CU Buffs’ Christian Gonzalez jumping into leadership role with cornerbacks

BOULDER — Christian Gonzalez has been known for being a quiet, shy guy.

During his freshman play astatine Colorado a twelvemonth ago, Gonzalez watched, listened and learned from his teammates arsenic helium earned much and much playing time. Now, arsenic a sophomore, he’s increasing retired of his shy representation and ascending into a enactment position.

In Colorado’s shortened six-game play past year, the existent freshman cornerback recorded 24 tackles and 4 walk break-ups. As a sophomore helium appears to person a veteran’s confidence.

“Over campy and past outpouring I felt similar I stepped into a enactment relation successful the country room, particularly with maine and Mekhi (Blackmon) starring the pack,” helium said. “Even though I’m inactive young, I person playing acquisition and being capable to measurement into a enactment relation decidedly helps maine more, too.”

The six-foot-2, 200-pounder was ranked arsenic a four-star imaginable astatine The Colony (TX) successful the people of 2020. In the pre-fall extent illustration Gonzalez was listed arsenic the apical near cornerback up of Nigel Bethel and Kyle Scofield.

As a freshman helium embraced the speedier college-level game, learned not to conscionable ticker movie but cognize what to look for, and overall, knew to marque his chances count. This year, helium wants to walk down what helium experienced making the leap from precocious schoolhouse to assemblage shot to the younger cornerbacks.

“What I’ve been preaching to the young corners is that you can’t conscionable trust connected your diversion quality astatine the assemblage level due to the fact that everybody’s conscionable arsenic bully arsenic you, if not better,” helium said. “You can’t get distant with things similar you would successful precocious school.”

First-year antiaircraft coordinator Chris Wilson said returning players specified arsenic Gonzalez are “progressing reasonably well.” Wilson was promoted from antiaircraft enactment manager successful January.

“What’s truly been an breathtaking portion is the improvement of guys similar Christian, and watching their maturation has truly been the cardinal to this squad growing,” Wilson said.

Blackmon said, “His assurance has gone up truthful much. You tin archer helium started to get much comfy with the system. He looked up to maine a batch past twelvemonth for assurance and it’s built him up, too.”