CU Buffs Klayton Adams: Lindsay 'working towards' every-down back status

We caught up with Colorado running backs and tight ends coach, Klayton Adams, to talk about one of his emerging running backs, the challenges of the Arizona State defense and more.

On if Phillip Lindsay has what it takes to be an ‘every-down back’:

“Absolutely, yeah, and he’s working towards that. He’s done a heck of a job doing a whole bunch of things well, catching the ball well, running the ball well. He has a mishap with his fundamentals on that fumble, but for the most part I’ve been really happy with what he’s doing, and I think he’s definitely he’s working in that direction.”

On what it takes to be an ‘every-down back’:

“The number one thing is durability, being a guy that’s able to play every single week and [Lindsay] has definitely done that. He got dinged a little at the end of last year, but he’s been durable, he’s been tough. I think the other thing that you think of when you want a guy that’s able to play every down, when you look at  the guys in our league who are able to play every down is – there’s no drop off when you go from scheme to scheme. Whether it’s a gap scheme, a tight zone scheme or a wide zone scheme, they’re good at all those things. We have guys that are working they way towards that, we’re a work in progress, but we’re getting better.”

On if the ‘mishap’ in Linday’s fundamentals was putting the wrong hand on top to receive the ball:

“Yes. It’s just one of those things, it’s not something that he’s done in practice but I just think he was really excited  and I don’t know, sometimes that stuff happens, we just have to minimize it. It’s something that he does right every day in practice, unfortunately sometimes, it’s not for lack of effort or anything, but stuff like that happens. I have to keep coaching it and he has to keep doing it right and I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

On Lindsay as a weapon in the passing game:

“I think he’s a nice blend of ball skills and speed. Most of the time what you’re hoping for when you have a back that catches the ball out of the backfield is that the yards after catch is going to be good, that’s what he’s able to do for us a little bit, the vision, the physical running style, being able to make people miss, he’s really grown a lot on all those ways.”

On if Dylan Keeney will continue to see more playing time:

“Absolutely, the part of it that we’ve got to continue working on with him is comfort with the offense. As a first year guy who missed the spring and missed a lot of last season, he has to get more comfortable with the terminology and be able to just play the older guys do, not having to think. We have to slowly work him to the point where you can put him in line. Just like having an every down back, you want tight ends that can do everything, too, he’s one of the guys that has to work towards that also. He has a bright future ahead of him but he’s not there yet.”

On what he sees from the ASU defense:

“The gamble, they take risks, they do some things that you don’t see everyday in our league. From an offensive perspective, you’ve got to be able to do what you do and be able to handle those different things and not get caught up in trying to change everything because what you’re seeing is different. They play really fast, they create a lot of negative yardage runs, they create a lot of negative plays in general, i’m sure they’re probably near the top of the league in that. You have to be able to minimize those plays and take advantage of opportunities when there’s empty gaps and things like that, you have to make big plays happen.”

On how to catch them gambling:

“A lot of it is just doing your base things, knowing where you’re supposed to be without having to create a whole bunch of new stuff. Anytime somebody is gambling, whether it’s offensive or defensive, there is going to be risk and reward. Sometimes they are going to get you, sometimes you’re going to get them, you just have to get them more.”