It has taken a while for Jeremiah Brown to get comfortable within the defense at Colorado.
The senior is settling in, though, and could play a key role for the Buffaloes.
“I’m happy with his progress,” CU linebackers coach Andre Hart said. “He’s taken great notes, and he’s really locked in this year. His development has just been something remarkable to see. So when game day comes, I think you guys are going to be talking about him and what he can bring to our packages on defense.”
Colorado opens the season on Aug. 29 against North Dakota State at Folsom Field (6 p.m., ESPN) and the competition at linebacker is heating up.
Seniors LaVonta Bentley and Trevor Woods are the projected starters at inside linebacker, but the Buffs are deep at the position.
“Now Nikhai (Hill-Green) and Jeremiah Brown are making a really big push, and so we’ve been mixing these guys up,” Hart said. “I always talk about competition keeping them up at night, but now they’re keeping me up at night because I’m trying to think who’s going to be that guy for me.
“I’m excited to see who’s going to come out on top, but I feel good with any four of those guys going in.”
Bentley recorded 69 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks last year and was CU’s most steady presence at linebacker. Around him, it was a revolving door, with Hart turning to Woods – who played safety – late in the year.
Woods has gone from 198 pounds last year to 224 this year as he’s completed the conversion to linebacker.
As a former safety, Woods is an asset in pass coverage and Hart said, “His IQ is phenomenal, and his instincts are really, really good for us in that room.”
With more weight and strength, Woods is more of an asset against the run this year, too. In addition, Hart said Woods has received individual instruction from several others, including former Baltimore Ravens star linebackers Adalius Thomas and Ray Lewis. Thomas is a volunteer assistant with the Buffs.
“When you get that individual coaching all the time, someone’s always in your ear, and it’s just not me … you get better, especially when you want to get better,” Hart said.
It’s no surprise to see Hill-Green making a push for a starting job. He began his career at Michigan and was one of the top defenders at Charlotte last year, posting 73 tackles, nine tackles for loss and two sacks.
“The biggest thing that Nikhai has brought is just that professional attitude on how to talk loud, early and often, how to get those calls out and make sure we’re playing as a unit,” Hart said.
Veteran transfers Johnny Chaney Jr. (Florida A&M) and Jaylen Wester (Florida Atlantic) are experienced players in the room, as well.
Brown, meanwhile, is intriguing because of his experience and potential. He spent two years with Hart and CU head coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State. At JSU in 2022, Brown moved to the edge and was dominant, with 47 tackles, 10 TFLs and six sacks.
Since coming to CU in January of 2023, he has been on the edge and inside, and played mostly on special teams in 2023. He’s finally settled in at inside backer and might be too valuable to keep off the field because he can rush the passer, play in pass coverage and has the physicality for stopping the run.
Hart, meanwhile, is still trying to figure out where all of his guys fit in with the defense and said there might be some situational rotation.
“There’s some of that going on now, and it’s causing us to have some really good discussions in the coaches office on what we can do and what we can’t do,” Hart said of the depth. “And now you also can do multiple things.
“Do we have packages for guys? We do, but then we also can be multiple and keep a couple guys on the field and go through each one of those packages.”
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