Colorado's Bench Players Train for Minutes They May Not Get This Season

Ten days from tipoff, four Colorado freshmen are practicing for a season that may not include them on the court.

The Buffaloes finished 17-16 last year and used 11 players in at least 20 games, with seven making 10 or more starts. That rotation depth is gone for 2026-27. Head coach Tad Boyle has built his likely rotation from guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders and Ian Inman, plus forwards Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual and David Gomez, who is still limited while recovering from foot surgery performed a year ago.

Colorado opens its 17th season under Boyle on Nov. 2 against Abilene Christian. The team reached the 10-day mark on Friday.

The group left outside that rotation includes forward Chase Hill, guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, and forward Eric Jacobsen. Hill said he considered Division III programs before choosing to develop at Colorado over four or five years. Jacobsen dealt with a torn ACL midway through his junior season; his recruiting interest dropped afterward. Jones reopened his recruiting after a coaching change at Georgia State, where he had committed. Hill's father coaches women's basketball at Trinity University in San Antonio, and his grandfather, Bob, coached in the NBA and helped recruit Boyle to Kansas 45 years ago. Portela's father is also a coach.

Jacobsen described accepting a limited role as difficult at first. "I'm realizing I can go as hard as I can every single day and I don't really have anything to lose," he said. "Just trying to earn what I can."

Boyle has not ruled out changes. "It's a fluid situation," he said, adding that Jones had a strong practice on Friday and that Jacobsen and Hill have shown ability in practice. He said their standing in December could differ from where it stands now in late October, and asked them to prepare each day so they are ready when called.