Four questions about Colorado football before spring game

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While a below-average snow year in Boulder has brought on a long spring, the wait for Colorado football is slowly coming to an end.

The Buffs' annual Black and Gold spring game is set for this Saturday, giving the public their first look at a revamped Colorado team looking to rebound from a 3-9 season. Colorado and Deion Sanders brought in over 40 transfers and two new coordinators, leaving plenty of questions about how the team will look in 2026. With the stage set, here are four questions to keep in mind when watching Colorado's spring game.

Who will emerge as the defensive leader?

The Buffs saw a mass exodus of defensive leaders from last season, including cornerback D.J. McKinney and safety Tawfiq Byard, to the transfer portal. With a transfer-heavy defense and a new coordinator, finding a uniting voice will go a long way toward easing the struggles as the group learns to gel.

The spring game isn't always about the play on the field, but about the energy brought by a team heading into the season. A standout defensive performer who can bring the energy is part of the recipe to rebuild one of the Big 12's worst defenses from a year ago.

Who is Julian Lewis' go-to target?

Few teams brought in more talented pass catchers in the transfer portal than Colorado, but that leaves one problem: there's still only one ball. A young quarterback like Julian Lewis will need targets he can rely on to get him started early in games and go to late in clutch situations.

This spring game is another step toward building relationships with standout transfers like Danny Scudero and DeAndre Moore Jr., as well as returners like Joseph Williams. I'll be watching to see how and when Lewis targets wideouts to see if a true No. 1 pass catcher has emerged.

Can the defensive line get after the quarterback with four?

While I don't expect any defenders to lay out Lewis or transfer Isaac Wilson, it's imperative that this version of Colorado's defensive line can make the quarterbacks uncomfortable during the scrimmage. The Buffs were unable to get after the quarterback last season and instead relied on blitzes, leaving their corners in an impossible situation. It was a recipe for disaster that Colorado cannot afford to repeat if the team is looking to contend in the Big 12 Conference.

What can we expect from Colorado's kicking game?

You may want to sit down when I tell you this, but we are living in a post-Alejandro Mata world for the Colorado Buffaloes. Sanders' loyal kicker graduated, leaving a massive question mark at one of the hardest positions to recruit for. How transfer Josh McCormick and freshman Elliot Arnold perform will be an omen for the season ahead and for whether Colorado can count on its special teams in this new era.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Four questions before Colorado football spring game

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