Assistant coach Drake brings new energy
Chris Mulumba is in BOULDER only his second season as a Colorado Buffaloes defensive lineman, but through the course of 10 spring practices, he’s noticed a distinct change among those in his position group.
“You can tell players are happy,” said Mulumba, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound edge rusher. “They want to work, and they want to practice.”
It wasn’t always that way a year ago — as often reflected by the Buffs’ play. CU’s defensive front averaged 1.6 sacks per game in 2017 to rank tied for No. 104 nationally. In games against Washington, Arizona, Oregon State, Arizona State and Utah, the Buffs gave up an average of 327.6 yards on the ground. Those trends, in part, led CU to part ways with longtime defensive line coach Jim Jeffcoat.
Enter Kwahn Drake: a first-time Power Five assistant already making waves in Boulder.
“Just like I told (Drake) last night, I thought he was doing a great job with them,” CU coach Mike MacIntyre said. “He has great energy. He’s passionate from when he steps on the field to when he walks off the field. … I’ve seen an improvement from the first day to now with some of the (defensive line), pretty good improvement. His energy and his knowledge are really paying off.”
Drake arrived in Boulder this winter after stints at Eastern Illinois (co-defensive coordinator), Memphis (analyst) and Tulane (defensive line coach). Those connections opened the path to CU, but it’s Drake’s budding relationships with his new players that have inspired confidence for the Buffs.
“Players will respect what you do once you respect them first, and that’s the biggest thing as a coach,” Drake said. “You have to build a relationship with them, and that’s just taking time and understanding their story, finding out who they are and spending that time with them as people and individuals. That will make them trust you and believe in you.”
Mulumba has certainly bought in, even with a small gap in age difference. Drake is 32, Mulumba 25. And beyond Drake’s energy, Mulumba has appreciated his new coach’s tactical approach.
“I feel like he’s expanding our technique and the way we see the game,” Mulumba said. “He’s more detailed, and he helps us play faster.”
Mulumba joins Javier Edwards and Jase Franke to form a trio of senior leaders up front for the Buffs. CU also carries high expectations for returning sophomore Terriek Roberts and junior Lyle Tuiloma. MacIntyre said he expects incoming freshman Israel Antwine to immediately contribute as well. But Drake is prepared to carry the burden should CU’s rise to defensive line dominance hit a few snags along the way.
“When things go wrong, as a coach, you take the heat for them,” Drake said. “I tell my guys: ‘Listen, every mistake you make is mine, not yours. I’m going to find a way to get it corrected.’ … That allows them the trust and the ability to just play football.”