Kutsch made most of his opportunity
Colorado’s offensive line has certainly had some highs and lows this season, but senior left guard Kary Kutsch has been a solid performer from the start.
Kutsch will play his final game at Folsom Field when the Buffaloes (3-7, 2-5 Pac-12) host Washington (4-6, 3-4) on Saturday.
A former junior college transfer, Kutsch is in the midst of his best season in Boulder.
“I’ve played pretty consistently over the season and I do pride myself on being consistent,” the 6foot-5, 310-pound Kutsch said. “That’s one of the biggest things of O-line is just having everyone play consistent because if one person messes up, it’s still a broken play so I try to hold it on myself to always do the right thing.”
He has succeeded often and Saturday will be his 27th career start with the Buffs.
Kutsch, from Redding, Calif., was lightly recruited out of high school and went to Butte (Calif.) College in 2017. He earned all-region honors that season and caught the attention of former CU head coach Mike Macintyre, who signed Kutsch after the 2017 season.
After spending 2018 as a special teams player (he saw just 61 snaps on offense), he’s been a regular starter ever since. He has started 26 of the Buffs’ last 28 games, missing two last season because of COVID19 protocol.
“The thing that I love about Kary is that he puts it all on the field,” coach Karl Dorrell said. “He’s so consistent and productive. And he has a future (in the NFL). He’s a really good player, and he hasn’t been injured.
“He’s been consistently playing well throughout the year. Even in the darker moments when the offensive line hasn’t played well, he’s been a steady, steady, consistent performer.”
Kutsch isn’t a vocal leader. In fact, Dorrell joked that there have never been more than 10 words in a conversation he’s had with Kutsch. But, he’s been a leader by example.
“I try to do the right thing, give these guys an example to look forward to because I’m not like 6-7; I don’t run under a 5-flat (in the 40yard sprint),” Kutsch said. “I just kind of try to do the right things because I don’t have physical tools. Anybody really could kind of get where I am.”
In a way, Kutsch is like interim offensive line coach William Vlachos,
who was an undersized center at Alabama a decade ago, but still earned ALL-SEC honors and won two national titles.
“We’ve watched some of his ’Bama tape and watching him back in the day is pretty wild to see the disparity between coach Vlachos and the younger Vlachos,” Kutsch said. “He’s not like a physical specimen, but I mean, he could really play so it’s kind of cool to see stuff like that.”
Kutsch can really play, too, and it’s a testament to his talent that he’s been consistent while surrounded with inconsistency. During his college years, he’s had four head coaches and Vlachos is his fifth position coach.
“I feel like all my position coaches at least have provided something different for me in a positive way,” he said. “I don’t have any ill will towards any of them. I’m grateful that I have actually gotten to experience multiple position coaches in the end.”
With the end approaching, Kutsch has his eyes on the NFL but said he’s glad CU gave him a chance.
“I’m forever grateful for all that,” he said. “I mean, just happy I got the opportunity to even work hard enough to be here.”