Colby Pursell says some young linemen are “coming along”

BOULDER — Colby Pursell’s four years in Boulder haven’t gone exactly as planned.

“It’s kind of a weird little trip I’ve been on since I’ve been here,” Pursell told reporters on Monday.

In his redshirt-freshman season, Pursell started all 12 games for Colorado at center. He was credited with 13 touchdown blocks, he was a finalist for the CU Athletics Department’s freshman of the year award and he was given the CU football team’s John Wooten Award for the player with the most outstanding work ethic.

The next season, Pursell started at right guard but after four games, he became ill. Doctors diagnosed Pursell with an enflamed gallbladder and he had surgery to remove it. He didn’t return to the field until Week 11.

Last season, as a junior, Pursell moved back to center but he was hurt in the season-opener and was back on the field for the last two games.

So far this spring, Pursell has practiced at center.

“Right now, I’m feeling pretty good,” Pursell said. “We’re working a lot with Coach Turley. And I think he’s great. I think he’s awesome for us. I think he’s helped a lot. I’m feeling really good right now in spring ball.”

Turley, Colorado’s first-year strength coach, has received only positive reviews so far this spring. Turley was named the national strength coach of the year while he was at Stanford from 2007-2019, in part because he helped reduce the Cardinal’s games missed due to injury by 80%.

“The strength coach plays a massive role in the whole team’s preparation for the season. We deal with him probably more than my position coach in the offseason. So he plays a massive role,” Pursell said. “I think what he’s doing is great.”

While Pursell has a new strength coach for the first time at CU, he’s also seen some stability. When Mitch Rodrigue signed on to become Colorado’s offensive line coach last offseason, he became Pursell’s third position coach in three years. Karl Dorrell was Pursell’s third head coach in three years. Both Dorrell and Rodrigue are back for their second seasons in 2021 and Pursell is excited.

“I was with Coach McIntyre and Coach Adams for two years, then I had Coach Tucker and Coach Kap for a year, and then Coach Dorrell and Coach Rod now for two years,” Pursell said. “Was it difficult? Yeah, at times, it was. Three different people, different coaching styles, getting used to that, it was a bit different. A unique experience for sure.”

Pursell wants to make the best of the situation, though.

“I get to learn from three different coaches and see three different ways of doing things,” Pursell said. “The way I look at it, I could add more tools to my toolbox. A certain coach may teach something a certain way, a certain technique that could be applied in certain situations. I’m going to try and add that to my toolbox.”

Having started three seasons at two different positions and under three different coaches, Pursell should have plenty in his toolbox.

The question now is how many Buffs have enough tools to contribute on the offensive line this season.

William Sherman, who started last season at left tackle, is headed to the NFL. (Pursell says he’s been texting with Will about how to play the center position, which is where Sherman will likely fit in at the next level.) Frank Fillip is the most likely successor but he started at right tackle last season, so CU is still down a starter. None of the 2020 starters in the interior project was effective tackles.

To make matters worse, Jake Wray, a four-start recruit who spent one season on campus, retired for medical reasons.

Colorado is also dealing with a slew of injuries up front—mostly minor ones, outside of the broken leg Kary Kutsch sustained late last season—leaving just 10 healthy players. That’s enough to practice with a starting line, a second-string line and no additional subs.

Pursell is confident Colorado will have a suitable option by the start of the season.

“People come and go all the time. That’s just the nature of the sport,” Pursell said. “We’ve got some guys who previously hadn’t had much play time before who are stepping up now.”

In particular, Pursell shouted out Josh Jynes. Jynes, a sophomore, is an interior lineman who has been playing guard during camp.

“We’ve got guys that are coming along,” Pursell said. “We’ve got guys who are ready to step up. We’ve got guys who want to play.”

If Colorado can find one more piece—and it can stay healthy—then there’s no reason they couldn’t be among the best lines in the Pac-12 again in 2021.