Deion isn't lying about the caliber of players he's losing. None of those dudes were going to be superstars. But that attitude also illustrates one of Deion's biggest flaws as a College Coach. He treats backups like they're 2nd class citizens.
They're going to transition to the 4-2-5 next season and as of today only have 3 scholarship CBs with any game experience. And if Travis Hunter plays both ways again then he seriously won't have a trusted back up. Good God the Big 12 is going to run a train on that tired secondary.
SInce Prime's arrival, he's ran off 17 scholarship linemen, in only 16 months! 3 of the dudes who he sent packing in Dec 2022, went on to start at other Power 5 schools. 2 of The dudes he sent packing this past winter had more than a dozen Power 5 transfer portal offers. Now he's turning it over to 5 new guys again. You have 5 new offensive linemen that have never played together including a Center from UConn and a RT from UTEP. Those guys will be backed up by walk ons, redshirt freshmen or other transfers with no experience.
Here's what I do know about CU in 2024:
1. Their pass rush should be pretty good. The additions of BJ Green from Arizona State and Okunula from Pitt are significant. Those dudes can get after it. Darien Hayes, another stud Edge rusher from Pitt is also visiting CU this weekend. But he has a USC offer too. If he chooses CU over USC, he's an idiot, but if that does happen, then The Buffs will have a really impressive trio of pass rushers.
2. That receiving core is phenomenal! People can shit all over CU, but that group will be as talented as any receiving core Nebraska faces all season, including Ohio State and USC. The biggest addition is Will Sheppard out of Vanderbilt. That kid is a star who excelled in the SEC on a terrible team. He is going to thrive. Pick your poison covering Hunter or Sheppard while also having to worry about Jimmy Horn. There will be plenty of games where Horn goes off because he will be paired with a nickel or safety. Then they have two backups in Omarion Miller and LaJohntay Webster who would start for most Power 5 squads.
3. I actually like what they've done at Linebacker. Its really the only spot they will have quality depth on defense.
4. The interior defensive line will be tiny once again with Chidoze Owinoke transferring in from Houston. That dude has a lot of game experience, but he's terrible vs the run and undersized, much like Shane Cokes a returning DT starter. Nebraska's interior offensive line will literally have 5 inches and 30 to 50 lbs on both those guys.
Colorado's shift to the 4-2-5 is a calculated risk. Theyre going to dare people to run the football. And it's going to be appealing. Their down linemen are small. The back up defensive tackles literally have no viable game experience. The 4-2-5 is naturally leaky vs the run anyway, and that's dare #2.
I imagine Deion believes they can score fast and feast on some big plays due to some incredible skill talent on that side of the ball. They want teams to try and methodically control the clock on the ground. They want opponents to attempt an 8 minute scoring drive because CU thinks they can score in 45 seconds. However, Deion also ran off Sean Lewis and replaced with Pat Shurmur, who has never coordinated a college offense in his life.
One thing people need to accept about CU from a Nebraska perspective is their lack of depth wont matter much again in week 2. So the notion that nebraska should have some type of roster advantage is overblown.
I absolutely believe the Deion experiment will end in disaster for CU and his roster management will kill that team by October. But they will be dangerous in week two.
Unlike last season where I thought CU would beat Nebraska easily because of Jeff Sins, I like the Huskers in 2024 because I think Memorial Stadium will be at full throat and hostility will flow similar to the 2014 Miami game.