The Colorado Buffaloes’ offensive success is dependent on the guys up front

The Colorado Buffaloes have less star power on offense this year, so the performance of the offensive line is more important than ever in year three of the Prime era

BY TRENT FINNEGAN

Jul 25, 2025, 10:17 AM Updated: 10:29 am

Follow on Google News

Watch: Stidham Stakes His Claim, Barron, Coleman and Murdock Bust Out! | 9 mins

The weakest link of the Colorado Buffaloes in the first two seasons of the Coach Prime era has been the offensive line. The team was not been able to consistently run the ball and Shedeur Sanders was running around the backfield like a madman trying to avoid the instant pressure he saw on seemingly every other snap. Jordan Seaton was a much-needed breath of fresh air last season, but one man can only cover up so many issues created by the other four lined up next to him.

Without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter in the fold this year, it’s going to be much more challenging for Pat Shurmur’s offense to cover up the mistakes created by the offensive line if they are as prevalent as they have been in the past. The elite playmaking ability of those two worked overtime to cover up the lows of the line, but this year, a new unit alongside Seaton is hoping to change that.

Let’s take a look at how the offensive line unit is shaping up before the start of preseason camp. For those who have missed it, we have already looked at the quarterbacks, running backs and receivers.

KEY DEPARTURE – CASH CLEVELAND

Cash Cleveland was the perfect guy the Buffs needed to pair alongside Seaton on the offensive line last year. He didn’t start right away as a true freshman like Seaton did, but a handful of rough outings from Hank Zilinskas perfectly set up the runway for him to take advantage. Cleveland played in six games, and got the nod to start the final four, and only allowed one sack and two QB hurries in 234 pass blocking snaps.

He was named to the Freshman All-American team by PFF, On3 and 247 Sports. However, the bottomless NIL fund down in Lubbock, Texas, lured him away in the offseason, as he transferred to conference rival Texas Tech for the upcoming season in a move that is becoming all too common in modern college football.

Will the president’s new bill fix issues like that? Or will it result in more deals being made with brown paper bags in a Denny’s parking lot?

RETURNING PLAYERS

Colorado has a handful of players who are returning from last season, highlighted by Seaton. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound sophomore put up arguably the best season by a freshman o-lineman in the nation last year as he made multiple Freshman All-American teams (PFF, On3 and 247 Sports). The Buffs know what they’re getting from him, a dominant, quick-footed blocker who will keep the quarterbacks’ blindside protected.

Kareem Harden (right guard), Tyler Brown (utility), Yahya Attia (guard) and Phillip Houston (right tackle) are the only other returning linemen from last season. Houston only played in 11 games due to injury, Brown and Houston played in all 13 games and Attia never saw the field. The three of them were decent last year, but Houston is really the only one that could start when Georgia Tech rolls into town Week 1. Harden will be a depth piece for Shurmur and the rest of Colorado’s staff, while Brown might be better off moving to the defensive side of the ball.

Attia is more of a depth piece that will likely not see the field unless a string of injuries were to happen.

NEW FACES – FRESHMEN

Colorado has two new freshmen faces in the offensive line unit with Chauncey Gooden and Carde Smith. Smith, a four-star recruit, is the top name to watch here, as he was highly coveted by high-profile programs such as USC and Auburn. He only weighs 300 pounds, so he is a bit on the lighter side, but the tackle makes up for it with his quickness and technique. He might not start right away solely because of the experience differential between him and Houston, but could potentially end up like Cash Cleveland a season ago as a midseason addition to the starting lineup.

Gooden, who is listed at 380 pounds, is another four-star recruit Colorado added to the squad this season. As an interior lineman, his size would be a big plus for Colorado in the run game if he can properly adjust to the quickness of Power 4 college football. Similar to Smith, he likely won’t start right away, but if things go south, the Buffs have a talented young guy they can turn to.

NEW FACES – TRANSFERS

The Buffs have a handful of transfers joining the unit this season. Aki Ogunbiyi (formerly a tackle) and Zylon Crisler (guard) are likely going to be the two guards to start the season off, while Zarian McGill could be the first player to trot out on the field at center. While Ogunbiyi has been a tackle throughout his career, he will not get the nod over Seaton, and the Buffs need his experience inside, so expect him to slide down to guard.

All three players are three-star transfers, and graduate students who have played in a combined 96 games at the Division 1 level. Ogunbiyi and Crisler transferred to Boulder from Texas A&M and Illinois, respectively, so they have been in some high-stakes games that will add some much-needed experience to Colorado’s group. McGill is coming over from Louisiana Tech and Louisiana Monroe, so he hasn’t been in as many high-stakes contests as the other two, but still has plenty of experience.

Other transfers include Cooper Lovelace (interior), Walker Andersen (tackle), Andre Roye Jr. (tackle), Larry Johnson III (tackle), Xavier Hill (interior) and Mana Taimani (interior). Every single one of those players is a three-star transfer who will likely start the season as a depth piece unless something out-of-the-blue happens. Lovelace, Johnson and Hill are the three names to watch if Colorado needs to shake up the lineup, as all three bring experience from their previous schools.

PROJECTED WEEK 1 STARTERS

LT – Jordan Seaton
LG – Aki Ogunbiyi
C – Zarian McGill
RG – Zylon Crisler
RT – Phillip Houston

This unit will likely see some changes — outside of Seaton — throughout the season given the talent that’s waiting behind them. By the end of the season, it could look a little different with Carde Smith at right tackle if Houston doesn’t perform up to speed.

Without a doubt, this is a much better group of linemen than what the Buffs had protecting Shedeur Sanders last season, and the experience alone will be a tremendous boost to the unit. This unit will be better as a collective in both the pass and the run game, and will allow Shurmur to get some more creative play calls on the play sheet instead of just standard protections and zone runs to keep defenses on their toes.

On the other hand, if this unit cracks, they don’t have the star power behind them to mask their mistakes. It was fine for them to not be great the last two seasons, but this year, they have to be solid if the offense wants any chance of succeeding.