It's probably early to talk about expectations for the 2026 college football season, but one offensive position should make serious noise—especially with new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion running the show.
Colorado will need to prove they can establish the run game behind a revamped offensive line and an almost entirely new running back room—with only Micah Welch and Dekalon Taylor returning.
With Omarion Miller and Dre'lon Miller out the door, Colorado brought in replacements like DeAndre Moore Jr., Kam Perry, Danny Scudero, and Ernest Campbell to add speed and versatility.
Here's the one player I think will benefit most from this changing of the guard.
Zach Atkins could have a monster 2026 season
Atkins was the only Colorado tight end to catch a pass this past season. He hauled in 20 receptions—tied for fourth on the team—for 149 yards, averaging 7.4 yards per catch.
The junior tight end dealt with a revolving door at quarterback and never built chemistry with one signal-caller for an entire season. Colorado cycled through Kaidon Salter, Ryan Staub, back to Salter, and finally Julian Lewis before returning to Salter for the season finale after redshirting Lewis.
Colorado landed the three-star tight end Atkins through the NCAA transfer portal after the 2024 season. He came from Division II Northwest Missouri State, where he caught 18 passes for 179 yards and three scores in his final year there.
Atkins was highly sought after, with offers from schools like LSU, South Carolina, West Virginia, and North Carolina, among others.
Colorado didn't get much production from their tight ends during their nine-win 2024 season either. Sav'ell Smalls managed just nine catches for 68 yards and a touchdown, while Sam Hart caught one pass for -1 yards.
During Deion Sanders' first year with the school in 2023, they leaned heavily on starting tight end Michael Harrison. He responded by tying for second on the team with five receiving touchdowns while hauling in 31 passes.
The last time Colorado had multiple tight ends getting in on the action was during the dreadful 1-11 season in 2022, when Brady Russell (20 catches, 153 yards), Caleb Fauria (3 catches, 23 yards), Erik Olson (5 catches, 21 yards), Michael Harrison (2 catches, 12 yards), and Austin Smith (1 catch, 4 yards) all contributed.
Keep an eye out for newcomer Fisher Clements (Northern Colorado transfer), plus youngsters Corbin Laisure and Zayne DeSouza, who add depth and intrigue to an already solid tight end room.
If you've seen any film on Atkins from his time at Northwest Missouri State, you know he was at his best in the middle of the field. A full offseason of workouts and building chemistry with the new offensive coordinator and quarterback Julian Lewis should pay dividends for Atkins in his senior season.