Coach Prime’s new offensive line is massive! The last season was a rough one for the Colorado Buffaloes. With a record of 4-8, the story wasn’t pretty, and quarterback Shedeur felt the brunt of it all. He was sacked a whopping 52 times, which was a national high. Reports even surfaced that Sanders needed pain-numbing injections just to play and missed practices to recover from the constant hits.
Addressing the issue head-on became Coach Prime’s priority. “The big picture, you go get new lineman,” he declared in an interview. “That’s the picture, and I’ma paint it perfectly.”
It seems Coach Prime is a man of his word. This year, he made a massive investment in the Buffs’ offensive line to protect his quarterback son. Key players like center Hank Zilinskas and Tyler Brown are back and earned starting roles in the spring. But the biggest change is the size and skill set of the entire unit.
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Coach Prime implemented a complete O-line revamp, bringing in five new linemen who average a staggering 339 pounds and stand a towering 6’5 ¾” tall. Names like Zack Owens (375 lbs), Ethan Boyd (the tallest at 6’7″), Yahya Attia, Wyatt Hummel, and Payton Kirkland add serious muscle to the line.
Colorado has added 5 O-linemen to the roster this spring, with an average size of 6-5 ¾ and 339 lbs:
Yahya Attia, NFL Academy: 6-4, 330
Ethan Boyd, Michigan State: 6-7, 325
Wyatt Hummel, Villanova: 6-6, 315
Payton Kirkland, Texas: 6-6, 350
Zack Owens, Clemson: 6-6, 375#cubuffs— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) May 2, 2024
In fact, the average size of the entire 9-scholarship O-line unit is already a formidable 6’4 ¼” and 296 pounds. And as the ultimate piece of the puzzle, Chris Morris, a 6’4″, 290-pound OL, was added to the team.
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Thus, the message here seems quite clear: Coach Prime and the Buffaloes are on a mission to protect their “often-hit” quarterback.
Coach Prime’s new Big 12 offense looks promising
As the offensive powerhouse Big 12 conference looms ahead, Coach Prime is overhauling the Colorado Buffaloes’ offense to handle tougher opponents. Last year, offensive lineman Khalil Benson became well-known for declaring, “We definitely don’t need 2 [Shedeur’s jersey number] to be touched,” and even launched a DT2 (Don’t Touch 2) merchandise line to emphasize protection. While the offensive line is bulking up and ensuring protection, Shedeur Sanders is not sitting idly by.
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He has been actively training with his skilled receiving corps, including standouts like Jimmy Horn Jr. and Kaleb Mathis. Just last week, they focused on perfecting their catches, even practicing running routes and improving eye positioning to strengthen their on-field connection.
This new offense is already showing signs of promise. The Buffs started the year with a strong showing in the “Black and Gold” spring game, putting up 29 points against a defense that managed only 24. It seems like the new offensive line can significantly reduce Shedeur’s sack count this time.