There is no shortage of starting experience on the Colorado offensive line.

Juniors Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan and Jake Wiley and sophomore Van Wells are all returning starters for the Buffaloes. New head coach Deion Sanders and his staff have also added Tyler Brown (Jackson State), Isaiah Jatta (Snow College), Savion Washington (Kent State) and Jack Wilty (Iowa Central Community College) as experienced transfers.

Two more starters — Jack Bailey (Kent State) and Landon Bebee (Missouri State) — are expected to arrive this summer.

All that experience is good and bad for first-year offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle.

“It helps and hurts because you break bad habits; not saying bad habits because everybody coaches O-line different ways, but it’s our system,” O’Boyle said Tuesday after the Buffs completed the ninth of 15 spring practices. “It’s buying into our system and knowing, all right, when we’re going to work that deuce on our gapping unit how we block that deuce; what that tackle does. We’re not going to gallop, we’re not going to take certain steps that other people teach, which is fine. We just don’t do that. I want guys that are flat running off the ball.”

Even with the experience up front, the Buffs have a long way to go to meet the expectations of O’Boyle and offensive coordinator Sean Lewis.

“We’re a work in progress,” O’Boyle said. “Everything’s new for them. … Just too much thinking. With our system and what we do and coach Lewis’ system, we have to make maybe one, two calls and just come off the ball and run. We’ve got a lot of guys just overthinking things right now. Anytime they do that, they’re just gonna hesitate and that’s what we’re trying to get through right now and honestly, it’s just trying to find the five that are gonna work together. It’s always tough when you’re introducing new people to new schemes.”

While there are a lot of linemen who have started games and played a lot of football, Washington is the only one who has played for O’Boyle and Lewis. So, the entire group is working on the nuances of the scheme and the expectation to be fast and physical.

“It has to be second nature for them,” O’Boyle said. “They have to be able to take those steps in their sleep and that’s what we’re working on right now — just the basic fundamentals.”

O’Boyle is excited to see what the group can do when they get the fundamentals down and figure out the offense.

“When this thing’s rolling, it’s a thing of beauty, man,” he said. “For an offensive lineman, it’s a blast because they’re pulling, they’re running, they’re working techniques, they’re out in space. It’s a fun offense for an offensive lineman.”

Numbers earned

Four more players earned their uniform numbers on Tuesday, including the first two returning players.

Safety Trevor Woods, who was one of CU’s top defensive players last year, earned the No. 43, which was his number last season. Linebacker Isaac Hurtado (No. 29) also earned his number.

Two more transfers earned numbers, as well, as linebacker Vonta Bentley will wear No. 20 and safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig will wear No. 7.

Previously, receiver Jimmy Horn (5), receiver/corner Travis Hunter (12) and defensive lineman Shane Cokes (99) earned their numbers.

Mills to transfer

Redshirt freshman cornerback Keyshon Mills announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he will be putting his name into the transfer portal this week.

Players around the country have from April 15-30 to put their names into the transfer portal and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Mills was a part of CU’s 2022 recruiting class but did not appear in a game during his true freshman season.

Also, walk-on receiver Deuce Roberson is no longer with the Buffs. Roberson played at Snow College last season and was recruited as a preferred walk-on, but off-the-field issues have led to him no longer being a Buff.

In a statement to BuffZone, CU said, “Deuce Roberson is no longer with the football team. In accordance with privacy laws, we are unable to comment further.”