Four Rookies Target Practice Roles

Colorado men's basketball reaches the 10-day mark before its season opener on Friday. The Buffaloes will host Abilene Christian on Nov. 2 to begin head coach Tad Boyle's 17th season in Boulder.

The roster shape for 2026-27 differs sharply from last year's 17-16 campaign. Last season, 11 players appeared in at least 20 games and seven earned starting roles. This year, the likely rotation consists of guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders, and Ian Inman, along with forwards Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual, and David Gomez. Gomez may see limited minutes while recovering from foot surgery performed a year ago.

Four freshmen will primarily serve as practice players this fall. Forward Chase Hill and Eric Jacobsen, along with guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, joined the program through different pathways. Portela signed in November 2025. The other three were late additions in the spring of 2026.

Hill, a forward from a coaching family, stated his primary goal is simple development. He noted he could have played Division III basketball to improve his skills before transferring, but chose to start at Colorado to grow over his expected four or five years there. His father is the all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Trinity University in San Antonio. His grandfather, Bob, was a longtime NBA coach who helped recruit Boyle to Kansas 45 years ago.

Jones, a guard, reopened his recruiting process after a coaching change at Georgia State, where he had previously committed. Jacobsen, a 6-foot-1 post player, grew up in the Midwest and played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. A torn ACL during his junior season in high school slowed his recruiting momentum.

Jacobsen acknowledged the difficulty of accepting a limited role initially. He said he is realizing he can work as hard as possible every day without anything to lose. He is trying to earn whatever playing time he can get.

Boyle described the situation as fluid. He said Jones had a strong practice on Friday, and Jacobsen and Hill have also performed well in practice. The coach noted the players have capability but lack consistency due to their youth. He added that their standing in December could look very different from mid-to-late October. Boyle asked the group to prepare daily so they are mentally ready when called upon.