Three Colorado Players to Watch in The Week 1 Matchup Against the Yellow Jackets

There will be a lot of eyes on Salter, especially in this week’s matchup against Georgia Tech. He was named the starter for the Buffaloes on Tuesday, but the true question is how short a leash he will have in this game. Head Coach Deion Sanders has already stated that true freshman Julian Lewis will get some playing time in the game against the Yellow Jackets. On3 Pete Nakos reported it could be a potential platoon situation with Lewis getting a few drives in the game. Make no mistake, the pressure will be on, especially with a true freshman waiting in the wings in case you mess up. Salter will have to be sharp and take care of the football, or his spot can be in jeopardy.

Last season for Liberty, Salter threw for 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was also dynamic with his feet, rushing for 587 yards and seven touchdowns. Salter has amassed 2,013 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in his career thus far. Here is a deeper dive into Salter as a player and what he brings to the table

“Salter is a true dual-threat QB that can burn you with his legs. His athleticism is often slept on, but last year he rushed for 587 yards and seven touchdowns. Expect Colorado to run a lot of the RPO (Run-Pass-Option) game when Salter is in the game. He has a knack for taking advantage of the defensive end and making him choose between him and the running back, which he exploits with ease.”

“An area to watch with Salter is if Colorado runs the ball heavily and uses play action to go deep down the field and catch the Yellow Jackets napping. Before Salter arrived, Colorado ran a lot of shotgun sets with their former star quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, but perhaps it will look a bit different with Salter at the helm and being a more elite runner at the quarterback position. In addition to the deep throws Salter can make, what out for the quick passing game as well. It could be something Colorado rolls out to get him comfortable in the offense to establish a rhythm.”

It will be interesting to see what kind of offense the Buffs roll out in a new era under coach Prime and how patient he will be with his senior signal caller.

2. RB Micah Welch- Dallan Hayden will be out with an injury in the game for Colorado, and he was the second-leading rusher from a season ago. Isaiah Augustave was the leading rusher for the Buffaloes, but is now with the South Carolina Gamecocks. That leaves Welch as one of the returning players for the Buffs in the matchup against the Yellow Jackets. Last season, he rushed for 186 yards and tied a team-high with four touchdowns. He was a true freshman a season ago and took full advantage of his opportunities when they were sent his way. He played in nine games a season ago in started in three games, including the final two of the season. He had one of his best games in the season-opening win a season ago over Colorado State, where he rushed for a career-high 65 yards on just nine carries. The Buffs will have a good stable of running backs in Dekayon Taylor and Simeon Price who they will likely lean on besides Welch to carry the load in the game against the Yellow Jackets. However, it starts and stops with Welch, and if he can get going offensively for Colorado.

3. EDGE Arden Walker- Walker will be a name to watch on the defensive side of the ball, especially at the EDGE position. The Yellow Jackets will have two new starters on the offensive line. One coming from South Alabama is Malachi Carney, and the other is Ethan MacKenny, who has some experience playing but will presume the role of full-time starter. Walker had one of the best seasons of his career a year ago, finishing with 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. One of his best games came against Texas Tech, where he posted seven tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. The senior edge rusher has only improved in fall camp and gotten better. He will be one that the Yellow Jackets will have to account for to make sure he doesn’t wreck the game, something he is fully capable of.