The defensive line could be a strength for the CU Buffs in 2020
The defensive lines the last two seasons under Mike MacIntyre were flat out horrible.
Mel Tucker came in and knew immediately he had to revamp the defensive line.
The MacIntyre defensive lines were too small in every sense of the word.
He subsequently brought in seven defensive lineman in his first recruiting class in 2019, a few transfers and the others mostly prep recruits.
And now the Buffaloes have that keyword for a defensive line group: depth.
"I would just say that we have depth,” Mustafa Johnson said.
That is the biggest thing. Now that we have guys that were able to come in and get experience, there is less worry and less strain.”
Colorado will return every defensive lineman that played last season. They have plenty of depth now that they have a lot of guys on the defensive line with experience.
They also add junior college transfer Justin Jackson to the mix. And possibly Jordan Berry, if he ever shows up.
And they have one of the most experienced defensive line coaches in college football, Chris Wilson.
Wilson has spent time at five different power five programs in some capacity as a defensive line coach including Oklahoma, Georgia and USC.
He also won a Super Bowl as the defensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I think the thing you miss the most is the developmental piece,” Wilson said about returning to college football. “After I left here, I had a chance to coach some really cool guys. But they don't pay you to coach Fletcher Cox. Fletcher Cox was born Fletcher Cox. So, as Coach (Barry) Switzer used to tell our coaches, 'Don't screw them up.' They have some innate qualities and we just have to hone those. And the biggest thing you see now is guys really don't know who they are right now. They are growing, they are developing into those guys.”
Johnson says they have had to adjust to a new technique but he’s found a liking to Wilson’s all business attitude.
“The intensity and knowledge of the game is all still there, though,” Johnson said about the difference between Jimmy Brumbaugh and Wilson. “It is just going to be a different technique that I am going to have to learn, which I am not really worried about. I'll expand my game a little bit, whatever will fit the scheme. Coaching wise, he is pretty intense. On our Zoom meetings, he doesn't take any B.S. He is on point and he wants us all to be attentive and ready to go."
Johnson sees that with the depth behind him and good coaching, this could be a very special defensive line group.
“We know that we have guys that have done it and have been in it before, instead of having a room of six freshmen that have never played before and four upperclassmen,” Johnson said. “So, I guess that is the biggest difference is that we don't have worry. I played my sophomore year and did pretty good, so I am confident they can, too."
They have come a long way since the MacIntyre days.
