As a long-time football coach, Pat Shurmur knows how football coaches operate, which is why the Colorado Buffaloes won’t show much during their annual spring game on Saturday.
The weather may not be ideal for the annual Black & Gold scrimmage at Folsom Field (1 p.m., Pac-12 Network), but one thing fans can count on is a lot of vanilla in the play calling.
“I don’t have much of a life here, so what I do is I sit at home and I’ve been just flipping through other teams spring games,” said Shurmur, the first-year offensive coordinator of the Buffs. “I watch things and so I’m sure our first couple opponents will be watching ours. … We’re probably not going to show anything new, you know, the 60 or 70% of the new stuff. We’ll show things we did last year. There will be a couple of wrinkles for the fans.”
CU opens with North Dakota State on Aug. 29, followed by trips to Nebraska and Colorado State. Shurmur joked, “Unless they’re peeking over the fence (at practice) … we’re not going to help them.”
Even if there is a heavy dose of vanilla, head coach Deion Sanders’ second Black & Gold scrimmage will give fans an opportunity to watch Buffs live for the first time since last year’s season finale, on Nov. 25 at Utah.
For several new Buffs – including on the coaching staff – it will be the first opportunity to get a feel for Folsom Field, even if attendance isn’t expected to match a game day. (As of Thursday, CU had sold just over 24,000 tickets).
“I’m excited to see the stadium, candidly,” first-year defensive coordinator Robert Livingston said. “I’ve watched a lot of film, a lot of home games, and to everybody’s credit, even late in the year the place is packed. I’m excited to feel that atmosphere. I’m excited to see what it’s like to be here under the mountains and kind of everything that you took the job for.”
While it’s not expected to snow, as it did during the 2023 spring game, the forecast calls for rain throughout the day Saturday. That could prevent CU’s iconic mascot, Ralphie, from running, but it won’t prevent the Buffs from getting some work done in their final practice of the spring.
“The game is important because for me, it’s another practice opportunity,” Shurmur said.
Offensively, it will be an opportunity for Shurmur and starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders to work together in a live setting. It will also be an opportunity for backup Ryan Staub to continue his good spring.
Saturday’s scrimmage will be a showcase for the revamped offensive line, which features the nation’s top-rated true freshman, Jordan Seaton, five transfers and Tyler Brown, who missed last season when he had to sit out because of a now outdated NCAA transfer policy. And, returner Hank Zilinskas is anchoring the line as the starting center.
“They’re growing and getting better,” Shurmur said of the line. “As you know, it’s a whole new crew except for a couple of guys, like Hank’s in there playing center. They’ve done well. I mean, they’re coming together, a lot going on for them.”
Defensively, the Buffs will have a different look under Livingston. Star cornerback (and receiver) Travis Hunter has been playing nickel, while newcomers Preston Hodge and DJ McKinney have turned some heads in practice. The re-tooled defensive line will be on display, too.
CU ranked 110th nationally in rushing defense last year and Livingston is hoping that can change, with Saturday being a big day in that regard.
“You got to stop the run,” he said. “As long as we have that tribe mentality and we’re pushing forward, then we’ll get to where we need to get to.”
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Of course, like last year, the team on the field for the spring game won’t be the same team that takes the field in the fall. Many of the key players are already in place, but there could be 30 or more scholarship newcomers in the fall who aren’t here yet.
Regardless of weather, plays that are called or players that are available, Livingston said the spring game is a day that should be celebrated by the Buffs.
“It’s a special day. I think it’s lost too much,” he said. “These guys work so hard year round for 12 opportunities (on game day in the fall). So let’s make this the 13th; it’s the only thing that’s guaranteed to us. So let’s go out, let’s have fun. Let’s play fast. Let’s leave it all out there.
“If you’re gonna make a mistake, make it full speed. I’m excited to, again, see what the atmosphere is like. Can’t wait to see Buff Nation.”
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