Colorado’s latest “too small” debate didn’t take long to surface again, and new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion had no interest in feeding it.
The buzz started with a short practice clip from fall camp in Colorado Springs, one that showed quarterback Julian Lewis hitting wide receiver Quentin Gibson for a touchdown. Gibson is listed at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, and that was enough for social media to spin the moment into another round of jokes and questions about the Buffaloes’ size.
Marion’s answer came fast.
“As the kids would say, pull up,” Marion said. “At some point you gotta spot the ball and see.”
Coach Prime brushed off the same criticism with the same kind of confidence.
“They’re talking about the size of our team which is hilarious,” Coach Prime said. “I don’t think we’re small by any means.”
This isn’t the first time the subject has followed Colorado around. The chatter first picked up after a spring-game video showed players walking onto the field before Black and Gold Day.
That clip featured plenty of receivers, defensive backs and other skill players, while most of the team’s biggest linemen were out of frame. Some viewers took it as proof the Buffaloes looked more like a high school or Pop Warner group, and others wondered whether they’d be physical enough in the Big 12.
The conversation came back this week for the same reason: another clip, another narrow snapshot, another wave of size talk. This time the players were wearing Guardian Caps, and the footage again leaned heavily on the skill positions.
Gibson was an easy target because of his listed size, but he’s not the only body type in Colorado’s receiver room. DeAndre Moore Jr. is listed at 6-foot and approximately 190 pounds, Joseph Williams at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, and the room includes other bigger options as well.
The roster was built with Marion’s Go-Go offense in mind, and that system asks for speed, versatility and players who can move around the formation. Receivers are expected to line up in different spots and create after the catch. The offense also leans on multiple backfield looks and tempo to force defenses to react quickly.
That kind of setup can make a team look smaller in a practice video, especially when the focus is mostly on receivers and defensive backs. Gibson, Danny Scudero, Kam Perry and Ernest Campbell give Colorado quickness on the perimeter, not just bulk.
Campbell, who came over from Sacramento State, is also a track athlete and has run 10.35 seconds in the 100 meters. Scudero led the nation in receiving last season at San Jose State. Moore transferred from Texas after putting together 77 catches, 988 yards and 11 touchdowns in his college career.
For all the online noise, the only answer that matters is coming soon enough. Colorado opens the season Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech, the same team that beat the Buffaloes 27-20 in last year’s opener.
There are other roster questions looming, too, especially on the offensive line after all five starters from last season departed. Colorado has added transfer linemen and has returning players in the mix for those spots. And the team does have size elsewhere that doesn’t always show up in social-media clips.
For now, Colorado is spending its first week of fall camp at Fountain-Fort Carson High School while staying at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Practices in Colorado Springs are closed to the public, and the Buffaloes are scheduled to return to Boulder on Aug. 8.
Until then, the size debate will keep rolling online. Marion’s version of the reply is simple: “pull up.” The real test comes when Colorado lines up against Georgia Tech.
In Other News...
DeAndre Moore Jr. Is Giving Colorado Something It Desperately Needed
DeAndre Moore Jr. arrived in Boulder with a familiar face waiting for him, reconnecting with offensive coordinator Brennan Marion after Marion originally recruited him to Texas. Colorado needed help at receiver after losing its leading target, and Moore comes in with a track record that suggests he can step into a meaningful role right away. During fall camp, Marion has pointed to Moores leadership and the way he carries himself as qualities that can steady an offense still sorting out its pecking order.
For Colorado, the appeal goes beyond simple production. Moore already knows Marions system, and the two have a relationship that dates back to the recruiting trail, which can shorten the adjustment period in a hurry. The bigger question now is how quickly that familiarity translates once the games count, especially with Colorado looking for a reliable presence in a room that suddenly has a lot more open snaps to go around. [Read more 🡒]
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Sanders has been pushing for even more from that relationship, seeing value in joint work with Air Force as Colorado tries to build its identity under a revamped coaching setup. The Buffaloes have already made sweeping changes, adding 43 transfers and bringing in Brennan Marion and Chris Marve in key coordinator roles, but the next step Sanders wants with the Academy is still out of reach for now because of NCAA rules. [Read more 🡒]