Landman’s athleticism runs in family
BOULDER» On a 3and1 play near the goal line during California’s 2016 North Coast sectional championship game, star running back Najee Harris got the handoff for Antioch High School.
Then the No. 1 recruiting prospect in the country met Nate Landman in the backfield.
“(Landman) broke through the line and tackled him, stone cold, for a twoyard loss,” recalled Matt Russi, Landman’s defensive coordinator at Monte Vista High School about 20 miles east of Oakland. “He’s playing the No. 1 running back in the country, but you couldn’t tell. There was no advantage there.
“That, to me, was like, ‘Wow, this kid’s special.’ ”
Those types of plays helped Landman earn unanimous MVP honors in a highschool division that also includes legendary power De La Salle. Now Landman’s ability is on display at Colorado, as the sophomore linebacker’s 16tackle breakout performance in his first collegiate start resulted in a Pac12 defensive player of the week honor. Up next for Landman and the Buffaloes is a trip to Nebraska.
“I’m a little starstruck myself,” Landman said of his seasonopening performance against Colorado State. “I just went out there and played my game. … I was nervous for my first start, but once you get that first hit or first play under your belt, everything starts relaxing.
“The coaches do a great job making practice so fast and giving us many challenges during the week. So when you get into the game, it kind of slows down and you’re able to focus on what you’ve been doing all week and your body kind of takes over.”
Highlevel athleticism runs in Landman’s family. It’s why he was born in Zimbabwe while his father, Shaun, was playing professional rugby. Nate does not remember much about the African country where he lived until he was 3, just the occasional flashback triggered by photos or sto ries from his parents or three older siblings.
But Dad’s natural ability — and competitiveness — was passed on to the four Landman children. They all played sports in high school. Brother Brendan saw game action as a true freshman tight end for Arizona State in 2014, and sister Ocean Trail was a swimmer at Oregon State.
Come to Thanksgiving dinner, Nate said, to get a glimpse of his family’s mentality.
“It’s intense,” Landman said. “Touch football that turns into tackle football.”
Nate was the youngest, filled with feelings he “always had to compete harder to hang with the big dogs.” When he began playing varsity football as a sophomore at Monte Vista, coach Craig Bergman estimates Landman’s frame was about 5foot9, 150 pounds.
But by the summer before Landman’s senior season, he had sprouted up to 6foot3 and 210 pounds. He became a “freak of nature athletically,” Russi said, because of his explosiveness in the weight room on Olympic lifts like power cleans.
“How easy he makes it look,” Russi said, “it’s just fluid.”
That season, Landman racked up 32 tackles for loss, and also totaled 38 catches for 577 yards and seven touchdowns as a tight end. To illustrate Landman’s impressive “burst” to college recruiters, Bergman would pop in a tape of a play in which Landman caught a short pass and outran the defense about 60 yards for a touchdown. On the defensive side, Landman improved in pass coverage as a senior, a testament to his diligent film study to understand route concepts and plays the offense will likely run next.
“It’s not guessing,” Bergman said. “He knows what’s coming next. He has a tremendous ability to watch film and then apply what he’s learned very quickly to a game situation.”
Landman committed to Colorado, drawn to the football program and the opportunity to spend time off fishing while immersed in the state’s stunning scenery. He joined a crowded corps of Buffaloes linebackers last season, acknowledging his head was “swimming” in those early practices and games. Bergman noticed Landman was a tad late on his reads and first step, a common hiccup for freshmen in the faster college game.
But following spring practice, coaches gave Landman the Dick Anderson Award for toughness shown during those workouts. Later in the offseason, he power cleaned 355 pounds, 10 pounds off the program record.
About five days into fall camp, Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre had an epiphany while walking up the hill to the Buffaloes’ practice field. He needed to get Landman, Rick Gamboa and Drew Lewis on the field together, prompting Lewis’ move to outside linebacker. That gives the Buffaloes entire defense more flexibility, MacIntyre said, because Lewis’ speed is an asset in coverage and while rushing the passer off the edge.
That newlook group of linebackers helped stuff Colorado State in a 4513 victory at Broncos Stadium last week. And Landman was at the center of the domination, corralling a firstquarter interception in addition to his 16 tackles (two for loss), one quarterback hurry and one pass breakup.
By being honored as the week’s top defender in the Pac12, Landman accomplished “one of my goals ever since I started getting recruited.”
And Landman’s hometown is still keeping track of his success. When Russi finished coaching a Monte Vista win last Friday, he had a stream of text messages from buddies with updates on Landman’s monster production. Bergman gave Landman a congratulatory phone call last Saturday.
Landman might have been a bit taken aback by his performance in his first collegiate start. But his former coaches were not surprised.
“We kind of saw it coming,” Russi said. “He was chomping at the bit to get playing time … he waited his turn, obviously, and now he’s gonna show everyone what he can do.”