Colorado football's newly strengthened offensive line in disarray as Deion Sanders' key OL jumps ship to transfer portal

One of Colorado's biggest problems in Deion Sanders’ debut season was the team's offensive line. Despite a strong 3-0 start, the Buffaloes ended the 2023 season at 4-8, and the struggles of the line played a key part in the team's decline.

While the program has been working diligently on fixing the problem ahead of the 2024 season, there's a significant setback for the team. Offensive guard Jack Bailey has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer after spending just one season at Colorado.

Bailey arrived in Boulder from Kent State as part of many players Sanders brought in via the transfer portal in the last offseason and started 12 games. Being a graduate, he can enter the portal at the moment outside of the transfer window without a penalty.

The possible reason for Jack Bailey's exit

Jack Bailey followed his head coach Sean Lewis and offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle at Kent State to Colorado after both of them became a member of Deion Sanders' coaching staff. The transfer was an easy one, having started 12 games under the two coaches in 2022.

However, both Lewis and O’Boyle, who served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach respectively, have since left Colorado. Lewis has been hired as the new head coach of San Diego State while O'Boyle has teamed up with Northwestern as the new offensive coordinator.

Their exits are believed to have played a role in Jack Bailey's decision to leave the Buffaloes. With one year of eligibility remaining, the guard is hoping to be on a team where can be guaranteed to play. He is one of the 14 players transferring from the program.

Major addition to the Colorado offensive line ahead of the 2024 season

Improving the offensive line is a crucial aspect of Colorado's offseason strategy after the team allowed the second-most sacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2023.

The Buffaloes have brought in Tyler Johnson (Houston), Phillip Houston (FIU), Yakari Walker (UConn), Justin Mayers (UTEP) and Kahlil Benson (Indiana) via the transfer portal. Five-star prospect Jordan Seaton has also teamed up with the program from the Class of 2024.

A strong and reliable offensive line is fundamental to a team's success, providing protection for the quarterback and creating opportunities for the offense to perform effectively. Deion Sanders and his staff are hoping this is done much better as they seek improvement next season.