New Buffs Recruits Prepare for Bench Duty

Four young athletes have joined the Colorado men's basketball squad with a clear understanding that they will likely spend most of their time in practice rather than on the court.

The Buffs face Abilene Christian on November 2 for the opening game of head coach Tad Boyle's seventeenth season. As the team approaches its first contest, the coaching staff has not yet locked in specific roles or guaranteed playing time. The expected rotation features guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders, and Ian Inman. Forwards Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual, and David Gomez also occupy spots in that core group. Gomez may see limited action early on while he continues his recovery from foot surgery that took place last year.

This season marks a significant shift from the previous campaign. Last year, the team went 17-16 overall but struggled to 7-11 in the Big 12. Despite those results, the roster was deep. Eleven different players appeared in at least twenty games, and seven earned regular starting duties. That level of constant rotation is unlikely to happen again this year unless injuries force a change in plans. Instead, a handful of freshmen have effectively signed up to be practice players for the 2026-27 season.

Forward Chase Hill summed up the group's mindset with two words. He said his aim is just to develop. Hill noted that he could have attended a Division III program with the same goal and attempted a transfer later. He chose Colorado first, planning to grow over the four or five years he expects to spend in Boulder. His teammates arrived via different paths. Wing player Rider Portela signed last November after playing in Phoenix. The others were late additions to the roster last spring.

Eric Jacobsen, a 6-foot-1 post player, grew up in the Midwest before moving to Colorado Springs. He attended Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, but a torn ACL during his junior year slowed his recruiting momentum. Hill comes from a basketball family. His father holds the Division III all-time winning record at Trinity University in San Antonio. His grandfather, Bob, was a long-time NBA coach who helped recruit Boyle to Kansas 45 years ago. Portela's father is also a coach. Jones re-entered the recruiting process after a coaching change at Georgia State, where he had initially committed.

Jacobsen admitted that accepting a limited role was tough at first. He is realizing that he can give maximum effort every single day without losing anything. He is focused on earning whatever opportunities come his way. Unless injuries or other setbacks occur, this third group at the end of the bench is not expected to play regular minutes. Their daily work in practice will still be vital for a team hoping to make an impact in the conference.

Boyle emphasized that he does not want these players to feel permanently left out. He described the situation as fluid. He pointed out that Jones had a strong practice session on Friday, while Jacobsen and Hill have also shown good things. The coach said the group has the talent but lacks consistency due to their youth. Their standing in December could look very different from what it is in mid-to-late October. He asked them to prepare every day so they are mentally ready when called upon.