The 2022 Colorado Buffaloes roster looks much different than it did when the 2021 season concluded.
Some players left to the NFL, and a ton left via the transfer portal. Karl Dorrell and his staff have an uphill battle this season, although there are some key players that came to Boulder, including Baylor transfer WR RJ Sneed II.
Nonetheless, there are some massive issues with this team, and the secondary is one of the most glaring. Pete Fiutak of College Football News examined the secondary in detail, and after some key departures, this could be the make or break point for the Buffs this season:
It’s not necessarily a positive that the defense backs made so many plays last year,but they can hit. Leading tackler Isaiah Lewis is back at one safety spot, but big hitter Mark Perry is off to TCU, good corner Mekhi Blackmon is at USC, and fellow corner Christian Gonzalez bolted for Oregon. It’s going to be a young secondary, but as long as the pass rush improves, this group should be okay with a little time
The losses of Christian Gonzalez and Mekhi Blackmon hurt more than the others, especially since they dashed for Pac-12 rivals (Oregon and USC, respectively). Mark Perry heading to TCU stung as well, and the Buffs opening the season against the Horned Frogs is another storyline to watch.
As Fiutak points out, the defensive secondary lost a lot of talent, although he has Isaiah Lewis as the top player for the Buffs this season.
All eyes are on the defense, especially the secondary.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h5x4enxt6nsr4 player_id=none image=https://coloradobuffaloeswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
[listicle id=8256]