To say that freshman tailback Jayle Stacks enjoyed a storied high school career would be quite the understatement.
By the time he graduated from Cherry Creek High School, he had earned four straight All-Centennial League honors, won CHSAA Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 and also guided the Bruins to a perfect 14-0 record and state title.
As his high school career came to and end, Stacks had racked up an impressive 3,265 yards as Cherry Creek's bruising starting tailback.
A former two-star recruit initially committed to play football at Air Force (where the triple option would most definitely have suited his 5-foot-11, 230-pound frame well), Stacks ultimately pledged and later signed with Colorado, delaying his enrollment to the fall of 2020.
Now that he's in college, with his position group stacked with talent that includes proven workhorse Alex Fontenot and reigning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in Jarek Broussard, among notable others, Stacks' days as the go-to tailback eating up all the carries are behind him.
However, that reality has far from stopped him in working to assert his way onto the field.
Dating back to last season as well as spring ball, Stacks had been used in a multitude of ways: taking an occasional carry or filling in on the goal line as a fullback.
“If it has to do with tailback, (fullback), I can play tight end if I’m needed — my dad taught me so much to where it’s like, if you have an opportunity, take it," Stacks said. "If that's playing fullback, playing H, playing tight end, I’m going to give it to the best of my ability just so I can see where it leads.”
A desire to get himself on the field no mater what he has to do or where he has to play has been the observation Karl Dorrell has made of Stacks.
"He reminds me of a couple of NFL fullbacks that sometimes are playing in a number of spots even though they’re labeled a fullback," he said. "They’ve been the one-back runner behind the quarterback, they’ve been the fullback in some two-back offenses and then they’re also played at the tight end position and in the slot. Jayle has that ability and I think he’s embraced it."
Despite his current utility role with the Buffs, Stacks said that he spends all practice with Darian Hagan and the tailbacks, as opposed to moving around at times.
While in high school, Stacks had 22 career receptions for 268 yards and nine touchdowns.
Stacks' potential as a receiver, especially running routes out of the backfield, was something not lost on Dorrell.
"(Stacks) knows he’s unique and has some size advantages when he’s in the backfield," Dorrell said. "He understands he’s a great ball receiver running routes and some secondary routes from the backfield, too. We’re very pleased with where he’s going and how we're going to utilize him moving forward. I’m sure he’s excited, too.”
In addition to the multiple roles he's currently assuming during fall camp, Stacks currently is second team on all of the Buffs' special teams units.
Jumping up the depth chart to first team on any of those squads remains a goal of his before the season starts.
The extent to which Stacks will be used by Colorado this fall remains to be seen, but one thing that appears to be certain is that if and when he gets a chance to see the field, he'll do so uncomplainingly and look to make the most of it.
“If I need to get you a hole, I’ll definitely get it open for you and if I need to run it in from two yards for a touchdown, I can also get that for you, too," he said. "But I also can get it, say if I’m just running like a regular running back, I can still get (upfield). But if you need me in those clutch moments where it’s third or fourth and two, I can get it for you.”
......
Regardless of what happens this year with Stacks, he's certainly proved he has the right attitude and I think at this point he's demonstrated his value in a meaningful way. The dude can just do so many things. Hard guy to keep off the field. Recall that last year at Arizona, Stacks was the goal line lead blocker on both of Ashaad Clayton's touchdowns. I'd love to see more of Stacks this fall.
By the time he graduated from Cherry Creek High School, he had earned four straight All-Centennial League honors, won CHSAA Class 5A Player of the Year as a senior in 2019 and also guided the Bruins to a perfect 14-0 record and state title.
As his high school career came to and end, Stacks had racked up an impressive 3,265 yards as Cherry Creek's bruising starting tailback.
A former two-star recruit initially committed to play football at Air Force (where the triple option would most definitely have suited his 5-foot-11, 230-pound frame well), Stacks ultimately pledged and later signed with Colorado, delaying his enrollment to the fall of 2020.
Now that he's in college, with his position group stacked with talent that includes proven workhorse Alex Fontenot and reigning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in Jarek Broussard, among notable others, Stacks' days as the go-to tailback eating up all the carries are behind him.
However, that reality has far from stopped him in working to assert his way onto the field.
Dating back to last season as well as spring ball, Stacks had been used in a multitude of ways: taking an occasional carry or filling in on the goal line as a fullback.
“If it has to do with tailback, (fullback), I can play tight end if I’m needed — my dad taught me so much to where it’s like, if you have an opportunity, take it," Stacks said. "If that's playing fullback, playing H, playing tight end, I’m going to give it to the best of my ability just so I can see where it leads.”
A desire to get himself on the field no mater what he has to do or where he has to play has been the observation Karl Dorrell has made of Stacks.
"He reminds me of a couple of NFL fullbacks that sometimes are playing in a number of spots even though they’re labeled a fullback," he said. "They’ve been the one-back runner behind the quarterback, they’ve been the fullback in some two-back offenses and then they’re also played at the tight end position and in the slot. Jayle has that ability and I think he’s embraced it."
Despite his current utility role with the Buffs, Stacks said that he spends all practice with Darian Hagan and the tailbacks, as opposed to moving around at times.
While in high school, Stacks had 22 career receptions for 268 yards and nine touchdowns.
Stacks' potential as a receiver, especially running routes out of the backfield, was something not lost on Dorrell.
"(Stacks) knows he’s unique and has some size advantages when he’s in the backfield," Dorrell said. "He understands he’s a great ball receiver running routes and some secondary routes from the backfield, too. We’re very pleased with where he’s going and how we're going to utilize him moving forward. I’m sure he’s excited, too.”
In addition to the multiple roles he's currently assuming during fall camp, Stacks currently is second team on all of the Buffs' special teams units.
Jumping up the depth chart to first team on any of those squads remains a goal of his before the season starts.
The extent to which Stacks will be used by Colorado this fall remains to be seen, but one thing that appears to be certain is that if and when he gets a chance to see the field, he'll do so uncomplainingly and look to make the most of it.
“If I need to get you a hole, I’ll definitely get it open for you and if I need to run it in from two yards for a touchdown, I can also get that for you, too," he said. "But I also can get it, say if I’m just running like a regular running back, I can still get (upfield). But if you need me in those clutch moments where it’s third or fourth and two, I can get it for you.”
......
Regardless of what happens this year with Stacks, he's certainly proved he has the right attitude and I think at this point he's demonstrated his value in a meaningful way. The dude can just do so many things. Hard guy to keep off the field. Recall that last year at Arizona, Stacks was the goal line lead blocker on both of Ashaad Clayton's touchdowns. I'd love to see more of Stacks this fall.
