BOULDER – On an absolutely perfect Saturday at Folsom Field, the Colorado Buffaloes took the field for their annual Spring Game. The stars of the show—the Buffs’ impressive stable of running backs.
Headlined by 83 yards on seven carries from Phillip Lindsay the tailbacks combined for 250 yards on 41 carries (6.1 yards per carry) on a day that ended up being a showcase of the wealth of talent Colorado has at the position.
“We have some great running backs, we really do,” head coach Mike MacIntyre said after the scrimmage. “I’m excited about those guys. It gives great competition, they have to keep playing… The more [good backs] you have, the better off you are.”
“It was definitely a great day for our backs,” Lindsay added. “Coach Hagan’s been working hard with us and it showed today. We’re just going to keep getting better because we need everybody, it’s a long season and there’s room on the field for everybody at different times.”
Hagan took over the running backs coach position previosuly held by Klayton Adams, who now coaches offesive line.
“He’s teaching us how to be a runningback and how to just be free on the field,” Lindsay said. “He knows us on a more personal level and on top of that his drills are real great and it shows on the field. Whenever we go back to watch film we go over the drills that we have done and see where it carries over on the field.”
One of the nice sights of the day for the runningbacks was the return of Michael Adkins. Adkins was sidelined for the final nine weeks of last season with a hamstring injury. On Saturday he showed why, when healthy, he has been considered one of the better if not the best running back the Buffaloes have.
“It was good, he showed his speed a little bit there, had a nice run. It was good to see Michael back,” MacIntyre said.
Adkins had 40 yards and a touchdown on just five carries.
“”When it’s game time it like to come out and play, I’d definitely say I’m a gamer,” Adkins said. “This whole spring I’ve just been trying to get back out there and learn. We basically have a whole new offense so I’m learning that offense and perfecting that offense, this will give us some good momentum moving forward.”
The “game” itself wasnt much of an actual game. With a litany of (mostly minor) injuries plaguing the depth chart right now, MacIntyre was forced to go away from the two team format he has used in the past in favor of a regular offense-defense scrimmage.
No score was kept but fans were able to get a look at some of the faces, new and old, that will lead this team in the fall. Both sides of the ball showed flashes with guys like Devin Ross and Isaiah Oliver making multiple plays for their respective sides.
The Buffaloes will regroup for one last practice on Monday before they head into the long summer offseason that will go until Aug. 3 when players are scheduled to report for fall camp.
