Newcomers Settle Into Bench Roles as Buffs Prepare for Season Debut

Four Colorado Buffs recruits are entering the 2026-27 season with a clear and limited expectation: develop.

The team faces a shorter rotation this year compared to the previous campaign, when depth allowed for frequent shuffling of starters. The Buffaloes finished last season with a 17-16 record and a 7-11 mark in the Big 12, relying on eleven players who appeared in at least twenty games. That constant motion is unlikely to repeat this fall.

Head coach Tad Boyle is in the final days of preparing for the season opener against Abilene Christian on November 2. The program enters its 17th year under Boyle, and the coach has indicated that the primary rotation will consist of guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders and Ian Inman. On the forward line, Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual and David Gomez are expected to play significant minutes. Gomez may see limited action early on as he continues to recover from foot surgery performed last year.

The freshmen serving as the end of the bench include forward Chase Hill, guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, and forward Eric Jacobsen. These players joined the roster through various pathways. Portela, a wing from Phoenix, signed with Colorado last November. The others were late additions to the team in the spring. Jacobsen grew up in the Midwest before playing at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. Hill comes from a prominent basketball family, his father is the all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Trinity University, and his grandfather, Bob, was a longtime NBA coach who helped recruit Boyle to Kansas 45 years ago. Jones reopened his recruiting process following a coaching change at Georgia State.

Hill described his goal simply as development. He noted that he could have attended a Division III school with the same aim and transferred later, but chose Colorado to grow over the four or five years he expects to spend there. Jacobsen acknowledged that accepting a limited role was difficult at first. He stated that he is realizing he can go as hard as he can every single day and that he does not really have anything to lose. His focus is on earning what he can.

Boyle emphasized that the situation remains fluid. He does not want the younger players to feel permanently shut out from the action. The coach pointed out that Jones had a very good practice on Friday, while Jacobsen and Hill have also done good things. He noted that the group has the capability but lacks consistency due to their youth. Their standing in December could look very different from how it appears in mid-to-late October.

The coach asked the group to prepare every day so they are mentally ready when called upon. Their daily work in practice is critical to a Buffs team hoping to surprise in the Big 12. While this third five at the end of the bench is not expected to play regularly barring injuries or unexpected setbacks, their contributions during practice will shape the team's trajectory as the season progresses.