The #CUBuffs are not over the roster limit. Walk-on Nick Randall joined the Buffs in the middle of the 2023-2024 season, before the NCAA’s change to a 15-person roster limit. So, he is grandfathered in.
CU nees more interior size, so I understand taking a flyer on a 7 footer. Still, I have massive concerns about the team and believe that CU’s 2026-27 team, a team full of role players, is going to really, really struggle in a wickedly competitive Big 12.
I think it’s more than fair to believe this team could struggle in the Big 12. It’s not like the program has shown otherwise in its first two years back in the conference.
However, the last two years were reliant on big leaps from inexperienced or unorthodox players, giving those teams lower floors, IMO. In 2024-25, CU hoped for a backup guard in Julian Hammond III, two non D-I guys in Trevor Baskin and Elijah Malone and a skinny, inexperienced Bangot Dak to make the leaps, while also bringing in Andrej Jakimovski – a solid 3-n-D starter – to be their main guy. There was simply no “guy” on that team. Last year, there was more continuity and more talent to rely on in Dak, Rancik, Hargress and the freshmen, but the team was still incredibly young, and relying on specific body types in Dak and Malone.
This year, the squad has three fifth-year guys, one sixth-year guy, a 22-year-old sophomore in David Gomez and two older freshmen (19 and 20) in the Aussies; understanding systems, communication and leadership should be easier while also adding depth. Barrington Hargress and Justin Neely have the floor general and first option experience that CU lacked in 2024-25. The three returning rising sophomore won’t have the expectations that a Dak or Rancik had as sophomores. And when you look at the body types, there is more to work with. Dak and Rancik were skinny for 6-foot-10 plus while Malone was too heavy, and Michaeli was simply not athletic enough to bang inside as a defender/rebounder at 6-foot-9. Now, they have four experienced bigs in Feddersen, Gomez, Malual and now Niagu who all are solid weights with decent athleticism and working skill sets.
Do I think this team will be amazing? No. But I think this team is put together well despite what people think, it fits Tad’s system and that there is better roster construction than the past couple of years. Having began covering this team when Lawson Lovering was starting, CU has consistently had little depth at the five while already lacking a starter who was in the top half in the conference at the position. This year, they at least have the depth.