{"id":117750,"date":"2023-08-19T03:31:43","date_gmt":"2023-08-19T03:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uklevitrasupport.com\/?p=117750"},"modified":"2023-08-19T03:31:43","modified_gmt":"2023-08-19T03:31:43","slug":"center-van-wells-stepping-up-for-cu-buffs-building-rapport-with-shedeur-sanders-the-denver-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uklevitrasupport.com\/world-news\/center-van-wells-stepping-up-for-cu-buffs-building-rapport-with-shedeur-sanders-the-denver-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Center Van Wells stepping up for CU Buffs, building rapport with Shedeur Sanders The Denver Post"},"content":{"rendered":"
As the starting quarterback of the Colorado Buffaloes, Shedeur Sanders has to be on the same page as the receivers he\u2019s throwing to every day.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also important for Sanders to be in tune with the man giving him the ball. With the Buffaloes\u2019 season opener just two weeks away on Sept. 2 at TCU (10 a.m. MT, Fox), it appears he has a great rapport with center Van Wells.<\/p>\n
\u201cShedeur, he sees a lot,\u201d Wells said after CU practice on Friday. \u201cHe sees the whole field, and it\u2019s good being a center because I can see a lot of stuff, too. We talk about the best way we can slot the protection or pick up blitzes or anything like that. So, it\u2019s good knowing that he has that football IQ and that leadership, so we can slow down and talk about it right there on the field and get everything right.\u201d<\/p>\n One of only 10 scholarship players back from last year\u2019s CU team \u2013 and one of only three that were full-time starters \u2013 Wells has made a good impression on Sanders, new offensive line coach Bill O\u2019Boyle and his team.<\/p>\n Wells, nicknamed \u201cBam,\u201d has been running with the first-team offense throughout camp, and a big reason for that is his connection with Sanders.<\/p>\n \u201cBam is definitely holding his own and Shedeur loves him at center, so he\u2019ll do very good this year,\u201d said right tackle Savion Washington, a transfer from Kent State. \u201cShedeur and Van communicate very well. \u2026 Shedeur and Van are able to see the field differently than I can I feel like.\u201d<\/p>\n While Sanders has a high football IQ and is used to calling protections from his time at Jackson State, O\u2019Boyle said the Buffs\u2019 system takes some of that burden off the quarterback. Wells\u2019 experience and knowledge has been vital in that regard.<\/p>\n \u201cThey work well together,\u201d O\u2019Boyle said. \u201cThey communicate a lot and I know Shedeur, with the system that he came in with, had a lot of say in protections and some things like that. It\u2019s a little bit different. The offensive line takes a little bit more of the protection amongst themselves (in this offense). A lot of stuff is built in.<\/p>\n \u201cJust the communication there, that we\u2019re going to be OK up front; we\u2019re gonna make the right calls and the right checks, takes a little bit off Shedeur. The system\u2019s working well and Bam\u2019s doing a great job. He\u2019s having a real good fall camp.\u201d<\/p>\n Wells had a good fall camp in 2022, as well, impressing the previous coaching staff from the get-go. He became just the 13th true freshman in CU history to start a game on the offensive line. He wound up starting eight games (six at center, two at guard), tied for the second-most by a true freshman lineman in CU history (Brian Daniels had nine in 2003).<\/p>\n \u201cIt was good for me,\u201d Wells said of the experience he gained, despite CU\u2019s dismal 1-11 record. \u201cI got to play in this conference already, I got to see what was out there. Last year, honestly, I think I was just playing on talent. But now this year, I get to play off experience and actually knowing more about the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Most of the people Wells played with and for in 2022 are gone, as new head coach Deion Sanders has overhauled the roster. But, Wells is surrounded by linemen who have college experience.<\/p>\n Left guard Jack Bailey and Washington were both starters at Kent State last year. Left tackle Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan started with Wells at CU. And, at right guard, the Buffs have rotated between Jack Wilty, who was all-conference at Iowa Central Community College last year, and Landon Bebee, who was second-team all-conference three times at Missouri State.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good because you have people on the line who know what they\u2019re doing, know the game, know how it\u2019s going to be,\u201d Wells said. \u201cKnowing I\u2019ve got two guards right here on the same level mentally as me, it makes everything so much easier.\u201d<\/p>\n For Wells, a lot of the game is easier this year, not only because of his own experience, but because of the plethora of changes within the program.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good because, again, we won one game and I didn\u2019t like that at all,\u201d he said. \u201cI had never felt anything like that, but I felt like it was an experience that I needed to have. It only got me better.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nPick Six: Colorado Mines star QB John Matocha returns as one of the top small college players<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nCU Buffs hoping to get TE Caleb Fauria back from injury soon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nCSU counting on revamped offensive line to turn around offense in 2023: “The difference is going to be in the trenches.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nCU president Todd Saliman excited about Buffs’ future<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nPac-12 rebuild on hold as Stanford, Cal seek invites from ACC, Big Ten<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n