Most Important Buffaloes: #12 Tim Lynott

On this countdown of most important Colorado Buffaloes, we have seen Colby Pursell (OG), William Sherman (OT) and Arlington Hambright (OT). Casey Roddick (OG) didn’t quite make the top 20, which means we have one offensive lineman left. That means Tim Lynott, Jr., the presumed starter at center, is the Buffs’ most important hogmollie.

Lynott enters his fourth season as a starter. He first blew up in 2016, when he had a superb season as a right guard clearing lanes for Phillip Lindsay and Sefo Liufau. He was named First Team Freshman All-American and looked like he could be the next great offensive guard.

However, Lynott has been beset by injuries. Despite playing in 22 out of 24 possible games in 2017 and 2018, he has been plagued by lingering injuries that have resulted in inconsistent play. It’s tough to excel when you’re not 100%. If you don’t have your quickest first step, you’re more prone to holding. If you don’t have your best explosiveness, running lanes aren’t quite as open.

Lynott has been productive in those past two years, but we have all seen his potential and full capabilities. He’s a four-year starter with something to prove, so it should be no surprise that he’s worked tirelessly in preparation for his final season.

If he can set the tone both as physical presence — 6’3, 300 is plenty of size and center — and as the coordinator of the offensive line, the Buffs’ offense will benefit greatly. They need strong line play to run the ball, which is crucial in Jay Johnson’s offense, and they need to give Steven Montez enough time to use his star-studded receiving corps.