Colorado football forced to unexpectedly rebuild again in 2020
Colorado needs to spruce up defense, especially secondary
On the defensive side of the ball, the Buffaloes do not find themselves in a better position than on offense. Colorado was ranked 96th in points allowed per game (31.8) and 104th in total yards allowed per game (441.9). They were among one of the worst defenses in the nation in stopping the opposing offense from diving the ball as they were ranked 126th in defensive efficiency (48.3 percent).
Karl Dorrell decided to retain defensive coordinator Tyson Summers for the upcoming season due to the fact that the Buffaloes are building progress defensively. The Buffaloes return seven starters on the defensive side of the ball with five of them coming at the front-seven.
There is much potential in most of these players to create more efficient defense but the secondary is an area that might face the most trouble once again this season.
The Buffaloes have all three of their defensive line starters returning for the upcoming 2020 season. Terrance Lang returns for his second full season as a starter. Last season, he had 30 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and a team-best 5.5 sacks. The other returning end, Mustafa Johnson, had 4.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last year.
Finally, returning nose tackle Jalen Sami had a tremendous 2019 campaign as a freshman as he finished with 24 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Middle linebacker Nate Landman will be one of the most productive players on defense once again. Last year, he finished with a team-high 113 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, four passes defended and one interception as he was named first-team All-Pac-12. Athlon Sports named him to its preseason first-team All-Pac-12 team.
Carson Wells returns as the starting outside linebacker for the Buffaloes after recording 41 total tackles last season. Akil Jones will be the other starting middle linebacker after appearing in all games last season and starting in six of them. There were will be a competition for the final spot of the last starting outside linebacker position between the inexperienced Guy Thomas and Jamar Montgomery or Jason Harris, their second-best prospect in the 2020 class.
The Buffaloes had one of the worst secondaries in 2019. The defense was ranked 123rd in the nation (10th in the Pac-12) passing yards allowed per game (288.3). Opponents completed 66 percent of their passes against the Buffaloes and this number has to decrease significantly.
KJ Trujillo has been one of the brightest spots of Colorado’s secondary. Derrion Rakestraw returns as one of the starting safeties for the Buffaloes after accounting for 43 total tackles last season. Cornerback Chris Miller returns after coming back from a season-ending injury after playing four games, starting two of them.