Buffs’ Dline off to strong start

BOULDER» Talented newcomers and improved veterans gave the Colorado football team some hope this offseason that its defensive line would be better this year.

After one game, the Buffaloes are encouraged by the results.

CU’s newlook defensive line had a solid outing against Colorado State in Friday’s 4513 victory at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.

Sophomore Mustafa Johnson, a juniorcollege transfer making his CU debut, made several big plays after earning a starting job in preseason camp. Redshirt freshman Terrance Lang and true freshman Israel Antwine made a couple disruptive plays, as well, and the veterans stepped up.

Nose tackle Javier Edwards, who is about 60 pounds lighter than he was 18 months ago, looked stronger, more physical, and more capable of shedding blocks than he did a year ago. Chris Mulumba, Jase Franke and Lyle Tuiloma all made plays, too.

That group helped CU hold the Rams to 103 yards on 39 rushing attempts (2.6 average) and generate three sacks.

“We feel like we have about six or seven guys that can rotate in there and play well,” CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said. “Two of them are freshmen, and I think they’re very good players. A couple of them are sophomores. It’s good to see that.”

Certainly the Buffs will face tougher offensive lines than the young, inexperienced group at CSU, but on Friday night, the group asserted itself.

“The Dline, they were fresh all game,” said linebacker Nate Landman, who led the team with 16 tackles. “We had a great rotation going in there, making a lot of plays, being physical, taking up blocks. I was coming free a lot of the time, so I definitely credit a lot of my success to them. They worked their butts off all day.”

That performance was the pay off for nine months of hard work. The Buffs’ line had a rough year in 2017 and is determined to be better this year under firstyear position coach Kwahn Drake.

“They’re physical, they’re powerful and they understand it,” MacIntyre said. “Coach Drake has done a great job with them. We’re playing with better pad level, we’re playing better with our hands, we’re understanding where our (run) fits are.

“We changed up a few things up front that I believe will help us as