Colorado Buffaloes most important players: #14 Terrance Lang

When Amos Alonzo Stagg was dreaming up the positions and formations of modern football, he had to model how each position was supposed to look. The running back is between 5’10 and 6’0, with a thick base, ripped upper bodies, and quick feet. The middle linebacker is 6’0 to 6’3, who has shoulder pads the size of a smaller man and huge arms. And when Stagg was thinking of the ideal 3-4 defensive end, he just thought of Terrance Lang.

Lang is tall at 6’6, with even longer arms. He was skinny when he arrived in Boulder, but this year, he’s filled out and around 270. As a redshirt freshman, Lang is part of the 2017 class, the most talented group recruited under Coach MacIntyre (on paper, at least). Basically, Lang has one of the highest ceilings on the team, enough to stand out from the group on CU with the highest ceiling. To me, he’s so important this year because of this talent.

Ignore the typo, the sentiment is real. Antwine doesn’t appear on this list (along with any other freshman) because he wasn’t in Boulder for spring ball, but he absolutely will impact the team in a huge way. I would argue that Lang will have an even larger impact. Lang has supreme talent on the defensive line, something that hasn’t been seen in Boulder in quite a while.

So why is Terrance Lang not higher on this list? Why is this amazing talent that I’m espousing not the most important player on the team? Well, because he might not even start. The Buffs’ defensive line is the deepest it has been in some time (if the talent pans out at least). Chris Mulumba is an old, experienced end that turned it on near the end of last year. Mustafa Johnson is a versatile piece that is stout everywhere, and Javier Edwards has the DT spot locked down. If Lang starts, it will be from merit, not from necessity. But, put me down for this now, he will force himself onto the field. The only thing holding him back from all-conference potential is mentality and playing time. I’m a huge believer in his talent. This defense is trying desperately to get more athletic, and Terrance Lang is proof of concept.