CU Buffs notes: Defensive line coming together with opener approaching – The Denver Post

Developing a solid rotation in the front of the defense hasn’t been an easy task for the Colorado Buffaloes this summer, but there is progress being made.

CU opens its season on Sept. 2 at TCU (10 a.m. MT, Fox) and the Buffs are doing their best to be ready in the trenches of their defense.

“I think off the field we came together well,” junior defensive lineman Shane Cokes said. “I think the biggest thing for us was just truly learning how we play together.”

Cokes, a transfer from Dartmouth, and Leonard Payne, a transfer from Fresno State, both arrived at CU in January. Most the group didn’t get to Boulder until the summer, however, and they didn’t have their first practice together until earlier this month. But, Cokes said they’ve starting doing much better with the scheme and learning to stop the run.

“I think it’s been good,” he said. “I think it was a little bit rough early on, just kind of understanding gap responsibilities, checks and stuff like that. Today, especially, we’re starting to understand it better, call out plays that might happen and really run fit very well, especially up front and then linebackers filling in the holes better.

“I think it was just growing pains a little bit, but after that we just understood what we need to do, understood the concepts where the linebackers need to fill, how we need to be more disciplined up front.”

Along with Cokes and Payne, Amari McNeill, Bishop Thomas and Chazz Wallace are playing tackle, while there’s a big group coming off the edge.

The Buffs will look to all of them to stop the run.

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“I’m gonna lean on everybody that plays in front,” defensive line coach Sal Sunseri said. “That’s not one person that’s going to do it. It’s a collective group stopping the run. Everybody’s got to be in the right gap, fit the right hands and do what needs to be done.”

Sunseri added that the Buffs “absolutely” have a rotation of pass rushers he’s comfortable with at this time.

“I think we have some athletic guys who can rush the passer,” Sunseri said. “I think we have guys that have learned to compete. I think we have guys who are learning and I think they’re going out there and they’re trying to apply techniques that we’re trying to get done. There’s been some positives and there’s been some negatives; we’ve just got to keep on developing them.”

Sunseri wasn’t happy with the weight and conditioning of the group he had in the spring, but feels better about that aspect now.

“We’re starting to get in good condition,” he said. “A lot of the players have gotten a lot stronger. I’m happy with them right now with their strength. I’m happy where they’re at in conditioning. Now it’s the consistency of play, fitting your hands, getting off blocks and making plays.”

Sidwell passes away

CU Athletics Hall of Famer Steve Sidwell passed away after a long illness Wednesday night, one week shy of his 79th birthday.

Sidwell was a star linebacker for the Buffs from 1963-65, earning first-team All-Big Eight honors as a senior. He then spent two years as a graduate assistant coach and was the Buffs’ full-time linebackers coach from 1968-73. He worked as the defensive coordinator at UNLV (1974-75) and SMU (1976-81) before a 35-year career in the NFL.

In the NFL, Sidwell coached for several teams, most notably as defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints (1986-94). He was inducted into the Saints’ Hall of Fame in 2004 and the CU Hall of Fame in 2018.

D-Mac’s versatility

One of the most versatile players on the Buffs’ defense is Florida State transfer Derrick McLendon II. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior is listed as an outside linebacker, but he can play up front, as well.

“I like the idea of his quickness and speed off the edge,” Sunseri said. “I like to move him around. When you have somebody that’s like that moving around, you can bring him on different spots; it’s dangerous. It’s hard for the offense to know where he’s at.”

Notable

Defensive end Chance Main began fall camp with CU, but left the team and was announced as a signee this week by Texas State. Asked why Main didn’t work out at CU, Sunseri said, “He just decided he didn’t want to play football (at CU) anymore. I can’t help that. (If) he doesn’t want to play, he doesn’t want to play.” … Cokes said he was a bit star struck when Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin came to practice Wednesday. “When I saw him come, I feel like I was a kid,” he said. “All the stories my dad told me, seeing all his speeches that he gives – his speeches before the games always got me, so I just had to go up and shake his hand yesterday.”

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