All but three Colorado football coaching personnel losses and transfer portal defections were downplayed by BuffZone’s Pat Rooney — who only sees two of them as truly eyebrow-raising, and one being so to a lesser extent.
“Of (CU’s) losses, the only ones that raise an eyebrow for me are Hankerson and Williams, and perhaps to a lesser extent Ham,” Rooney wrote.
“The writing was on the wall for Lewis as soon as he was stripped of play-calling duties for the final four games. As the tight ends coach, Brewster really only had one player to coach (Michael Harrison) and it seems like he was out the door pretty much as soon as the team plane returned from the finale at Utah. And no offense to the two young men off to find their fortunes elsewhere, but I’m all for razing the entire offensive line.”
Rooney all but called Hankerson Colorado’s best running back this past season.
“For my two cents, Hankerson was the most complete running back on the roster,” Rooney wrote. “He was their toughest between-the-tackles runner, and while Hankerson isn’t the same threat in the passing game as speedy freshman running back Dylan Edwards, he was a more than capable pass-catcher out of the backfield.”
Colorado football losses necessary to change culture
After Lewis’ demotion as lead play-caller, it was a foregone conclusion that the former Kent State head coach would be back in charge of a program. It seemed like it’d be Michigan State, but upon firing Brady Hoke, San Diego State acted quickly to find their man. The other position coaches seemed like locks to follow Lewis out the door, with Tim Brewster already resigned and Bill O’Boyle set to any day now.
Williams was valued for his defensive trench recruiting, and his loss will be felt. Warren Sapp will be tasked with filling those shoes for the Buffs in 2024. But personnel-wise, that’s the only unpredictable, and unfortunate, loss.
As for the players who’ve declared for the transfer portal, Hankerson was the only true difference-maker to depart — and even his contributions were muted due to Colorado’s inability to establish the run.
If Coach Prime and Co. are willing to put in the work this offseason, these losses won’t tank the program.
A failure not to put in said work would, though.