Coach Prime continues to emphasize to his players the “old school” way he played football and the way a player had to earn everything. This is a trait that players need to understand again in this era.
It’s not about the “drip” or how much nonsense they talk on social media, it’s about the performance on the field. Buffs fans have enjoyed the show of two-way player Travis Hunter. The former five-star player played over 1,000 snaps last season (475 on offense, 631 on defense, 32 on special teams).
The Buffs have added a second player to the gray jersey group that previously consisted of just Hunter, who was the only one to play both ways. Isaiah Hardge was recruited by Colorado as a wide receiver out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has been a rare holdover since signing in 2022. Last season, the talented player spent time on special teams while working on his ability to be retrained as a defensive back, a position he played briefly in high school when his number was called. The Buffs now have the second player added to the illustrious list of both-way players in Hardge.
Deion Sanders says at least seven Colorado players have NFL potential next year
The Buffs’ hybrid 4-2-5 defense could be a variation of 4-3 next season and will need depth to be productive on the field. Not to mention, the defensive sets Colorado may employ will keep Shilo Sanders from further injury and protect his operated left shoulder. He will look to beat opponents but will be more of a middle of the pack. Similar variations of the Buffs’ defense were used at Michigan when George Helow was the Wolverines’ linebackers coach. Helow had the opportunity to use linebacker David Ojabo of the Baltimore Ravens and will definitely look to get the most out of the Buffs’ defensive core.
It was a great move to add to Coach Prime’s team so late in the game. Helow most recently coached Alabama under Nick Sabin against Michigan during the College Football Playoff semifinals and will now also have a chance to coach against his former team, Colorado State, where he was an assistant for four seasons. Look for the Buffs’ linebackers to be ready to compete at a high level and could be valuable to the team. Helow will help the Buffs’ defensive staff strategize and make necessary adjustments when things get tight for a defense that ranked 130th in the FBS last season.
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How many snaps will Hardge play on both sides of the ball next season? Will he be used more on defense now? Will Hardge become an ironman like Hunter on the field? We’ll soon find out, because he’s risen to the challenge this season, and you can be sure Hardge will try to answer those questions.
