freshman to see the field on the defensive side of the ball is Christian Gonzalez. According to 247Sports, Gonzalez was the third-best prospect in the Buffs’ 2020 recruiting class and he was the 31st-ranked safety in the country.
Earlier this week, senior safety Derrion Rakestraw told reporters that Gonzalez was rotating in with the starters at cornerback.
“Christian Gonzalez–who plays corner–he’s had a really good camp himself, too,” Dorrell said.
Plus the Buffs will get a boost from a pair of defensive backs they lost early in the 2019 season; sophomore Chris Miller and junior Mekhi Blackmon. Both were listed as starters in the Buffs’ most recent depth chart and should help bolster would should be one of the most exciting units on the team in 2020.
“Overall, it’s a very young team, and very young, secondary, but they’re very talented, very talented,” Dorrell said “It’s just a matter of those guys really honing in, seasoning themselves and them getting used to each other. That’s going to grow and get better game after game after game. So I’m very pleased about what their potential is.”
