Last season was an interesting one for the Colorado football team. The Buffaloes started the season strong and found themselves ranked in the AP Poll, but they finished 1-8 in their last nine games to limp to a 4-8 overall record. They have a lot of people returning from last year's team, and 2024 will be an important season for Colorado. One of those returners is Dylan Edwards, and his role is going to look different this season.

Dylan Edwards is a running back, but he also caught a good amount of passes for the Colorado football team last season. Last year, Edwards caught 36 passes for 299 yards and four touchdowns. It sounds like there is going to be even more of that this upcoming season.

“It's crazy because this year, I'm playing way more receiver,” Dylan Edwards said this week, according to an article from the Coloradoan. “I'm more dynamic in our offense, it's not just running back. I am in the running back room, but I view myself as not a running back or a receiver. I'm just an all-around threat towards the defense. I feel like I can split out, I can motion, I can do it all. Having coach Shurmur call plays and give me the opportunity is something that I need and that I've been waiting for.”

It's not like pass-catching is the only thing that Edwards will be focusing on, though. He is still a running back, but like he said, he views himself as someone that can do it all. He knows he's going to have a big role this year.

“Dylan has a different approach to this year,” Colorado running backs coach Gary Harrell said. “You can tell he's more focused, he knows what his role is going to be and we're going to lean on him heavy to be very explosive. He's doing a good job of being a student of the game. Dylan's very talented, but he came in this year with a mindset to really understand his assignments and what he needs to get done.”

Dylan Edwards was just a freshman last season, and he was already having a big impact on the game. It sounds like Colorado football has some big plans for him, and he should be an exciting player to watch in 2024.

Freshman Micah Welch is turning heads in practice

Colorado Buffaloes running back Dylan Edwards (3) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
© Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

Another running back that is turning heads at Buffaloes practice is freshman Micah Welch. It sounds like he will be a contributor for Colorado next year, and him and Dylan Edwards should make for a powerful duo.

“It's good to see young Micah Welch come and do some of the things that he's doing,” Harrell continued. “He started off slow because he was trying to get acclimated to college football as far as information and the overload that was put on him. But now he's starting to build confidence and making plays. He's the guy we thought he would be as far as downhill and aggressively seeking the end zone. He's doing a great job of learning the offense.”

Welch is learning from Edwards and he wants to be able to do a lot of things for this Colorado offense. The running back room is looking good right now.

“It makes me feel great knowing that I can come in and do the same thing Dylan did and work together as a team,” Welch said. “We have great running backs and I know I can contribute to the team. As practice goes on, I'm trying to show that I can do all things: be shifty, run you over, catch out the backfield, I can do all of it. You have to be physical at this level.”

After last year's disastrous finish, this Colorado football team is hungry. They will be playing in a new conference this season, and it will be a very important year for the team.