The 2021 Colorado Buffaloes rank tied fourth-fewest in the nation with a grand total of eight seniors and graduate transfers on roster.
While new grad transfer linebackers Robert Barnes and Jack Lamb both have eligibility remaining, Barnes with one more year and Lamb with two, many of CU's other seniors are preparing for their final games at Folsom Field this Saturday when the Buffs take on Washington.
Out of all of Colorado's senior players, whether or not middle linebacker Nate Landman will be able to suit up is the top storyline.
Landman has missed three straight games due to injury, as he last played on Oct. 23 at California.
Karl Dorrell has indicated over the last few weeks that Landman has been both "chomping" to get back on the field and "negotiating" with CU's trainers and staff to suit up.
Whether that happens Saturday remains to be seen, but when asked about Landman playing against the Huskies earlier this week, Dorrell replied, "there’s a possibility."
Aside from Landman, Saturday will mark the final appearance at Folsom Field in a CU uniform for senior left guard Kary Kutsch and defensive tackle Mustafa Johnson.
Both players came to Colorado from the California JUCO ranks, with Kutsch playing at Butte College and Johnson beginning his playing career at Modesto Junior College.
Kutsch became a full-time starter for CU at left guard in 2019, starting all 12 games there while in last year's COVID-condensed campaign, he started an additional four games for the Buffs while switching between guard and center.
By the time the Buffs wrap up their last two games of the season against Washington and at Utah, Kutsch will likely have started a total of 28 games for Colorado in his career.
“It’s kind of bittersweet," Kutsch sad. "It’s cool to be moving onto something else just with my own life but it’s tough that football’s over here (at Colorado)...I’m forever grateful for all of that. I’m just happy I got the opportunity to even work hard enough to be here.”
Johnson's career at Colorado has been decorated as it has been interesting, to say the least.
After earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2018, a season in which he had an impressive 8.5 sacks and 74 tackles, Johnson was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2019, as he battled an ankle injury that caused him to miss three games mid-season.
Johnson enjoyed a successful shortened 2020 campaign with CU, with two sacks, six tackles for loss and five quarterback pressures, a performance that earned him second-team All-Pac-12 honors.
This past January, in the 2020 offseason, with an extra year of collegiate eligibility on the table, Johnson opted to pass and instead declare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
He signed an agent but went undrafted, ultimately trying out with the New York Jets but failing to get signed.
Then, in early September, news of an intriguing development broke, as the Boulder Daily Camera's Brian Howell reported that Johnson had been granted an NCAA waiver to rejoin the Buffaloes to make use of his COVID-granted extra year of eligibility.
Johnson eventually was granted that waiver, served a suspension and debuted for CU in a start Oct. 2 against USC. He has since started every game for the Buffs in what will be a unique conclusion to his career in Boulder.
“It’s glorious (and) sad all in one," Johnson said. "I’m happy that I’ve gotten the ability to come back and be able to do this. At the same time, I'm sad that it’s going to be coming to an end officially. I kind of had a premature ending (last year) but at that time, I didn’t really get to feel this way with COVID going on and it being a sudden choice. As for this time, I’ve had the season to be here and reflect and I knew it was coming. So, it’s both good and bad.”
Kutsch and Johnson share junior college roots and they also both share a desire to continue their football careers in the NFL.
Johnson got a taste of that process earlier this year that ultimately was unsuccessful, but following the end to the Buffs' season, he plans to gear up for the 2022 NFL Draft.
"Obviously, it didn’t work out for me the first time, so I don’t really have an answer for you on what it takes, because I didn’t do it," he said. "But I think it just comes down to making plays."
As for Kutsch, Dorrell has complimented his potential to make it in the NFL, having shown promise as a left guard and also the ability to change positions, looking at his move to center in 2020, warranted by injuries to Colby Pursell.
"I’ve talked with (Dorrell) briefly, a little bit more with coach (William) Vlachos," Kutsch said. "When I made the center move last year, I got the whole, ‘It’ll be good for me at the next level’ stuff. It’s been brought up but I haven’t discussed it very deeply yet.”
Future NFL careers aside, Colorado, at 3-7 (2-5 Pac-12) on the year, said goodbye to any hopes of making a bowl game with last Saturday's loss at UCLA.
Despite that, Dorrell insists that his players remain motivated to play hard these last two games, starting this weekend against UW, with Saturday's game vs. the Huskies offering a chance to make the team's seniors' final appearance at Folsom Field a memorable one.
“We still are a team that wants to compete and wants to have a better taste in (our) mouth about making progress for this year," Dorrell said. "The attitude is still pretty good and pretty strong. I think the biggest motivation right now is for our seniors to feel like they made a great impact. It would be great to have a great showing in this last home game.”
......
I remember a few seasons ago in 2018, after CU had lost to Utah in the regular season finale at Folsom, how emotional Rick Gamboa was. Despite the state of the Buffs right now, I absolutely hope that the few seniors on this team can have a happy memory on Senior Night. Even with no bowl game this year and largely there being nothing to play for, I hope Dorrell is shooting straight when he says there hasn't been a falloff in motivation among the locker room.
While new grad transfer linebackers Robert Barnes and Jack Lamb both have eligibility remaining, Barnes with one more year and Lamb with two, many of CU's other seniors are preparing for their final games at Folsom Field this Saturday when the Buffs take on Washington.
Out of all of Colorado's senior players, whether or not middle linebacker Nate Landman will be able to suit up is the top storyline.
Landman has missed three straight games due to injury, as he last played on Oct. 23 at California.
Karl Dorrell has indicated over the last few weeks that Landman has been both "chomping" to get back on the field and "negotiating" with CU's trainers and staff to suit up.
Whether that happens Saturday remains to be seen, but when asked about Landman playing against the Huskies earlier this week, Dorrell replied, "there’s a possibility."
Aside from Landman, Saturday will mark the final appearance at Folsom Field in a CU uniform for senior left guard Kary Kutsch and defensive tackle Mustafa Johnson.
Both players came to Colorado from the California JUCO ranks, with Kutsch playing at Butte College and Johnson beginning his playing career at Modesto Junior College.
Kutsch became a full-time starter for CU at left guard in 2019, starting all 12 games there while in last year's COVID-condensed campaign, he started an additional four games for the Buffs while switching between guard and center.
By the time the Buffs wrap up their last two games of the season against Washington and at Utah, Kutsch will likely have started a total of 28 games for Colorado in his career.
“It’s kind of bittersweet," Kutsch sad. "It’s cool to be moving onto something else just with my own life but it’s tough that football’s over here (at Colorado)...I’m forever grateful for all of that. I’m just happy I got the opportunity to even work hard enough to be here.”
Johnson's career at Colorado has been decorated as it has been interesting, to say the least.
After earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2018, a season in which he had an impressive 8.5 sacks and 74 tackles, Johnson was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2019, as he battled an ankle injury that caused him to miss three games mid-season.
Johnson enjoyed a successful shortened 2020 campaign with CU, with two sacks, six tackles for loss and five quarterback pressures, a performance that earned him second-team All-Pac-12 honors.
This past January, in the 2020 offseason, with an extra year of collegiate eligibility on the table, Johnson opted to pass and instead declare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
He signed an agent but went undrafted, ultimately trying out with the New York Jets but failing to get signed.
Then, in early September, news of an intriguing development broke, as the Boulder Daily Camera's Brian Howell reported that Johnson had been granted an NCAA waiver to rejoin the Buffaloes to make use of his COVID-granted extra year of eligibility.
Johnson eventually was granted that waiver, served a suspension and debuted for CU in a start Oct. 2 against USC. He has since started every game for the Buffs in what will be a unique conclusion to his career in Boulder.
“It’s glorious (and) sad all in one," Johnson said. "I’m happy that I’ve gotten the ability to come back and be able to do this. At the same time, I'm sad that it’s going to be coming to an end officially. I kind of had a premature ending (last year) but at that time, I didn’t really get to feel this way with COVID going on and it being a sudden choice. As for this time, I’ve had the season to be here and reflect and I knew it was coming. So, it’s both good and bad.”
Kutsch and Johnson share junior college roots and they also both share a desire to continue their football careers in the NFL.
Johnson got a taste of that process earlier this year that ultimately was unsuccessful, but following the end to the Buffs' season, he plans to gear up for the 2022 NFL Draft.
"Obviously, it didn’t work out for me the first time, so I don’t really have an answer for you on what it takes, because I didn’t do it," he said. "But I think it just comes down to making plays."
As for Kutsch, Dorrell has complimented his potential to make it in the NFL, having shown promise as a left guard and also the ability to change positions, looking at his move to center in 2020, warranted by injuries to Colby Pursell.
"I’ve talked with (Dorrell) briefly, a little bit more with coach (William) Vlachos," Kutsch said. "When I made the center move last year, I got the whole, ‘It’ll be good for me at the next level’ stuff. It’s been brought up but I haven’t discussed it very deeply yet.”
Future NFL careers aside, Colorado, at 3-7 (2-5 Pac-12) on the year, said goodbye to any hopes of making a bowl game with last Saturday's loss at UCLA.
Despite that, Dorrell insists that his players remain motivated to play hard these last two games, starting this weekend against UW, with Saturday's game vs. the Huskies offering a chance to make the team's seniors' final appearance at Folsom Field a memorable one.
“We still are a team that wants to compete and wants to have a better taste in (our) mouth about making progress for this year," Dorrell said. "The attitude is still pretty good and pretty strong. I think the biggest motivation right now is for our seniors to feel like they made a great impact. It would be great to have a great showing in this last home game.”
......
I remember a few seasons ago in 2018, after CU had lost to Utah in the regular season finale at Folsom, how emotional Rick Gamboa was. Despite the state of the Buffs right now, I absolutely hope that the few seniors on this team can have a happy memory on Senior Night. Even with no bowl game this year and largely there being nothing to play for, I hope Dorrell is shooting straight when he says there hasn't been a falloff in motivation among the locker room.
